Appendix. 671

Barges were to come up Wiccomico River on the night of the 28^th
Instant to attact the detachment from which he deserted.
Whereupon the Court upon hearing the Evidences and upon mature
deliberation adjudged that the said Brereton is not Guilty of the first
and second charges or either of them as exhibited against him.
But the Court upon consideration of the Testimony are of opinion
that the said John Brereton deserted the Company stationed at
Lowes's Point to which he belonged and is Guilty under the second
Article of the Sixth Section of an Act " Entitled An Act to establish
rules and Articles for the Government of the draughts and other
Militia of this State while in Service." And adjudge the said John
Brereton to pay the Sum of Fifty Pounds and to serve four months
in the Continental Army. The propriety of which proceedings and
Judgment are humbly submitted to his Excellency Thomas Sim Lee
Esq^r Governor of the State of Maryland for approbation,
p order. Esme Bayly, President
John Polk of Lawful age being sworn saith that when they took
John Brereton he had a Cartridge Box sling to his side, and that
the person with whom the said Brereton was, was the prisoner that
made his escape; he this deponent does not know whether the said
Brereton was posted as a Sentinel; he this deponent does not know
whether the said Brereton was privy to the escape of the prisoner
Bloodsworth; he this deponent heard the said Brereton say, that
Bloodsworth the prisoner, told him, that the enemies Barges intended
up on the night after he this deponent saw the said Brereton & the
said Bloodsworth together, and further saith not.
Joshua Pollott of Lawful age be sworn, saith that the said John
Brereton was not posted as a Sentinel. The prisoner Bloodsworth
discovered that he was uneasy & desired that he might be permitted
to step aside and ease himself, the said Brereton who was at that time
standing by offered to go with the said Bloodsworth and did go with
him, & this deponant was also a going, but some person near at hand,
laughed & said that one man was enough to go with another to Shite :
afterwards when this deponent found that the said Brereton & the
prisoner Bloodsworth were both gone he fired an alarm; and this
deponent saw two men, whom he supposed to be them, go off thro a
thickett. This deponent never heard the said Brereton say any thing
about the enemy, and further saith not.
Aquila Chittam of lawful age being sworn upon the Holy Evangels
of Almighty God, saith, that on the evening of the 27^th day of May he
acted as Serjeant under Lieut. Ephraim Stevens and by order of
Lieut Stevens af^d he posted Joshua Pollett as Sentinel at the door
of the room where Bloodsworth the prisoner then was; in the evening
he was alarmed by a report that Bloodsworth had escaped and John
Brereton private at that time under the command of Lieu^t Stevens

1781
May 29