The Baron DeKalb [pp. 141-202]

1852.] T1~e Baron DeKaib. 145
much of the ethereal in it-were resolved upon taking
the field, at all events, and the wealth of the former soon
provided the means to do so, as well in the case of his
companion as himself. lie bought a transport vessel
with his own funds, and sailed for America, accompanied
by DeKalb and some ten or a dozen other adventurous
chevaliers. The vessel reached the shores of SouthCarolina in safety, narrowly escaping the British cruisers.
The party landed, at nightfall, near Georgetown, and
proceeded to the summer residence of ~fnjor Benjamin
linger, the brave man who subsequently fell in a night
sortie, fighting under the walls of Charleston, during the
attempted COUj) de ~nain of General Prevost against that
city, in 17~9. DeKaib acted as interpreter for the rest.
In the family of linger, our adventurers were entertained
with the most generous and friendly welcome. They
went thence to Charleston, where they found a like grateful treatment; but they were too earnest in seeking the
field of actual conflict to linger even in pleasant quarters,
and, after a brief delay, they hurried on to join the army of
Washington. This was probably early in June, (1~777.)
They made the journey to Philadelphia on horseback,
"riding," says ThIr. licadley, "nine hundred miles of the
distance on horseback," a ride which, we suspect, devoured all the space between, even in that day of mighty
distances. Their luggage was forwarded by wagons.
This fact brings us to our first original letter of DeKalb,
which was occasioned by it. It shows him in great straits
for his wardrobe. It is addressed to the "lionourable the
Delegates in Congress, for the State of South-Carolina,"
and runs as fbllows. We shall by the way, make no
corrections or alterations in these letters, except in punctuation and orthography, leaving to the broken English of
the Baron its peculiar charm. But, in truth, the Baron's
English is tolerably good. liis practice must have been
considerable. liere follows his letter:
"William MeCafferty, an inhabitant of Charlotte township, in
South-Carolina, on the back or upper road to the northern, of
whora Messrs. Chripps [Crips] and May [merchants of Charleston,
we presume] will be able to give yet a clearer account, they having
recommended said MeCafferty to me, to Messrs. De Lesser, De
-Valfort and Chevalier Dubuysson, for carrying our baggage from
Charlestown to Philadelphia-the whole of 2,900 weight, or there NEW SERIES, vOL. VI.-NO. 11. 10