An Expedition against the Sanduskies is in Contemplation and I wish to promote it, but what can be done with naked & starved men unless the Country will afford a generous supply, you will easily Determine.

My Enemies here endeavour to procrastinate my Trial and indeed every thing is in confusion.

I hope the contract advertised by Mr. Morris is closed & that the Contractor will speedily contribute to the relief of these Troops.

I have heard nothing of the Clothing expected from Philad", I hope they are forwarded and that a speedy supply of Blankets, Hats, Coats, Jackets, Woolen Overalls, Socks & Shoes will be furnished for all the Troops serving here.

I have the Honor to be

Postscript,

with great Respect & esteem

Dear sir, your most obed' Serv',

DANIEL BRODHEAD. 1

Please to communicate these Circumstances to Congress. Directed,

His Excelly Jos. Reed, Esqr.

RESOLUTION OF CONGRESS-LEADEN SPOUTS, 1781.

By the United States in Congress Assembled, August 28, 1781. On a Report of the Board of War of 24th of July, 1779. Resolved,

That the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania be requested to appoint proper persons to make a just appraisement of the Leaden spouts taken in the year 1777, from the houses of sundry inhabitants of Philadelphia by order of Congress for the use of the United States & that they direct the appraisers to return to the Board of War & Ordnance such their valuation & appraisment.

Sir,

Extract from the minutes,

CHA. THOMSON, Sec.

PRES. REED TO GEN. ANTHONY WAYNE, 1781.

I duly received your Favour of the 8th & 16th Ult., & am much obliged to you for the Detail of Occurrences of the Army & the Condition of the Troops under your Command. We have made every possible Exertion of Supply for the Troops, & to equip the Recruits, amounting to about 500, so that Capt. Zeigler is now in Possession * See Col. Rec., Vol. XIII., p. 41, 42,

† See p. 283.

1.

of a considerable Quantity of Shirts, Overalls, Shoes, &c., which he has orders to forward as soon as possible. It has been a Complaint too general, & I fear too just, that when the Troops have been at a Distance, they have been neglected; but you may depend upon it this will not be the Case with you. We daily expect to know from General Washington whether the Recruits now in the State are to march Southward or to his own Army. It would be most convenient to the State & otherwise beneficial, that all the Line should be together. At the General's Request, we have attempted to raise a Corps of Rifle Men, to consist of 300; we tried with hard Money, & engaged Six of the retired Captains in the Service, allowing them 10s. Specie Day, besides Pay, &c. But it has proved very unsuecessful, as we have not got 20 Men after two Months' Trial. As I suppose your other Correspondents furnish you with the publick Intelligence, I shall not trouble you with a Repetition. The two great Events now in Expectancy, & of which we seem to have the fairest Prospects, are the Revival of publick Credit, Paper Money appreciating fast, & the Arrival of a French Fleet of superiour Strength to any the Enemy can send after them-as Rodney has gone to England with a Part of his Squadron. Should it fortunately arrive in the Chesapeake before Detachments take Place for Green's Army, I think it highly probable you will strike a capital Stroke on the British Forces of the South, whose Laurels are already much withered by Green's Successes in Carolina. I am, &c.

P. S. Since writing the above, we learn that Mr Searle is on the Point of leaving Holland about the 1st May, having so far succeeded in his Mission as to procure military Supplies to a considerable Amount, the Benefits of which will, I hope, be experienced by both Officers & Soldiers early in the Fall. We cannot but think the Attention shown to the Troops by the Authority of the State, & the superiour Appearance they have & will hereafter make over the Troops of the other States, will sooner or later harmonize the component Parts of the Commonwealth, & strengthen & support the common Cause. We are sorry to inform you, that Marquis de Fayette, laden with Cloathing for the Army-the last ship expected on that Account-was taken by the Fleet bound to the West Indies. Gen. Wayne.

Indorsed,August 25, 1781.

Sir,

PRES. REED TO COL. JAMES MARSHAL, 1781.

Your Letter of the 8th Augt* has been duly received & laid before the Council, who are well satisfied with your Endeavours to organize the Militia of Washington County, tho' they have not had all the Success to be wished. As General Clark's Proceedings have been the Occasion of so much Dissatisfaction in the Country, & it is given * See page 343.

out that he has extraordinary Countenance from us, we think it necessary to state our Sentiments & the Facts respecting his Command. We were informed early last Spring, that a Plan of an Expedition under Gen. Clark against the Western Indians was approved by Gen. Washington. Our Opinion of the Gentleman, from his former Successes & acknowledged Abilities, as well as our Belief that his Expedition would be beneficial to our Frontier, led us to give it our Countenance so far as to write to the Gentlemen of Westmoreland County, with a View that it should be communicated to you, that it was our Wish that Gen. Clark might be assisted so far as to encourage Volunteers to go with him, & to supply him with Provisions if he should have Occasion to apply for them, he paying their Value. We also wrote to General Clark himself,* a Copy whereof is inclosed, by which you will see the Extent of the Coun tenance & Support he has derived from us. But, while we utterly disapprove the Irregularities & Hardships which have been exercised by him towards the Inhabitants; we cannot help fearing that too many, in Consequence of the unsettled State of Boundaries, avail themselves of a Pretence to withhhold their Services from the publick at a Time they are most wanted, & when an Exertion would not only serve the Country, but promote their own Security. We cannot help also observing, that by Letters received from the principal Gentlemen in Westmoreland, it seems evident they approve of Gen. Clark's Expedition, & that the Lieutenants of both States united in the Plan of raising 300 Men for that Service; as the State of publick Affairs had not admitted your forming the Militia sufficiently to concur in these Measures, we concluded that these Resolutions would also include your County, & even now are at a Loss to account for the different Opinions entertained on the Point by the People of Westmoreland & Washington Counties. Before this gets to Hand, you will have received the Letters informing you of the Agreement to run a temporary Line untill the Season will permit the Astronomical Observations to be made to ascertain it with more Accuracy. We hope that by this time Mr McClean is actively engaged in the Service, &, we doubt not, he will receive every Assistance therein from the good People of both States.

No Complaint whatever has been made against you to us, & you may rest assured, that as we shall not take up Prejudices hastily, so if any real Cause of Dissatisfaction is suggested, we shall give you a good Opp of stating your Conduct before any Steps are taken to your Disadvantage. We send you by this Opp' the Commissions requested, but would have you make a Return to us of the Names of all the Officers to whom Commissions shall be given. We sometime ago sent up to Westmoreland, to the Care of Col. Hayes, our Member, a considerable Quantity of Ammunition, part of which was designed for your County. On applying to that Gentleman, you will receive farther Satisfaction on this Point.

* See pp. 23, 137, 189, 801.

We have nothing farther to add, than our Request that you will proceed, as soon as Circumstances will admit, to compleating the Militia, & to promote by every Means in your Power, a Spirit of Harmony & good Agreement. In the Line of your Duty & Attachment to the State, you may depend upon all necessary & proper Support from us.

I am, Sir, &c.

Col. James Marshal, Lieut. of Washington County. Indorsed,

August 25, 1781.

Sir,

HON. CHRISTOPHER HAYS TO PRES. REED, 1781.

Westmoreland, August yo 25th, 1781.

Yours of the Sixteenth of May and Twenty third of July* with the Different Laws and Newspapers Came to Hand.

It is with the utmost Concern I am Obliged to Inform your Excellency that the Distresses of the Frontiers are Truly Alarming and the Inhabitance is Dayly Destroyed in the Different Parts of this Cuntry.

There has been Divers Meetings for Devising the best mode for the Protection of this Cuntry & there has been a Majority of a small Number of Men at Said Meetings who Fell on a Plan of Joyning General Clark with a Number of Troops From this Cuntry as Has Been Represented to you which I by no Means Could Consent or Agree to and yet has Been Forced by Colonel Lochry Contrary to the will and Pleasure of the Major Part of the Inhabitance of this County and to the Great Disadvantage of the Distressed Frontiers and for the Benefit of the State of Virginia Alone-As has since General Clarks Departure been Made known to me by Colonel Gibson and several Other Virginia Officers Which obligeth Colonel Daniel Broadhead with the Assistance of the Melitia of this and Washington County to Carry on a Campain by the Fifth of Next Month Against the same Towns that General Clark & Colonel Lochry Purposed to go to Fifty Eight Good Men Belonging to Captain Stockleys and Captain Sharers Companies in a Manner Naked Besides a Number of Voluntiers From this County Has Been Sent with General Clark for the Protaction of the Frontiers of Virginia as Aforesaid.

I Would Have had Represented all Matters in a Clear Light to you Concerning this Affair Before General Clarks Departure from Washington County, Could I Have Had the Benefit of the Last Express that Has been Sent to you from this County which Perhaps Might have altered the whole of the Above Mentioned Proceeding,

* See p. 141.

But Contrary to all Promises it was sent unknown to me after Haveing all in Readyness to send to your Excellency concerning the

same.

I would Recommend William Cooper as Ensigne of Capt Thomas Stockleys Company as He has Nearly Raised his Quota of Men and the Company has been thirty Eight Rank & file when it was sent to General Clark.

I Think it would not be any thing amiss to Send Cloathing for a Full Company as I Expect the said Company Will in a Short time be Compleated and Cloathing has been Promised them this Fall at the time of their Enlistment.

If you should think Propper to send Clothing for the Troops I would Recommend them to the Care of the Bearer William Cooper who acted as Ensigne in Capt Tho Stockleys Company Since the Twenty Eighth Day of April Last.

Present my Complyments to the Members of Council and Except the same from him who is with Great Esteem,

Directed,

Your Excellencys

Most Obedient Humble Servant,

CHRISTOPHER HAYS.

His Excellency Joseph Reed, Esquire, President of the State of Pennsylvania.

Sir,

Favour of Ensigne Cooper.

PRES. OF CONGRESS TO PRES. REED, 1781.

Í have the honor to inclose you an Act of Congress of the 234 instant, which I trust will be pleasing to the parties concerned. A' multitude of other business of more importance has delayed this act of Justice rather too long, but if the owners of the leaden spouts taken for the public use are paid the full value of them even at this time, I would hope they will excuse the omission hitherto.

I am Sir,