of the Council of Maryland. 221

[Council to John Hall Caile, Comms^ry for Dor. County]

We are informed that there are a Number of Cattle in Dorchester
County purchased for the State by the late Commissary of that
County; if they are in proper Condition, we request you will have
them immediately slaughtered and salted. The Salt which the late
M^r Harrison had, belonging to the Public, may be used for that
Purpose.

Note Vide
Circular
Let. of the
5th July last

[Council to the Delegates in Congress.]

In Consequence of the earnest Requisition of Congress to this
State, to furnish immediately five hundred Head of neat Cattle
for the Army, we directed our Commissaries to purchase what Cat-
tle could be procured and forward them to the Head of Elk, one
of the Posts appointed by the Commander in Chief for depositing
some other of the Articles required by the Resolutions of the 25^th
Feb^ry last, and the most convenient in this State for Delivery to the
Continental Officer. We are informed by Col^o Hollingsworth, that
M^r Yeates and M^r Ramsay the only Continental Officers at the Head
of Elk, have refused to receive and forward the Cattle to the Army,
alledging it to be no Part of the Business of their respective De-
partments and that he has, for want of Money, been obliged to sell
some of them to buy Provision to support and keep the Rest alive.
We could not expect, after Cattle were procured for the immediate
Subsistence of the Army, and driven to the Verge of the State to
be delivered to the Officer of Congress, that we should have had any
further Difficulties to encounter. It is out of our Power to send
them on, being neither provided with Persons nor Money to defray
the Expence that must be incurred on that Account
It is unnecessary to suggest the Evils to you, which must inevi-
tably arise, unless Continental Officers are stationed at the Places
assigned or pointed out by the Commander in Chief for receiving
and forwarding the specific Articles of supplies to be furnished by
the State, or some facile and ready Mode to convey them to Camp,
is adopted. The Sufferings of the Army upon that and every Occa-
sion, induced us to exert ourselves to the utmost to comply with the
Demands on us for their Relief and it excites no small uneasiness to
find our Designs frustrated and the Army thereby deprived of the
Subsistence provided for them, by the Neglect of those whose pecu-
liar Province it is to convey Supplies to the Camp

November

22

Liber No. 78
P-4

[Council to the Chev'r D'Anmours Consul General of His Most
Christian Majesty.]

We were honored with your Address of the 17^th Ins^t and think
it very reasonable and just that the Subjects of the French King
residing in this State should enjoy similar Privileges & Exemptions
from Taxation and Military Duty to those with which the Ameri-

Ibid.