Granville, July 4th, 1779.
Sir:
The very particular attention which your Excellency paid to my letter by Mr. Bristowe demand my most sincere thanks. Am sorry the Commissary of Stores is absent, tho' hope he will return in time, and if we are not supplied with all the necessaries from or by him, hope our Commissary may be empowered to purchase where he may find them, so that we may be enabled to go on some how or other. When I wrote your Excellency on the subject of Commander of the Guard and Commissary, am sorry that I did not mention that my brother Samuel was in Granville; he is here, and on my advice has remained some time, in expectation of some appointment in this service, but as Col. Williams has solicited (a circumstance which I did not know) hope that he may be approved of, for I know of no gentleman in that department preferable to Mr. Williams. What I would now ask in my brother's favor is an appointment for him in the other department. I
know him to be active and industrious, and believe him honest. Should your Excellency think proper to honor me with his appointment of Commissary, I will take care that the security shall be indisputable. I would urge nothing in favor of a brother if I did not think him worthy; and his great losses for several years in that County are my only motive for attempting to put him in a way of making a penny if it can be done honestly.Your Excellency has already been troubled with a very long letter on this occasion, and I would not be tedious. Major Smith is present, and the rest of the Commissioners have given me power to act for them in every thing relative to the whole proceeding or preparation. We are determined to go through with the matter, if possible, and the active and friendly part you have taken seems to promise success. Permit me, Sir, before I conclude, to mention that it will be best not to commission any officer under a Major or commander of the guard unless application has been made in favor of some particular man who you know or believe to be active. This will best be done by the Major, if he can be entrusted and supplied with blanks—Commissions. The Bearer, Mr. Jones Jett, will wait your leisure for an answer, which I hope will be as soon as the Honorable the Council have determined on the several matters mentioned in this or my former letter on this occasion.