Shore. We are not without expectation of another visit from them, and shall be extremely obliged for any intelligence you may be pleased to communicate to us of their movements. We are, &c.

To the Committee of Safety of Virginia.

P. S. We have just received a letter from George Mason and John Dalton, Esquires, requesting the loan of ten barrels of powder, which we have supplied them with for the use of your Colony.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO GEORGE PLATER AND BRIGADIER-GENERAL DENT.

GENTLEMEN: In consequence of the enclosed letter from the Committee of Safety of Virginia, desiring us to appoint Commissioners to co-operate with the gentlemen nominated by them for erecting beacons on the shores of the river Potomack, we have taken the liberty to appoint yourself and Brigadier John Dent; and we hope it may be agreeable to you to attend at any meeting their Commissioners may desire, in carrying that necessary measure into execution.

We are, &c.

To George Plater, Esq., and Brigadier-General Dent, severally.

MARYLAND DELEGATES TO COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Philadelphia, March 19, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: Captain Tibbet, in a brig from’ Statia, purchased and loaded by Abram Vanbibber, for our Province, arrived here last week. The Captain applied to us for orders, agreeable to directions he had received for that purpose from Vanbibber. We ordered the cargo to be landed and stored, and the hands to be discharged. A few days since application was made to us for the sale of the brig to the Congress, which we agreed to, and have delivered her up with the guns, stores, &c. The account relative to her will be settled in a few days, and shall be transmitted. You have enclosed a list of the goods imported, all of which will be forwarded by the stages, except the duck; we have retained this till your orders. It is an article very scarce and dear in this city. If you do not want the whole quantity, we can sell it at a price that will leave a considerable profit.

Congress have advanced twenty-two thousand dollars, to be exchanged for gold and silver in your Province. This money would have been sent to you had any convenient opportunity offered. Robert Alexander, who intended for Maryland, last Sunday, prevented our writing by the Saturday’s post, as he proposed going to Annapolis, and could give you fuller information of the state of affairs than can be contained within the compass of a letter.

We make no doubt you have heard various reports relative to a Mr. Temple, who came passenger in the packet, and is now in this city. Before his arrival here it was asserted that he was charged with despatches from the Ministry to Congress; that Courts were appointed with full powers; and that, if, on their arrival in America, the different Assemblies refused to treat, they were to treat with Congress. Temple, on his arrival, delivered his budget, which was truly farsical, being only a button of his coat, in which was contained a scrawl from Arthur Lee, informing Congress that troops were to sail from Ireland, and, for other particulars, referring to Temple, who could give information, as he (Lee) had acquainted him with the state of affairs, and the designs of Administration.

We have never seen Temple; it is said he is sick, some say he is mad. From his conduct in taking this journey to deliver sach a trifling letter, the latter opinion seems well founded. The packet letters are yet on board the Asia man-of-war The Postmaster, it is reported, has refused to deliver any letters unless the postage of the whole is paid. We are in expectation of an express from Boston. General Washington took possession of Dorchester Parish, which commands South Boston. It is said by—’s letter to Congress, that Howe was embarking his artillery, stores, &c., in the greatest confusion.

We are, with respect, gentlemen, your humble servants.

THE DELEGATES OF MARYLAND.

To the Honourable the Council of Safety of Maryland.

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO BARON DE WOEDTKE.

Philadelphia, March 19, 1776.

SIR: In consequence of the warm recommendations in your favour,* and in hopes, by your eminent abilities, you will be able to render essential service to the cause of liberty, the Congress have thought proper to appoint you a Brigadier-General in the Army of the United Colonies, and I have the honour to enclose you their commission.

The desire of Congress is, that you repair to New-York as soon as you can, with convenience, and there wait the arrival of the Commissioners going to Canada, and that you accompany them to that Province, where you will put yourself under the command, and receive the orders of the Commander-in-Chief in that Department.

I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

To Frederick William Baron De Woedtke, Knight of Malta, &c., &c, &c., at Philadelphia.

*PARIS, August 30, 1775.

MY DEAR MASTER: A General Officer in the Horse, who is of the highest consideration in this country, interests himself much in the cause of America, which he regards as the cause of mankind in general, and yours in particular. I am not allowed to name him, but I can tell you he is a near relation of that man in France for whom yon have the greatest esteem. He has a cooler head and a purer heart than his relation, and is, by his talents, possessed of a most excellent judgment in military affairs, and of military merit; he is by his sentiments incapable to give countenance to any solicitations where there is not real merit. You see, sir, under whose guaranty, and at whose instigation, I have the honour to introduce to you the Baron of Woedtke, whom he knows personally, and is confirmed in his opinion of him by the Baron of Gottz, Plenipotentiary Minister from the King of Prussia to this Court, of whom he has been very particular in his inquiries, and who gives him the highest character, of as good an officer of horse as any in Europe, and as honest a man. He comes to offer himself to assist in making the justest cause that ever people were engaged in triumph—a cause that has made a people the most pacifick in the world the most warlike; their virtue animates their courage, and their oppressors already think that, what they vainly flattered themselves with, of easily subjugating them to their views, will not be easily effected. But the most heroick virtue will not immediately supply that knowledge in war which practice only gives.

I never heard talk of English. American Cavalry. Notwithstanding, between your great rivers you cannot fail of having vast plains, where Cavalry must always decide the fate of battles. Mr. the Baron of Woedtke, brought up in the finest school in the world of this kind, and, I may add, by the hand of the first master, employed in the post of Major of the Prussian Troops, has all the experience, all the capacity which can be wished for by your Colonies to form a body of Cavalry, and to conduct them when formed. They may depend upon his zeal. He has suffered for three or four years in a cause somewhat parallel with yours. He was persecuted, robbed by the injustice and ingratitude of a Sovereign, whom he had so loyally and happily served, who placed in him the greatest confidence, and gave him to hope for a lot the most fortunate; but, destitute of any resource against his tyrant, he abandoned a country in which he was born and educated, to look for one that, by election, he might call his own; where he hopes to signalize himself in the glorious defence of the purest liberty that ever was known; where an asylum is to none refused, and, consequently, a generous defender has not the least doubt but he will be adopted as a citizen by engaging in the American cause. He has already espoused the sentiment, and wishes to have the honour of being called the countryman of Franklin, Otis, Hancock, Adams, of Dickinson, of Miffiin, Middleton, and Rush, of Generals Washington, Gates, Lee, Ward, of Putnam, &c., the names of whom will be revered in future ages, and blessed more and more, while the slave of Frederick, to whom every knee at present bows, but whose name will be handed to posterity from generation to generation with a growing horror.

The Baron of Woedtke desires in an especial manner to make his appearance in your country under your auspices, and will use all his efforts to deserve your good opinion. I beg that you will immediately do all that will depend upon you, to render him service, and that he may get into employ as soon as possible. You well know that one disgraced by a King of Prussia has very little to depend upon in that country; that his patrimony is confiscated; all his appointments stopped, has reduced him to very great distress; to the point—he was obliged to the succours of some friends for as much as will bear the expense of his voyage to you. He has not, from his birth, imbibed the sweet influence of the laws of Penn. It is true, from twelve years of age he has been employed in a useful manner, as the world goes, but they have only taught him to burn powder and hew off limbs. If he can assist in procuring for you a sweet rest after a glorious war, he will be happy, from his education, bad as it is, that his work may contribute to join the simplicity of the Quaker to the firmness of a Brutus.

You will have here joined a Memoir of his services.

To Dr. Franklin.

The Baron of Woedtke, Knight of the order of Jerusalem of the Protestant Religion, is a subject of the King of Prussia, and was a general officer to that Prince. He entered the service in the year 1750, a volunteer; in 1753 he obtained a Cornetcy of Horse; in 1756 he was appointed Brigade-Major; in 1758 the King appointed him Aid-de-Camp and Major of Brigade to the King’s own command;—all the duties of which he did with applause. He served twenty-three years until this time of his arrival in France. He was in high credit and esteem with the King—more so with the young Prince, nephew to his Majesty, about whose