Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794 to Tench Tilghman

Writes that it is not in his power to send him Congress's resolve of 6 July 1779, concerning Margaret Corbin. Explains that her case is "peculiar": "Her husband and son killed and herself wounded in the services, were misfortunes of so aggravated as justly rendered her worthy of public attention." Congress has provided her with "a complete ration per day, and half pay for life," which Colonel [Lewis] Nicola helped her apply for, but she has received very little of the rations and pay she deserves. Explains that "[h]er present application is in consequence of the rum or whiskey which completes part of her ration being stopped by the commissary agreeable to his common custom in the issues to women of the army in general. Hers being so singular a case, she thinks that this regulation should not extend to her." If she receives what is owed her, the items "will render her present wretchedness a little more tolerable." Adds, finally, that "I am sorry to trouble you again on this subject, but the woman is truly an object of compassion. Her present husband is a poor crippled invalid who is of no other service to her but rather adds to her trouble. She herself in bad health and far advanced in her pregnancy." See GLC02437.01591, GLC02437.01595, and GLC02437.01611 for related information.