Col. Thomas Waters ---Page 4

Instructions to Col. Thomas Waters From Thomas Brown
Feby. 177_     To Col. Waters
Sir;
On your arrival in the Cherokee nation you will please to notify your appointment as Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs to the commissioners, by order of Sergt.-General Leslie, Comm.-in-Chief in the southern district. It's my particular wish that you conduct or send out from time to time as many Indians as you can possibly collect to harrass & annoy the rebels--The commissioners hereto likewise head respectable parties & all the white militia belonging to the nation should take their round of duty. Such refugees as fly to you from the different provinces must be employed to be as  essentially useful as possible. You will please to inform me every opportunity of occurrences in your District & report to me the different wants of the Indians that I may be able to judge what  supplies & presents are necessary. I hope no intention in your part will be wanting by the Indian employees to promoting the service. I have the pleasure to be___your most obed. Ser. Signed Thos. Brown RFN.

The above document is written in the 177_--I couldn't read the last number, but Thomas Waters is promoted to Colonel before 1780. Edward Barnard may have died for he is not mentioned again. It also seems that Thomas Waters is going into the Cherokee nation.

In the year 1780 laws were passed by the Colonial Legislature of Georgia ordering all Tories or British smypathizers to leave the Province of Georgia. Any caught would be put to death. It was at this time that Thomas Waters purchased 300 acres of land next to his brother Col. Phil Waters in 96th District, now Newberry County, South Carolina. Here he sent his family for their safety. Knowing full well that his brother would keep them safe. We know they were there for it was written long ago that "Ferry Phil" Waters, son of Thomas, asked his Uncle Philemon "whether that was a skirmish or a fight "--referring to a meeting of the Rebels and the English. Col. Thomas Waters stayed in Georgia for he was now the Commanding Officer and also Superintendenat of Indian Affairs.

The Patriot Forces put Fort Augusta under seige. The British Garrison under Col. Thomas Waters fought bravely and held the  fort for 11 weeks before having to give it up and flee for their lives. The account of that seige and flight will be given later, just as Thomas Waters wrote it to the British Government.

I do want to give the names of the men who were in the British Garrison as it might help someone else find their ancestor. On 13 March 1775 these were the men in the Troop of Rangers--Edward Barnard, Captain, Thomas Waters, 1st Lt. , Edward Keating 2nd Lt.,  John Stewart, Senior Quarter Master, Francis Begbie, Surgeon,  James Barnard, Cadet, Andrew Stephens, William Paxton, & John Stewart, Sergt's., ( Note: Remember Andrew Stephens witnessed several deeds for Thomas Waters in Charleston, S.C.) James Swain, Drummer,  Privates were:William Allen, Cato Boone, Thomas Bentil, Absalom Biddy, John Buchanan, Matthew Bouchanan, Joel Cox, John Cox, James Cox, William Clark, William Cox, John Copeland, John Conner, John Dowlan, Ebenezer Gossett, Jacob Gossett, William Hardie, John Holland, Daniel Jones, David Jerome, John James, John Johnson, Henry Karr, Joseph Keat, Absalom League, John Long, Samuel Blacke, Joshua Burnett, William Lamar, Samuel Lamar, Jacob Sanders, William Love, John Lowe, Alexander McGregor, William Moore, Michael Morrell, James McKay, Thomas Mills, Thomas Martin, John Martin, Theopolis O'Neil, John O'Neil, Axiom O'Neil, David Peters, Jesse Peters, John Perry, John Perritt, Andrew Paul, Henry Roche, Hezekiah Roberts, Lewis Salmons, Samuel Saunders, Robert Stewart, James Stewart, Charles Stewart, Clement Stewart, Owin Sullivan, Willis Simmons, John Tweddle, Sollomon Viccor, William Walker, Richard Warden, John Watson, James Young.