of the Council of Safety, 1777. 159

Department to me, I shall not afford the Public that satisfac-
tion which may be expected, and am well satisfied it wou'd
have been much better accomplished by some gentleman in
the Civil Line, supported by a small Military Force, which if
this cou'd still be done I think the general good wou'd be
better Promoted by my Attention to and forwarding the
Recruiting Service, however the commands of the general
Assembly &c shall be a Law to me. Pray will it absolve and
wash away the Offences of the young fellows who are excepted,
shou'd they inlist which I believe they wou'd readily come
into. Have inclosed nine Depositions which I judged might
now be wanted at Annapolis, I have a number more taken,
but really have neither Paper nor Clerks to enable me to send
copies thereof. Doct^r W^m Dashiel who was with me last
Campaign, and is a very deserving & well qualified young
gentleman in his Department, desires an Application may be
entered for his becoming Surgeon to Col^o Gists Reg^t which
will fall in the Line; if Chirurgical Rank is admitted, & Wal-
lace & Briscoe succeed to the I^st & 2^d Reg^ts also D^r Johnson
of Frederick, a young Gentleman of equal merit, who served
in the general Hospital and attended myself & the wounded
of my late Reg^t, is desirous and I believe him well Qualified
to act in a like Department, & theres D^r Griffith who acted in
the flying Camp, desired me to enter his Application, but as
he is a Stranger I cannot undertake to recommend him. Col^o
Done desired an Application might be entered for his Brother
W^m who supports a very clear character and is represented to
be spirited; for an Ensigns comⁿ, he having served on Board
a Privatier some small Time. I shou'd be obliged shou'd M^r
Duvall be directed to transmit me a List of the Appointm^ts as
there are many young Gentlemen here desirous to know what
situation they stand in, particularly M^r Rich^d Waters Brother
to John Waters, who behaved so bravely at the White Plains,
this young Gentleman has enlisted nearly his Compliment of
Men and can get more, I hope he has not been neglected
With much Regard I have the Honor to be
Y^r very Obed^t H^ble Serv^t
W. Smallwood B. G^l

P. S. I have just received Intelligence that the Phenix and
her Tenders are now at Anchor in the Middle of the Bay
opposite Hoopers Straights and that Callalo returned to
Smiths Islands about 2 Hours after Cap^t Stewart and his
Party came from there, so that He may yet its probable be
taken. I make no doubt you have heard of the Enemy's hav-
ing rec^d a reinforcement in New Jersey which has occasioned
Congress to issue a Resolve requiring the Troops raised on
the Continental Establishment in the several States to march

C. S. C.