January 1-December 31, 1781 75

also appoint a Lieu^t to the County, and forward the Act for Classing
the Property and raising the men it has not come to my hands. Should
you have heard the fate of our application to Congress for the re-
moval of the Prisoners, I should thank you to drop me a hint of it,
or any thing else that is worth communicating, unless there should
be a greater plenty of provisions, it appears to be best not to order
any other Militia at present but the two Companies above mentioned

February 17

[Rich^d Barnes Leo^d Town to His Excellency Tho^s Sim Lee Esq^r]

I wrote you some days past informing of the Enemys conduct
in this part since which they have taken many Vessels loaded with
Tob^o in our Rivers and kept the Inhabitants on the Waters of
Potomack in constant alarm. As I am apprehensive it will be a con-
siderable time before the armed Vessels can be procured that was
ordered by the Assembly, I have thought it advisable to send you a
Map of the County in order that you may be a better Judge of the
propriety of furnishing us with Cannon. I would suppose five p^s
which would contribute very much to the security of the County and
would put it in our power to prevent the Barges and small Vessels
of the Enemy doing us any dammage without a chance of their being
taken and I am well satisfied would make them very cautious in
attempting to take any Vessel in our Bays or molest any of the In-
habitants on them. But as the matter now stands they can pass up
and down any of our Rivers with impunity, to the great disquiet
of the Inhabitants. The Enemy are very expeditious in their move-
ments up any of our Rivers and unless a p^s of Cannon is kept con-
venient it will be of little use. Maj^r Taylor informs me that the
Carriage of the Cannon sent to this Co^ty is in bad order. Powder &
Ball will be wanted with any Cannon that may be sent. The two
men which was sent to Annapolis by your direction are gone with
their Familys to the Enemy with two others, all of which are well
acquainted with our Rivers and C^h Bay. The Enemy have con-
stantly landed on S^t Georges Island whenever they have come up
Potomack and I am well satisfied the People on the Island give them
every information they want, it is supposed that one of them con-
ducted them up Smiths Creek. I therefore think it would tend to
the security of the County that they shuld be removed from the
Island, and If such a measure can be authorised shuld recommend
that it may be done, there are not more than three or tour Familys
on the Island with hardly any effects.
P. S. We are much in want of Cartouch Boxes to the Guns that
were first sent to the Co^ty about Sixty would be very useful, the first
cost of them would be soon saved to the State in Ammunition You
have inclosed an Acc^t of Arms &c. by Capⁿ Berry which dont agree
with the acco^t of them.

February 18