of the Council of Maryland, 1777. 311

proper person, to deal out the provisions, for the Companys
stationed here, I spoke to severall pepole none of which
inclined to undertake it for less than one hundred pounds he
says he will do it for £60. p year, & belive him to be as
Capable to do it as any one in this place, I suppose the Provi-
sion will be Cheifly laid in by some other person.
I proved eleven guns a few days ago for M^r Dorsey which
were all good, he desired I wou'd mention to you that he was
in want of steel to dress them, which he says the State were
to supply him with
I Observe in the last Maryland Gazette that there is an Act
to give Soldiers thirty Dollars more then the Continental
Allowance. I think the officers of the Artillery may be Able
to enlist more men, then any other officers in this place, they
can be enlisted to march to the Camp whenever Ordered, &
kept at Drill at the Fort, till ready to march, if you think
Proper, will Recomend to the officers to git all the men they
can which may go into any Regiment you may think proper
to Order.
I should be glad to know wheather we can enlist men for
the Artillery & give them the thirty dollars Bounty.
I am very sorry that I think myself obliged to mention to
you the treatment I Rec^d from Cap^t Cook a few days ago
which was as follows (when Cap^t Cook came here from Anna-
polis, I came in Company from the Point to Town, he did not
mention that he shou'd want any Assistance from me) in less
than a half hour after he Came to Town he went in a perem-
tory manner without my knowlege & ordered the guards
under my Command on board some Vessells, at the County
wharfe. as soon as I was informed of it I waited on Cap^t Cook
& told him I did not think he used me well, he told me he
had a Right to demand Assistance from me. My Answer
was that I was ready & Willing to give all the Assistance in
my power to aney Officer in the State, but that I did not think
any officer & perticular one belonging to the Naval depart-
ment had a Right to Command me, or my men without my
knowlege unless I had Orders from you.
Cap^t Cook placed at the Fort one M^r Gillis (who I was after-
ward informed was second mate of the Ship) to bring all Ves-
sells too. I was told he went so far as to insist on a Gentleman
(going to North Carolina) showing him his private instruc-
tions after showing his other papers, & that he had Ordered
one of the Serjants to Assist him in stopping the Vessel or
pepole without informing aney Commissioned officer his Bussi-
ness there, I then went to M^r Gillis & asked him if he had
Orders to take Command of the Fort, he told me no, 1 asked
him if he had Orders to Act in the maner he did, he told me

C. C