412 Letters to the Governor and Council

August 11

sent to Annapolis on purpose with This Letter, and I shall be Exceed-
ingly happy to receive your answer as soon as Possible, as I mean
to Send The Troops down as soon as he returns.

August 12

[Wm. Baker, Potomack, to Gov. Lee.] (Fav^d by Mr. Nich^s Waters)

Give me leave to trouble your Excellency with the Circumstances
of a draught in the 4^th Class of the Middle Battalion of This County
wherein the Bearer my apprentice thinks Himself injur'd and begs
permission to have your determination. In this Class were Twenty
men and when the drawing was finish'd it appear'd that Will^m Fenley
and a M^r Club were the two who were to go; Col. Beall was then told
that Fenley had gone on Board a Vessel at Alexandria upon which
He had the Class drawn over again when the Bearer and a M^r Ver-
million were the two drawn and Chose your Petitioner as the Person
who was to serve. It must be observ'd that Col Beall was told before
the draught that Fenley and many other young Fellows who had
been ClasS^td had gone out of the way (and it can be prov'd merely
to avoid the draught) yet He did not alter the Classes. Now as Club
was fairly Ballotted surely Fenleys secreting Himself did not annul
his draught, or if it was necessary to have two the remaining part of
the Class were not bound to find more than one because Clubs Elec-
tion was undoubted, yet Col. Beall Chose to have a second draught
when Club got entirely clear. That the above is a true state can be
attested by many reputable men. If your Excellency thinks He is
properly draughted He is willing to render as much service as His
constitution will admit I must However beg leave to declare that He
is a very weakly youth, of a very delicate Frame and has been bro^t
up in the tenderest manner. He has liv'd with me for near Two years
and I find Him so promising a youth in every respect, that it gives me
pain not only on Acc^t of his risqueing his life, but that his Studies
should be broke in upon at so critical a period. He has by his dili-
gence and application made such a rapid progress in his Profession,
that if He should go at all I am well convinc'd He would render very
essential services in the Physical department; He has for that pur-
pose procur'd a recommendatory Letter from Doct^r Brown the late
Physician General. If there should be a Vacancy for a Mate I could
wish Him to be examin'd by some Gentleman in Annapolis; I flatter
myself He will be found perfectly qualified for that duty, and I must
in Justice to his merits say every thing for his Virtue, and diligence.
I have only to add that neither his Circumstances or mine will admit
of paying the high demands of Substitutes or you would not have
been troubled with so long a Letter