112 Letters to the Governor and Council

March 8

[David Poe, D. Q. M. Baltimore to Honourable Brigadier General
Gist, Annapolis]

I Reced your favour of Yesterday and have been Trying what
Articles could be procured at this place. I believe the whole may
be had except the Plank called in the Invoice, about Three or four
Inches thick which cannot be had as there is none of that kind ever
comes to this place, and some other of the small Articles will be
dificult to procure.
But the great Matter is the Want of Cash, I have none and my
Credit is not to be depended on, as I have been too free with it. I am
afraid I shall not be able to procure much without Money. There is
an order Lyes with the Continental Treasurery Board — which I am
to Receive a part of to the Amount of 1200 pounds new Money.
I Beg that you would make Application to the Treasurer perhaps he
may be able to give some Assistance, If so Please send it by the
Bearer. Ten sail of Bay Craft sailed this morning under Convoy
of Cap^t Martin. I have procured a fine sea Schooner which will be
Ready to sail in the morning she Carries about 70 Hogsheads she
came up Yesterday — there is four or five Bay Craft will be Ready to
sail to-morrow.

March 8
Red Book
No. 27
Letter 40

[Pat Sim Smith, Calvert, to Gov. Lee.]

I had the honor of writing you some time past requesting to be
supplied with Cash to pay for the provision I purchased and Salt
to cure it but have received neither. The money I had an Order for on
the Collector is applied partly in purchasing wheat & I have been
obliged to pay some of it for Pork flour Barrells &^ca Have also been
under the necessity of borrowing about a hundred pounds new Emis-
sions of the collector to Comply with some of my contracts and Still
want about a hundred pound more. Must therefore beg I may be sup-
plied either with cash from the Treasury or with an order on the
Collector to cover the whole — my Salt is all expended and I have
been obliged to purchase to Salt some provision I had collected, I
shall now only want a few Bushells to resalt & pack the provision
I have on hand & if there is no convenience of sending it from
Annapolis shortly, Hope I may be directed to purchase here, as 'tis
absolutely necessary the whole should be seasoned before the weather
gets too warm. I have now on hand a few fatted Cattle and expect
more this week, think there will be Ten or Eleven in the whole, I'm
obliged to have them fed high which will be attended with consid-
erable expence — they are now very fine and must fall away unless
taken great Care of. I had directions some time past to send what
I could then procure to M^r George Murdock in Frederick Town,
unless those I now have can be otherwise made use of more Con-
veniently, I think twould be proper to send them to M^r Murdock
without delay.