390 Journal und Correspondence

C. S. J.

Cap^t Sam^l Smiths Narrative.

On Monday the 15^th April I was on the field exercising the
three companies stationed in Baltimore when M^r Samuel Pur-
viance (Chairman of the Committee) came out to me & beg^d
I would immediately attend the Committee: That an affair
of the greatest consequence demanded my attendance; That
there would be occasion for eight or ten of my men under my
own comm^d to go in Cap^t Nicholsons Tender. He then found
it necessary to inform me of the business, & enjoined the
strictest secrecy. I kept the troops about a quarter of an hour
longer on duty, and discharged them all except my own com-
pany, out of which I chose ten good men & a sargeant and
ordered them to be in readiness at half past one. I waited at
M^r Purviances (on the Committee as I thought) but found only
the Chairman there, He shewed me the different letters
respecting the Business I was to go on, and I agreed with him
that too much dispatch could not be made. I then went in
quest of Major Gist, but could not find him About one
oClock M^r S. Purviance passed by the barracks, I spoke to, &
told him that I was ready & waited but for orders. He said
I should have them immediately. I again went in search of
the Major & found him at dinner. I told him my men were
ready. As soon as he had finished dining, he went to M^r Pur-
viances, where I followed him in about ten minutes, & found
him reading my instructions (-|-M^r Purviance mentioned that if
the Governor was still at Annapolis I should have nothing to

do, as he supposed the Council of Safety would put him under
guard before I should get down t). I received my instruc-
tions from the Major, & with my men went immediately to
the point, where I went on board the defence's tender com-
manded by Lieu^t Nicholson, after taking proper stores from the
Defence we proceeded down, arrived & came to Anchor off
the Harbour of Annapolis at ab^{t
3 oClock on Tuesday morn-
ing, at day break I went ashore & delivered a letter to Messrs
John Smith, Benjamin Nicholson & John Sterrit. They told
me what had passed between them & the Honbl Council. I
asked them whether I might not inform the Coll of my
business. They said the Council had enjoined the strictest
secrecy, and advised me not to mention it till I had their (the
Council's) leave. (I shewed them my orders, they advised me
not to shew them to any other person, as it was their opinion
they were in some degree improper. They said they were to
wait on Major Jenifer after breakfast & would let me know
when they returned how I was to act. on their return to the
coffee House they told me he highly approved of the tender's
being sent down; and that they were to meet the Council at
10 oClock who would give me orders.) About 11 oClock I}