of the Council of Safety, 1777. 157

tarrying therein only wanting to be with my father, and hopes
Gentlemen, that you will grant me the favour:
Rich^d Smith.
To the Hon^ble the Council of Safety of M^d

C. S. C.

[Smallwood to Jenifer.]

Princess Ann March 3^d 1777.
Sir
Having an opportunity by M^r Crocket embrace it to
acquaint, that agreeable to your last Requisition, the second
Virginia Regem^t & the Continental Regular Companies,
under Command of Deams & Godman were discharged on
the 16^th Feb^y, but by contrary Winds have understood they
were detained some Days at Cambridge, our small Party
arrived on the 19^th at Salisbury and on the 23^d here, at those
Posts and on our march we found People generally quiet, and
Peaceable, tho' much alarmed particularly such who were
under Guard upon Accusations who seemed disposed to
accept the Terms offered in the Proclamation which induced
me to discharge all the Militia and procure twenty light
Horsemen, who have rendered essential Services upon
detatched Duty, under Regular Officers; having all the
excepted Persons under Guard except Callalo, and Moore,
after whom I have had three Parties for sometime out &
directed Cap^e Campbell to cruise in the sound, hang out
British Colours, and hover about the mouths of the Rivers in
order to meet & intercept them, shou'd an escape be
attempted that Way, but am apprehensive they have escaped,
having this Day received a Letter from Campbell, informing
that several Tories escaped thro' the sound three Days before
he arrived at his Station. I deferred distributing and pub-
lishing the Proclamation, 'till every exertion had been used to
apprehend the Persons excepted, & upon supposition that the
whole wou'd be secured, have hitherto declined sending to
Annapolis such as have been in custody, with a Standard &
Drum taken from the Insurgents, and shou'd be glad to know
the Pleasure of the Assembly respecting their being sent up
immediately, or longer detained till further Testimony might
be aduced against them, and other Steps taken to apprehend
the two others, shou'd they not have escaped to the British
Ships; I find myself under some difficulty respecting the Proc-
lamation, the Terms of which in some degree appear repug-
nant to my Instructions, in rendering it Optional in the Offend-
ers to comply with them within the 40 Days limitted for that
purpose when the latter part of the first Requisition in my

Original.