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March 7
Liber No. 78
p. 84
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Articles for the Artillery and engine Departments are ordered to be
purchased, except the Blank which cannot be had in any reasonable
Time. Various Accounts received within two or three Days of the
strength of the Enemy's Crusiers in the Bay induce us to think the
Convoy you may procure from this State will be inadequate to the
purpose of giving the desired Protection, under such Circumstances
we beg Leave to suggest the Propriety of strengthening the Convoy,
we have written on this Subject to the Governor of Virginia and the
Commander of his most Christian Majesty's Ships in Chesepeak We
are discouraged from attempting to aid you with the Militia of this
State from the strongest Impressions of the Impracticability of draw-
ing a large Body speedily to a Point for Embarkation, the Difficulty
of procuring Provisions for their Subsistence and Vessels to trans-
port them.
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March 7
Liber No. 78
p. 85
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[Council Circular to the Commissaries of the Eastern Shore
except Cecil.]
Finding it impracticable to procure an immediate Supply of Pro-
visions of the meat kind to carry into Effect the present important
Expedition without the Exerton of the extraordinary Powers with
which we are invested, and being informed that the object of the
Expedition will in all Probability be frustrated unless every Assist-
ance is instantly afforded to enable the Detachment of fifteen hundred
under the Marquis de la Fayette to move forward, we do therefore
upon this Emergency authorise and earnestly request you to Seize
or cause to be seized, such a Quantity of fresh and salt Provisions
not exceeding being a Proportion of what Is necessary
for the Consumption for thirty Days of the above mentioned fifteen
hundred Men from the main Army, going on an Expedition against
Arnold. You will give Certificates to the Owners expressing the
Quantity seized and the Price thereof, if it can with Justice be
ascertained at the Time of Seizure, which shall be paid with six
p Cent Interest. This Business must be done with the utmost Dis-
patch As the General Assembly have directed us to remove all the
Stock from the several Islands within this State below Hoopers
Streights and between the sound and the Bay. We request you to
Seize all the Beef on any of those Islands within your County fit for
the above purpose. We hope you will meet with no Difficulty in
procuring Vessels to transport the Provisions hereby requested, but
to avoid Delay you have a Warrant enclosed which may be made use
of eventually.
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