1. The peninsula divides the Chesapeake Bay from Delaware Bay.

2. The Maryland Council wrote Henry Hollingsworth of the state militia on 20 April that Blaine “informs us that he has orders from the Board of War to remove the public Provisions from the Eastern Shore of this State to the Delaware to be forwarded from thence to Trenton, and recommends the landing at Dover as the most proper Places of Delivery and Deposite, you will therefore have all public Provisions on the Eastern Shore transported to the Landings on the Delaware preferring those above Dover; Col. Blaine will confer with you on the Mode of carrying this Business into Execution. … If the Money furnished should not be adequate to the Expence of complying with this Requisition and you cannot procure Waggons Teams &ca for the Purpose, we hereby require and authorise you to impress what Number may be sufficient” (Md. Archives description begins Archives of Maryland. 72 vols. Baltimore, 1883–1972. description ends , 45:406).

Congress and the Board of War had acted on intelligence that indicated “that an embarkation of a body of troops is in forwardness at New York, the object of which is taking possession of the neck of land lying between the head of Chesepeak bay and the river Delaware, whereby all the stores and provisions on the peninsula may fall into the hands of the Enemy unless immediately removed” (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 19:365–66; see also Samuel Huntington to GW, 7 April, n.2). An order from Congress on 8 April directed the Board of War to “take immediate measures for the removal of the public stores within the said peninsula; and that it be and hereby is recommended to the Executives of the States of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia to take the like measures with respect to all the provisions and forage belonging to the said States respectively, or to the citizens thereof, which will not be necessary for the consumption of the inhabitants” (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 19:367; see also Samuel Huntington to Certain States, 9 April, in Smith, Letters of Delegates, 17:138–39). Congress subsequently adopted related measures (see Huntington to GW, 26 April, n.2).

3. Rock Run, now Port Deposit, Cecil County, Md., is located on Maryland’s eastern shore near the Susquehanna River, approximately seven miles above its confluence with the Chesapeake Bay. Land speculator Thomas Cresap operated a ferry at that location in the early eighteenth century, when it was known as Cresaps Ferry. Other variant names include Upper Ferry, Smiths Ferry, and Creswell’s ferry. The town became Port Deposit in December 1812 (see also Blaine to GW, 28 Feb. 1778, n.1).

4. Delaware governor Caesar Rodney wrote his brother Thomas, a congressional delegate, from Dover on 13 April: “I have received a Recommendation of Congress … to remove the Provisions and Forage within the Peninsula, so that they may not fall into the hands of our enemies.—If the Embarkation mentioned should take place the Enemy doubtless will have the possession of the waters of Delaware and Chesepeak and therefore have the Stores in their power unless removed to the northward of Christiana River towards the State of Pennsylvania. You and the other Delegates from this State well know the difficulty attending such a Step, in short, you know it is impossible—There is a great Quantity of Flour and Indian Corn in the Stores convenient to the Delaware, There is no doubt but that these Articles are much wanted for the use of our Army and might be soon removed by our River Vessels could they be protected against the Refugees, but Sir you know that this State can immediately, afford no such protection, nor have I in View any public Body from whom such immediate necessary Aid can be Afforded as from Congress—All that can be expected to be done by the Executive of this State will be done, but the public cannot reasonably expect impossibilities, if they do they will be deceived—Whether the Embarkation mentioned takes place or not, the Flour and Corn, I apprehend, are articles that our Army stands in great need of, and therefore worthy the greatest attention. The Receivers are oblidged to stop taking in Grain for want of Stores, such as they could procure being full—You will be pleased to communicate the contents of this Letter to the other Delegates for this State, and Act as you all shall think best for the public good” (Ryden, Rodney Letters description begins George Herbert Ryden, ed. Letters to and from Caesar Rodney, 1756–1784. Philadelphia, 1933. description ends , 404–5).

5. Blaine wrote GW from Philadelphia on 14 May to report “the Supplies procured for public use very triffling” (DLC:GW).