438 Letters to the Governor and Council

August 22

[Ja^s Calhoun, Baltimore to Mr. Hezekiah Reeder, Com^y of
Provisions, Charles County]

As I am frequently called on for returns of the Provisions pro-
cured in the different Counties, and they come to me made out in
so many different forms (if at all) that it is scarcely possible to
make out a general one, so as to be able to tell what quantity of Pro-
visions has been received and what delivered, or what remains on
hand, which ought to be done regularly every Month. I have there-
fore in order to get the returns all alike, made out and now enclose
a very plain simple form, which at one view shews the whole up til
the first of this Month from the first of February last, which is full
as far back as any provisions has been collected under the Act en-
titled an Act to raise the supplies for the year 1781 and is intended to
take in what was on hand at that time of former collections (if any)
or what may have been delivered over to you from any other Com-
missary. Please compleat one agreeable to this form up til the first
of August and send me with all possible expedition as it is imme-
diately wanted, And you must also in future make one punctually
up to the end of every Month beginning for the first article with what
remained on hand the preceeding Month. The greatest difficulty I
apprehend will be in assertaining what of the wheat is ground up but
this you can only get the best information in your power from the
Millers and if not exact, come as near to it as you can, for it is abso-
lutely necessary for us to know nearly what is in wheat and what in
flour. Please send a copy of your return to the Governor & Council
as well as one to me

August 22

[Rich'd Dallam, Harford County, to Gov. Lee.]

I have sent down every draught from the Militia or their Substi-
tutes that I could get in the remainder of the draughts I fear will not
march without severe measures being Pursued.
The Reports from Annapolis are very discouraging to the draughts
& several have run off & left their Families They are told that the
Militia draughts & the Substitute to 10^th December are kept for days
without Provisions & very disagreeable methods used to force them
to enlist into the regular Army These Reports are prejudicial to the
Public Service and therefore mention them Hoping your Excell^cy
will enable me to contradict them as false & without foundation,
Several of the draughts of this County are Persons of good Carrec-
tors & of Families of Credit & to them it is worse then death to think
of meeting such usage in the service of their Country, their Circum-
stances at the same time do not enable them to procure Substitutes if
they were to be had which are not since the circulation of these re-
ports before men were offering themselves and money was only
wanting to hire them.