670 Appendix.

1781

May 29

The Trust with which we have been honour'd was not to commence
on a day prefixed, or on any certain Event nor was it to expire at any
certain period of Time, but rested on the opinions & Judgments of
those in whom it was reposed, and the powers of Gov* for this Shore
were either to be exercised or not exercised according to their Deter-
mination on Circumstances & Events. A Trust so constituted cou'd

not be thought eligible

When we were cloathing ourselves with Authority on our own
Judgments of Facts and determined that the powers of Gov' shou'd
be taken up, we coud not but look forward to the Difficulties which
might occur whenever the Time shou'd arrive in which it might be
apprehended they ought to be laid down; from these Considerations,
had we consulted our private Interest only, we should not have em-
barked in a Business likely to be attended with great perplexity & in
the Transaction of which we coud not expect to escape Censure but
in the Calamitous Situation of the State at that Time and particularly
of that part of it for whose safety & Protection the provision was
made, we cou'd not withold our Services from the publick and having
from the best of motives undertaken the Trust, we most chearfully
submit the propriety of our Conduct to the Examination of those,
from whom it is derived.

May 29

At a General Court martial held at Lowes's Point in Somerset
County on the 29^th day of May Anno Domini 1781 in obedience to
an appointment of George Dashiell Esq^r County Lieutenant

Present Esme Bayly Maj^r S. B. President
Captⁿ Levin Irving Lieut. Benjamin Venables
Capt. Joseph Venables Lieut. Joseph Cotman
Capt. Henry Gale Lieut. Edward Killum
Capt. James Bennett Lieut. John Leatherbury
Lieut. Gilliss Polk Ensign Joseph Piper
Lieut. James Polk Ensign William Byng

M^r Isaac Henry Judge Advocate

John Brereton a Private in the White-haven Company, in actual
Service charged by Lieutenant Ephraim Stevens the Officer Com-
manding the detachment with the following offences to wit
First. With deserting his Post at Lowes's Point on the 27^th
Instant, and attempting to Join the enemy with the Arms, Ammu-
nition and accoutrements, with which he was intrusted.
Secondly. With having voluntarily agreed to the escape of Na-
thanael (alias Nathan) Bloods worth a Soldier in the British Service,
and then a prisoner over whom the said Brereton was acting as a
Sentinel.
Thirdly. With having declared since his return, that the said
Prisoner, with whom he deserted inform'd him that the enemies