To the Honble the Committee of Safety for the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in Cambridge
May it please your Honoursー
We, the Committee of Correspondence in Falmouth wou'd beg leave to Represent to your Honours, the Situation and Circumstances of this Town and County; and if there is any Impropriety in our doing it, Your Candour will Excuse itー
The Alarming Attempt of Colln [Samuel] Thompson, to take the Ship Canceaux, Captn Henry Mowat Commander, now in this Harbour, has occasioned very great uneasiness in this Town, as it has a Tendency to bring on us certain Ruin, by the Admiral's resenting it in such a manner as to block up our Harbour before the Time. We have no Force to oppose or prevent it, no Fortifications, no Ammunition, no Cannon, and if Provisions are stopt from coming in here, The Town is ruined as well as the Country, which depends upon the Town for Supplies, of which, at present, there is a great Scarcity. ー We think Coll Thompson's attempt was rash and Injudicious, if not unjustifiable, as we cant learn he had any Authority from You or the Congress; we are Sure it was contrary to yr will, and without any orders from his Superiour officers in the Militia, though Solicited for by him, and the People here Seemed to be laid under Contribution to Subsist his menー
We hope Care will be taken that every Attack upon our Enemies, through the Province, shall be conducted by proper officers, Orderly, Regularly, and with proper Authority, lest it should Occasion a civil War Among our selves ー It is true, in defending our selves, which may be Sudden, Immediate and resolute opposition, in the best manner that can be Suddenly thought of, Should be adopted: but we are afraid, that if any number of men, at any Time, and in any Manner, may collect, together and Attack any thing or any Person, they Please, every Body may be in Danger. ー Sat verbum Sapientiー
We are also concernd lest there Should a good Deal of Confusion arise, from a Number of our Men in the Country, possessing themselves of the Inlisting Papers lately printed, some calling themselves Colls, some Majors, Appointing their own officers, Adjutants, Chaplains, Chirurgeons, &c, &c, without having, as we can learn, any written orders for so doing: ー for they Seem to contend already, who shall be Chief Officers; and they are uncertain whether the Men they Inlist, are to be Stationed here for our Defence, or march to the Camp at Cambridge, to make up the Standing Armyー
Enlisting Papers, we understand, were sent to Genl [Jedediah] Preble, but he, not having any written orders did not Act in the Affair. ー If the Army can be completed without drawing men from home, as we have all along been made to understand was the Case, we cant help thinking it wou'd be most prudent; however, we shall not be backward, if there is a real Occasion for Men; and in that Case, we humbly Submit, whether it would not be best as Some Person or Persons Should be Appointed to Conduct the Affair according to orders; in the hope we Shall be Excused for thus Troubling Your Honours, as we were Solicited to do it by a Number of Gentlemen
We are with great Veneration &c