Jethro Sumner Papers, 1775-1791 (bulk 1781-1782)

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Summary

Creator:
Sumner, Jethro, 1733?-1785.
Abstract:

Jethro Sumner (1733?-1785) was a brigadier general in the Contintental Army. Sumner served in the Virginia militia, 1755-1761; was justice of the peace, 1768, and sheriff, 1772-1777, of Bute (now Warren) County, N.C.; and was colonel of the 3rd Battalion, North Carolina Continentals, 1776-1778, and brigadier-general 1779-1780.

The collection contains Revolutionary War military correspondence of Continental Brigadier General Jethro Sumner. The bulk of the collection relates to the period 1781-1782, when Sumner was raising troops for General Nathanael Greene, whom he reinforced at the Battle of Eutaw Springs, and while he was in charge of forces in North Carolina. Letters are chiefly concerned with strategic matters including reports on engagements and the movement of British forces, procurement of arms and supplies, and issues of manpower including drafting of men and desertion. A few items pertain to his earlier service in the North. Among the correspondents are Martin Armstrong, Reading Blount, Thomas Burke, John B. Ashe, Baron Steuben, Alexander Martin, Benjamin Lincoln, Nathanael Greene, John Alexander Lillington, William Christmas, William R. Davie, Thomas Eaton, Joseph Hewes, Willie Jones, Nicholas Long, James Cole Mountflorence, Benjamin Seawell, H. Tatum, and Hugh Williamson.

Extent:
390 items (1.0 linear feet)
Language:
Materials in English
Library Catalog Link:
View UNC library catalog record for this item

Background

Biographical / historical:

Jethro Sumner (1733?-1785) was a brigadier general in the Contintental Army. Sumner served in the Virginia militia, 1755-1761; was justice of the peace, 1768, and sheriff, 1772-1777, of Bute (now Warren) County, N.C.; and was colonel of the 3rd Battalion, North Carolina Continentals, 1776-1778, and brigadier-general 1779-1780.

Scope and content:

The collection contains Revolutionary War military correspondence of Continental Brigadier General Jethro Sumner. The bulk of the collection relates to the period 1781-1782, when Sumner was raising troops for General Nathanael Greene, whom he reinforced at the Battle of Eutaw Springs, and while he was in charge of forces in North Carolina. Letters are chiefly concerned with strategic matters including reports on engagements and the movement of British forces, procurement of arms and supplies, and issues of manpower including drafting of men and desertion. A few items pertain to his earlier service in the North. Among the correspondents are Martin Armstrong, Reading Blount, Thomas Burke, John B. Ashe, Baron Steuben, Alexander Martin, Benjamin Lincoln, Nathanael Greene, John Alexander Lillington, William Christmas, William R. Davie, Thomas Eaton, Joseph Hewes, Willie Jones, Nicholas Long, James Cole Mountflorence, Benjamin Seawell, H. Tatum, and Hugh Williamson.

Acquisition information:

Received from the North Carolina Historical Society, prior to 1940.

Processing information:

Processed by: SHC Staff

Encoded by: Noah Huffman, December 2007

Updated by: Kate Stratton and Jodi Berkowitz, May 2009

Finding aid updated for digitization by Kathryn Michaelis, June 2010

This collection was rehoused and a summary created with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This finding aid was created with support from NC ECHO.

Sensitive materials statement:

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.

Access and use

Restrictions to access:

No restrictions. Open for research.

Restrictions to use:

No usage restrictions.

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], in the Jethro Sumner Papers, #705, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Location of this collection:
Louis Round Wilson Library
200 South Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27515
Contact:
(919) 962-3765
wilsonlibrary@unc.edu