Memorandum of an Agreement entered into this 27th of April 1781 Between the Hon ble The Delegates of the State of Virginia on the one Part, and Ebenezer Cowell of the City of Philadelphia on the other.

An agreement between Virginia's delegation to the Continental Congress and Ebenezer Cowell, gunsmith of Philadelphia, stipulating that Cowell would shorten and repair 2,000 rampart muskets.

In December 1780, Benedict Arnold had entered Virginia with about 1,800 British troops. In March, Arnold was joined by Major General William Phillips who came to Virginia with an additional 2,000 plus troops and assumed overall command from Arnold. Phillips and Arnold raided and attacked military stores along the James River disrupting Virginia's ability to defend itself and arm soldiers heading south to aid Greene's army in the Carolinas.

Rampart muskets were heavy fire arms meant to be used from defensive positions. Cutting them would make them shorter, lighter and more mobile.

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Philadelphia April 27^th 1781

Memorandum of an Agreement entered into this 27^th of
April 1781 Between the Hon ble The Delegates of the State
of Virginia on the one Part, and Ebenezer Cowell of
the City of Philadelphia on the other.

The said Cowell doth hereby undertake to
Cut and put in good Repair two Thousand Rampart
Muskets, the Property of the Said State, in the same
Manner, and of the same length as those now Shewn
in the War Office, at the rate of Seven Shillings and
Six Pence Hard Money, or the value thereof in Paper
Money at the Time of Payment.

And the said Cowell doth hereby engage
to finish Twelve Hundred of the said Muskets in
Fourteen Days from this Time, and deliver the same
to the orders of the said Delegates to be transport
-ed to the said State of Virginia — and the Residue
before the day of Payment.

And the said Delegates do hereby engage
to Pay the said Cowell or order the said Sum
of Seven Shillings and Six Pence Hard Money or the real value thereof in Paper m[oney] for
each Musket, in Sixty days from the day of the
Date of these Presents; and they hereby agree that
if it is not paid at that Day, that the Eight
Hundred Muskets or so many thereof as shall
be

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be sufficient for the [pu]rpose shall be immediately
sold to satisfy the said Cowell his demand
according to this agreement.

James Madison Junr
Theo: Bland
M. Smith

Ebenezer Cowell

Oc^t. 10^th. 1781
It appears to Me by a Certificate given by
M^r. George Nicolson unto the above M^r Ebenezer Cowell
that this Contract has been on his part duly, and
fully complied with, as will appear by the said Certificate
in My possession.

Thomas Pleasants jr
C. A for the State of Virg^a
in Philadelphia

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Articles Between the
Delegates of Virginia &
Ebenezer Cowell about
2000 Ramport Muskets