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an honest and reputable planter of this County. We have issued summonses for all the evidences to wait on you, agreeable to your adjournment, on Thursday next, at Talbot Court-House, and have no doubt of their punctual attendance. With the most entire confidence in your justice and wisdom, we have the honour to subscribe ourselves your most obedient and obliged humble servants.
Letter from the Committee of Observation for Worcester County, to the honourable Council of Safety for the Eastern Shore of Maryland, per Captain William Hopewell: Committee Chamber, Snow Hill, November 20, 1775. SIRS: We here transmit to you, under the convoy of Captain Hopewell, Mr. Abraham Gibbs and Benjamin Shockly, who have unhappily fell under our censure. The charges against them you will find contained in the enclosed depositions. We much regret the necessity we are under of troubling you with these unhappy people, but thought ourselves, as a Committee, by no means at liberty to pass them over. How far they may appear criminal before you, gentlemen, we cannot pretend to say, nor, indeed, is it our province to determine. We presume you have had, before this comes to hand, the deposition of Mary Robins laid before you, respecting the infernal machinations of Townsend. His diabolical scheme, since the departure of our first express to you, is incontestably confirmed. We received intelligence, about twelve o’clock on Friday night last, that he, with about seventeen of his wicked associates, had seized upon a small vessel in our river, and had proceeded down to the mouth thereof, on his way to the men of war, but that he got aground on the mud flats which make off from the same; in consequence of which, about one in the morning, we sent off a detachment of about forty men, of our militia, well equipped, under the Captains Done and Hopewell, in order, if possible, to apprehend them; but, although every possible despatch was used in getting down, they were unfortunately got off and gone before our detachment arrived. We have had near one thousand armed men convened at Snow Hill this week, from this and the neighbouring County, (Somerset,) gentlemen of the first character in each, who manifested a very becoming spirit upon the occasion. We have alarmed the neighbouring Counties of Virginia on this shore; and in case Townsend should, by contrary winds or distress of weather, be compelled to put into any of their harbours upon his return, believe the strictest vigilance will be observed. We have just resolved to fit out a small privateer immediately, if we can possibly procure a sufficient quantity of ammunition for that purpose, with about forty or fifty men, well equipped with small arms, and some few swivel guns which we have in our possession, to cruise off the mouth of our river, to endeavour to intercept them on their return. We entertain so sanguine an opinion of the intrepidity and resolution of our men, that we doubt not of their ability to cope with any tender, in case that Townsend should come so attended. We would observe, gentlemen, that Captain Hopewell, the bearer hereof, is elected Captain of our Minute Company, and that the Company has been properly enrolled, and approved of by us, and expect commissions will be issued to him and the other officers of said Company, and that they may receive their proportion of the Province arms. We are much distressed for arms and ammunition. If you can procure us any, pray let them be despatched immediately, as we know not how great call we may have for them, in case that Townsend should return, accompanied as you are already informed. We don’t know, from the alarms we have already given you, but you may have despatched a number of forces to our assistance. If that should be the case, we shall know how to direct them; but if they are not already on their march, we at present think that more than one good Company would be unnecessary. We can with pleasure assure you, we have conducted matters this week in such a manner as to effect almost a total reformation amongst our disaffected people to the cause, (at least to outward appearance.) From the deposition you have already had of Mrs. Robins, you may, perhaps, think it strange we have not given him the same conveyance with Gibbs and Shockly. In answer to which, we at present inform you, we have apprehended him, and in our next correspondence will inform you the particulars of our conduct with respect to him. By order of the Committee: BENTON HARRIS, Chairman. The following is a list of Officers of the Minute Company: William Hopewell, Captain; Barnaby Purnell Cannon, Lieutenant; Solomon Long, Lieutenant; Levin Handy, Ensign. The following Depositions are those referred to in the aforegoing Letter from the Committee of Worcester County: November 18, 1775. Deposition of Isaac Hammond, of lawful age, being called on by the Committee of Observation of Worcester County, deposeth and saith: That about four weeks ago he went to a certain Henry Parker’s, where he understood a number of people were to assemble for the purpose of entering into an association contrary to the General Association of this Province, and that he believes there might have been about thirty or forty people, and that a certain article of agreement or association was handed about for the people to sign, the substance of which this deponent understood was, that all those persons who signed the same bound themselves to stand together in behalf of their King, and were to oppose the measures of the Committee, and to support each other, and to be in readiness, in twenty-four hours’ warning, to rescue any one of their number who should happen to be called on by the Committee, and to resist any attempts to apprehend or seize any of their said number, and that there was about seventy who had subscribed the same; and that a certain Benjamin Shockly was principally active in handing about the said association, and encouraging the people to sign the same; and advised them not to sign the General Association of the Province. ISAAC HAMMOND.
November 18, 1775. The deposition of John Davis, of lawful age, being called on by the Committee of Worcester County, deposeth and saith: That about four weeks ago a certain Benjamin Shockly was up at this deponent’s mill, and they were talking of the Provincial Association; and Shockly told this deponent, that if any persons who had signed the same were sorry for what they had done, he, if they would come to him, would clear them from it. JOHN DAVIS.
November 19, 1775. The deposition of Smith Lingo, of lawful age, being called upon by the Committee of Worcester County, deposeth and saith: That about three or four weeks ago this deponent was at the bouse of William Dykes, where he met with Benjamin Shockly, and Shockly asked him if he was not one of the damned Associators. He, this deponent, replied, why, what if I am ? Why, said Shockly, they are not worth a damn, or words to that purpose; Shockly taking up a broad axe, at the same time, told this deponent not to say another word, or he would split his brains open, or any that did sign the Association. That this deponent, at sundry times before, had seen the said Shockly very violent in condemning and threatening other people on the same account. SMITH LINGO.
November 20, 1775. William Richardson, of lawful age, being called on by the Committee of Worcester County, deposeth and saith: That about six weeks ago, as he came up the river by Mr. Gibbs’s house, he came to anchor at the said Gibbs’s landing, and the said Gibbs came on board this deponent’s vessel, and staid two or three hours, during which time the said
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