of the Council of Safety, 1775-76. 195

[Gunby to Jenifer.]

Princes Ann Som^t County 29^th Feb^y 1776.
Sir. M^r Forrest my first Lieutenant waits on your board
for instructions with respect to several matters relating to my
Company. In obedience to your instructions communicated
to me by M^r Scott, I have provided houses for my Company
& Ruggs & Blankets for as many of them as I could. I have
also provided them with fuel & such utensils as Judged abso-
lutely necessary for dressing their provisions, all which things
I have purchased out of my own & my officers money, as the
£200 ordered me from the Eastern Shore treasury was not
more than sufficient to pay the advance money directed by the
Convention to be advanced with soldiers & non Commissioned
officers the subsistance money has also been advanced to the
several recruits as it was necessary. If it is not going further
than your board may think themselves justifiable in I would
submit it, whether it would not be expedient in order to save the
trouble of frequent applications to the Council & expresses to
the Treasury, to advance to the several Captains of inde-
pendant Comp^ys such a sum of money as may provide their
respective Companys in fresh articles as are to be proved by
the captains & also to pay up the arrearages of subsistance
money, each Captain to render his account with proper vouch-
ers for the money by him expended for the use of his com-
pany. If the Board think this ought to be done, I should be
glad to receive by M^r Forrest your order on M^r Hindman for
such sum as you may judge necessary for the purpose. I am
also to request of the Council that they will take such order as
they think proper for furnishing the Company with Musketts
Drum & Fife, as they are at present absolutely unable to exer-
cise for want of arms. The Committee have fixed the station
of the Company at Princess Ann, the County Town for this
County, where I have been able to provide for them very suffi-
cient cover at reasonable rates. I am exceedingly anxious to
have the Company provided with arms as soon as may be, as
most of them are entirely without & it is impossible to do any
thing with them, (tho too many of them are very raw) until
furnished with arms & from their situation it is not improbable
but they may be pretty soon called into action :
I am with Respect,
Your mo. ob^t serv^t John Gunby.
To the Honble Dan^l of S^t Thomas Jenifer.

C. S. C.

[A. Beall to Council.]

Bladensburgh 29^th February 1776.
Gentlemen. The reason I have not waited on your honours
for a Commission as a field officer, is that there has been so

Original.