of the Council of Maryland. 47

seven hundred this Article I think is higher than any other here.
There is a hundred pair of very good Buckskin breeches offer'd me
for £75 p^r pair for ready cash I beleave a larger quantity may be
purchas'd.
If Flour is immediately wanted from this county I should be glad
to receive your orders, for if it is not carried down before the
farmers begin to seed there will be no getting waggons till that
bussiness is over neither can waggons be had without cash to pay
them as the work is clone.

August 13

[Uriah Forrest to Council]

Asks approval of appointment of Thomas Gassaway as Principal
Clerk in the Auditor's Office.

August 14

[Wm Hemsley, Queen Ann's County to Gov. Lee]

Sir By Aaron Ringrose you will receive the remainder of the
Flour, he has been detained by M^r Kinnards being at Baltimore, &
my Indisposition confining me to the House.
I have enlisted 31 men tor the Regiment extraordinary, and wou'd
now make the return of the Arms, &^c but I can scare hold a pen
having had a severe Fever on me for 7 days
P. S. I have received six thousand pounds from the Sherriff of
this County. Money being extreemly scarce many of the Inhabitants
have applied to me to take wheat for the pC^t due from the classes
who have not found recruits. It appears to me that a considerable
collection of Grain might be made if you though y^rself authorised
to give me such Instructions. I wou'd order the people to pay the
Wheat to the public purchaser & you cou'd furnish me with money
necessary for recruiting. There is ab^t 76 Musketts in this County.
I have p^d the bounty money to all the recruits raised here.

August 14
Red Book
No. 31
Letter
No. 7

[Eph Blaine, C. G. P. Tappan to Govr Lee]

Sir The Army is now become numerous and Consumes large
Quantities of Provisions daily. Our Continental Supplies are quite
Exhausted and our Total dependance is on State supplies, agreeable
to the requisition of Congress and their Committee at Head Quar-
ters. We are now without a Magazine of any Specie of Provisions,
feed from hand to mouth (on the receivals of this day, depends the
Issues of to morrow) In this Critical situation is an Army which

Consumes Twenty five thousand rations daily. A great member of

those Troops, new Levies which have not be enured to the hardships
of the field, or want of Provisions in Camp. Under these Circum-
stances a failure of two days supply might be Attended with the
most fatal Consequences, which might not be in the power of his
Excellency the Commander in Chief to prevent. Have therefore in

August 14