454 Proceedings and Correspondence

June i
Liber No. 78
p. 170

now favored with your Letter of the 30^th May desiring Commissions
for Captains Grason and Spedding, but as you will have the Blanks
before this can get to Hand, we apprehend sending Commissions for
those Gentlemen is become unnecessary. The Enemy under Lord
Cornwallis are marching with great rapidity through Virginia, he
was at Pages Warehouses on York River the 28^th Ul^t and the Mar-
quis retreating to Fredericksburgh. Gen^l Leslie had embarked with
a Force of about one thousand or twelve hundred men intended as
is supposed to Patowmack or up the Bay to cooperate with Cornwallis.
The Assembly are taking the most vigorous Measures and we in Con-
formity to their Intentions have wrote Circular Letters to all the

p. 171

Lieutenants to have the Militia in readiness to march at a moments
warning, also to have all the Arms capable of Service collected and
repaired. By certain Intelligence from Frederick Town Gen^l Wayne
with at least one thousand Infantry and one hundred Cavalry
marched from thence yesterday morning on his way to Alexandria

Ibid.

[Council to Colo. Thomas Price.]

The general Assembly have pointed out the immediate Necessity
of removing the Convention Troops from this State, we have wrote
on this subject To our Delegates in Congress that Measures may be
taken by the Board of War and the Government of Pensylvania for
their reception. It will be necessary for some vigilant and discreet
Person to attend and supply the Troops and Guard with Provision
on their March, We have therefore appointed you to execute this

Business, and hereby authorise and appoint you to seize if not to be
procured otherways, as much Provisions as may be necessary for the
purpose. We have informed Col^o Wood of this your Appointment to
whom we refer you for more particular Directions. We depend on
your exerting yourself on this Occasion which is so necessary, and
you may rely that we shall make you Satisfaction adequate to the
Trouble you will have.

Ibid.

[Council to Colo. James Wood.]

The Enemy under the Command of Lord Cornwallis are making
a rapid Progress through the State of Virginia and Leslie it is said
is embarked with 1000 or 1300 Men supposed for the River Pa-
towmack to cooperate with Cornwallis. The general Assembly of this
State now convened considering the defenceless Situation thereof,
and the Impracticability of securing the British Prisoners confined
under the Articles of Convention in Case the Enemy should invade
this State have requested us by their resolution of this Day to write
to you that they think it highly improper under present Circumstances
that the British Prisoners should be continued in this State and are
of opinion that they ought to be removed to the Northward. We hope
and expect you will carry the Resolution of the general Assembly into