610 BETSY PATTERSON. They were both so lucky as to escape the cruisers, and to arrive in March, 1776, when the army had scarcely powder enough to conceal from the enemy that they were short of powder. We can imagine that these two cargoes of ammunition were welcome enough, and sold at a good price. The vessels appear to have returned to the West Indies, where William Patterson remained two or three years, sending supplies home as best he could, until the alliance with France put an end to the scarcity of military stores. He then prepared to return. In June, 1778, ne landed in Baltimore, then a town of three or four thou- sand inhabitants, bringing with him, in gold and mer- chandise, a hundred thousand dollars, the result of five years' business. He was then twenty-six years of age. Upon looking at Baltimore with the eyes of a long-headed man of busi- ness, observing its situation, and perceiving the necessity of its becoming one of the first cities of the world, he concluded to settle there. With one half of his fortune he bought lots and lands in and near the city, as Astor did in New York a few years later. With the other half of his capital, including his little fleet of small vessels, he went into the business of a shipping merchant. During the next twenty years the commerce of the infant republic had a most rapid development, particularly while supplying the warring powers of Europe with provi- sions. William Patterson in those twenty years accumu- lated what was then considered an immense fortune. President Jefferson, in 1804, spoke of him as probably the richest person in the United States except Charles Carrol of Carrollton, who inherited lands and slaves. His fortune, too, was a growing one, since he continued to purchase lands near the city, that were certain to rise in value with the increase of the place. After settling in Baltimore he married a young lady
