of the Council of Maryland, 1778-1779. 403

[Council to J. Barnaby.]

In Council Annapolis 19^th May 1779
Sir.
By Col^o Rumsey's Return of Arms &^ca 3^d Ins^t there remained
in your Hands belonging to the Public, 25 Boxes & a few
loose Arms Am^o 500 Stand of which 100 without Bayonets,
300 Gun Slings, 500 Cartouch Boxes, 250 Canteens, about
1500 Gun Flints. The Gun Flints we would have you retain
& deliver to Col^o Rumsey or his Order; the rest of the Articles,
we desire, you will deliver to the Order of Andrew Buchanan
Esq^r immediately on your Receipt of this
We are &^ca
M^r Jn^o Barnaby
Head of Elk

[Council to A. Buchanan.]

In Council Annapolis 19^th May 1779
Sir.
We received yours to Day of Yesterday's Date. We have
not received any Thing further interesting. If there should
be a real Occasion for the Militia to act, the Enemy will, we
hope, give us Time to advise you of the Necessity so that you
may collect them. Experience shews us that Men who are
drawn from their Occupations, soon grow disgusted & uneasy
and of Course, are not so alert as when just called together.
We have two Boats out, besides Cap^t Harrison from Balt⁰
and think the Enemy can make no Movement up the Bay
but what we shall have early Intelligence of. We do not know
whether you have concerted any Plan to give instant Notice
to the People to assemble but wou'd submit to your Judgment,
the Propriety of it: might not two or three Pieces of small
Cannon, lodged at different Places some Distance back and
fired on Orders, be a proper Signal to rendesvouz at Town?
If you think it would facilitate the Collection of the Militia,
call on Maj^r Smith for two or three Pieces that would be the
least useful in the Defence of the Town. We ordered a Ton
of Lead up in the General Smallwood and one Half the Arms
we had; M^r Lee says you had Information that about 100 w^t
of Lead was in the Vessel M^r Shaw says he had neither Con-
venience or Time to weigh it, but he is satisfied there went
more than 1500^lb he thinks near 2000, however Sir, if you think
the Shot you mention may be useful, purchase it, if you approve
the Price, take it & have it valued. By Cap^t Keeport's Return
the 14^th March, there were then remaining 499 Musquets, 742
Canteens, 3132 Musquet Cartridges, we do not know of any
delivered out since, except a few Musquets & Cartridges to

C. C.