Elijah responded, “Governor, we’ll be glad to help as we can, but there ain’t many of us. All we have to fight with is our own weapons and mostly on our plow horses. We been up to Watauga Valley twice, but mostly we stay ready to protect ourselves against the savages. I could bring some men down here to help when we’re needed.”

Dooly then spoke up. “Gwinnett didn’t seem to need us, even though we could have helped in going down against Florida. After what happened, it’s likely now that Burnfoot Brown will be moving farther north, and he’s got to be stopped. But most of us need to stay as close to home as possible.”

Treutlen said, “Well, it seems that we have a lot in common. Although we can’t seem to get more troops from the congress, they have given us some money to be used for our militia. I asked you to come down here to see if we can provide you with some military supplies.”

Clarke responded, “I reckon we can use some help, but what would we have to do for it?”

“The military commander would have to sign a personal bond that the provisions would be properly used, only for the direct requirements of the troops he leads. What we have to offer is some muskets and bayonets, powder and ammunition, a few horses and harnesses, blankets, and some tents. We also have a few pairs of boots.”

Clarke thought a few seconds and asked, “I reckon I’d be the one to sign. How many men could you supply?”

“How many do you have?”

“About a hundred and twenty have come forward on occasion to volunteer, but less than a hundred have stuck with trainin’. We could probably call out about eighty right now if we needed them.”

“How many could you get if supplies were available?”

Clarke, Dooly, and Twiggs mumbled a few words to one another, and Clarke said, “Maybe two hundred, and mostly from Wilkes County.”

Treutlen said, “There is a limit of twenty-three pounds per man, so you’ll have to find the best bargains for everything. Also, you’ll have to make this amount last for at least a year, and maybe longer.”

Clarke asked if some of the supplies could be bought in Augusta, nearer their homes, and the governor approved this request.

After a couple of hours of careful figuring among all four men, Clarke finally agreed to sign a personal bond to the colonial government for £4,560. Aaron assured him that he would not have to repay this enormous amount, but that all of them would be responsible for the proper use of the money. It was more than a month later before they finished supplying the militiamen who were already under their command, and they found it surprisingly easy to expand their force with the offer of adequate supplies.

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