to Baltimore as fast as you can get them ready to send off, as they are greatly wanting there.

We are, &c.

To Messrs. Daniel and Samuel Hughes.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO COLONEL JOSHUA BEALL.

SIR: We send you, enclosed, commissions to fill up Captain Warring’s Company, and shall do the same by Captain Richardson’s, when you transmit us the name of a proper person for Ensign. We send you also an order on the Treasury for fifty pounds, for which you will hereafter render us accounts. It will serve to pay for wood, candles, expenses, guards, &c.

We apprehend you have not much more than one ton of powder remaining at Bladensburgh, part of which will be ordered soon to Piscataway, some part left where it is, and the remainder will be ordered up to our magazine in the neighbourhood of Annapolis, now getting ready. In the mean time, we desire you would keep a guard of six men, to relieve each other, (two only we think sufficient to be on duty,) their pay and rations the same as when in actual service; upon which plan you are to make out the accounts for the attendance of the guard heretofore.

We are, &c.

To Colonel Joshua Beall.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO CAPTAIN BURGESS.

SIR: The Council of Safety have appointed you to prove the cannon to be supplied this Province by Messrs. Daniel and Samuel Hughes, and request you will immediately repair, for that purpose, to their works at Antietem. We enclose you an order on the Committee of Observation for the Middle District of Frederick County for what powder will be wanting, and will defray any expenses you may necessarily incur on that service, as well as satisfy you for your trouble. We are, &c.

To Captain Burgess.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO BALTIMORE COMMITTEE.

GENTLEMEN: We are not as yet fully determined as to the schooner of Mr. Lux, fitted out for a tender. We would wish her to be in such a situation as to act, in case of danger, upon short notice; but we would not have men inlisted, or provisions purchased for her, till further orders from this Board, or the Convention. We are informed, from divers persons of credit, and, amongst others, from Captain Nicholson himself, that she is a dull sailer. If so, and we can get a better, we must remove the guns, &c., on board the tender hereafter to be purchased, and make the best of the schooner. We would not have her go any distance, if she is likely to be instrumental in losing us a number of brave men and all her stores. We have sent an express with order to Captain Burgess to try Hughes’s eighteen-pounders, and request you will order bullets to be cast, as soon as you know the proper size.

We are, &c.

To the Committee of Observation for Baltimore County.

R. ALEXANDER AND T. JOHNSON TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Philadelphia, March 26, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: The enclosed contains a state of the powder and arms we have sent from hence. Willing & Morris still assure us they daily expect an arrival of powder to enable them to furnish us with the quantity they contracted for. They were but partly interested in the saltpetre which arrived, and had not the management of it; nor was it in their power to procure any of it to be manufactured for us, the Congress having, immediately on the arrival of the saltpetre, taken up all for the use of the powder-mills. If you think it necessary, we have no doubt but that we can borrow a ton of powder more, as it begins now to come in from the mills. We should be inclined to borrow and forward it, but that we think the additional expense and risk cannot be justified but by necessity. We should have a return of the muskets furnished the Hornet and Wasp, with the powder; but the Congress have it not in their power. Mr. Rittenhouse has been pressed to get the plates done. He has been lately chosen into the Assembly, which has been sitting a good while past. He promises to let us have plates to begin (enough for one sheet) next week; the paper was to be finished about this time. Enclosed you have the pay in the marine service, and for three Independent companies. You will be pleased to attend to the memorandum at bottom.

There is no getting camp-kettles or canteens on any terms, or, at least, on such terms as you could submit to. Instead of canteens, the Congress has been obliged to substitute little kegs. There is no arrival here of any tin. The price of duck, and, indeed, of every kind of linen, exceeds here what it does with you. Anything of the kind cannot be got at scarce any price; nor could it when T. J. got to Philadelphia; wherefore no attempt was made to get knapsacks and haversacks. Proper materials may arrive in Potomack, or from Vanbibber, time enough, we hope. What was sent down of Vanhibber’s cargo will answer for these purposes, and for tents. The duck is too heavy for any use about our troops. We have sold the Holland duck at eight pounds ten shillings, and the Russia duck at seven pounds ten shillings a piece. The sale was to the Congress for the use of the frigates, and to the Virginians for their armed vessels.

Immediately on T. J.’s coming to Philadelphia, he and R. A. mentioned the Defence to the Marine Committee, either to sell or have insured. They seemed not very fond of taking her off our hands. Before the matter was totally given up Captain Squire’s expedition was defeated. T. J. confirms our opinion, that if any depredations should take place after we had parted from the vessel, it would be imputed to the sale of her; and there is no idea of Congress taking her off our hands, but on subjecting her to the uncontrolled orders of the Congress. We have, therefore, thought it best to let this matter rest till the Convention. Mr. R. A. has received of the Congress eight thousand two hundred and fifty pounds, to exchange for gold and silver; of which, on C. S.’s order, he let him have one hundred and five. The rest Mr. Buchanan comes down with. The change for the money T. J. brought up, and for Major Jenifer’s half-Joes is put up separately. Would it not be well that some person in Baltimore Town should be specially appointed to take charge and keep accounts of all things sent there for the publick use.

We congratulate you on the evacuation of Boston. We have not yet received any account of the course the fairies went. Some think they are destined for New-York; others for the southward; but most for Halifax.

We are, gentlemen, with the greatest respect, your most obedient servants,

R. ALEXANDER,

THOMAS JOHNSON.

To the Honourable the Council of Safety of Maryland.

ELBRIDGE GERRY TO JAMES WARREN.

Philadelphia, March 26, 1776.

MY DEAR SIR: Two days ago the agreeable news of the evacuation of Boston reached this place, on which give me leave to congratulate you. What an occurrence is this to be known in Europe! How are Parliamentary pretensions to be reconciled? Eight or ten thousand British Troops, it has been said, are sufficient to overrun America; and yet that number of their veterans, posted in Boston, (a peninsula fortified by nature, defended by works the product of two years’ industry, surrounded by navigable waters, supported by ships-of-war, and commanded by their best Generals,) are driven off by about one-thirtieth of the power of America.

Surely the invincible veterans laboured under some great disadvantage from want of provisions or military stores, which the Americans were amply provided with! Directly the reverse. They had provisions enough, ammunition, muskets, and accoutrements for every man, and a piece of ordnance for every fifteen; while the Americans were almost