To George Washington from John Brown, 21 November 1775
From John Brown
Providence Nov. 21st 1775
Dear Sir,
I wrote you of the 3rd Instant, to which have not been favord with an Answer, This is to Offer you One Ton of good Pistol Powder at Six shillings ⅌ pound here, to which Desire your Answer, as also respecting the Cannon,1 in which youl Oblige Sir Your most Obt humble Servt
John Brown
LS, DLC:GW.
1. The letter that Stephen Moylan wrote to Brown on 8 Nov. apparently failed to arrive. See Brown to GW, 3–4 Nov. 1775, n.3. Moylan again wrote to Brown on 27 Nov.: “His Excellency is surprised that you had not recd an answer to your Letter of the 3d which he wrote to you the 8th instant, he then informed you that as you had made an offer of the powder to the Legislature of your Colony he woud not interfere—that Colonel Gridly had received orders for providing the Cannon &a for the use of this Army—What this Gentln had bespoke & provided, with a Large quantity expected from Newyork & Canada, His Excy thinks will be sufficient, in your Letter of the 21st you make an offer of one ton of good Pistol powder at 6/⅌ pound The General Will take it tho it is a most exorbitant price, he is willing to encourage the importation of that necessy article. P.S. There are two Companys orderd from your quarter to this place, Governor Cooke will inform you when they march you will please to Send the powder under their Guard in a Coverd Waggon shoud they have Set out before this reaches you must get a few of the minute or militia men of your Colony to guard it to this place” (DLC:GW). For the march of the troops stationed on Block Island, see GW to Nicholas Cooke, 18 Nov., and Cooke to GW, 25 Nov. 1775.