Letters to the Council. 453

fore intend sending of it to that place without delay. I thought it
would be to the advantage of the State, to have the Barrells nailed,
& lin'd therefore have agreed with a Cooper to do the same, as no
Person will Either let me have Barrells, Nails, nor do any thing
Except what they are Obliged to by Law for Certificates, shall want
money to pay for the above Articles & other Expences attending
this Business, therefore if Your Excellency thinks proper be pleased
Either to send the money or give an order on the Collector for about
One Thousand Pounds, tho this seems large, yet it will not purchase
more than Twelve or Fifteen pounds would have done before these
wretched times.
I am rendred by the Gout unfit for Militia Duty, being Convinced
I could not endure the Hardships & fatigues required of an Officer
in my Station, should I be Called out on Duty, do resign my Com-
mission which is herewith inclosed.
S^r Since I wrote the above, I have received your Excellencys letter
of the II^th Instant, I am Exceeding sorry our Army is in such
distress for want of Flour you may depend that I will do all in my
power to forward all I have ready to the place within Mentioned,
allso will have the Wheat in my hands & what I may get Manu-
factur'd & the Flour arising therefrom forwarded without delay,
if the £8000 mentioned in yours intended for all the Commissioners,
the sum requested by me need not be sent — if not I cannot possibly
do without it therefore hope your Excellency will Either furnish
me with the money or an Order as soon as possible.
p. S. I have taken some Indian Corn but as the same is not shell'd
Cannot Ascertain the Quantity but Expect there will be Two Hun-
dred Bushels.

March 17

[Eli j a Cole Cecil C'oty Head of Elk to His Excellency
Thos Sim Lee]

Gentlemen Since your last Information to us We Have Been for-
warding All the flower We Possibly Could, Being In some Measure
Acquainted With The Scarceness in Camp, forwarded from Tow To
Three Hundred Barrells from the Mills Heare, A Day or Tow
Before We Receivd your Last Instructions, But for Want of flower
Barrells Cannot send On The Remainder As fast as We Could Wish,
The Coopers In general Are Poor and say they Cannot Work for
Sertificates, The Demand for Casks Heare Is very Considerable as
there Is a good Deale of Wheat sent To This Place To Be Man-
efacter'd, Therefore Beg you To furnish us With some Money For
That Purpose, Or In Case There Is None To Grant us An
Order On The Sherif of this County for a sufficient Sum, We Have
Been oblidge To Lay out all The money We Could Colect for Barrels
as It Apeared Impossible To Procure them Otherways and We
Could see No other way of Hastening on the flower.

March 17
Red Book
No. 23
Letter
No. 78