Head Quarters, Valley Forge, May 14, 1778.
Sir: General Wayne this day showed me a letter from Lt. Colo. Bayard, 42 in which he informed him, that he had agreeable to order procured near three hundred Bayonets, which were fitted to Muskets, and was just preparing to send them down, when they were stopped by the executive Council, who alledged that they had positive orders from me to reserve all the Arms, belonging to the State, for the Militia, who are to be called out soon. There must be some mistake in this, because I never gave any such order in possitive terms, but yet I would wish to see every State have their Arms collected and in readiness. If the Muskets to which the Bayonets are fitted, happen to belong particularly to the State, Mr. Henry can easily replace them with a like number of Continental, a great quantity of which he will have to repair. I have written to him to do so; should this be the case. I should therefore be exceedingly glad to have the Arms, which were got ready by Colo. Bayard, sent down as quick as possible, as Genl Wayne's division really wants them. I am &c. 43
[Note:Lieut. Col. Stephen Bayard, of the Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment. He was transferred to the Sixth Pennsylvania Regiment in January, 1778, and to the Third Pennsylvania Regiment in January, 1783; served to November, 1783. ]
[Note:The draft is m the writing of Tench Tilghman. ]