You are hereby required and directed to receive on board his Majesty's Ship under your Command (for Security) such Ordnance Stores as Lieutt Col. [Samuel] Cleaveland of Artillery shall desire to be sent from the Kitty Transport, and you are to direct your Gunner to receive them into his Charge and sign Receipts for the said Stores, which he is to require upon their being delivered to any other Ordnance Officer by your Order, and that of the Commanding Officer of the Mercury for the time being.
Given under my Hand on board his Majesty's Ship PrestonĀ at Boston 10 Janry 1776
Saml Graves
1. Graves's Conduct, Appendix, 115-16, BM.