[Boston, War Office, 10 June 1778]1
To the Honble. the Councill and House of Representatives for the State of Massachusetts Bay.
The Board of War beg leave to report—
That the armed Brigt. Hazard is now refitting and nearly ready to proceed on a Cruise. That Capt Sampson,2 the late worthy Commander of that Vessell, hath represented to this Board that he is much out of health and in the Opinion of his Physician unfit to undertake the Voyage, and therefore must, tho wt. great Reluctance, decline the Service—This board would therefore pray your Honors to commissionate some person to the Command of said Brigt. which we could wish might be as early as possible, as knowing that many of the Enemys Vessells, will early in the Year be at Sea, and possibly great Advantages may arise from a Cruise at this Season.3 We are Yr honors [&c.]
Sam Phps Savage Prest. P Ordr
DS, M-Ar, Mass. Archives Collection, vol. 168 (Revolution Council Papers, 1777–1778), fol. 389.
1. The conjectured date is based on the announcement of Simeon Samson's resignation from the Massachusetts Navy on 10 June. M-Ar, Mass. Archives Collection, Vol. 38 (Massachusetts General Court Records, 1777–1778), p. 553.
2. Capt. Simeon Samson.
3. The General Court accepted Samson's resignation on 10 June and on 23 June appointed Capt. John Foster Williams to replace him. See Acts and Resolves of the Massachusetts General Court, 23 June, below.
