In Committee of Safety, [Exeter] Feby 4th 1777.
State of New Hampshire. Sir —
The Committee are informed, by Col [Pierse] Long, that you have enlisted as marines to go on board the Raleigh ship of War, Sundry soldiers belonging to his Regiment, now under marching orders for Ticonderoga. The Committee have seen no Resolve or Vote of Congress that will justify such proceeding, and think it very prejudicial to the public service, and that you ought to release them immediately.
A Resolve of Congress transmitted to us allows officers appointed to recruit the Quotas of men in the several States allotted for them to raise to serve during the war, to Enlist men out of other Regiments in their Service, who are engaged for a short time; but is expressly limited to them, and cannot be construed to allow any other officers to enlist them, though for the war, unless they belong to the 88 Battalions mentioned in the Resolve 2
1. Bouton, ed., Documents and Records of New Hampshire, VIII, 480-81.
2. Resolves of September 16, 1776 to raise 88 battalions to serve during the war, Ford, ed., JCC, V, 762, 763.
