York Town Pennsylvania, 17th Oct. 1777.
Sir:—
Mr. Penn just now informed me of a quantity of Barreled Pork & Beef for the United States, under directions of your Excellency, which is an article so much wanted in the army, that I think regardless of expence or risk, the forwarding of it this way ought to be attempted without loss of time. I therefore beg your Excellency will employ a judicious person to push it on in this way, as may be judged most prudent, if through the inland navigation, let advice thereof be given to Col. William Aylett Esq. Depy. Commissary genl of Purchases, for the Southern Department at Williamsburg, to whom I have wrote on the subject. He will attend to the receiving and forwarding it up the Bay, & whose advice, should he be in time, I would wish to take place through the whole of the business. I have the Honor to be your Excellency's most obdt & very humble servt.
Gov. of Pa.
Additional Notes for Electronic Version: The Executive Letter Book has "g of p" written next to William Buchanan's name, but Buchanan was not the Governor of Pennsylvania. He was a commissary general for the United States.