Capt. Thomas Conway commanded the 40–ton sloop Molly, which had been built earlier in the year in Norfolk. The owner of the vessel was Richard Conway of Alexandria, who may have been an elder brother of Thomas. During the previous summer GW had shipped 80 barrels of superfine flour on board the Molly to Lamar, Hill, Bisset & Co. in the Madeira Islands, to be exchanged for wine (GW to Thomas Newton, Jr., 10 July 1773, DLC:GW). The Molly returned to the Potomac 13 Oct. with a cargo that included four pipes of Madeira wine and two boxes of citrons for GW (P.R.O., C.O.5/1352, f. 133; General Ledger B description begins General Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 92).