Alex Mebane was the Orange County comptroller representing The Continental Army. He purchased 200 of Beef from our ancestor, Robert Berry. General Nathaniel Green was acquiring food for his army and by using up all of the available food before General Cornwallis entered North Carolina made it very difficult for the British General to feed his army. This was probably a factor in the General departing our state a quickly as he did after his dubious victory in Greensboro. The Battle of Guildford Courthouse was fought on March 15 1781. General Cornwallis lost a lot of men at that battle and the British statesman, Charles James Fox (1749-1806), said of this result: “Another such victory would ruin the British army.”
I have heard that after the battle was over General Green retreated across the Dan River into Virginia,. When his army reached the spring flooded river Green confiscated all of the available boats to ferry his troupes to the other side. When the British army got there they had no way to follower Green’s Army. After this General Green continued chasing General Cornwallis around North Carolina until they left our state. Seven Months and four days after the battle of Guildford Courthouse the British army surrendered at Yorktown on October 19 1781.
This Voucher was likely the pay Robert Berry received when he joined the continental Army
Probably the Annual pay for Robert Berry’s service in the continental army
This payment of 23 pounds 9 shillings, 6 pence could have been for the Beef Robert Berry sold the army in 1771 with accumulated interest.