512 Journal and Correspondence.

June 9

Your Excellency well knows that I have long since resigned the
Quarter Masters Office, and I cannot think of resuming it under the
present System however if I can render my country any Service in
this or any other matter at this critical and alarming period shall
chearfully do it being consious that there never was a time since the
commencement of this contest when the exertions of the Citizens of
America were more wanted

June 10

[Thos. Richardson, Geo. Town, to His Excellency
Thomas Sim Lee Esq^r]

Sir By this days Post I received a Letter from Owen Biddle Esq^r
Deputy forrage Master Gen^l & Inclose you an extract of it by which
you will see that forrage is much wanting to the northward & like to
be still more so. the State of Pensilvania & Jersey have been so much
exhausted by the two armies that they Cannot be supported from
them, but must look to the Southward for Suplies, the Forrage Mas-
ter Generall has requested me to apply to the different agents of the
State to forward the Forage they have collected, but they would not
be Justifiable to send it forward in consequence of my applications.
I can therefore only beg you to take the matter into Consideration
whether it would not be for the good of the Service to order the
different agents, to ship of the Forrage they have on hand, or may be
able to Collect as Speedily as Possible. I am confident much depends
on their being Speedily Supplied both with forrage & Provision &
doubt not but your Excellency & the Hon^r the Councill will adopt
the most Salutary measures, to give them the needfull assistance
p. S. M^r Becraft has ab^t 4000 of Corn & Rye & 33 Bb^ls Flour
collected by the commissioners in Cha^s County in M^r Mushits hands
1900 Bush^ls Corn M^r Dyson & M^r Douglass have some
Mr. Thomas Beall informs me the late Sheriff of Fred. County has
been with him and informed him that he has orders to deliver him
what wheat Corn & Rye he Collects, that it will be down in a few
days. Should it be found necessary to be Sent to the North ward
would it not be more expedient to order Mr. Beaty to send it to
Baltimore as the Risque of Shipping from here & the head of Elk
would be avoided the difference in land Carriage Counter Ballanced
by the difference of the freight & Craft may be more Readily got there
to carry it than from hence

June 10
Brown Book
No. 8
Letter
No. 28

[Kolker Philadelphia to His Excellency T. S. Lee]

Sir I received the favor of your letter of the 25^th ultimo respecting
the 15000 barrels which are to be compleated in the hands of M^r
Smith for the use of the royal marine in consequence of the late
assembly of Maryland & with it a coppy of your letter to that Gen-
tleman empowering him to purchase flour for this purpose I am sorry