Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1915-02-04


ago citizens of Maryland did not do
things as they do now, and that pc.
titioning the Legislature was n matter
then OF graver Importance than IL Is
now, Is shown by the wording of the
following petition TO the Legislature
during the War of 1913.
The paper Is copied and verified by
MIR. and Mrs. George w. Hodges, OF
Annapolis, from the original letter ut
Leonardtown, st. Mary's county.
The paper reads as follows:
I'VE. q committee appointed by our
fellow-citizens of st. Mary's county,
in Maryland, TO make statement of
our peculiar grievances TO the general
Government, have now In obediance
10 their strong and just requisition the
honor respectfully to represent to the
Honorable the Senate, and the Honor
able the House of Representatives of
the United States in Congress assem-
bled.
list. That the county of st. Mary's
from its local situation at the conflu-
ence of the Potomac and Chesapeake,
has been and still continues exposed to
peculiar hardships from the hostile
depredations of the common enemy.
that during the last spring, summer
and autumn, q strong squadron were
almost perpetually in the waters bor-
dering on this county, committing the
most distressing depredations b. in
vading our territory, seizing the per-
sons OF our citizens and carrying them
into distant captivity, by plundering
our property and affording an asylum
to cur slaves.
End. That the county of Saint
Mary's Is peninsula, containing an
exposed shore of near two hundred
miles, not only surrounded, but inter-
sected by bold navigable waters; that
IL contains at the mouth Of the river
st. Mary's the most excellent harbour
within the Capes of Virginia, and is
bordered by small islands In posses
sion OF the enemy Mt pleasure, and
affording abundant supplies of wood
and water Is the Potomac blockading
squadron.
"3rd. That the perilous situation of
this peninsula and the thinness of its
inhabitants have rendered Il generally
necessary to call forth the whole body
of the militia, ut the same time, which
has occasioned many distressing en-
barrassments to its citizens arising
not only from long exposure to the
evils Of military life without the equip
age of q camp to shelter them from
the inclemencies of the weather, but
from the abandonment of their domes-
tic pursuits.
18th. That the numerical strength
OF the militia was originally extreme
ly small, and q great part of Il has
been already de6iliiaied By sickness
and exhausted by fatigue, so that after
every exersion, il has been found i'm
practicable TO embody force adequate
to the protection of q single point,
whilst all others were felt naked and
dcfenceless.
18th. That although our position Is
thus vulnerablein an extraordinary de-
gree, we have not like the other ex-
posed parts of Maryland and Virginia,
been able TO draw assistance from the
neighboring counties, because the
militia In the counties of Charles and
Prince Georges have been found neces-
sary 70 defend the CITY of Annapolis
and the Potomac Immediately below
Washington.
18th. That early in August last
some of the militia officers OF this
county, perceiving with just sensibility
the misfortunes which oppressed and
the dangers which threatened rs, sent
q memorial to the Secretary of War,
strengthened by the representation of
the Governor Of Maryland detailing
our ealamities and claiming for us .
portion OF that sympathy which was
extended to other parts of the United
States, but that at the time of the APP
pointment OF this committee, after the
lapse of months during which time we
had been plundered, harassed and