Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Messrs. Hanson and Watts.
Messrs. W. H. Hanson and D. B. Watts:
You will please proceed in the schooner, hired for this purpose,” by the mouth of Magothy River, by Patuxent, and still lower, if found necessary, in search of the revenue-cutter Active, Captain Beard, to whom you will deliver the letter directed to him and communicate any information you have upon the business on which you are commissioned. It may be necessary to stretch over to the Eastern Shore below Kent Island, to look out for him, and perhaps at night to hoist a light *if nothing in your consideration forbids. If any other public vessel is met with, you may inform them of the object, and require their aid in its attainment. If the cutter is not this side of Annapolis, or in sight, it will be proper to run into that port. Communicate with the collector and Mr. Thomas H. Bowie there, confidentially. You can, without loss of time, then either proceed to look for the cutter or act for yourselves, as circumstances prescribe, in performance of your duty as officers of the customs on shore or the water, observing all the cautions heretofore delivered on similar occasions, especially in cases of search or seizure in dwelling-houses. When you find the cutter you may transfer yourselves with the men under your command to that vessel and dismiss the hired schooner, with information to this office. But if you are not required to continue there or the men are not wanted, they may return in her. If the business appears to require greater force, information must instantly be sent while Captain Beard watches the suspicious vessel. [45]
Endeavors will be used here to dispatch the United States sloop Asp, with sufficient preparations to meet the exigence. It will be well to keep the men below when in sight of any persons likely to be effected by their appearance, the arms, until wanted, to be kept under your hands in the cabin.