of the Council of Maryland, 1778-1779. 537

Such indeed has been the weakness of the Regiments this
Campaign that we have been obliged to incorporate two and
sometimes more Regiments together to form one Battalion in
the Line. These temporary incorporations are however at-
tended with too many Inconveniencies and are too disagree-
able to Officers & Men to be Continued. Some means must
therefore be found to remedy this by putting each Regiment
on such a footing as may enable it to form a Battalion of itself
I would beg leave to observe to your Excell^y That the
earlier and longer the time for which the Men are Enlisted
the more service they will render the Country, it has always
been the misfortune of our Army that from the advanced
Season in which our Recruits have arrived they have been of
very little Service: during the three next months is the proper
time for raising Men for the service of next year and was a
Rendevous appointed for the Recruits to assemble at, Officers
might be sent from hence to receive and exercise them 'till
the latter end of Feb^y when they might Join their Regiments
and then with very little Instruction they would render more
Service than double their number of raw Recruits
I have the honor to be with
greatest respect
Your Excellency's
most Obedient
and very humble Ser^t
Steuben
Maj: General
His Excellency Thomas Johnson

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Saturday 25^th September 1779

Present as on Yesterday
Ordered that the Commissary of Stores deliver to Serjeant
Welsh 1 p^r Shoes for the use of the Comp^y of Invalids in the
City of Annapolis
That the western shore Treasurer pay to James Barnes,
four thousand four hundred and thirty four Pounds, eighteen
shillings and nine pence for the use of William Johnson per
Account passed by the Aud. Gen^l

C. B.

[Delegates in Congress to Gov. Johnson.]
Phil^a Sep^r 26^th 1779

Sir.

Your Excellency will be informed by the enclosed Deposi-
tion of a number of Villains in the States of Maryland &

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