516 Letters to the Governor and Council

October 6
Red Book
No. 28
Letter 17

Tarlton two nights ago like to have been taken, 50 of his men kild
& wounded, himself dangerously in the Back. Great desertion from
the English, Cornwallis has doubled his Rations; which is lookt on
as a favourable Matter on our side His Men has anything they ask for.

October 6

[Geo. Lux, Baltimore, to His Exc^y Governor Lee In Council]

In compliance (as I conceive) with my duty as a Citizen, and the
Oath I have taken to support our present happy Constitution to the
utmost of my power, I have the honour to inform your Exc^y & the
Hon^ble Executive Council of this State, that on the late Alarm Col.
Isaac Hammond of the Soldiers Delight Battalion of Militia of this
County appeared to misbehave in such a manner as at any rate to
require a trial — the Company of Militia, in which I am an Officer,
particularly clamoured for a Court Martial upon him & as no other
Person would step forth, I thought it my duty to take an active part
upon the occasion — I therefore drew up 3 pointed charges against
Col. Hammond, mentioned the evidences I wished to summon in
order to prove them, and handed them in to the Lieutenant of our
County, demanding a Court Martial — Gen^l Buchanan knew appear-
ances were against Col^l Hammond, and would have been glad to have
given him an opportunity (if innocent) to evince it, or to make an
example of him, if guilty, but he thought he had no power to arrest
an Officer in order to bring him to trial, except when on duty, & the
Militia were discharged, before I reported Col. Hammond —
The purport therefore of this letter is to require the opinion of
the Hon^ble Council, whether Gen^l Buchanan has a power or not to
call a Court Martial in the present instance, and I have the firmest
confidence in the rectitude of their determination — I arraigned Col.
Hammond upon the 3 following charges
I^st Disobedience of Gen^l Buchanan's positive orders in not form-
ing his Battalion in Brigade.
2^dly Drunkenness, when on duty
3^dly Ungentlemanly Behaviour unbecoming an officer —
I hardly know Col. Hammond even by sight, and have & can have
no private motives, pique or resentment to gratify, for I belong not
to his Battalion.

October 6

[David Poe, D. Q. M., Baltimore, to Gov. Lee.] (P^r Capt. Handy)

The bearer Cap^t James Handy have Charge of 500 Bb^ls flour for
the use of the Army in Virginia.

You will please to give him Directions what River to sail for to
Discharge his Cargo.