of the Council of Safety, 1776. 225

would by no means give a check to the ardency of his spirit.
Cap^t Fiddeman is pushing to arm his Company and hopes to
effect it so as to be able to march some time in the course of
next week. Captⁿ Burke will I expect, be with you in a few
days. Cap^t Goldsborough I have not heard from, but have
dispatched a messenger to him. Captⁿ Potter, I am doubtful
will not make up his men, the collecting our officers together
takes up more time than I wish, have sent an express to Som-
erset for Maj^r Hopewell, another for M^r Edmondson our
Quarter master whose assistance I much want, but am unlucky
enough not to have it. I hear he is at Annapolis, if so, pray
drop him a hint that I wish to see him. Col^o Whitely will set
off on Monday next, and I hope will head the first division of
our Battalion into Philad^a I am on my way to Kent & Cecil,
and hope to see the several Companys before they get off,
shall take care to make a return of all their military stores &c
so soon as I got an acco^t of the whole Doc^r Hindmin is at a
loss to know who appoints his mates & where he is [to] be fur-
nished with medicine &c. As numbers of the arms bought
of the Militia will want considerable repairs, I beg leave to
submit it to your honours whether they will not be sooner and
better repaired in Philad^a than down here. I am afraid it is
almost impossible to get Tents for so many of the Companies
as will be otherwise equipped, & we cant do well without
them; I therefore wish to know if there is any chance of pro-
curing them on the way to Camp, if there be pray say where,
and at whose expence, the continent or our colony :
I am with due respect Gentlemen, Your mo
Obed^t Serv^t W. Richardson

P. S. If the Convention appoints the surgeons mates I
wish Doct^r Zabdiel Potter to be one, and hope he will be men-
tioned, he has taken great pains to make up his Company, but
cant I believe do it, he is very desirous to go to Camp, and
will go in that Character. I believe too his appointment to
the mates birth will forward the service, because there is a
man as well qualified that will make up the Company he was
to Command in a few days :

C.S.C.

[Dames to Richardson.]

Original.

Sir. Queen Anne's County Aug 20^th 1776.
It is with pleasure I acquaint you my company is nearly
arm'd and are vastly anxious to receive their marching orders.
We are still unprovided with Camp equipage. We have I
suppose 20 Blanketts and expect some brought in to day to