maketh oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that he sailed from Philadelphia, the 11th of February last, as master of the Sloop Joseph, bound for South-Carolina or Georgia. That on the 13th following, he was taken by the Sloop General Gage, on board of which was Captain Colbet, and brought into Cape-Fear. That Lieutenant Pitcairns informed this deponent, that every transport vessel that was to come from England was to bring one or more flat-bottomed boats. That this deponent has seen the deposition of Peter Simon, made this day, and was informed by Captain Collet of the several circumstances therein mentioned. That Lieutenant Osborne, of the Raven sloop-of-war, informed this deponent, that there were to be sixty sail of armed vessels, of different sizes, stationed on the coast, and twenty sail of twenty-gun ships and sloops-of-war were to be on the coast from England in April; and that bombketches were to be brought out, to throw bombs into those places where ships-of-war could not go up, and were particularly intended against Philadelphia, because the Congress sits there; and that he made his escape with Mr. Simon and others.

WILLIAM RADDON.

Sworn to before me, the 5th of March, 1776.

WILLIAM PURVIANCE.
JOHN COOKE, Secretary.

William Raddon, within named, further deposeth and saith, that on or about the 27th of February, this deponent being then on board the Falcon sloop-of-war, Captain Lindsey, and Lieutenant Wright, who commands an armed sloop, declared that they had intended that night to go up to the town of Brunswick, with about an hundred sailors, to set the town on fire in front, station their men on the back of the town, and destroy man, woman, and child, that escaped from the flames; but the reason they did not put their design in execution was, that the sloop commanded by Lieutenant. Wright got aground when she went out to examine what vessel the sloop General Gage was, and that afterwards Lindsey told Wright that the inhabitants had left the town, and therefore it was of no use to burn it.

WILLIAM RADDON.

Sworn to before me, the 5th of March, 1776.

JOHN COOKE, Secretary.

VIRGINIA COMMITTEE OF SAFETY TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Williamsburgh, March 9, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: The great length of the Potomack River, from its mouth to Alexandria, where men-of-war can go, and the probability of some attempts being made by the enemy in that quarter, make it prudent, in our opinion, to erect beacons or signals for communicating intelligence of their approach up the river, in a more speedy manner than can be done by land. We have, therefore, appointed Colonel Mercer, of the Third, and Colonel Peachey, of the Fifth Regiment, to examine the river, and to fix the different posts and mode of continuing these signals; but as we are aware that the course of the river will make it necessary that many of them should be set in your Province, we hope you will approve the measure, and name Commissioners on your part to co-operate with the above-named gentlemen in effecting it.

We hear of no more naval arrivals, and the former are quiet as to depredations on shore and up the river, confining themselves to seizures in the bay, when they have an opportunity. We have had no intelligence of General Clinton since he went out.

We are, gentlemen, your most obedient servants.

For the Committee of Safety of Virginia:

EDMUND PENDLETON, President.

To the Honourable the Council of Safety of Maryland.

J. A. THOMAS TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

St. Mary’s County, March 9, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: Since my last, I have contracted for a number of gun-locks, which will be sent up by the post. In my last I mentioned my having stationed a part of my company at the mouth of Patuxent River, and the rest will go to the lower part of the County, on Potomack, as soon as provision can be made for them, which is here extremely difficult to be done. If I may be allowed, I will immediately go to the Eastern Shore, and get a quantity of pork and hogslard. I suppose fifty barrels of pork would be sufficient for my company until the fall, provided I could get a seine for each division of the company, and every mess furnished with a frying-pan. My company being stationed in a fish country, a great saving to the publick might be made by furnishing the men with materials for catching and dressing them.

If you think proper that I should look out for provision, be pleased to inform me by return of Mr. Steward, and give me leave to draw on the Treasury for the purchase money.

I hope it is now in your power to furnish us with more ammunition, and the arms allotted for my company. When we get the arms, be pleased also to supply me with a quantity of cartridge-paper. The men are in great want of hats and breeches. Be pleased to forward them to me as soon as possible. This County being in so very defenceless a situation obliges me to press you for the supply of arms, and I hope will sufficiently plead my excuse for so repeatedly pressing you for them. If you should employ Mr. Steward in any way, so that his return here will be impeded, be pleased to fall upon some method of advising me as soon as possible; a letter sent by Colonel Fitzhugh will quickly come to hand.

I am, gentlemen, your humble servant,

J. A. THOMAS.

To the Honourable the Council of Safety of Maryland.

P. S. I am in great want of rum for the men; if it be possible, send me some.

CAPTAIN HASLETT TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Caroline County, Choptank Bridge, March 9, 1776.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOURS, GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY: You will see by the enclosed that a vacancy has happened in my company, and for what reason. I would beg leave to request the favour of you to remove Mr. Christopher Driver from being Ensign to be First Lieutenant, and Mr. Robert Postlewait to be Ensign, for said company; all which I hope will turn out for good to the common cause.

I am, gentlemen, your very humble servant,

WILLIAM HASLETT.

To the Honourable the President of the Council of Safety of Maryland.

CHARLES CARROLL TO DANIEL OF ST. THOMAS JENIFER.

Mount Clare, March 9, 1776.

MY DEAR MAJOR: I wrote to the Council yesterday morning, which I hope they have received. Since that, yours of yesterday evening came to hand, at three o’clock this morning; I immediately despatched it to the Committee of Baltimore Town. Mr. Purviance tells me he wrote you an answer.

We got the Ship Defence into the river this morning; and she has retaken Mr. Hudson’s ship, which now lies in the river a little below her, under no great apprehension I fancy, of the Otter.

We had intelligence this afternoon that Squire had run on ground on the Bodkin-Point; I hope it true. If it should prove so, we may perhaps add one more ship to our stock. We are getting a tender ready, that will mount eight or ten carriage-guns, three-pounders. She, with the Defence, will, I think, be a match for the Otter and her companions. I am positive Nicholson and his ship’s company think so—a set of finer or more spirited fellows I really never saw. And if we can, as I hope we shall, get the tender ready by to-morrow, morning, they will push for an engagement, and I really am not in much doubt of success.

I cannot conceive that the Council of Safety can be prejudiced in the opinions of the gentlemen of Baltimore, by any insinuations against their conduct by Mr. Ruben, or any other person. I have not heard them say a single word against the Government sending Mr. Eddis on board