To the hon^ble: the Commissioners from the united States of America—

The Petition and Remonstrance of the warrant and petit Officers on Board the Continental Ship of War Ranger humbly sheweth—

That Your Petitioners with a view of maintaining their Families and serving their distressed & injured Country, entred chearfully to serve on board the Ranger under the Command of Cap^t. Jones, some for a Cruize others for twelve Months. after our signing in the entry Book against our Names by Cap^t. Jones’s Orders is put, and while absent from the Eastern States, which words were not in the Roll we first sign’d, at the Rendezvous (which can now be produced) none of Us may it please your honours, apprehended that we were to be deluded and deceiv’d in the manner we have been, and are like to be, We were inform’d that Cap^t. Jones was a Man of Honour which to Our Sorrow we are obliged to declare from Our Own Experience, is quite the Reverse, his Government arbitrary his Temper & Treatment insufferable for the most trivial matters threatening to Shoot the Person or Persons whom he in sallies of Passion chooses to call Ignorant or Disobedient. not to recount many Instances of His Behaviour which to us & every of the Ship’s Company has been and still is Disagreable. we humbly request that Your Honours would please to take our unhappy Situation into consideration, and give Orders that We may return to America, that We may have the pleasure of providing for Our Families and serving our Country with Chearfulness; which may it please Your Honours we are sorry to inform You we never can do under the Command of Cap^t Jones.¹ and Your Petitioners as in duty bound—shall ever pray

Ranger Road of Brest
June 15^th: 1778—