January 1-December 31, 1781 149

Those reasons with that of every officer of the Convention Troops
being liable on the same account to be sent to Prison for the Debts
due the Men & which from situation renders it impossible to be paid,
will I hope weigh with Your Excellency & Council to interpose your
Authority, as Business the most material we have, now cannot go
on without it.
The Troops who are order'd to March on Wednesday have this
Day forty seven of meat due them. Nor can they be furnished
with five Days for the March. M^r Murdock saying he has it not in his
power, from what Causes I leave him to explain at the same time
must observe, that the usage the Troops have met with is not what
I had reason to expect, nor can I see with common humanity how
they can be moved without Sustenance after Starving so long.

March 26
Red Book
No. 32
Letter 39

[Sam Huntington, President, Philadelphia, to His Excellency,
Governor Lee.]

Your Excellency will receive enclosed an Act of Congress of the
24^th Instant, requesting the Execution of the State of Maryland to
pay to Colonel James Wood fifteen thousand Dollars of the old
Emissions or an Equivalent in new Bills emitted in Pursuance of the
Act of Congress of the 18^th of March 1780, and charge the same to
the United States.

March 26
Red Book
No. 8
Letter 44

[David Poe, Baltimore, to Gov. Lee.]

I Rec^d your Excellencies Favours of the 22d Ins^t and in Compli-
ance to your orders have sent to your City forty Nine Barrels of
Flour the Invoice I have Inclosed to the Commissary of Issues be-
longing to the Detachment. I should be glad to know as soon as Con-
venient if there will be any more Bread or Flour wanting, as it will
take some time to Provide Teams

March 26

[Geo. Salmon, Baltimore, to Gov. Lee.]

Without having the pleasure of your acquaintance permit me to
address you in behalf of a poor Man confined in this Jail — his name
is Thomas Short, he was taken by the Sloop Porpus when cruizing
in our bay & has been here ever since — his situation is realy distress-
ing as he was returning to this Country & was taken off our Capes
& carried to New York — he was there so cruelly treated on board the
Prison ship that in order to put an end to it he agreed to enter on
board a Vessel bound to this Bay on a Cruize — in expectation of
having it in his power to make his escape — & before he cou'd put that
scheme in execution the Vessel he was on board was taken by the
Porpus — he has a Wife & some Children in Philad³ in great distress
& anxious for his return — he is well known there as several Gentle-

March 26
Letter Book
No. 27
Letter 48