To the Hon'ble the Council of the State aforesaid

The Petition of John Cushing & Sam^l. White 

Humbly shews 

That your Petitioners have fitted out the Ship called the General Hancock burthened about two hundred Tons, mounting Eighteen Six Pound Cannon and Six Swivels & navigated by One hundred and thirty Men—having on Board as Provisions One hundred Bls Beef & Pork and ten thousand W. Bread—as Ammunition twenty five hundred W. Powder & Shot in Proportion—Officers on Board are as follows Viz. Ishmael Hardy Captain, Phœnis Frazier¹ 1^t. Lieu^t. and William Brewster Second Lieu^t.—SAID Ship is intended to cruise against the Enemies of these United States—

Your Petitioners therefore humbly request your Honors to commission Ishmael Hardy as Commander of the said Ship for the Purposes above mentioned—And as in duty bound shall ever pray—

Boston June 20^th. 1778
In Council June 23^d. 1778

Read & ordered, That a Commission be issued out to Ishmael Hardy as Commander of the Ship above mentioned—he complying with the Resolves of Congress 

Jn^o. Avery D^y Sec^y