To George Washington from Brigadier General William Smallwood, 19–20 May 1778
From Brigadier General William Smallwood
Wilmington [Del.] May 19th[–20] 1778.
Dr sir,
Agreeable to your orders I sent Capt. Norwood to obtain a List of the Stores at the head of Elk, who returned this Evening with the Inclosed Lists from Hollingsworth, Rodolph & Huggins1 who could give no Acct of the Stores in the Peninsula below and at Charles Town, but Colo. Hollingsworth informs Capt. Norwood there were near as much more at those Stages & that he daily expected Several Vessell Loads at Elk, Charles Town &c. I recommended in the Strongest Terms their forwarding the Removal with all possible dispatch, and have had Mr Wade Somedays out in procuring and forwarding Waggons to expedite their Removal to effect which and to cover and Escort the Stores whilst they are at these Stages, be assured no Exertions of mine shall be wanting.
I shall be glad of your direction on the Inclosed Application of Colo. Chalmers’s2 and have the Honor to be with sincere regard Your Excellency’s most Obdt Hble Servt
W. Smallwood
20th May. 78. Mr Hammilton forgot to inclose the permit for Flour & Nichols as you mention’d in your Letter which I recd late last Night.
LS, DLC:GW.
1. The enclosed lists of stores held by Henry Hollingsworth, Tobias Rudulph, and Thomas Huggins are in DLC:GW. Smallwood also enclosed “A rough Draught of the Stores on hand,” dated 18 May, listing stores near Head of Elk, Md., “Charles Town,” Md., and “Susquehannah,” Pa. (DLC:GW). Edward Norwood (1750–1816) was appointed captain of a company of Anne Arundel County, Md., militia in February 1776. He subsequently served as a captain in the Maryland Regiment of the flying camp until he was appointed captain of the 4th Maryland Regiment in December 1776. He was relieved of command in 1778 (see Smallwood to GW, 8 June; General Orders, 11 June and 4 September; GW to Norwood, 7 September; and GW to Samuel Smith, 5 Oct. 1778).
2. The enclosed copy of a letter from Lt. Col. James Chalmers to Smallwood, dated 16 May at Philadelphia, reads: “Tho unknown to you, I hope this freedom will require no apology, when I inform you, that I am desirous of having brought to this city, a child, in danger of losing her sight by a late accident: For this purpose I have sent the bearer Mrs Shippock, to whom I entreat your granting permission to go to my house in Maryland, & bring from thence the child accompanied by her Mother. An enlightened mind, Sir, knows that acts of gallantry & humanity are not incompatible with war” (DLC:GW). Chalmers was born in Scotland and came to America around 1760, eventually settling in Kent County, Maryland. He fled to the British in New York during the summer of 1777 and accompanied Howe’s fleet to Head of Elk and eventually Philadelphia. Chalmers recruited about 400 men in the fall of 1777 for a regiment of Maryland Loyalists. He was appointed lieutenant colonel commandant of the regiment, which served mainly in Canada and the Caribbean until the end of the war. He relocated to England in October 1783.