of the Council of Maryland 1778-1779. 87

request you'll immediately send off to Col^o Hughs two half
Barrels of best musket Powder on a Pack Horse and if he
should apply to you for Arms Lead or more Powder furnish
him without further Orders as far as necessary or as far as you
can. pray inform us by the first Opportunity what Number of
Public Arms fit for use there are in Frederick and be so
obliging as to push White and Razor to finish those for which
they have Barrels they may probably be soon wanted
We are &^ca
To Col^o Beatty

Information being given to this Board that the Indians have
commenced Hostilities on the western Frontiers that many
Murders have been committed and that great Numbers of the
back settlers in this and the Neighbouring States are flying
from their Habitations. It is therefore ordered that such and
so many of the third or western Battalion of Militia in Wash-
ington County as may be judged necessary by the Col^o of that
Battalion be immediately called into actual Service for the
Defence & Protection of the western Frontiers and to act in
Concert or if necessary in Conjunction with the Militia of the
Adjoining State of Virginia & Pennsylvania against the
Enemy and further that in Case the Lieut of Washington
County shall judge a greater Force necessary that he call out
into the same Service any part of the other Militia of his
County in classes, he having regard to the actual service per-
formed already by any of the service classes.

C. B.

[Council to D. Hughes.]

In Council Annapolis 16^th May 1778.
Sir.
We inclose you the Commissions you wrote for, we have
done so under a strong Impression of an absolute Necessity
of having the back Militia put immediately in the best State of
Defence against the Indians. We wish you had sent us a
List of all the Officers, that their Commissions might have
been issued together. We are packing up and shall send off
in the Morning 100 Musquets and 10 Rifles and write Col^o
Beatty to send you two half Barrels of best musquet Powder
The Express thinks it very unsafe to send the Arms and
Powder without a good Guard, least the Disaffected and De-
serters about Murlie's Branch should seize them: Would it
not be well for the Arms and Powder to be sent by you as far
as the Tennoloways, giving Notice to a Company or two
about old Town to receive them there and to carry them as

C. C.

p. 153