of the Council of Maryland. 211

[Sam. Smith Bait, to Gov Lee]

The Cato will be loaded to Morrow. She will have between 950
& 1000 B^bles on Board, on Saturday Morning I shall go down with
Capt Weeks for his Commission of Marque & flatter myself your
Excell^y will have all orders ready that no Detention may be, as a
Day at this Season is very precious.

December 29

[Pat. Sim Smith, Calvert, to Gov. Lee.]

Sir I had the Honor of writing you sometime past by our Post,
respecting the wheat purchased by me in this County, but not re-
ceiving an answer I fear my letter may have miscarried
Have therefore now to inform you that my purchase amounts to
upwards of six hundred bushells, about Two hundred and fifty
Bushells of which has been manufactured at Col^o Fitzhugh's Mill
One hundred Bushells stored on the Bay, and the residue lies on
Patuxent River ready to be taken off, but the Colonel being without
a Miller declines collecting it for the present.
He informs me there are upwards of Thirty Barrells of Super-
fine flour now ready at the Mill & some Barrells of Seconds, and
recommends strongly to have it taken off as it lays very dangerous
there the Enemy being frequently in and about the mouth of
Patuxent.
I wish to be informed if I am to continue purchasing, I have wheat
offered me but no Cash to pay for it, If I am to Continue Hope I
shall be supplied either by an order on the Sheriff or otherwise.
Am in want of about a thousand pounds to comply with my present
contracts and as the Sheriff of our County has money in his hands
of both the 15 p cent & 10 p cent collections must beg I may be
furnished with an order on him for that sum by the first Conveyance

December 29

[Edward Giles to Gov. Lee asks commission in new regiment.]

[Signals by which vessels from the Potomac may be known. In
the night a light hoisted at the flag staff and in the day a Union flag
at the foretop.]

No date