Colonel Henry' s Answer to the Address of the Troops

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To which he returned the following Answer:

"GENTLEMEN: I am extremely obliged to you for your approbation of my conduct. Your Address does me the highest honour. This kind of testimony of your regard to me would have been an ample reward for services much greater than I have had the power to perform. I return you, and each of you, gentlemen, my best acknowledgments, for the spirit, alacrity, and zeal, you have constantly shown in your several stations. I am unhappy to part with you. I leave the service, but I leave my heart with you. May God bless you, and give you success and safety, and make you the glorious instruments of saving our country."

After the Officers had received Colonel Henry' s kind answer to their Address, they insisted upon his dining with them, at the Raleigh Tavern, before his departure, and after dinner a number of them proposed escorting him out of town, but were prevented by some uneasiness getting among the soldiery, who assembled in a tumultuous manner and demanded their discharge, and declaring their unwillingness to serve under any other commander. Upon which Colonel Henry found it necessary to stay a night longer in town, which he spent in visiting the several barracks, and used every argument in his power with the soldiery to lay aside their imprudent resolution, and to continue in the service, which he had quitted from motives in which his honour, alone, was concerned, and that, although he was prevented from serving his country in a military capacity, yet his utmost abilities should ever be exerted for the real interest of the United Colonies, in support of the glorious cause in which they had engaged. This, accompanied with the extraordinary exertions of Colonel Christian, and the other officers present, happily produced the desired effect, the soldiers reluctantly acquiescing. And we have now the pleasure to assure the publick that those brave fellows are now pretty well reconciled, and will spend the last drop of their blood in their country' s defence.