Norwich 8th Febry 1777
May it Please your Excelency
This Comes to acknowledge my Gratitude to your Excelency for the honour and favours you have Confered on me in giving me a Lieuts Commission to Sarve on board the Armd Brigt Defence — Notwithstanding your excelency has twise given me a Commission much to my honour — yet I have one more favour to Supplicate your Excelency for which is to except of my Commissions again (which now Inclose) and for no other Reason than that I am offered the Command of a Burmudian Built Sloop fixing out as a Privateer 2 — and I think to do Justice to myself & famaly I must except of the offer I am with esteem your Excelencys [&c.]
Henry Billings
[Endorsed] 8th Feby 1777 Lt Henry Billings resigning His Corns enclosed — recd idem Blank sent to Mr Shaw to fill the Place
1. Jonathan Trumbull Papers, vol. 6, 33a, ConnSL.
2. Billings took command of the ten gun Connecticut privateer sloop Trumbull, Papers CC (Ships' Bonds Required for Letters of Marque and Reprisal), 196, XV, 49, NA.
