Richard Henry Lee to Benjamin Harrison

I have now the honor to transmit to your Excellency an account of the manner in which the act of last session for recruiting the Army has been executed in this county. The militia having been laid off into classes according to Law, our number amounted to 38 and you will see by the list inclosed how each class hath as yet acquitted itself. Not a man has been found, but £259.5.3½ specie has been paid to me, and I have reason to expect the ballance daily. When the collectors have made returns of defaultees, warrants have issued in the nature of executions against such defaultees. Nothing as yet can be done with the collectors failing to make return, until a meeting of the Court shall present an opportunity of making motions against them. I am now to request that your Excellency will direct an officer to come and receive this money, for it remains here at very risk from the pirates that infest this river and the bay. A stout Barge of the enemy was off the mouth of Coan (about 15 miles below this) a few days ago; and they contrive to get such accurate information of the state of things on land, that I have not the least doubt but that they know long ere now, that the houses of the County Lieutenants are the depositories of the Soldiers Tax and will consequently exert themselves to get possession of the money. This indeed suggests the propriety of quickly removing this collection from all the counties contiguous to the Water, for tho’ there is no danger from attempts in the open day, where pains have been taken to arm & Encourage the militia, yet nothing is easier to these pirates, as every days experience proves, than to land in the night and to plunder houses two or three miles from the Shore and return with safety to their vessels before day, or any force can be collected to punish them. It is greatly unfortunate for this country that no exertions are made to defend its honor and interest upon the water within the very bowels of the State. It is not only the more general and open commerce that is destroyed, but even the small interior trade is ruined, so that no possible channel is left o en for the industry of the people to collect money for their produce, and therefore no possible means left for the future payment of taxes. The soldiers tax with the land tax, will lean up the Specie so effectually from this county, that I verily believe not five pounds will remain within it, nor any method of getting more that now presents. It may not be amiss to apprise the officer coming for this money, that almost the whole is in Silver, very weighty and bulky and rendering it necessary that he should come provided with suitable means for carrying it off. I have the honor to be

your Excellencies most obedient humble Servant -

Richard Henry Lee