Sir:  I  am  at  present  about  seventy  miles  from  Salisbury,  in  the
fork  of  the  Catawba,  with  about  four  hundred  and  fifty  horsemen,  in
pursuit  of  Col.  Ferguson.  On  my  crossing  the  Catawba  river,  I  dis-
patched to  different  quarters  for  intelligence,  and  this  evening  I  was
favored  with  this  news,  which  you  may  depend  on :  That  Col.  Clarke,
of  the  State  of  Georgia,  with  one  hundred  riflemen,  forced  his  way  from
South  Carolina  to  Georgia.  On  his  route  thither,  being  joined  by  seven
hundred  men,  he  proceeded  to  the  town  of  Augusta,  and  has  taken  it
with  a  large  quantity  of  goods  ;  but  not  finding  it  prudent  to  continue
there,  he  has  retreated  to  the  upper  parts  of  South  Carolina,  in  Ninety
Six  district,  and  made  a  stand  with  eight  hundred  brave  men.
This  moment  another  of  my  expresses  is  arrived  from  Cols.  Mc-
Dowell and  Shelby  ;  they  were  on  their  march,  near  Burke  Court  House,
with  fifteen  hundred  brave  mountain  inen,  and  Col.  Cleveland  was  within
ten  miles  of  them  with  eight  hundred  men,  and  was  to  form  a  junction
with  them  this  day.  I  expect  to  join  them  to-morrow,  in  pursuit  of  Col.
Ferguson,  and  under  the  direction  of  heaven,  I  hope  to  be  able  to  render
your  honor  a  good  account  of  him  in  a  few  days.
I  am,  &c.,

Maj.-Gen.  Gates.  JAMES  WILLIAMS.
GEN.  W.  L.  DAVIDSON  TO  GEN.  SUMNER.
Camp,  Rocky  River,  Oct.  loth,  lySo.
