Letter from Maryland Council of Safety to the Committees of Observation

v5:479

[No˙ 82.]
Annapolis, March 24, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: The great difficulty we find in providing blankets, for the regular forces raised for the defence of this Province, obliges us to apply to the Committees of Observation for the several Counties, earnestly requesting that they would use their endeavours to procure from the housekeepers in their respective Counties all the blankets or rugs that they can, with any convenience, spare; for which the Council will pay such price as the Committees shall agree, as well as any expense that may arise in collecting them together; and when you have procured any quantity, you will send them to Annapolis, to Colonel Small-wood, or, in his absence, to the commanding officer on the station, who will receive the same, and give orders on the Council for the payment thereof. We hope that the friends to our cause in your County will contribute everything in their power to the comfortable subsistence of the soldiery in this respect. It will be an act of great humanity, and render an essential service to the publick.

We are, &c.

To the Committees of Observation of the several Counties, respectively.