guard, and that if lie (said Layfield) had been going down to Dunmore, he would have tied the said Maddox, and have put him in his canoe, and carried him to Dunmore. This deponent saith, that he had several times before this heard Layfield say that he would not muster, and that if he could get persons to join him, he would stand in opposition to mustering, and would not muster for any person. And further saith not.

Sworn before

PETER WATERS.

Sarah McDonald, of lawful age, being sworn, deposeth and saith: That, some time in June last. James Layfield came to her father's, (David McDonald's,) in company with John Redden and Lazarus Maddox. Layfield and Redden came into the house; Maddox went to tie his horse. Layfield asked this deponent where her husband was, and desired this deponent to tell her husband to come out to him. She answered that he was not at home. This deponent saith that some little time afterwards, Maddox went off to the guard, which was at Jericho, and Layfield and Redden came up to the door, and Layfield told this deponent what he wanted with her husband; which was, that if he had been at home, and was as willing as he was, he would have tied Maddox, put him in a canoe, and carried him and his ammunition on board of Dunmore, for it was a bargain they had made, as they came along, to do so. And further saith not.

True copy from the Minutes:

JOHN DASHIELL, Clerk.

THOMAS B. HANDS TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

Langsford Bay, July 17, 1776.

SIR: My most sincere and grateful acknowledgments are justly due to the honourable the late Convention for their continuance of me as a member of the Council of Safety; and although it gives me great pain, yet I should consider myself highly unworthy of the good opinion they had entertained of me, did I not signify to you that I find my situation such that I think myself bound to decline that honour. You therefore, sir, will be pleased to accept of my resignation of the appointment of me a member of the Council of Safety; and believe me, with due respect to yourself and the other gentlemen of your Board, your most humble servant,

THOMAS B. HANDS,

To Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, President of the Council of Safety of Maryland.

STEPHEN STEWART TO MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY.

GENTLEMEN: The bearer, Captain Ewing, has a ship to dispose of. She is a new vessel, and as well built a one as ever I saw. She is really a complete piece of work, and stout enough to carry eight or ten six-pounders with fifty men. She draws less water than any vessel of her size. She has new anchors, cables, and rigging; her main-sails are new, but not large enough for the revenue service. I would agree with him for her, but am in some doubts of her sailing fast by the wind. There is no doubt of her sailing exceedingly fast from the wind. Captain Ewing has agreed to carry her to Annapolis to you. I have told him you would get Gilbert Middleton to try how she sails by the wind. Gilbert Middleton will make proper allowance for her being badly sailed. If she will answer the end of sailing by the wind, she may be made so able that nothing but sloops can hurl her; and then she can run into such shoal water that they could not get at her. I think when she has fifty men, with water and provisions and ten six-pounders, she will not draw more than six-and-a-half feet of water. If Mr. Middleton finds she will answer the end of sailing by the wind, she may be bought from Captain Ewing for £450 to £415, and he must find you a new mast, boom, and all other spars, for they are all too short.

I am your most obedient humble servant,

STEPHEN STEWART.

To the Honourable Council of Safety.

P. S. I have had a good deal of business with Captain Ewing, and have always found him very punctual. S. S.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO CAPTAIN CRAWFORD.

SIR: This is to advise you that we are ordering some ammunition to St. Mary's County. You are therefore desired to prepare a wagon, with all expedition, to be ready to receive it as soon as the cart sent from hence may arrive with you, which we think will be this evening or to-morrow morning, and to forward it under a guard of eight men and an officer to Leonardtown, in said County. We trust you will use all diligence, and give the greatest despatch to this necessary business. We are, &c.

To Captain David Crawford.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO GENERAL DENT.

SIR: We received a letter from Colonel Jordan last night, advising that some of Dunmore's party had landed on St. George's, and that the boats were going off to the vessels, it was imagined, for more. As the further orders which we may give must depend in a great measure on the numbers, situation, and movements of the enemy, we request you will communicate to us by the return of the express all the information you can collect relative to them, and be very particular therein. We have countermanded the orders given Captains Thomas and Hindman to march to Philadelphia, and expect them here today or to-morrow. Upon receiving intelligence from you, we shall be able to form an opinion whether it will be necessary they should be ordered to your assistance. Powder, lead, and flints, are sent off this morning to Leonardtown, and we hope will arrive there to-morrow night or on Friday morning. We approve of the Committee detaining Captain Forrest's company, and think it would be best, if the Militia will part with their guns, that that company should be armed with them, and immediately be subject to your orders. We are, &c.

To Brigadier-General Dent.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO THOMAS RINGGOLD AND

OTHERS.

GENTLEMEN: We have sent a barrel of gunpowder and four hundred pounds of lead, addressed to you, for the use of Kent Liana, and doubt not your care of it. We think ourselves obliged, however, to tell you we have seen the ill effect of distributing ammunition among the Militia, and to desire you will lodge such a proportion of it with the Captains of the companies only as you may think proper, and they upon emergencies will deliver it out to their men.

We are, &c.

To Messrs. Thomas Ringgold, Aquila Brown, and Dr. Ringgold.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO THOMAS SMYTH.

DEAR SIR: We send you by the bearer £400 currency, for paying off the wagons, and to answer other contingent expenses. We are sorry we cannot comply with other requests you have made of us relative to the two companies raised in Kent. Our Province is actually invaded by Lord Dunmore with his whole fleet, who are now come into Potomack, and are landing on St. George's Island. Our own battalion and Independent companies are marched off to the eastward by order of Convention. In this distressed situation, every gun we can muster from Mr. Winters, and all other parts, must be first applied to arm the battalion and Independent companies that are to stay in the Province to supply the place of those who are gone to New-York. As to tents, we will write you more fully hereafter, when we know certainly what canvass we have at Chingoteague. Were we to make the ample provision you wish for two companies in the Eastern-Shore battalion, and leave the others bare of everything, we should justly subject ourselves to the charge of partiality. You may depend we will do as much for those two companies as we possibly can, at least equal to others in the same battalion. We are, &c.

To Thomas Smyth, Esq.