of the Council of Safety, 1776. 325

[Hawkins to Tilghman.]

Chas County Octob 7^th 1776.
Sir. I am sorry to be under the necessity of informing you
of the misbehaviour of the 12^th Batⁿ and hope you will lay the
same before the Hon^ble Convention. On the 23^rd ult the said
Battalion was ordered to attend at the usual place of muster-
ing, and those that attended (tho' it was not a full meeting
were drawn up in a line to perform the manual, but immedi-
ately upon the adjutant's giving the word of command a great
number of the soldiers broke their ranks and collected together
in a crowd: upon which I instantly went amongst them to
inquire into the reason of such extraordinary behavior: &
some of them objected to their being mustered by a Scotch-
man, but the greater part declared that they would not be
mustered by any adjutant at all, alledging that the province was
run to a very great expence by employing adjutants and they
thought it the duty of the officers to muster the Battalion. I said
every thing I could (and so did many other of the officers) to

shew them the absurdity of such conduct but to no purpose. I

then ordered them to be dismissed untill I shou'd hear from
Convention and hope it will not be long before some step is
taken to reduce them to order.
I am with great esteem & regard
Sir Your most obed^t Serv^t
Josias Hawkins

C.S.C.

[Petition of Solomon Jervis.]

To the Honorable the Council of Safety for the State of
Maryland.
The Petition of Solomon Jervis of Kent County in the Prov-
ince aforesaid —
That whereas this Council by an Order from the Honorable
the Congress are about appointing of Officers for the Eight
Battalions to be raised in this Province, your Petitioner would
beg leave to represent that he has serv'd in Captain Watkins
Company for these Eight Months past in the Quality of a Serjint
he therefore prays your Honours to apoint him a Commis-
sion in one of the Battalions now to be raised. And as in

duty bound will Pray.

Solomon Jervis.
Philad^a Octob^r 7^th 1776

Original.

Tuesday, October 8^th 1776.

Council met. Present as on yesterday.
Commission issued to Michael Wallace appointed Surgeon
to Colonel Smallwood's Battalion of regular Forces.

C. S. J.