212 Journal and Correspondence

C. S. C.

guns must be made of one bore or calibar and length but that
on inspection of my Memorandums I had it not in charge
from the Council to make any agreement with him I have a
Lre also from my brother Col^o of the second Battalion in Cecil.
Commissions for our companies in the Battalion are it seems
made out the other four have none this creates uneasiness and
he cannot altho very desirous of it review them. He says the
people are much discontented at the right of election being
taken away. There is a Lre from M^r Gilpin on that subject in
one of the Bundles. He writes as well as I remember that
M^r Ramsay had made out the Commissions and left them at
M^r Peals. M^r Duvall promised to get them and send them up
it would answer good purposes and avoid a good deal of con-
fusion to have the Commissions in this Battalion filled up.
I inclose a commission resigned in Cap^t Stewarts Com^y in the
8^th Battalion with the name of a person indorsed that would
be agreeable to the Company to have for their ensign in the
Lieu of the ensign resigned and should be oblidged to you
to expedite his Commission. There are a good many more
vacancies in the 8^th Battalion as soon as they can be collected
together a list will be laid before you in order that they may be
filled up indeed did I know how to do it properly I would do
it now as I do not know how soon we may be called out to
action your advice to the Commee of Baltimore County of the
5^th Instant being laid before me last night with the Brigadiers
order to hold ourselves in readiness. The men are undis-
ciplined they therefore more especially require to be full
officer'd. But as we may want time to do that I am deter-
mined to march with what we have and have wrote circular
Lre to my Capt^g to hold themselves & Companies in readiness
to march on the first notice I wrote yesterday to M^r Garrett
about the Bayonets and shall communicate his answer as soon
as received. In conversation with one of the officers of my
Battalion he informs me M^r Purviance has made a requisition
of the guns which were in the hands of the minute Company
in this County that twenty eight had been sent the other two
have been carried off by two of the minute Companys who
have inlisted in the regular service and are stationed at Balti-
more he could not recollect their names. I am Gentlemen :
7th March 1776 Your most humble Serv^t
Joppa Benjamin Rumsey

[Worcester Co. Committee to Council.]

March the 7, 1776.
In Committee of observation for Worcester County Mary-
land. In pursuance of the resolves of the Convention, M^r