Bedford, August 26th, 1782.

Sir: Agreeable to the instructions you received from Colo. Davies, Com' of Warr for refunding to the inhabitants there several quantities of Provisions & Forage furnished to ye State Cavalry under ye command of Capt. Read whilst at New Lon don; You will deliver to Mr. James Steptoe twenty five bushels of Oates, Bourne Price twenty five Bushels Corn, Francis Thorp twenty six ditto on their producing to you a receipt that they have furnished the quantities mentioned above. You are further directed to dispose of ye whole of the specifics on hand except Twenty Bushels of Corn wch. you will retain for me part on account of the Oates I furnished the State Cavalry & ye balance for ye feeding a public Horse now in my possession. The sale of the Specifics must be for ready money, Tobacco or Morriss's Bank Notes the Corn not to be at less than ten shillings per Barrell.

I am Sir, your mo. ob.

HARRY INNES, District Comr.

Capt. Simon Miller, Comr. Sp. Tax 1782. Bedford.

Bedford, August 29th, 1782.

Sir: Your favor of ye 6th. Inst. was put into my hands the 26th. at Court; The next day I waited on Capt. Irish for an explicit answer about ye Powder, which after some little hesitation he consented to deliver, but by the return of ye Powder in his possession I find it to be cannon, which if sent out to Colo. Campbell agreeable to your order of ye 14th. would not answer because it is good rifle powder that he wrote for. I proposed an exchange to Capt. Irish but he answered there was but little Muskett Powder on hand & he could not do it. I have concluded to postpone sending ye powder till your further order. Inclosed you will receive a return of ye Military Stores in ye Magazine at New London.

The Supplies furnished the Labrotory at New London by your Order of ye 2d of May in these words, "I must also inform you that the Continental Labrotory will shortly return to New London. They must be supported, and I must request you to

reserve supplies for them." I have wrote to Mr. Robertson contractor at the Point of Fork several letters about supplies but can obtain no answer, in consequence whereof I have directed ye sale of all the specifics on hand concluding that the money will be as serviceable, as a great expence of Waggonage may be saved by purchasing in ye Neighborhood.

The Public Property which was collected by ye several County Comrs. of ye Pro. Law is very much dispersed thro' the counties & agreeable to your recommendation of yr. 11th. of June, I am endeavoring to dispose of them. An account of which I shall be able to return to you in about one month. From ye confused manner of ye proceedings in the Special Court for procuring beef and cloathing I have been much plagued to find out ye balance of each yet over, the Beef I Can't yet get an exact account of; the Cloathing you will receive a return-also an account of the Waggons each County was to furnish, as by information for ye Receipts are lodged in Mr. Pierce's Office.

The Com'rs of ye Sp. Tax for 1781 in Pitsylvania say that they have returned their Vouchers to your office-the general return and Acco. of Issues you sent me but no Vouchers. The returns of ye Com'rs of ye Pro. Law for Pitsylvania & Halifax inclosed in your last are only partial; I have seen in the hands of the Com'rs of Charlotte, Halifax, Pitsylvania & Bedford Receipts and Letters from Mr. Pierce & his clerks acknowledging the reception of their returns & Vouchers; The Com'r of Henry says he has also returned his but has no receipt. I would wish a particular enquiry to this point, for he is suspected of something unjustifiable in this matter & for want of a proper account of his proceedings I can't detect him, if guilty. I have applied for a duplicate but he can't or will not furnish me with one. Not long since I addressed Mr. Pierce upon the subject of settling ye Accounts of ye several Com'rs, but have received no

answer.

In find that in ye year 1780 part of ye Grain in Halifax was sold by Colo. Coleman of that County, by what authority I can't say he is to render me ye Acco. at next Court-the money still in his hands-in Pitsylvania ye same year Governor Jefferson authorized a Mr. Williams of ye s'd County to dispose of ye grain, & in May last he paid to Colo. Saunders a sum of money

which is still in his hands. Colo. Saunders of Henry in ye same year sold a quantity of Corn by direction of George Elliott, D. Q. M., late of Petersburg, and has a considerable sum on hand. they wish to close their accounts, but I do not wish to receive ye money from them without orders, & beg your directions on this head.

I have recovered ye horse of Morton which Dagnal parted with and hath promised to take some step to stop his pay that Morton may get some recompense for ye fraud, will be pleased to put on ye proper road where and to whom application is to be made.

The Cloathing sent me by Major Lockhart together with what is now in the hands of ye County Leiutenants shall be immediately sent to the Point of Fork to Capt. Peyton. Since my last by Express Humphries I have made a tour of my District & have closed all the Accounts of Issues to the 10th. of August except two of Com'rs of Halifax-one in Pitsylvania & one in Bedford, they failed making me the proper returns more from inattention than Design, which puts it out of my power to make you ye return of Issues I promised-I have in consequence of it alarmed them with a prosecution & hope they will be more attentive in future.

I am sir, your mo. ob.

HARRY INNES.

War Office, Sept. 7, 82.

Sir: I will be obliged to you to inform me from whence Captain Irish gets his powder and lead, whether from the State or continent. Perhaps I was not sufficiently explicit, or probably my letter miscarried, which desired you to refrain any farther supplies to any continental agent or for any continental purpose. Mr. Morriss is very frequent in his assurances that we shall have no credit for anything we furnish, but men and money. I would wish therefore you would endeavour to obtain from Irish an account of all he has received, as well provisions as ammunition, & have the whole properly authenticated. M. M. Craco should pay for what we have supplied the Labrotory hitherto, and if he does not agree to pay punctually on the 1st. of January I would

wish you to put an immediate stop to the smallest farther supply. At all events there is no difference to be made in our sales to the continent from those to private individuals. Captain Irish should send some musket powder at all events, as it is a continental matter in a greater measure than a State one. These Indians acted much more against the three Southern States than against Virginia, and the Commissioners to treat with them are appointed by General Greene.

Mr. Robertson has been sick, and I believe is now.

Money is much more serviceable than anything else. Whatever you get, send down to his place, as Mr. Robertson has already been supplied with a considerable sum for his depart

ment.

I sent you every paper in my office respecting the Commissioners, except those now inclosed. I have delivered some few returns from the provision commissioners to Mr. Pearce last year, but no others, and none lately. The truth is, these people cannot account for their transactions, and are anxious to procrastinate, if not wholly to elude payment. I will write to Mr. Pearce to send me a list of those who have sent him their accounts.

There is no council, so that I have no answer yet to return about those gentlemen who have so long been holding the public money in their hands. Do not, however, on any account receive it from them, till you hear further.

His Excellency is satisfied with your representation of the disposition of Mr. Price, but is by no means reconciled to the disappointments and confusion which Captain Irish's conduct has occasioned.

I thank you for the papers enclosed in your letter, and for the information you have given me throughout.

I am sir, Your very Obdt. Servt.,

WILLIAM DAVIES.

Dr. Sir: Agreeable to your request I have endeavoured to make sale of the Publick wheat in my hands but without success. I have not disposed of any neither do I believe that it can be sold. I am very uneasy about it as it is at this time in a way to

be damaged more than it has been, the rats have taken to it very much lately. As I am accountable for the loss of it, I would wish to secure myself before I suffer any more, I would if agreeable to you make use of the wheat and replace it after Harvest, as it will do to mix with Corn meal for My Servants, or I would take the Wheat and give the Publick credit for it in discharge for my Services, the last proposition I would rather make. As you intend to Richmond should take it kind if you will endeavour to have it settled in that way. I will allow a generous price for it in discount. I hope you will come into one or other of my proposals, or some other that will secure me from further loss.

I am with respect,

Dr. Sir, Your Mo. Obt. Hble. Servt.,

4th Decr., 82.

J. HOLT. Harry Innes, Esq., District Com'.

In Council, February 20th, 1783.

It appearing from the return made by Mr. Henry Innis, District Commissioner, that a quantity of Specifics are at New London undisposed of, The Board advise that Mr. Innis be directed to apply those Specifics in the first place to replace such as may have been borrowed from the Inhabitants of the District, And that he will dispose of the remainder at the best price he can procure, and apply the Money first to the discharge of the Debts accruing from Storeage, and that he will transmit the residue with the account to Capt. Young, S. Q. M. G., for the use of his Department.

BENJ. HARRISON.