Letterbook Copy

Equipment for a Company of Dragoons

Hodgdon provides Lewis with an accurate statement for the equipment of a Dragoon.

Equipment for a Company of Dragoons

1796

10

27

Philadelphia

Samuel Hodgdon

Samuel Lewis

Samuel Lewis

Samuel Hodgdon

dragoons

Philadelphia

saddle

holsters

bridles

stable halters

valise

cartouch box

fin pipes

cartridge box

sword belt

nose bag

mail quillion and straps

bugle horn

pair of pistols

sword

horseman cap

equipment

estimate

1796102728055

29

Equipments for a Company of Dragoons [29]
Sadelle complete . . . . ✔ 700 Cents,
Holsters do . . . . ✔ 250 –
Bridles with Bridoons . . . . ✔ 175.
Stable Halters . . . . ✔ 62.
Valice . . . . ✔ 233. 237
Cartouch Box with Fin pipes . . . . ✔ 75.
Sword Belts . . . . ✔ 62.
Nose Bags . . . . ✔ 50. 56
Mail Quillion & Straps . . . . ✔ 75.
Bugle Horns . . . . 500. [faded numbers '16_82']
Pairs Pistols . . . . 800.
Swords . . . . 900.
Horseman Caps . . . . 250
---
41,32 Cents
Philadelphia 27. October 1796.
Sir
The above is an accurate statement for the equipment of a Dragoon – It far exceeds your Estimate, to account for this you will observe that several essential Articles of equipment is added –
[signed] Saml. Hodgdon
[to] Saml. Lewis
[An amendment is made vertically in the right margin of the page with writing that is faded beyond recognition. This block of text is dated 25 April 1798.)

Estimate [31]
36 Ship Carriages for 12 & 9 pounders, at 40 Dollars each, is . . . . 1440.
36 Setts implements complete for the above at 5 Dollars each . . . . 180.
2,400 Twelve pounder Shot 12tons.17Cent at 60 Dollars a Ton . . . . 771.
1200 Nine pounders at 4.6., at 60 Dollars . . . . 258.
13200 lbs. Powder, say 132 Barrels, at 70 Dollars a Barrel . . . . 9,240.
4 Iron Swivel Guns, at 8 Dollars . . . . 32.
50 Muskets & Bayonets Complete, at 13 1/3 Dolls . . . . 666.67.
50 Pairs of Pistols, at 12 Dollars . . . . 600.
50 Boarding Cutlasses with Scabbards, at 5 Dols . . . . 250.
Ammunition for the Muskets and Pistols, say . . . . 60.
40 Lanthorns, at 1 1/3 Dollar . . . . 53.33.
---
Dolls. 13, 551. –
Philadelphia 29 Nov. 1796.
Sir
The above imbraces all the articles inserted in your list; with the addition of Gun Carriages – perhaps Grape, Cannister and Bar Shot in suitable proportiens should be added, if so, on notice it shall be done – Sundry small articles as appendages to the above will be necessary, but their cost being inconsiderable, I thought it unnecessary to insert them.
your most obedient Servant,
[signed]Saml. Hodgdon
[to] Mr. Fox[?]
[With regards to the weight abbreviations transcribed on the 12lb shot, note that tons were at this time made up of 20 centals, or American hundredweight - hence the abbreviation of "cent".]









Estimate [some decorative embellishments surround this word], of the Costs of the undermentioned Articles [41]
(for the Frigate Constellaton) [note there is some unintelligible backwards writing soaked through from the back of this page]
[double underline]
100 Ship Muskets with Bayonets @ 12 Dolls. . . . 1,200.
100 Cartouch Boxes. . . . 1 " . . . . 100.
50 Pairs Pistols . . . .10 " . . . . 500.
150 Ship Cutlasses . . . .3 " . . . . 450.
150 Boarding Axes with Horns . . . .1 " . . . . 150.
12 Blunderbusses . . . .15 " . . . . 180.
40 Battle Lanthorns . . . .1 " . . . . 40.
8 Signal . . . . " . . . .No1 . . . .4 " . . . . 32.
8 . . . . " . . . ." . . . .No2 . . . .4 " . . . . 32.
36 Tin . . . . " . . . .1 " . . . . 36
18 Dark . . . ." . . . .1 . . . . 18
300 Barrels Powder assorted . . . .60 . . . . 18,000.
2800 Round Shot
700 Double Headed
700 Rounds of Grape [the preceding three items are bracketed for the following] for 24 Pounders
Say 43 Tons @ 65 . . . . 2,975 [note that the total should be 2,795]
1200 Round Shot
300 Double Headed
300 Rounds of Grape [the preceding three items are bracketed for the following] for 12 Pounders
Say 9 1/2 Tons @ 65 . . . . 617 1/2
200 Hand Grenades Say 3/4 Ton " 70 " . . . . 51 1/2
100 Round of Musket & pistol balls
Say 500 lbs . . . . [the preceding two lines are bracketed for the following] @10 [this must be 10¢] . . . . 50
6 Speaking Trumpets . . . . 2 . . . . 12
5 Tons Sheet Lead . . . . 130 . . . . 650
---
Dollars . . . . 25, 095 [again, his total is $1 off]
[double underline]
Philadelphia 8th June 1797.

Estimate of Military Stores wanted for the [43]
Three Frigates
[double underline]
300 Muskets & Bayonets
700 Barrels Powder (of Kinds)
600 Hand Granades
15 Tons Sheet Lead
6 Doz. Tin Lantherns
1/2 " Dark Ditto
1/4 " battle, supposed side Do
42 Blunderbusses (wanting Repairs)
300 Blades or Spears (answering for)
Boarding Pikes, wanting repairs
& Staves
350 Cutlasses, but not of Modern Construction
probably may not Answer
250 pairs of Pistols, wanting repairs
3000 Round Shot for 24 pounders
[all of the above items are bracketed with the following] at Philadelphia [which is separated out from the item list with a vertical line and bordered by decorative scribbling on top and bottom]
4,476 Round Shot ". . . . do . . . . Elkton
2131 . . . . do . . . . do . . . . do . . . . do . . . . Springfield
709 . . . . do . . . . do . . . . do . . . . do . . . . Manchester
---
10, 316
10 Brass Howitzers & Torch . . . . Springfield
8 ditto . . . . ditto . . . . Albany
To be procured
300 Boarding Axes
2 Blunderbusses
105 Battle or Side Lantherns
24 Single Lanthorns No 1
24 . . . . ditto . . . . No 2
Turn over [spaced on the bottom right side of the page]
[44]
Continuation. Articles to be procured
1600 Doubleheaded & Chain Shot 24 pounders
2200 Stools. supposed Iron for Grap Shot 24 do
720 Double Headed Chain Shot 12 pounders
900 Stools supposed Iron for Grape Shot 12 do
30.000 Rounds of Musket & Pistol Ball (to be cast from our lead in Store)
18 Speaking Trumpets [decorative mark]
ESTIMATE of a Frame Building Sixty by Thirty feet for a Public Store House;
Philadelphia 16th June 1797 -
Carpenters Bill for Labour & Materials in his line . . . . £320 " "
Blacksmiths Bill for Hinges, Locks, &c . . . . 40 " "
Masons Bill for diging & Laying foundation and finding Materials . . . . 27.10 "
---
£387.10 "
[double underline]
Interest on £387.10 . . . . £23.5 "
Ground Rent 60. Feet @ 15/. . . . 45 " "
---
Rent of the Store £68.5. "
[double underline]