122 Journal and Correspondence

September
26
Red Book
No. 5
Letter
No. 97

Duty of the Cloathier General to distribute the Cloth that is pro-
vided with impartiality, if it has not been the case, we shall be able
soon to give your Excellency information upon the subject. The
present Cloathier General is a native of Maryland a man of Honor
and a good officer and we believe I can undertake to say that no
partial distribution has been made since his appointment
We shall endeavour by the first opportunity to inform you of the
Cloathing & Military Stores annually imported by the United States,
The quantity will be so small that we believe it will give your Excel-
lency very little pleasure; and if the ten thousand suits which ought
to have come out in the Alliance and is now daily expected in the
Ariel, does not arrive, and the State cannot furnish Cloathing for
their own Troops, they must be in a most deplorable situation
through the whole of the approaching Season; for little or none can
be expected from the Board of War; we shall however take every
step in our power to secure for our own Troops their share of that
little, small as it is.
The Cloathing which Maj^r Giles drew at Camp for the new-
raised Reg^t is now here, and we shall detain the officer, which he
employed in this Business for five or six days, in which time the
Secretary of the Board of war assures us they shall be finished: we
do this the more readily as it corresponds with the Majors orders.
Your Excellency's Letter to the Board of War we shall seal and
deliver; and if our Exertion can avail any thing, they shall be em-
ployed in behalf of our gallant tho unfortunate Countrymen.
Brigadier Smallwood has been appointed by the unanimous voice
of thirteen States a Maj^r General. This will give the State some
pleasure tho^t it is not all that she has a right to expect from Con-
gress; the Troops of other States have received the Thanks of Con-
gress for displaying less gallantry than has lately been exhibited by
the Delaware & Maryland lines.
We have no intelligence to communicate. Reports prevail that the
French Fleet is arrived at Rhode Island, but it wants confirmation :
Admiral Rhodnev is still at the Hook, and Graves is out. By the
last letters from Camp preparations were making for an embarka-
tion. The Conjectures respecting their destination was communi-
cated to you a few Days ago.

September
26

[Dan'1 Jenifer, Portobacco to Gov. Lee]

Sir By the inclosed Letter your Ex^cy will perceive that the Balti-
morians are at their old tricks again; endeavoring to starve the
Army I have been quite through the county Except in Benedict and
have the promise of many Cattle, but very little dependance is to be
put in the promises of the people now a days; the 15^th of next month