Letters to the Council. 523

most earnestly requested may be attended with the utmost Expe-
dition and Punctuality.
The Time is come when we may hourly expect the Arrival of the
Forces of our Ally, and the Plan of Operation ought to be com-
pletely formed, and ready to be communicated upon their Arrival,
which cannot be done for want of proper and certain Information,
of the number of Forces, Quantity of Supplies &c which the States
will furnish.
Under these Circumstances you will easily perceive, that Congress
and the Commander in Chief are placed in a most painful situation,
and that the Interest, Honor & Safety of these States are too much
affected to admit of the least Delay or Neglect of any & every
Execution which the present situation of our Affairs demand
June 23. Since writing the foregoing I have received a Letter
from his Exc^y Gen^l Washington an Extract of which is enclosed
together with an Act of Congress of this Day, by which you will
be further informed of the pressing Necessity of immediately for-
warding on the supplies of Men and Provisions with the utmost
Expedition and the repeated request of Congress to transmit to
them & their Committee at Head Quarters the Proceedings of the
State over which you have the honour to preside in such Manner
that the Commander in Chief may rely & be enabled to regulate
his future regulations thereon

Red Book
No. 7

[Jos'a Beall, Lieut P^s G^s County to Gov Lee]

S^r Inclosed is a return for Militia Commission wanted for this
County, which I shuld be Glad to receive by Coll^l Lucas who will
deliver you this.
I wrote you some time ago concerning the Ammunition in Blad-
ensburgh; If it is not thought adviseable to sell and turn it into
money, I could Wish to have your Orders to deliver it to the several
Field Officers & Captains who would make themselves Accountable
for it.
I have not Examined it since I made a return of the Quantity, it
has been Fvpr sinre in a Store house kept by M^r Dick, without any
Expence to the publick; M^r Dick is now about giving up the house
& desires I would remove it, This cannot be done without some
Expence, besides that of the hire of a house to put it in, which I
immagine would be somthing considerable. Your speedy directions
as to the Disposal of it will greatly oblige
A return for Military Commissions wanted in P³ G^s C^ty
For the Upper Battalion Benjamin Harwood Cap" in the place of
Cap" Joseph Jones resigned
For Cap" Shaws late Cap" Carltons Comp^y William Moore I^st
Lieut. Promoted to Cap" in the place of Cap" Shaw who is removed

June 23