of the Council of Maryland, 1777-1778. 457

the Use of the Continental Army. This Board desirous of
complying with the said Requisition and being fully con-
vinced that it will much conduce to the general Interest as
well as the Interest of the Proprietors of Cattle at places from
whence they may be readily taken away by the Enemy that
such of those Cattle as are fit for Beef should be immediately
collected at a full and just price and applied to the Subsist-
ance of the Army.
Therefore Mess^rs William Winder jun^r Ephraim Stevens
and Levin Woolford of Somerset County or any or either of
them is hereby appointed to purchase and Collect the Cattle
in the said County which are fit for Slaughter for the use of
the said Army and he is to procure the same on Contract if
the Proprietors will sell them for a just price But if the pro-
prietors of such Cattle along the sound and on the Water
sides from whence they may readily taken by our Enemies
on board the Men of War refuse to dispose of the same then
the said William Winder Jun^r Ephraim Stevens and Levin
Woolford or any or either of them is impowered and required
to Seize such Cattle for the use and Subsistance of the Army
as aforesaid leaving if necessary sufficient for the Subsistance
of the Owner and his Family and paying the value of the
Cattle so seized at the rate as near as can be estimated of one
Shilling per pound for the neat Beef of good fatted Cattle
and nine pence per pound for inferior and adding one fourth
part of the sum for the fifth Quarter. And the said William
Winder jun^r Ephraim Stevens and Levin Woolford as soon
as convenient are to have the weight of the Cattle so seized
estimated by an Honest man or two who are good Judges
thereof if the proprietor of the Cattle and the person seizing
the same shall disagree therein and the said William Winder
Jun^r Ephraim Stevens and Levin Woolford are also desired
to send all Cattle by them collected as soon as may be to the
Camp under twenty Drovers to the Commissary of Purchases
together with an Account of the cost of the Cattle and to send
a Copy of the said Account to this Board.

Commissions issued to William Venables appointed Ensign
to Capt. Robert Dashiells Company also to John Phillips first
Lieut, Edward Kellam second Lieut of Capt William Turpins
Company to John Evans second Lieu^t of Capt John Span
Conways Company to Levin Handy Ensign of Capt Henry
Gale's Company belonging to the Salisbury Battalion of Militia
and also to John Irving first Lieut James Curtis second Lieut
Nehemiah King Ensign of Capt. William Water's of John
Company, to John Flemming Ensign of Capt David Wilson's
Company to James Elzey second Lieut in the said Wilsons
Company, to Samuel Dixon second Lieutenant of William

C. B.