316 Assembly Proceedings, Sept. 28-Dec. 16, 1757.

L H.J.
Liber No. 49
Dec. 7
p. 137

Press-Masters, do continue to detain them after the manner they

have hitherto done, I shall be under a necessity of sending the Earl
of Loudoun, and the Officer who is appointed under his Lordship
to Command the Forces that have been Raised and Supported for
the Defence of this and the Two neighbouring Colonies, an Account
of what has happened: What Steps they may thereupon think
proper to take, I know not; but as this appears to me to be a Matter
of the greatest Importance, I intreat you to consider it very seriously,
and to proceed in such a Manner, as that neither your Constituents,
nor your own Consciences, may hereafter condemn your Conduct.

7^th December, 1757. Hor.^o Sharpe.

Frederick County December 2.^d 1757
Sir.

As we have had wretched luck in getting waggons for Carrying
a Supply of Provisions to Fort Cumberland I shall give your Ex-
cellency a short Sketch of what passed every day; that some method
may be fallen on for the time to come to avoid the delays and ob-
stacles we have now met with.

On Wednesday the 23d November I received your Instructions in
a Packet containing a Letter for Mr. Dixon the Sheriff and another
for Mr. John Darnall I got late that Evening to Frederick Town
but next Morning I applied to Mr. Dixon for his Assistance and
Interest in procuring the Waggons, he told me he was afraid nothing
could be done without a Press Master and that the Press Master
who was appointed on this side the mountains, was gone to Lancaster,
but we imagined the Waggoners might be prevailed on, but in this
We were disappointed.

On Fryday Morning the 25th I sent Serjeant Barnes (who hap-
pened to be in Town) up to Van Swear ingen Senr. the other Press
Master who lives near the mouth of Conigocheigh but I heard noth-
ing from him till late on Sunday night when he sent his Son Van
along with a party of 28 men under Lieutenant Stoddert which
Capt. Joshua Beall had sent from the Fort to Escort the waggons ;
On Fryday Afternoon Mr. Darnall came to Town and endeavoured
to prevail on the People to furnish the Waggons which was wanted

p. 138

and drew up a petition to the Assembly for the People to sign Repre-
senting the hardships the People who furnished Waggons would
suffer if they were only paid agreeable to the act of Assembly passed
last May, but all Fryday Saturday and Sunday were spent in fruitless
Entreaties without the least prospect of procuring One Waggon.
As it was late on Sunday Night before the Party came to Town
nothin could be done that Evening and the most of the People who
lived in Town employed themselves (as we afterwards understood)
in Secreting their Waggons and Horses.