Inhabitants of the City of Cork, humbly approach your Royal presence, to declare our abhorrence of the unnatural rebellion now carrying on in North America by many of your Majesty’s deluded subjects.

We were in hopes your Majesty’s paternal admonitions, and the restraining laws made by your Majesty and your Parliament, would have brought these infatuated people to a sense of their duty without shedding of blood; but we are sorry to find that your Majesty’s clemency hath made them more daring in their lawless attempts; and that, under the cloak of liberty, they have exercised every species of licentiousness; not only making offensive war against your Majesty, but plundering the property of your Majesty’s peaceable subjects, who are resident amongst them, and driving them from their habitations.

As your Majesty, thus circumstanced, is obliged to make use of the power of your Empire to reduce, by force of arms, this dangerous rebellion, we, on our part, do most, cheerfully engage, with our lives and fortunes, to stand by and support your Majesty’s person and Government, as well against these insurgents, as against all other enemies whatsoever.

Given under the common seal of the said City of Cork, the thirteenth day of March, 1776.

COMMITTEE OF CHESTERTOWN (MARYLAND) TO COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Chestertown, March 13, 1776.

SIR: It appears, from the best information that can be obtained, that a return of the ship-of-war, with reinforcements, may soon be expected, and their business being avowedly to get fresh provisions, they will probably make the attempt on the most defenceless Shore. On the last alarm, a very considerable spirit was manifested by every company in the County; but spirited as they are, their resistance must be very ineffectual without the proper means.

Most of the small number of good arms in the County are supplied to the. Minute Company now under duty in Virginia; and, on an examination into the arms at present in the County, scarcely any company of Militia have above thirty guns of any kind, and most of these, are unfit for any service. The two companies of this town cannot produce above twenty good arms. In this truly defenceless state of this County, and we believe of this Shore in general, the Committee for Kent County humbly submit it to the consideration of your Board, whether it will not be advisable for you to order the arms imported by Captain Tippett to this place, for the use of Captain Veazey’s and the other Independent Companies on this Shore, and to order back our Minute Companies from Virginia. The Committee having delivered out, to the orders of the Convention and of your Board, most of the publick powder under their care, and the whole being but a very small quantity for the use of this Shore, think a supply of that article necessary. The Committee presume you will hardly think it advisable to trust the arms and ammunition on the water after the late alarm, and as they can conveniently have such part as you may think proper to order here brought by land without any trouble to your Board, they would only wish to have an Order for the delivery in Philadelphia. The Committee beg leave further to represent to you as their opinion that, as the Brigadier-General for this district is very distant, and as no Field-Officers are yet appointed for the two battalions of this County, in case of an attack some temporary power ought to be vested to direct the operation of the several companies. They submit it to your wisdom to determine whether this temporary power might not be lodged by you in their body, who, you may “depend, will exercise it for the good of the country in general to the utmost of their power and abilities. Captain Veazey has now got all his company collected here, and no provision has been made for them by the Commissary. The Committee think it their duty to mention this circumstance, that you may give the necessary orders therein. In the mean time the Committee will co-operate with Captain Veazey, and do everything in their power to supply the men with provisions.

Signed per order.

W. HALL, Cleric of Committee.

CAPTAIN FAUNTLEROY TO MARYLAND COUNCIL. OF SAFETY.

March 13, 1776.

Enclosed is a commission of Mr. John Hynson. He has resigned, as his removal out of the neighbourhood has made it inconvenient to attend as Ensign, and the company have elected James Black, Sen., in his room, as Ensign of the said company of Militia.

I am, gentlemen, your most obedient humble servant,

JOHN FAUNTLEROY.

To the Honourable the Council of Safety of Maryland.

If you do not choose to gratify the company in their choice, Richard Koone, son of William, Ensign, is, in the Captain’s judgment and mine, a more suitable man for the place.

RICHARD MASON.

To the Council of Safety of Maryland.

March 4, 1776.

SIR: I must give up my commission, as I have moved out of the neighbourhood, and hope you will excuse me, as nothing but the inconvenience of attending obliges me to give up the commission. I send up the commission by your boy, and hope this will excuse me from attending, by you and the company; and I am extremely obliged to them all for their good will, and acknowledge myself indebted a handsome treat to the company, which shall be performed the first opportunity. So conclude your most obedient humble servant,

JOHN HYNSON.

To Captain John Fauntleroy.

BALTIMORE COMMITTEE TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

In Committee, Baltimore, March 13, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: I am directed to inform you that Messrs. John Smith, Benjamin Nicholson, Captains Nicholson, Boucher, and myself, have this day examined the state of the batteries already made and making at Whetstone and Fell’s Point, and have reported the same to the Committee. They are induced to believe and hope that there is every rational prospect of securing the town of Baltimore, in case the Otter returns with any other frigate that can come up this river. And as the Ship Defence may be so stationed as to support the batteries and boom at Whetstone, it will be of the greatest importance, for the preservation of both the town and ship, that she should not be ordered out of this harbour. The attention of our workmen being entirely engaged since last week on the batteries at Fell’s Point, the boom is, of consequence, less forward than it otherwise would have been. But to avoid every possible hazard of its being too late, it is agreed (with the advice of Captain Nicholson) to sink all the vessels now collected at Whetstone-Point; which will serve the purpose, until the boom, now executing, is completed. We have got the vessels all valued and ballasted, and persons are appointed to begin sinking them to-morrow.

The battery at Whetstone will be ready to mount several guns in a few days; even now it can be used on emergency. At Fell’s Point, the breastworks, fit for nineteen or twenty cannon, will be nearly completed to-morrow. General Buchanan has ordered away the Militia of Harford this day. Our worthy friends of York County have raised a select company of riflemen, commanded by Mr. Joseph Donaldson, to be held in readiness to march to our assistance on any emergency. The Committee beg leave to submit to your consideration, whether, as you have no artillery at Annapolis, it would not be advisable to station Captain Fulford’s company of Matrosses in this place; that gentleman’s knowledge as a gunner may be of much service to us. Either one, or two wagon loads of powder, sent us by our Delegates on the first alarm, are arrived in town this evening. We shall calculate on another visit from the vessels of war, and use every means in our power to be prepared for it.

I am, with great respect, gentlemen, your most humble servant,

SAMUEL PURVIANCE, JUN., Chairman.

To the Honourable the Council of Safety of-Maryland.