January 1-December 31, 1781 93

The incloS^td letters one to Baron Stueben, the other to the Com-
manding officers of the French Ships, in your bay, came to me by
the same express; and agreeably to the MarquiS^ts desire, I request
you will forward them without the least delay, for it may be of the
highest consequence that those Officers shou'd know immediately of
the march of the Marquis, with his Detachment, If you have it in
your power, as I doubt not you have, it will, as the Marquis suggest,
be best to forward the two Letters by a fast Sailing boat (or the best
you have) directly down the bay, Otherwise dispatch them imme-
diately by Land, I request also that with as much Speed as possible
you will provide a second Dispatch boat that shall be ready to receive
and carry any further communication from the Marquis or the
commander in Chief.
The Detachment, will take from this City, six field pieces and
howitzers about fourteen pieces of cannon 18 & 24 Pounders with

their shot shells, powder & implements what quantity of Shipping

will be requisite for the artillery I cannot determine immediately.
For the 1500 Troops with their light baggage Flints and 700
Axes and Intrenching tools you I will easily judge how many tons
of shipping will be Requisite Each piece of artillery with its Car-
riage may be estimated I believe at from three tons to three tons &
halfe, but as they have travelling Carriages they will take up a great
deal of room. The Shot shells & powder, may perhaps be reckoned
at about Sixty or Seventy tons. On this information I must in the
most urgent manner request you to provide the number of Vessels
necessary and it will be better to have too many than too few — to
transport the troops, with their Baggage Artillery &^ca as above men-
tioned, and have the whole ready at the Head of Elk, or as near it
as the water will permit, by the third day of march next
This time may be short, for so considerable a preparation, and will
require the greater diligence in the execution of these orders. The
Craft usually employed in the Bay, I suppose may be easily pro-
cured. The shipping you shall find necessary in addition to these,
you can procure at Baltimore The owners of Vessells Surely will not
hesitate to let them go on this service and if you find it necessary to
give energy to the business you may inform them of the object of
this expedition which I persuade myself will be sufficient to com-
mand every vessel within such distances as to be of use in this im-
portant occasion, you may agree to an indemnification to the owners
for any Vessel that shall be lost in this service.
The marquis desires that thirty days provisions may be ready and
transported with the troops down the bay I am not informed what
provisions there are at the head of Elk if not enough to serve the
detatchment thirty days, some may be sent from hence particularly
salted provisions unless you can make up the Quantity demanded at

February 26
1 o'clock in
the morning