of the Council of Maryland, 1777. 333

[Council to G. Wells.]

In Council Annapolis 13^th Aug^t 1777.
Sir
We have drawn the Orders for your Account and for the
Advance of £400. The Difficulty of manning the Gallies is
so great, that it is highly improbable the one now on the
Stocks, can be applied to the Purpose originally designed. If
she could be advantageously employed to bring wood for the
Soldiers we think, by fitting her merely for that Use at present
we might save a good Deal to the Public and provide better
for the Troops, than we shall be otherwise able to do. We
shall be obliged to you to advise us whether the Galley may
not be conveniently used for the Carrying Wood.
M^r George Wells, Baltimore. We are &^ca

C. C.

[Council to Delegates to Congress.]

In Council Ann^s 13^th August 1777.
Gent
In Consequence of Mess^rs Smith and Chase's Letter, we
send to Colon^l Hollingsworth to forward immediately to you
361 pair of Shoes, 285 Overalls, 250 Jacketts and 250 Shirts,
being the whole of the Shoes and Overalls and the Chief of
the Jacketts and Shirts we have by us. The Jacketts & Shirts
are Part of a Quantity we got from the Continental Store; the
Shoes & Overalls belong to this State. Most of the Troops
that went from hence were furnished with their two pair of
Shoes and two pair of Overalls, before they went. We did
every Thing we could to cloath them with what was necessary
before they went and their Shirts, in general, were much
worse than those now sent; so that some Equality will be
necessary in the Distribution to prevent Discontent, perhaps
it may be prudent, unless Shirts are plentier than we imagine,
to order these to the Sergeants and Corporals. From your
recommending to send Russia Drab Breeches we suspect that
the Officer or Officers who complained of the naked Situation
of the Troops, represented that we had a great Stock of Russia
Drab; indeed some of the Officers wanted the Whole or a
very great Part of what we had, for Breeches for the Common
Men, but our Stock was barely sufficient to make Breeches for
the Officers and it has been so applied. In your Disposition
of these Cloaths, it will be well to order a Proportion, accord-
ing to the Wants, to each Regiment, else, from what has hap-
pened here, there is too much Reason to suspect they may be
kept by the Regiment to which they are sent, against that
Regiment wants, whilst others are suffering. Very little more

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