of the Council of Safety, 1775-76. 379

friends & partizans, a clamour might be raised & a rescue
attempted. I proposed carrying him to Baltimore & to put
him on board the ship of War, where he would be treated like
a Gentleman, and there to wait the directions of the Council
of Safety, or Congress, whose prisoner I deemed him:
29. Q. Why were troops ordered from Baltimore and
Captain Smith not to consult the commanding officer here.
A. The Committee were well informed that A. Ross was
come to Annapolis and were afraid he might alarm the Gov-
ernor, who would very probably attempt to escape, therefore
troops or armed men were thought necessary should Cap^t
Smith find the Gov^r attempting to escape, before he got to
Annapolis:
30. Q. Were there any marines on board:
A. I believe there were either sailors or marines.
31. Q. You say the troops were sent to intercept the Gov-
ernor should he have attempted to escape.
A. That was my intention, and my letter to the deputation
from the Baltimore Committee, will explain the reason of send-
ing the tender:
32. Q. You say you have the letter, produce it.
A. Delivers it, explains the reason of his sending the boat
by referring to Gen^l Lee's letter, directed Cap^t Smith to apply
to the Gen^l of Balto who, I thought would carry him to the
Council of Safety to confer upon the measure.
33. Q. Why was the Governor to be carried to Baltimore
if taken at Col. Fitzhugh's, would not the Commee of Calvert
have taken care of him :
A. I gave no directions whatever on that subject, on con-
dition that Cap^t Smith found the Governor attempting to
escape before he got from Balt^o to Annap^s and I had not the
least design of any thing save to prevent the Gov^rs escape.
34. Q. Did you not know the Council of Safety were
sitting:
A. I expected they were :
35. Q. Was any other letter than the above wrote by you
to the Balt^o deputation.
A. Not a scrape.
36. Q. Some Gen^l were sent to Annapolis to engage the
commanding officer by oath to secrecy, do you know any thing
of this:
A. No. I never entertained the most distant Idea of that
sort. The Gen^l of the Commee and myself thought the inti-
mation in Gen^l Lee's letter improper, and were doubtful
whether it was a public or private letter.
37. Q. Do you know of any such intimation contained in
an anonymous letter.

C. S. J.