of the Council of Maryland. 103

answer the purpose of an immediate supply this is my own opinion
which I take the liberty of giving freely but at the same time will
chearfully obey your directions on this head, I doubt there will be
but little provision paid on the Tobacco Tax in this county
I cannot yet say how the new Money will go down with the people
but have my doubts especially on its first tryal the Collectors in this
County have not yet done any thing except in Town which may be
one reason why no wheat is now coming to Market
P. S. M^r Donnellan is intirely out of Meat to Issue at this Port
& has called on me for a supply which suppose I must provide for
him He has an acco^t paid for coopering & labour & a rising on
flour he rec^d & shipp'd away lately which he is desirous I should pay
& believe he cannot well afford to lay out of the money please give
me direction concerning both these matters.

September
IS

[Fran's Marrion Whitemarsh Bladen County to Gov. Lee]

Sir On the 3^d Ins^t I had Advice that upwards of two hundred
Torys Intended to Attack me the next day, I immediately marched
with 53 Men, which is all I cou'd get, on the 4^th in the morning I
surprised A party of 45 men, which I mistook for the main body;
I killed and wounded all but 15, which Escaped, I then marched
immediately to Attack the main body, which I met about 3 miles
in full march towards me, I Directly attack'd them, And put them
to flight (though they had 200 men) And got into an Impassible
Swamp to all but Torys, I had one man wounded in the first action
And then in the second, and two Horses killed; finding it impossible
to come at them, I returned to Camp, the next day I was informed
they all Disperst. on the fifth I was Joined by about 60 men; I then
throughed up a small redoubt, to secure my camp from being sur-
prised by the Torys, should they again collect.
On the 7^th I crossed P. D. and Lynches Creek with one hundred
men 50 to secure my Camp and the river; to attack a party of regu-
lars And militia, said to be 150, which was in Williamsbourg town-
ship, a Burning all the Houses of their men who had Joined me;
when I had got to indian Town, Capt James who I had sent tc
reconiter the Enemy, meet me; he had taken a Prisoner belonging
to Col^o Ferguson riffle reg^t by whom, I learnt that they was 200
British, and a number of Torys, & that Major Whims with 200
men, was to Join them that night, they was seen after dark on their
march, and by an Orderly book taken with an officers baggage
with the Above Prisoner, I found their Intention was to remove me
and to proceed to the Chasases; I also had Intelligence that 200 men
part regulars, had arrived in George Town from Lanter; which
Obliged me to return to my camp, which I did that day, the 8^th
I had Intelligence, that they Major Whimes had crossed Linches

September

IS
Brown Book
No. 8
Letter
No. 4