must infallibly break up & we cannot doubt but every friend to the common cause will exert himself at this critical time. To Capt E. Giddinge & Coll's Gen1 F. Blood Esq. Beef Cattl SIR In Comtee of Safety Exeter May 25th 1781. By the inclosed Orders you will see the absolute necessity of collecting and sending to the Army immediately as many Beef Cattle as possible. You are requested on the receipt of this immediately to apply to the several towns in your district & obtain certain information what number of Cattle can now be had & make return of the same to the Gen' Court on the first day of their next session. It is likewise necessary that returns [P. 67.] should be made of all the Beef now salted within your district in consequence of the act of the Gen1 Court of the 27th of Jan' last & in whose care & at what places the same now is-Agreeably to Directions sent you the 5th instant. Francis Blood Esq Coll Gen1 Exeter May 25th 1781. SIR-I wrote you sometime past earnestly requesting you to accept the appointment of a Deputy Quarter Master for sending forward Beef Cattle Stores &c to the Army from your part of the State since which I have received a Letter from Colo Hatch D. Q. M. G. informing me that he had wrote you on the subject and I must renew my request that you will undertake the business as there is the greatest necessity of some person at Charlestown being immediately employ'd for that business and I know not who else to apply to. Please to let me know as speedily as possible that you will accept. Col° Samuel Hunt. SIR In Committee of Safety Exeter May 26th 1781. By Lieut Joshua Merrow who has the care of a party of Recruits from this State, we send a person by the name of Jason Tyler, who says he belongs to Wallingford in your State. He was apprehended the 23d inst on suspicion of his being an enemy to the United States. The Evidence [P. 68.] which we have had against him is one John Lawrance, who was apprehended & brought to this place sometime past (Lawrance acknowledges himself a Deserter from Colo Meigs Regiment Capt Leavensworths Company in which he was engaged during war). He has Deposed, that he saw said Tyler on Long Island about the month of May 1779-And that said Tyler then & there (mentioning the particular place, House &c) informed him that he had one hundred Thousand pounds Counterfeit money which he had received from Rivington & that he was going to distribute the same on the Main. He likewise mentions other conversation which he & said Tyler there had. Both Lawrance and Tyler being strangers here & their Characters to us unknown, we have thought proper to send them to you to be conducted with as you shall think best-One Circumstance which adds much to the validity of Lawrances evidence is that he without (as we have sufficient grounds to believe) having seen said Tyler since his coming into this part of the country & before he was pursued to be apprehended, gave a particular description of his person, age &c. I have the honor &c. His Excellency Jonathan Trumble Esq In Committee of Safety Exeter May 26th 1781. To Lieut Joshua Merrow You are hereby directed to take under your care one Jason Tyler (who has been apprehended on suspicion of his being an enemy to the United States of America and who is now in Custody of Mr. Simeon Ladd and him safely de[P. 69.] liver to his Excellency Jonathan Trumble Esq Governor of the State of Connecticutt as soon as may be & at the same time to deliver to his Excellency the Letter herewith given you. You are likewise directed to take with your party one John Lawrance (now in custody of said Ladd) and conduct him in safety to his Excellency as an Evidence against said Tyler. P. S. Since the foregoing Letter was wrote Tyler it seems has drawn up a Deposition to invalidate Lawrance's Evidence, & has procured one Danford a Soldier to make oath to the same. Danford has been with the Comtee & asserts that at the time of his making Oath he was intoxicated & has no knowledge of the matters contained in the sd Deposition, that his intoxication was occasioned by repeated draughts of Liquor being given him by the said Tyler prior to the drawing up said Deposition. His Conduct in procuring this & some other Depositions in this place. give the Comtee great reasons to suspect him-doubt not but your Excellency will cause proper examination to be made respecting the matter. You are hereby directed to send forward as soon as may be the prisoners in your Custody to the Commissary of Prisoners at Boston under a proper Guard to be taken from Capt Dearing's Company if they can be spared-if not you are to apply to Colo Joshua Wentworth for a draught from the Militia to serve as an Escort to the said Prisoners. I am &c. Capt M. Woodward Coms Prisoners. M. WEARE Presid State of New Hampshire ( In Comtee of Safety Exeter To Majr Gen' Nathaniel Folsom SIR, You are, in addition to the Act for raising the Regiment. of Militia to inform that the Travel money allow'd by said. Act will be paid at the place or places which may hereafter be appointed for collecting them together in order to march by a person or persons appointed for that purpose. State of } M. WEARE, Presid. New Hampshire In Comtee of Safety July 5th 1781. SIR You are hereby directed to proceed in searching for Isaac Walker & Wm Putney of Hopkinson-Michael Ames & Israel Rand of Warner, James Kelley of Stratham & James Randall of Chester or Nottingham, who have lately deserted from Capt Eben1 Dearings Company stationed at [P. 71.] Piscataqua Harbour-And if they can be found to secure & return them to the said company. And all officers Civil & Military are hereby required to give you their aid & assistance in finding, securing & sending on to their company the said Deserters. The Commissioners who met at Providence on the 26th Ulto agreed that this State should supply the Army with 90,000 lb. of fresh beef within the present month exclusive of Hides & Tallow-And that 45,000 lb. be supplied after that on the 11th and a like quantity on the 25th days of each respective month (exclusive of Hides & Tallow) from the present to the month of December next inclusive to be punctually delivered at Camp on said days. Agreeably to which you are hereby directed to deliver to the proper Officer in order that it may be sent forward 40,000 lb Beef within your district (exclusive of Hides & Tallow) to be delivered at Camp this month including what you may have sent forward since the month came in-And after that to supply with 20,000 lb to be delivered at the Army on the 11th day of August with the greatest punctuality—And a like quantity to be delivd there on the 25th [P. 72.] day of said August-And you are to continue to supply in the same manner vizt with 20,000 lb on the 11th and a like quantity on the 25th days of each respective month to the month of December next inclusive-The General Court have accepted the report of the Commissioners & it appears of the greatest importance that it should be complied with, with the utmost exactness & punctuality. I am &c. This Comtee being directed by a Vote of the Gen1 Court of the 4th inst to procure this States Quota of Rum for the Continental Army & to receive the same from any Towns instead of the Beef apportioned to them by a late Act of this State estimating the price of Said Beef & Rum as they can agree on, or otherwise to purchase the same: Having concluded to receive six Gallons of Good West India Rum full proof, or Nine Gallons of good New England Rum instead of each Hundred weight of Beef, Now propose the same to you supposing it would be most convenient for you to furnish Rum. As there is a necessity of having a quantity of Rum immediately would be glad of an Answer by the Bearer, Whether you will furnish any, and if so what quantity. Selectmen of Portsmouth. M. WEARE Prest. |