MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

At a meeting of the Council of Safety for the Province of Maryland, at the City of Annapolis, on Monday, the 27th of May, 1776:

Were present: The Hon. Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Esq., Charles Carroll, Barrister, John Hall, and James Tilghman, Esquires.

Mr. Jenifer was qualified before Mr. Hall, and Mr. Carroll, Mr. Hall, and Mr. Tilghman, before Mr. Jenifer, by taking the oath prescribed by the Convention.

Gabriel Duvall was appointed Clerk, and qualified before Mr. Jenifer, by taking the oath directed by the Convention.

The Honourable Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Esquire, was chosen President.

Copy of Letter No. 1 was sent to the Committee of Observation for Worcester County.

Adjourned till next day, ten o’clock.

Tuesday, May 28, 1776.

Met according to adjournment. Present as yesterday, and also the Hon. George Plater, Esq., who was qualified before Mr. Hall, by taking the oath prescribed by the Convention.

Ordered, That Letters be immediately sent to the several absent Members, respectively, requiring their attendance in Council; which was done accordingly.

The Hon. Charles Carroll, Esq., was appointed Vice-President of the Council.

Ordered, That Mr. Plater be requested immediately to have a Chart of Smith’s Creek, in St. Mary’s County, made, with the soundings into the River, and the altitude of the banks on each side of said Creek.

Adjourned till three o’clock; and met accordingly.

Mr. Plater has leave of absence.

Mr. Richard Barnes was appointed in the room of Mr. Plater to join with Brigadier-General Dent in erecting Beacons on the River Potomack.

Adjourned till next day, ten o’clock.

Wednesday, May 29, 1776.

Met according to adjournment. Present the same Members as on yesterday, except Mr. Carroll and Mr. Plater.

Richard Ridgely was appointed Assistant Clerk to the Council, and qualified before Mr. Jenifer, by taking the oath directed by the Convention.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Captain Thomas Ewing £150, common money, on account of his Company.

Adjourned till next day, ten o’clock.

Thursday, May 30, 1776.

Met according to adjournment. Present the same Members as on yesterday.

Copy of Letter No. 2 was sent to Captain James Nicholson, of the Ship Defence, and a copy of No. 3 to Captain Duncan Hill.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Captain Duncan Hill £15 currency, to defray the expenses of the carriage of Flour from the Cherry-Stones across Northampton County, in Virginia, for a vessel going to the West-Indies on account of the Province.

Ordered, That the said Treasurer pay to the Clerk £20, to pay expresses, and for other purposes, and that an account be rendered of the expenses of the same.

Adjourned till next day, ten o’clock.

Friday, May 31, 1776.

Met according to adjournment. Present the same Members as on yesterday, and also Thomas Smyth, Esq., who was qualified before Mr. Hall, by taking the oath prescribed by the Convention.

Copy of Letter No. 4 was sent to Mr. Hugh Young, of Baltimore Town; copy of No. 5 to the Committee of Observation for Baltimore County; copy of No. 6 to the honourable Committee of Safety for the Colony of Virginia; and copy of No. 7 to Captain James Nicholson, of the Ship Defence.

Commissions issued to Thomas Willson, appointed Captain, John Kerr First Lieutenant, Robert Tate Second Lieutenant, and ——— Forrester Ensign, of a Company of Militia, in Queen Anne’s County, belonging to the Twentieth Battalion.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Colonel Henry Hollingsworth, of Cecil County, £500, common money, on account of his contract to manufacture Gun-barrels.

Ordered, That the said Treasurer pay to the said Hollingsworth £4 4s. 10d., like money, being the amount of his account for carriage of Gunpowder from Christiana to Susquehannah.

Ordered, That Colonel Smallwood be requested to send a sufficient detachment to guard the Magazine near Captain James Tootell’s, in the neighbourhood of Annapolis.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Peter Littig £50, common money, on account of his contract for making Muskets.

Adjourned till next day, ten o’clock.

Saturday, June 1, 1776.

Met according to adjournment. Present the same Members as on yesterday.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Thomas Smyth, Esq., £60, common money, to be lodged in the hands of the Committee of Observation for Kent County, for the purpose of defraying the expense of the carriage of Gunpowder from Indian River to Chestertown.

Ordered, That the said Treasurer pay to Thomas Smyth, Esq., £42 10s., for ten Muskets purchased by him for the use of the Province.

Copy of Letter No. 8 was sent to the Deputies of Maryland in Congress.

A copy of No. 9 to the Committee of Observation for Baltimore County.

Adjourned till Monday, ten o’clock.

Monday, June 3, 1776.

Met according to adjournment. Present the same Members as on yesterday, except Mr. Hall and Mr. Tilghman.

The Hon. William Haywood, Esquire, a Member of the Council, attended, and was qualified before Mr. Hall, by taking the oath prescribed by the Convention.

Copies of Letter No. 10 were sent to Brigadier-Generals Hooper and Chamberlaine, Colonels Mackall, Barnes, and Weems, respectively; also, to Captains Rezin Beall and John Allen Thomas.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Western-Shore pay to Mr. John Gassaway £200, common money, for the use of Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Ware, to be answered for.

Adjourned till next day, ten o’clock.

Tuesday, June 4, 1776.

Met according to adjournment. Present the same Members as on yesterday.

Mr. Hall and Mr. Tilghman attended.

Ordered, That the Treasurer of the Eastern-Shore pay to Mr. Robert Lloyd Nicholls, Paymaster of the Regular Troops for the Eastern-Shore Department, £2,000, common money.

Copy of Letter No. 11 was sent to William Hindman, Esq., Treasurer of the Eastern-Shore.

The Council contracted with Mr. Samuel Galloway and Stephen Stewart for the building of five Gondolas for the defence of this Province, and agree to pay Mr. Stewart’s expenses to Philadelphia, for the purpose of viewing those constructed there; they also contracted with Thomas Smyth, Esq., for building two Gondolas, upon terms and conditions hereafter to be agreed on.

Permit granted to Mr. Hodges’s Boat to take in and transport live Stock and fresh Provisions from Rockhall to Annapolis, and to such Man-of-War as shall come up for Governor Eden, for his intended voyage to England.