At a Council holden at Halifax on the 28th of September 1775
Read the Extract of a Letter from General Gage to the Governor dated the 5th of Septemr: as follows Vizt
The Admiral has not so many Vessells in the Bay of Fundy that the Rebells from this Province will not have an opportunity to land there, but to Guard against the worst some temporary Work may be thrown up & additions may be made to the Old Works on the Citadel Hill as you shall judge best & in some manner to fortify & entrench about the Navy Yard. I think this will be better than Captain [William] Spry's proposal of Blockhouses which may be easily fired & wou'd not be finish'd this Season ー
And the Engineer Capn. Spry attending and being call'd in & having answer'd several Questions proposed ー It was Consider'd, That the Nature of the Ground being Rocky in most places wou'd not admit of an intrenchment, also that the frost & rains attending the Season coming on wou'd interrupt & prevent such Work from being compleated that therefore the only practicable fortification woud be by Temporary Blockhouses & Pallisadoes. And it was Resolved that the Engineer do immediately proceed to fortify the Navy Yard in that manner; which may be defended by the People of the Town & afford a retreat for them.
And in respect of fortifying the Citadel Hill it was consider'd that the Season is now too far advanced to undertake anything, especially considering the great want of Workmen & troops for the defence of it ー
And on further consideration of the most secure & effectual measure for the defence of the Town:
The Governor proposed for the consideration of the Council the means "of Collecting a force to the Number of One thousand Men to be provided with Pay & Provisions: which was unanimously Agreed to & approv'd of & further Resolv'd that the four Companies of Light Infantry now forming at Lunenburg be Order'd immediately for this Town, & that Mr. E[nsign] be order'd to send these Troops to Halifax in the most Expeditious manner. Also that one hundred Men from the Township of Clare & Yarmouth & the two light Infantry Companies from King's County do March immediately to Halifax.
