MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO COLONEL DORSET.

SIR: At present we do not desire you to send in any more of your Militia. Should it be necessary hereafter, we will inform you; and from their readiness, which we have hitherto experienced, doubt not their being here in proper time.

We are, &c.

To Colonel Dorsey.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO COUNCIL OF SAFETY OF VIRGINIA.

SIR: Your favour communicating the intelligence that the enemy's fleet had been driven from their station, and their forces obliged to abandon Gwin's Island, came safe to hand, and demands our acknowledgments.

They have since arrived in Potomack, and landed some men on St. George's Island, at the mouth of St. Mary's River, where they have thrown up intrenchments. We are making preparations to dislodge them as soon as possible.

In return, we congratulate you on our success in the southern quarter; and we are, &c.

To the Hon. John Page, Esq., President of the Council of Virginia.

P. S. We have ordered Mr. Hughes to send immediately to. Georgetown two eighteen-pounders, for the use of your Colony, to be delivered to Messrs. May son and Dalton's orders.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO DOCTOR WEI5ENTHALL.

SIR: Doctor Tootle has been with us. Since his journey to Baltimore, he is uncertain how far you intend to act as physician to the Matross company now at Baltimore town, or any of the Militia of the Flying-Camp that may be stationed there, in lieu of those companies of the battalion who are marched to New-York, We should be obliged to you for a line given in answer to these doubts of his, that we may know how to conduct ourselves in the nomination of an assistant to act in that department. We are, &c.

To Doctor Charles Frederick Weisenthall.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO JOHN WEST.

SIR: Your letter of yesterday I received, and laid it before our Council, who have directed me to assure you, that every friendly assistance in their power shall be cheerfully afforded our neighbours, upon every emergency that may require it. We derive great comfort from the competence of your powers and the promise you have been pleased to make, of flying to our assistance whenever it should be necessary. We can order our regular forces out of the Province; the Militia we cannot; but the Colonels in each County are authorized to call out the Militia to act in the Province, whenever they see occasion to do it. I am, &c.

To John West, Esq., President of the Committee of Alexandria.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO STEPHEN STEWART.

SIR: James Cray attends you, with a vessel that he is offering for sale to the Council of Safety; but as we are by no means judges of the value, or whether or not she will answer our purpose, we have referred him to you for examination, and shall be very glad to hear from you upon that head. We are, &c.

To Mr. Stephen Stewart.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO THE CHARLES COUNTY COMMITTEE.

GENTLEMEN: We have sent you £200 by Charles Lansdale, which we request the favour of you to apply to the account of subsistence of that part of Captain Beall's company stationed at Port-Tobacco. We are, &c.

To the Committee of Observation of Charles County.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO DELEGATES IN CONGRESS.

GENTLEMEN: Enclosed we send you copies of some letters we have received from Colonel Barnes and Colonel Jordan, giving us an account of Lord Dunmore's squadron having appeared near the mouth of St. Mary's River, in a hostile manner, and that some of them had landed on St. George's Island. In consequence of these advices, we have countermanded the orders to Captain Thomas and Captain Hindman, whom we wish to keep in the Province, to assist in repelling the invasion. We do not expect Dunmore will stay long at St. George's Island. Expect he will move up Potomack, or to the Eastern-Shore; perhaps up the Bay to Annapolis, or Baltimore town. We shall send you further intelligence as soon as we receive it.

Our Flying-Camp are coming in almost every day. But many a question has arisen as to their subsistence. Neither Congress nor Convention have made any provision for rations during the time the men are drawing together, nor whilst they remain unarmed, and unprovided with necessaries, which will amount to something considerable. We intend finding rations for the battalion that is to supply the place of our own regulars. We wish you to apply to the Congress, and let us know what is to be done about subsistence for the other battalions. They are all coming to us to be supplied with almost every necessary, and you may judge our situation is very disagreeable, not having it in our power to answer their demands. Our Militia, in a general way, during this time of invasion, cannot be persuaded to lend their arms. Most of those who inlist have none of their own. We take it for granted, it would answer very little purpose to send you a number of men unarmed, and unprovided with necessaries, and therefore do not order them forward.

We congratulate you on the victory that hath been obtained in South-Carolina by the Americans over the British fleet. Some of Commodore Parker's squadron have met with a severe drubbing, according to the particulars we have heard, of which we doubt not you have more perfect information before this time. We send you the Maryland Gazette, in which are inserted some particulars of the damage sustained by Commodore Parker.

We have information from below, that Lord Dunmore hath been beat off at Gwin's Island; and we have too much reason to believe, by intelligence from a deserter, who was examined before us yesterday, that Governour Eden is still on board the Fowey. They have seventy-two sail of vessels—divers of them small sharp-rigged sloops or boats.

We have received Mr. Stone's letter of the 12th; but know not what answer to give as to supplying tents, until we can see how our canvass holds out. Do not believe it will be in our power to furnish any in time.

We are, &c.

To the Deputies for Maryland, in Congress.

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Philadelphia, July 19, 1776.

SIR: My earnestness to convey to you, as soon as possible, the intelligence this moment received from South-Carolina, on which I most sincerely congratulate you, I am confident, will apologize for my not adding more than to tell you, that enclosed you will find the copy of General Lee's letter, and the account from the deserters who escaped after the action. I am loath to hinder the express one moment. He is ready; and I will only say, that the enclosed resolves of Congress were this day passed, and to which I beg leave to refer you. I will write General Schuyler to-morrow. You will please not to print the letter, &c, received from General Lee, as by to-morrow's post I shall write you again, and forward the account printed for the publick information.

I have the honour to be, with great regard, sir, your most obedient and very humble servant,

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

To His Excellency General Washington.

N, B. I cannot detain the express to give you the particulars of Governour Rutledge's letter; but will print it, with the other parts submitted to me by Congress, and forward you by to-morrow's post.

God bless you, my dear sir. May you ever be under the Divine protection, and see a happy issue to your noble exertions! Yours,

J. H.