552 Letters to the Governor and Council

November 18

[Joseph Ford to Gov. Lee.]

I make no doubt but that Your Excellency And the Honble Coun-
cil think strange that I have not made returns for the Two last
months before this till within this Two weeks I was so much per-
plexed in the Collecting the Cattle ordered for this County that I
could not attend to it, and Since I have been prevented by M^rs Ford's
being dangerous Ill, I shall send my last drove of Cattle to Fredrick
on Tuesday next about 150 in Number, this with about 24 Strays and
others that could not be drove and the 226 Delivered at George
Town makes the 400 I have on Hand about 1200 Bushels of wheat
which I have endeavoured to get a Craft to carry to Baltimore and
have also wrote different times to M^r Calhoun for to send for it
I am in hopes that I shall be able to make particular returns and
Bring them up by the first of the next week.

November 19
Red Book
No. 7
Letter 210

[Richard Peters, In Behalf of the Board, War Office, to Gov. Lee.]

It is discovered that the British Prisoners lately captured in Vir-
ginia find Means to escape from the Places of their confinement &
under one Pretence or other pass thro' the Country on their Way to
New York. I take the Liberty of mentioning this Matter that your
Excellency & the Honble Council may adopt some Measures for
remedying this Evil by punishing the Persons harbouring or facili-
tating the Escape of Prisoners which is done in some Instances by
Whigs for the sake of their Laborer & by the disaffected from a De-
sire to serve the Enemy. Probably in Recommendation to the offi-
cers of Militia & the Magistrates & Citizens to be careful in exam-
ining all suspected Persons & stopping all those who have not Passes
might answer a valuable Purpose. The Keepers of Ferries have it
much in their Power to be useful in detecting deserting Prisoners.
If a Law of the State could be passed laying Penalties on all Persons
employing or concealing British Prisoners not having: Passes it per-
haps might embarrass if not entirely put an End to the Practice

November 19

[Tho. Price, Frederick Town, to Gov. Lee.]

With great Difficulty I have supplyed the Prisoners & their Guard,
with Provisions, until Friday last, when I received a Supply of 300
Head of Beef Cattle, from Prince George & Washington Counties;
these will be sufficient for them for about five Weeks. If they are
to be slaughtered here & salted a Quantity of Salt will be immedi-
ately wanted, also a Number of B^bls: this last Article I am afraid can-
not be procured in Time without hard Cash. I have for the present
procured Hay & Corn to feed the Cattle, these with Brann & Shorts
I hope will enable me to keep them from falling away as long as
these Articles can be had. I wish for Instructions concerning the
Hides: I have for the present delivered them to Tanners here who
are to pay for them in Money, Leather or Shoes as you shall direct