Dear Governor

your Fav^r of the 23 with the plater Galley¹ and Salt came to Hand, I was absent with the Board of war at the time the weather being so Bad it was impossible to unload the Salt—on my return yesterday I found our Neighborhood had been allarm'd by some advances of the Enemy down the Deleway in boats, but Gen Smallwood informs they were not Landed on our Side the Delaway, yet this Indus'd me to think it most prudent to send the Salt to Charles Town as we have great quantity of publick Stores hear already, and the Road so very bad that tis impossible to remove them should we be Surpris'd, and being ordered by the Board of war to put up a quantity of Herring I thought it best to send it into the Neighbourhood where the fish were to be caught if the Virginia Galley should not be sent of[f]. I would advise that She be sent into the Mouth of Susquehanah where I have a Store provided for the salt and I have a plenty of Salt at Elk for any Immediate Demand—as to the Cattle below I should have sent for them ere now, but yesterday only Recd Cash, with an order from the Board of war to purchase all the provisions that can be Spar'd on the Eastern Shore and from those that will not Sell at a proper price to seise, this I am Loth to undertake at any rate, but more so without your approbation, nor could I attemt it, till I had Cash to ofer them, I take the freedom to Inclose one of the HonblBoards Letters to me on that Subject, craving your assistance as I shall send down two Discreat persons to purchas in the penin[s]ula tomorrow Morning, should your Excelency in Council think it nesessary to assist my Indeavours with any Credentials to Strengthen me, they may be sent to M^r James Huchingses on Kent Island, where I shall Direct my Brother who I shall send down to call for them (with some Cattle which he has)

—I have found some Inconveniency in my purchas, and fear I shall finde more from Some of the purchasers appointed by the Executive Council of Pensylvania, who rais the price to no real advantage, I meant to give 10/ for good wheat at Elk 7/6 for Corn and oats, £5 for pork and Beef or £18 pr Barell for pork, and 15 for Beef, but those Gentmen have raisd wheat to 12/6 ⅌ Bush. Corn 9/ and if they are prmited it will have no Eand. The Board of War have been pleas'd to appoint me to Supervise the purchas on this Shore, and Harford earnestly soliciting my Hurrying all the provisions and forage out of the peninsula first, but if I am to be Interupted and Clashed with by purchasers from the other States, would wish to decline, though I have had the Honnour of the Thanks of Gen Washington and the Board of War, for sarvises in my Purches, my intent is to get all the Spare produce from the Eastern Shore first, and at the same time to Lay up part of that in Harford as Magazeans according to the Directions of the Board of war as that in Harford is much clearer of Fley, and will keep much longar sweet of cours fiter for Laying in in the Magazeans, but if while I am at much Hazard and fateague geting the produce from the Eastern Shore, those Gentmen are prmited to come down and rais the price on me, and drain that country in which I am to Establish Magazeans, to the great Cost of the States, I would rather decline, as my utmost indeavours will fail to give Satisfaction, though attended with the greates expence, I submitt the whole to your Honnourable Council, and would be happy in reciving your Directions on the premises and am Dear Sir [&c.]