250 Journal and Correspondence

C. S. C.

We have given Cap^t Woolford an order on Cap^t Robinson
for the province, arms which he rec^d from the Committee of
observation of Kent County and we hope soon to be able to
compleatly arm his & the other Independ^t Companies stationed
on your shore. Upon the late alarm some powder was given
into the hands of the militia on this side the Bay & we fear it
will be difficult to collect the greatest part of it again & that
too much of what may remain with the people will be lost to
the public. We recommend it to you therefore to deliver to
the Capt^s on the Water side as much as you may conceive
will be sufficient (taking their receipts) with orders not to dis-
tribute it among the respective companies until there is a real
necessity & to keep the residue in some convenient part of
your county where upon any emergency the other companies
may be readily supplied :

Original,

[Mason and Dalton to Council.]

Virginia, Fairfax County March 15^th 1776.
Gentlemen. Being employed by the Committee of Safety
for this Colony to fit out three armed cruisers, & two row-
gallies, for the protection of Potomack River, we have, in Con-
sequence thereof, bought three sloops; the largest of which
(called the American Congress) will mount 14 Carriage Guns,
6 & 4 pounders, & be man'd with about ninety Men. We
are now raising her Company of Marines, which will be com-
pleated in a few Days; she has most of her Guns mounted,
the shot are now casting, at a Furnace in the Neighbourhood,
& if we had Powder, she would be very soon fit for Action.
We wrote to our Delegates at the Congress to purchase for
us in Philadelphia twenty Barrels of Powder, & forward it to
us by Land, to serve 'til we could get a larger supply, which
they promised to do, so soon as it could be procured there, but
none has yet come to Hand, & we are very uneasy, least some
of the Enemies Cutters should come up this River, to destroy
our Vessels, before they are in a Posture of Defence As this
Equipment will be as beneficial to the Inhabitants on the north
side of Potomack as to those on this side, we doubt not the
Disposition of your Board to promote it; and under these Cir-
cumstance, we take the Liberty to apply to you for the Loan
of ten Bar^s of the Powder lately imported for y^r Province, in
Capt. Conway's Vessel now in the Eastern Branch of Poto-
mack; which shall be replaced out of the first Powder we
receive from the northward, or elsewhere; if ten Bar^s can't be
spared, even five or six Bar^s wou'd be very serviceable, &
might answer our Purpose, until the supply we expect from