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of infantry and cavalry equipments, also, a cannon.
He said that under the Governor's directions he had placed the arms under the protection of the New Berne Light Infantry.
February 14th, the Governor wrote Lieutenant Lee that he did not like to make a contract with Smith & Hitchcock for the reasons named in Lee's endorsement on their proposals.
He asked Lee to make out an order for fuses and friction primers for cannon, and said if he could not do better, he would order from Hitchcock.
The next day the Governor wrote Dr. E. C. Evans, at New York: ‘The military commission has not yet been called together, and I have not yet fixed a day for their meeting.
Our railroad shops, being scarce of work, the superintendents have proposed to alter our muskets cheaper than it can be done elsewhere.
As this is more convenient, I have concluded to give them a trial, and if they do not give satisfaction, I will have the work done elsewhere.
From the specimens I have seen, however, I have no doubt they can do the work well.
I do not wish to contract for any more gun carriages at present.’
The Governor, on the 15th of July, ordered Anderson & Co., of Richmond, to make the caissons for two batteries.
He inquired: ‘When can you have the Columbiads ready?
I wish to get them as soon as possible.
Can you get me fuses for the shells?’
In a letter of the 16th, to Watson & Meares, New York, the Governor said: ‘One of the firm of Schuyler, Hartley & Graham, New York, called on me to-day and proposed to furnish long-range muskets, sabres, etc. You may purchase from them 500 or 600 long-range muskets, calibre 58, at $14 each, if you think them equal to Whitney's. The muskets are to be rifled and sighted for 1,000 yards. You can also purchase frown this firm or others 300 sabres for cavalry on best terms.
They agree to take the risk of their delivery at Wilmington or Norfolk.
They are to be paid for on delivery at one of those points.
McKnight agreed to send me 150,000 pounds of lead, and now writes me he has bought it, but that the inspector will not ship until paid for. I will not take it on those terms.
I do not know the importer in the transaction.
If he does not intend to ship, buy 150,000 pounds of lead and ship to Wilmington.
Sabres and guns I need as soon as they can be had. See David Smith about percussion caps ordered from him.’
The Governor on the same day wrote David Smith to send the cartridges as soon as he could—100,000 buck and ball, such as are
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Richmond, VA. 1901.
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