To whom it may concern:

I strongly favor the action taken by the Representatives of the Colonies on 04 July 1776. Since I want to do my part to help, I want to know if you could use another cannon. I have a small blacksmith shop here in Wilfred Corners which I run myself. I have never made a cannon, but I am sure I could and if need be, I could get some of the men around these parts to help. I would only charge for the metal and a "little to help my family buy corn meal and meat for the winter.

Please let me know what kind of cannon you want and where you want it, and I will get started on it right away.

In order to conduct business affairs with the Continental Congress and the supply agencies of the Colonial Army, it will be necessary for you to complete certain routine forms to help our Weapons Procurement Evaluation Branch (WPEB) evaluate your business and determine whether you qualify as a supplier to the Colonial Army. Naturally, in the interests of security during this period of unrest, the government agencies must insure that its suppliers meet minimum standards of quality and performance. Please fill out the attached forms provided (in triplicate), retain one file copy and return the other copies along with a statement of the type of weapons manufacture or Army supply on which you wish to bid.

Encl: Supplier Evaluation Forms (3 sets)

Farnsworth

Blacksmith Shop

26 September 1776 Wilfred Corners, Independent Colony of Massachusetts

Dear Mr. Larkpart:

I am sorry it took so long to return the forms you sent me. The weather has been very dry and the farmers are dulling a lot of plowshares on the rocks in the dry soil. So I've been very busy.

What I want to know is whether you could use a cannon if I would make one. There might be something else I could build but I don't know what it is, so just let me know what you want me to do.

The enclosed bidders forms were incorrectly forwarded to this office. The Industrial Affairs Branch of the Congress Procurement Office is responsible for initial business - government contracts. As a weapons supply industry, the Industrial Questionnaire you sent this office should be directed to the following:

If we can be of additional service, please contact us.

Encl: Supplier Evaluation Forms (3) (completed)

Farnsworth

Blacksmith Shop

01 November 1776 Wilfred Corners, Independent Colony of Massachusetts

Dear Sir:

I sent these forms to the wrong office and they sent them back and said to send them to you. I am a blacksmith and would like to build a cannon for the Colonial Army. Please tell me what kind of cannon you need most and I will get right on it. It is winter now and other work is slack.

The Bidders Qualification Forms which you completed and forwarded to this office 01 November 1776, been received. Initial review of your qualifications indicates that you no previous experience in cannon design and construction under Colonial Army specifications. Also our records reveal no other Blacksmith Shops among those on the Qualified Cannon Suppliers List (QCSL). Unless you can produce evidence of qualification beyond that previously on submitted documents, the review of your capability for this assignment cannot be continued.

I might add that we carry a number of industries listed on Blacksmith Shops on our bidders list for "Horse Shoeing in the Field". Should the war come through your village and you be an approved contractors list for this vital assignment, you would be eligible to compete with other nearby Blacksmiths for these contracts. In case you are interested, I am enclosing blank Bidder Qualification Forms (in triplicate).

Encl: Three Bidders Qualification Forms

Farnsworth

Blacksmith Shop & Cannon Works

19 December 1776 Wilfred Corners, Independent Colony of Massachusetts

Dear Mr. Jenkins:

Thank you for the new Bidders Qualification Forms for "Horse Shoeing in the Field". I am sorry, but if the war gets anywhere close to Wilfred Corners, I will pack up my family and make a dash for the Canadian border. It therefore seems unlikely to complete the forms for qualification in this area of supply.

I would still like to build a cannon. Since I last wrote and sent you the forms, I had the occasion to ride over to Concord for some corn meal and two seal skin pelts for the bellows on my forge. While there, I had the opportunity to observe a British Cannon that had been used in the recent fighting in the area. I am now sure that I could build a cannon. It is nothing but a long hollow tube with some bands around it and closed at one end. I have an idea for a sight like the one I use on my squarrel rifle, and I'll bet it would improve the marksmanship of the cannoneers.

Seeing a real cannon has so enthused me that I have changed the name of my business to "Farnsworth Blacksmith Shop & Cannon Works". I would not have been able to spend so much time on this, but I've had very little regular blacksmith business.

I am pleased to advise you that the additional research and study in cannon design pointed out in your recent letter, plus the alteration of company orientation as evidenced by the new name of your organization has enabled us to reopen our investigation of your qualifications for bidding on the design and production of cannons for the Colonial Army.

I must caution you in regard to the suggested invention of a new device for improving the accuracy of cannoneers. After initial submission of Bidders Qualification Forms to this office, all rights of invention of your company become the Colonial Army and the Continental Congress.

Dear Mr. Farnsworth,

Enclosed you will find Military Specification Number 894, outlining the characteristics of a cannon to be produced for the Colonial Army. As a manufacturer who has met the requirements of the Industrial Qualification Branch, your company is authorized to bid for the production of the following named item:

CATEGORY	DESCRIPTION
Cannon Weapon System (Mobile)	Three Inch Muzzle, Load Capability; 12 pound shot, Range Capability: 500 Yards, Must be light enough for five men to transport two miles in one day without exhaustion.

Initial contract will be for prototype. Expect production order competition to follow.

Bids for this equipment will be received no later than 04 March 1777.

CS:gh

Farnsworth & Cooper

Cannon and Carriage Company

20 February 1777 Wilfred Corners, Independent Colony of Massachusetts

Dear Mr. Scott:

With this letter, I am sending you my bid for doing the cannon needed by the Colonial Army. Because you need the cannon on wheels, I have sold half of my blacksmith shop to Leonard Cooper who has some experience in building wagons. He sold me half of his barn where he makes wagons. Since we didn't have any money, we made the half-prices the same so that it didn't cost anything,

We are going right to work on the cannon you asked for. It will be just like you said in the description, and we believe that we can have it done in six weeks. We don't understand what you meant by prototype so we are not able to start on it right away until you explain what it is because we might do something wrong. Send a letter back right away explaining that part.

Incidently you didn't say what color you wanted the wheels. We are using the wheels off of Cooper's old log wagon and they are red. If that is OK, we won't paint them again. That way we can save on the cost.

The cost will be about $400.00, we figure think that will be a good price.

Please let us know about that prototype thing, and where you want us to deliver the cannon when we are done with it.

I just got your letter today. Stop work on the cannon immediately. You do not have a contract yet. We cannot make a payment for work done on a government contract before the contract is let.

As I said in my previous letter, we will review your proposal for a prototype of the cannon that you expect to build (and I hope, have not completed). A prototype means the first of a kind. In other words, the first cannon you build, unfortunately, the one you are now building.

Please do not do any more work on your cannon until you hear from this office concerning the outcome of the proposal evaluation.

CS:gh

Farnsworth & Cooper

Cannon and Carriage Company

30 March 1777 Wilfred Corners, Independent Colony of Massachusetts

Dear Mr. Scott:

I'm sure sorry that you made us stop working on our cannon because we were making such good progress with it. Now spring plowing is almost here and I will be busy with plowshare sharpening. Leonard Cooper is helping Vance Putman build a small sawmill on Benshire Creek north of town, so I won't be able to work on the cannon for several weeks.

However, if your letter comes telling us to start work, we'll be at it every spare moment. I hope our tight schedule won't interfere with your decision to have us build the cannon because we sure are anxious to get restarted.

PS We put up a sign outside my shop showing our new name, but folks around here still know to bring their plowshares for sharpening.