Captain Nicholson ordered to disarm those in Back River Hundred, who shall refuse to enroll and associate Council of Safety requests a conference with the Committee on a matter of much importance

v5:1510

At a meeting of the Committee, March 11, 1776:

Present: Samuel Purviance, Chairman, William Lux, Vice-Chairman, Andrew Buchanan, Thomas Harrison, Z˙ McCubbin, C˙ Ridgely, (of William,) John Cradock, John Merryraan, Jeremiah T˙ Chase, John E˙ Howard, James Gittings, Thomas Sellers, Gist Vaughan, William Aisquith, Abraham Britton, J˙ Sterrett, Thomas Gist, John Boyd, Darby Lux.

With the concurrence of Charles Carroll, Barrister, Thomas Smythe, and Benjamin Rumsey, Esquires, three of the Council of Safety of this Province, the Committee have agreed to pay Mr˙ Cummins ten Pence for each Ration to be supplied by him for the Militia now assembled, or that may occasionally be assembled, at Baltimore Town. The Rations for each man a week are to each to consist of the following articles, viz: Eight pounds of Beef, or, in lieu thereof, seven pounds of Pork, ten pounds and one-half of Bread or Flour, seven gills of Rum, seven pints of Small Beer, one gill of Salt, one and a half pounds of Candles to each Company, in lieu of the Rations allowed by the late Convention.

Mr˙ Cummins agrees to supply the Rations on the above terms.

Captain Benjamin Nicholson is ordered to disarm those persons in the upper part of Back-River Hundred who, when duly applied to, shall refuse to enroll and associate.

Orders were given to Colonels Aquila Hall and Benjamin Rumsey, for fifty Pounds each, from the Chairman to Mr˙ Robert Purviance, for the use of their respective Battalions.

A Letter from the Council of Safety was just received desiring a part of their Committee to attend their President to-morrow morning, at eight o' clock, at Mrs˙ Ramsay' s, to confer on a matter of much importance.

v5:1511

Whereupon Messrs˙ Samuel Purviance, Benjamin Nicholson, and John Smith, were appointed.

Messrs˙ John McLure and John Eager Howard are appointed by this Committee to procure Wagons to carry eight chests of Arms, just now arrived from Philadelphia, to Annapolis.

Mr˙ James Calhoun is appointed to purchase one hundred and twenty-five iron Pots, one hundred and twenty-five wooden Bowls, twelve Fryingpans, and Gridirons and Skillets, for the use of the Militia.

Attested: GEORGE LUX, Secretary.