Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 3
We received the five Thousand Pounds sent by David Gillespie from Congress as also the rough draft of a receipt but have unfortunately mislaid it. Therefore send the inclosed which hope will be agreeable.
The bearer Melchor Salady1 is very ingeneous about Cannon & wod. be of great service to us. He is engaged in the army & provided he could get a discharge wod. undertake to finish our Guns in a proper manner. We will esteem it a favour if he can be spared us. We are with much respect Your obedient Servants
“Upon representation made by Daniel and Samuel Hughes, that Melchior Salady, a private soldier in Captain Farmer’s company and Colonel Miles’s batallion, would be very serviceable to them in executing their contract for making cannon for Congress,” Congress resolved that Salady be discharged from service conditionally upon his employment by the Hughes brothers (Journals of the Continental Congress, 6:1008–1009).