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time we only ask the loan of such necessaries as being already at Fort Pitt will save time and an immense expence of transportation.

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necessary implements and furniture for the above. 1000 Spades

200 pick axes

1. travelling forge.

Some boats ready made should we not have enough prepared in time

Some Ships carpenter tools.

These articles shall either be identically or specifically returned, should we prove successful it is not improbable they may be where Congress would chuse to keep them. I am therefore to solicit your Excellency's order to the Commandant of fort Pitt for the above articles which shall not be called for until everything is in readiness, after which there can be no danger of their being wanted for the post at which they are Indeed there are few of the articles essential for the defence of the post.

I hope your Excellency will think yourself justified in lending us this aid without awaiting the effect of an application elsewhere as such a delay would render the undertaking abortive by postponing it to the

breaking up of the ice in the lake. Independent of the favourable effects which a successful enterprise against Detroit must produce to the United States in general by keeping in quiet the frontier of the Northern ones, and leaving our western militia at liberty to aid those of the South, we think the like friendly office performed by us to the States whenever desired and almost to the absolute exhausture of our own magazines give well founded hopes that we may be accommodated on this occasion. The supplies of military Stores which have been furnished by us to Fort Pitt itself, to the northern army, & most of all to the Southern are not altogether unknown to you. I am the more urgent for an immediate order because Colo: Clarke awaits here your Excellency's answer by the express, tho his presence in the Western Country to make preparations for the expedition is so very necessary if you enable him to undertake it. To the above I must add a request to you to send for us to Pittsburg persons proper to work the mortars &c. as Colo: Clarke has none such nor is there one in this State. They shall be in the pay of this State from the time they leave you. Any money necessary for their journey shall be repaid at Pittsburg without fail by the first of March.

At the desire of the Genl Assembly I take the liberty of transmitting to you the enclosed resolution. And have the honour to be with the most perfect esteem & regard your Excellency's most obed & most hble servt.

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TO MAJOR WALL.'

December 21st, 1780. SIR, I laid before the Council the Rev. Mr. Fanning's letter to Mr. Tazewell together with the Letters and other Papers found on Mr. WickhamThe general expextations of remaining in this country, with which the enemy (and probably) this young gentleman came into it, the political character of the Gentleman under whose auspices he came, his not leaving the Enemy 'till they were obliged to retire, and the complexion of his own Journals and Letters, are circumstances which place him, in their Belief, among the Enemies of this Country. Nothing appears which even leads to a suspicion that a Difference in political sentiment was among the motives which led him from his connections with the Enemy to seek a union with this Country. The manner of his effecting his Transition from the one Party to the other, was not likely to produce any other than a hostile Reception-he becomes an Enemy from an Enemy, in the midst of our Country, with arms in their Hands, attempts to pass without application to, or Leave from, any officer civil or military, and to bear Letters, negotiating an Interview between an officer high in the adverse command, and citizens of this State. Under these unfavourable circumstances, the Board cannot but deem him an Enemy, and (being within our Power) a Prisoner of War-They are at the same time as thoroughly satisfied of the decided principles of Whigism which have distin

From Calendar of Virginia State Papers, 11, 205.

guished the character of the Rev. Mr. Fanning, that they shall think this young Gentleman perfectly safe under his care, so long as he stays in this State; to him, therefore, they remit him until a flag, daily expected from New York into Potowmack River, shall be returning to that Place, when they shall expect him to take his passage back, first calling on the Commissioner of the War Office to give a Proper Parole.

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SIR, I have received authority from the Legislature to provide cloathing and blankets for the troops by seizing the same which will be accompanied by endeavours to purchase. Agents are out procuring salted beef and others setting out to procure pork in as large quantities as they are to be had to be stored on the Roanoke and its navigable waters. Ten thousand barrels of flour will certainly be provided, the number of waggons which have been delivered to the Continental Q. M. since the date of Gen Gates' requisition I have not yet been able to procure a return of, nor the quantities of spirits delivered to the continental commissary, considerable deliveries of both articles have been made. Any other measures which may have been taken by the Assembly for further compliance with the requisitions of Genl. Green are yet uncommunicated to me, as arms were never among the requisitions made by

1 From the Historical Magazine, XIV, 244.

Congress on the several states, this state never supposed it would be expected they should provide that article for their quota of Continental troops, they have only had in view to procure from time to time so many as might arm their militia when necessity required the calling them into service, from this stock they have furnished arms for Continental use till it is so reduced that they have not the smallest prospect of being able from the State magazines to spare as many as will arm their new Continental Levies.

TO THE COUNTY LIEUTENANTS OF HAMPSHIRE AND BERKELEY.

V. S. A.

RICHMOND. December 24. 1780.

SIR, A powerful army forming by our enemies in the south, & an extensive combination of savages in the west will probably render the ensuing campaign exceedingly active, and particularly call forth all the exertions of this State, it is our duty to look forward in time and to make a proper division of our force between these two objects: there seems but one method of preventing the savages from spreading slaughter and desolation over our whole frontier, and that is by carrying the war into their own country and to render even this measure effectual our movements must be so early as to be beforehand with them: Your County is allotted to the Western defence: you will therefore be pleased to send of your militia under proper officers by the way of pittsburg to the falls of Ohio to join under Colo Clarke in an expedition over that river and to continue in service during the expedition as to which Colo Clarke is instructed in from hence. They must be at pittsburg precisely by the first of March. They are to be subsisted on the way by such commissary as you shall appoint who is to act as Quarter Master both offices to cease when he shall have conducted the militia to Pittsburg. I

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