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Ordered, That a copy of the above order be delivered to the Committee of Talbot County aforesaid, to be transmitted, with the said Shockly, to the Committee of Worcester County aforesaid. Two Letters from the Committee of Worcester County, dated the 17th and 20th of November last, were read, and the following answer was ordered to be forwarded to the said Committee:
GENTLEMEN: There being no evidences sent up against Benjamin Shockly, to prove the charge exhibited by you against him, and it being now too late to expect such witnesses, as the powers of this Board determine, by the meeting of the next Convention, which is appointed for Monday next, the Board have sent him back to you, to remain in your safe custody, until the Convention shall take order relative to him. The Board recommend to you to lay the state of your County before the Convention as speedily as possible. They doubt not you have already received the powder and lead sent you from Chestertown, and they have it not in their power to do more at present. Signed by order: WILLIAM HINDMAN, Clerk. To the Committee of Observation for Worcester County. Two Letters from the Committee of Somerset County were read, and the following Answer was ordered to be forwarded to the said Committee:
GENTLEMEN: This Board have received your letters, one dated the 20th November, the other without date. The Board have directed one barrel of powder and three hundred weight of lead to be forwarded, as soon as possible, to the care of Mr. Robert Harrison, near Cambridge, where it is expected it may arrive by Thursday next; and it is recommended to you to have some person there to receive it at that time. This is all the Board can do at present; but they doubt not you will make the earliest representation possible, of your situation, to the next Convention, which is appointed to meet on Monday next. As to Captain Gunby’s Company, this Board do not think they have any powers which will justify them in granting commissions, approving the form of enrollment, or putting them into pay, no such power being given to the separate branches of the Council of Safety; but they doubt not that the Convention, upon representation to them, will immediately do what they shall think necessary and proper. Signed by order: WM HINDMAN, Clerk. To the Committee of Observation for Somerset County. Ordered, That one barrel of Powder and three hundred weight of Lead be, as soon as possible, sent, under the direction of Thomas Smyth, Esq., a Member of this Board, to the care of Mr. Robert Harrison, near Cambridge, to be delivered to the order of the Committee of Somerset County aforesaid. Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Eastern Shore pay to Thomas Smyth, Esq., or his order, the sum of sixteen Pounds, two Shillings, and eleven Pence, out of the Bills of Credit in his hands, for the expense of sending Powder and Lead to Dorchester County and Worcester County, agreeable to the order of this Board, at their last sitting at Chestertown, as per accounts produced. Ordered, That the said Treasurer pay to William Hindman, for his services as Clerk to this Board, and for Paper, the sum of three Pounds, out of the Bills of Credit in his hands. Ordered, That the said Treasurer pay to John Jackson, for his services as Doorkeeper, fifteen Shillings, out of the Bills of Credit in his hands.
The Commitment of Abraham Gibbs and Benjamin Shockly:
Abraham Gibbs and Benjamin Shockly being, by order of the Committee of Worcester County, sent under guard of Captain William Hopewell, and part of his Company, to be conveyed to the Council of Safety, to answer charges against them of opposing the present measures of the Continental Congress and Convention of this Province, acting a part inimical to the common cause of America, and endeavouring to stir up sedition and disunion among the people, were delivered to the care of Thomas Ennalls, Captain of the Cambridge Blues, who this day produces them before this Committee. And thereupon it is ordered by said Committee, that the said Captain Thomas Ennalls keep them (the said Gibbs and Shockly) in safe custody, so that he have them at Talbot Court-House on Thursday next, or as soon thereafter as he can, and then deliver them to the Council of Safety, who are expected will be then sitting there; or, if they should not be sitting, to the Committee of Observation of Talbot County. Per order of the Committee: THOMAS F. ECCLESTON, Clerk. Depositions of Witnesses against Isaac Atkinson: The deposition of Thomas Shiles, taken before the Eastern Shore branch of the Council of Safety of Maryland, at Talbot County Court-House, on Friday, the first day of December, 1775, in the presence of Isaac Atkinson, who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith: That, in the month of September last, he was at a meeting of Captain George Day Scott’s Company, at the lower ferry of Wicomico River, in Somerset County, to which Company this deponent and the said Isaac Atkinson had belonged, in order to enroll under the resolves of the late Convention, and to choose officers. That this deponent was ordered to beat to arms; and upon his beating to arms, part of the Company drew up as usual under Captain Scott, but that about one-half or more of them drew up apart, under the said Atkinson, as their Captain, wearing red cockades instead of black, which they had formerly worn. That this deponent had been informed that the said Atkinson had ordered his men to bring sharp flints in their guns that day. That upon the separation of the Company, those under Captain Scott grounded their arms; and this deponent went up to the said Atkinson, and told him he had been informed by one of his (Atkinson’s) Company, that he had ordered his men to bring sharp flints in their guns that day, and asked him whether he was raising his Company in opposition to the resolves of the Congress and Provincial Convention; to which Atkinson answered, he was. That this deponent repeated the question, and bid Atkinson answer boldly, and he again answered, he was. This deponent thereupon asked Atkinson if he expected to carry his point by that handful of men; to which Atkinson answered, he could have five hundred men to back him by that day week, and offered to bet a doubloon of it. That thereupon William Hickman, one of the men that drew up under Atkinson, said, yes, a thousand men, ten to one, if they are wanted; for he is the man that has opened our eyes, and he is the man that ought to be upheld. That to this deponent’s observation about the sharp flints, Atkinson said he intended to burn powder that day, and showed this deponent a small horn with some powder in it. The horn, this deponent supposes, might hold a quarter of a pound of powder, when full, but that it was not full. And this deponent saith he saw no other ammunition, of any kind, among the Company that were with Atkinson, and has no reason to believe there was any. That at the time of this conversation between the deponent and the said Atkinson, Atkinson appeared to be very cool and calm, and that this deponent distinctly heard what the said Atkinson said. This deponent further saith, that when the said Atkinson was before the Committee of Observation for Somerset County, he was asked by them whether he would make concessions; and that if he would, the first thing to be done was to sign the Association, and asked him if he would sign it; to which Atkinson answered, he did not choose to sign it; that he looked upon it, it must come to a battle among themselves, and it was no matter how soon the day was appointed.
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