Sir.

In consequence of a Letter received Yesterday from Gen^l. Washington,¹ we have ordered a Battalion of your County Militia² to be called out as Guards to the Stores ’til they can be replaced by three Companies from Baltimore and two from each of the Counties of Harford, Cæcil, Kent and Queen Ann’s. The Service will be short and, we expect, important in this View that the Regulars will be disengaged and may act together We have also ordered a Party of Matrosses. Matthews carries up one hundred Stand of Arms,³ which you’ll receive and deliver to Col^o. Rumsey’s Order;⁴ we would not have the Boxes broke, unless the Arms should be wanted. Two of our Gallies⁵ are gone below, one of them manned, the other only so as to navigate her, loaded; we are not able to man another as she ought to be, or as would in any Degree answer as a Convoy; we have represented it often and requested some Men from the Delaware, but without Effect.⁶ Sensible of the Necessity of forwarding the Provisions we have ordered a Sloop which will carry about 300 Barrels from hence to Potowmack for Shad, without Convoy.⁷ From our latest Accounts the Men of War⁸ were as low as Hampton Road and, if there’s a good Look out kept, we think small Craft may be prudently trusted to Potowmack. You would do well to inform us where the Corn & Provisions are and in whose Hands that we may, as Opportunities offer, employ our own or other Vessels in the Removal of them. Col^o. Blaine mentioned Charles Town to us as a proper Place to deliver Stores,⁹ in Consequence of it we sent 102 Barrels of Pork there the other Day. We have yet received no Account of the Waggons and cannot give unlimited discretionary Orders, as to impressing them. The Burthen, the most equally divided, will be extreamly heavy, and we wish it to be lessened, by making use of Water Carriage as far as possible. Orders are gone to Baltimore to send 500 Stand of Arms from thence, Cartridges Cartridge Boxes & Flints; on their Arrival, you’ll be so obliging as to take Care of them for Col^o. Rumsey—¹⁰ We are &^ca