46 Letters to the Governor and Council

February I
Red Book
No. 28
Letter 18

stone work is well executed, and if properly finished they will not
only answer the desired end in time of War, but may be rented to
advantage in time of Peace, Plank may be Procured at the Mills
for 7/6, and brought to the Barracks 1 would suppose for 2/6 more
p hun^d, this is in hard Cash, or Continental at the Exchange the
price of Nails I do not know, but they may be had in Frederick,
should you think it expedient to finish this building at present, I will
indeavour to procure materials and see the work well executed.
With respect to the other parts of Hambletons complaints, permit
me to observe that Col. Matthews passed this a few days since on
his Paroal from New Yorke, and says that many of our Officers
which were prisoners there not able to provide for themselves, were
under the disagreeable necessity of going into the Provo Jail to live
on the pittance allowed them by S^r H. Clinton I hope the time not
far of that we shall return them measure for measure.
The Guard to the prisoners at Frederick are by no means adequate
to the purpose should the prisoners be viciously inclined; they are
about 150 but such a banditty you never see collected, they have been
pilfering & robing for several miles round the Town, Steers, hogs,
behives and geas — one of their Leiv^ts was broak the other day for
being concerned in stealing the latter they carryed away 22 from
me in one night which is all I've suffered by them as yet — those sta-
tioned at the magazines have broak it open, what quantity of lead
and powder has been carryed away is uncertain, on inquiry I cannot
finde any person that had the charge of the stores there that can tell
the quantity which ought now to be there, and if the contents could
be carefully examined I am satisfied the loss would be considerable
the windows are stoped with poplar boards of one Inch
I intreat your patience while I make one more remark, rations are
drawn by the returns made by the B: officers to the Officer com-
manding the Guard, it is notorious that many are drawn which ought
not to be deliver'd
Instant Walls once an Actor on the stage at Ann^ps draws for him-
self wife & children the British say he doth not belong to them; but
he is their Country man this and many other parts of this letter I
would not have troubled you with had Coll Wood been here, as I am
satisfied his presence would correct many abuses

February 1

[Th: Jefferson, Richmond, to Governor Lee]

I am much obliged by your Excellency's favor of Jan^ry 5^th Joseph
Shoemaker is a citizen of this State and has been an active mis-
chevious traitor, the dangers of escape on the road from Baltimore
to this place, and from this place, where since our removal from
Wmsburg no public Jail has been yet erected, are so great as to in-
duce me to suggest to your Excellency the trial & punishment of this
offender under your Laws should he have committed any depreda-