Volume 5
Colony of Rhode Island
Providence ss To the Town Serjeant of the Town of Providence
in the County of Providence Greeting
Whereas the General Assembly of said Colony have erected a Court to try and condemn all Vessels that shall be found infesting the Sea Coast of America and brought into said Colony: ー and have ordered that such Vessels shall be tryed at said Court by a Jury to be drawn and... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Sir I should be extremely obliged to you, if you would please, to lay before the Honble the Continental Congress; the following Proposal; That I have leave to raise two Battalions of Marines, to consist of 500 Men each; and each Battalion to consist of 6 Companys, with a Capn Lieut to each Battalion. 4 Officers to a Company. ー Make not the least Doubt, provided I have leave to name the Officers... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Voted, that orders be drawn in discharge of the following orders drawn by Cap. Seth Harding of the brig Defence, presented and delivered in by the following drawees, viz:
One drawn by said Harding on Cap. Samll Squier in favor of Lt. [Samuel] Smedley of said brig, for so much as necessary to pay the marines their first months pay, dated N. Haven March 22, 1776, being as per indorsement... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Colo. [William] Malcolm came into the Congress and reported the soundings between the Red Hook and the Pest island. The report was read.
Ordered, That it be returned to Colo. Malcom to be amended and reduced to a scale.
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
I received yours of the 24th Inst with its several Inclosures, & the Letter and Invoice from General Ward, giving Intelligence of the fortunate Capture made by our armed Vessels, on which Event you have my Congratulations.
I have wrote Genl Ward, as you will see by the inclosed Letter, (which having read, you will seal & send by Post) to send forward to New York, Colo [Rufus] Putnam's... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Your two favours of 11th and 12th current came duly to hand: I rejoice to find your ship the most forward of any except those at Providence, but I very much fear you'll still wait for guns if they are not to be had at Providence as I mentioned in my last. I have still kept off the appointment of an Agent in hopes of fixing the appointmt to your mind. I have nominated the Captain2 who... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
That Your Petitioner had the Honour to be appointed Surgeon in the Sevice of this Continent on Board the Armed Sloop the Hornet...That he Conceives he could afford more Considerable Services to his Country in a fighting Capacity That anxious to Contribute his Assistance, towards Repelling the hostile Invasions of the Enemies af America, he was an Early Associator in the third Battalion of this... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
A Memorial of the Committee of Safety2 as presented to the House and read, setting forth, that, about the Beginning of this Month, being advised two of the King's Ships laying near Cape Henlopen, infesting the Trade of this Colony, were proceeding up the River Delaware, the Committee issued Orders, to the Officers of the armed Boats, to stop their Progress: ー That, in the Engagements... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
In Committee of Safety
Philad'a, 28th May, 1776.
By order of the Board, an order was drawn on Jno. Nixon, Esq'r, & others, the Committee of Accounts, in favour of Timothy Shaler for two pounds, being the amount of his account against some of the Prisoners taken by Capt. [John] Barry, which is directed to be Charged to account of Congress.
Resolved, That Martin Wert be appointed Master of the... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
1776
May 28
Mars, Schooner, Tonnage, 40; Guns, 4-Pounders, 3.
Men, 10; Prov's. 10 bls. powder, 75 lbs; ball, 100 [lbs.]
Commander, Norris Cooper; 1st Lieut. Bowden Hammond.
Bond, Colony, $5,000.
Bonders, [not given]
Owners, Jno. Wilcocks, John & Peter Chevalier, of Philadelphia.
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Gentlemen Captn Duncan Hill Shipd by Captn Kell, with Your Approbation, is now returnd after making an Attempt to get to Sea ー I have lodgd my protest with you but woud willingly do every thing in my Power that woud be of Service to the Publick ー when you hear what Captn Hill has to say you will judge what is the best method ー he thinks he may get out but it will be Attended with an Expence ー if... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
I did myself the pleasure [of] Writing pr Cap. Pitt informing of the Situation of the Enemy down at Norfolk, Since which have been Joined by Cap. [John Thomas] Boucher2 and A Brig he had in Convoy, from the Certainty he has of the Tenders being so Numerous about the Cape, he is now halling the Brig up A Creek in this River,3 and there to lay untill A more favourable... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Two hours since I wrote you, Since which have discovered five Sail of Topsail Vessels which had been at An Anchor off Windmill point one of them Wears A broad pendt suppose the Commadore. She & another Capital Ship is now under way Standing up the Bay, we apprehend there may be a Fleet under Windmill point at anchor as we heard the Commadore fire A Gun the Signal for Weighing. I am now... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
By Andrew Snape Hamond Esqr &ca
You are hereby required and directed to proceed to Sea, without loss of time with his Majesty's Sloop under your command and cruize off of the Capes of Virginia, and from thence to Hampton Road, taking care to place your ship in the Best situation for speaking with all Vessels bound in or going out.
And whereas his Excellency the Earl of Dunmore has acquainted... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
His Excellency2 informed the Board that since he had met them last together he had received a Letter from Sir Basil Keith the Governor of Jamaica an Extract of which is as follows, to wit ー "Tho' I think the Rebel Ships under Hopkins will not venture into the Gulph of Mexico and that you certainly have had information of them ー and of their transactions at the Bahamas Nevertheless for... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Sir As soon as I can form a Magazine, or have up victualling Ships sufficient for the Army, I purpose marching the Troops by Land, at least such of them as are in Ships of too great a Draught of Water, or who may not have favorable Winds: for this Purpose a number of boats will be absolutely necessary, both for Transporting their Baggage, and passing the Troops across from one shore to another... Continue Reading
Date: 29 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
My Letter of the 8th of April off Cork, (sent onshore by the Pilot) informed you of my having sailed thence with the fleet under my Convoy ー I have now the pleasure to inform you of our safe arrival at Quebec, and of our finding that important place in possession of his Majestys troops ー
On the 23d of May we were joined off the Isle Bic by a Sloop with Pilots, and on the night of the 27th all our... Continue Reading
Date: 29 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
To the Honorable the Council and to the Honble the House of Representatives of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay in General Court Assembled at Watertown the 29th day of May 1776
The Humble Petition of William Greenleaf, Sheriff of the County of Suffolk in said Colony, sheweth, That on the twenty first day of May instant, "a Court erected to try and condemn all Vessels that shall be found... Continue Reading
Date: 29 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
Sir Yours of the 16th Instant inclosing a Resolution of Congress to withdraw all allegiance from the British King, I have received; and thank you for them.
You request that I would strain every nerve to fortify the Harbour ー I have done it to the utmost of my power, ー but you know my power is small. ー
You ask, Sir, if fire Ships and fire Rafts cannot be employed to drive the Ships to Sea? ー and... Continue Reading
Date: 29 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
May 1776
Sunday 26
Latitude In 38..59 Longitude In 62..34
Fresh Breezes & heazy Weather, with a Swell from the Eastward Under Close Reef Topsails, At 12 MN the Barge got out of the Chocks & had like to kill one of the Seaman that was Sleeping under it
Monday 27th
39..35 60..27
Fresh Breezes & thick close Weather attended, with rain and a Great Swell from the Eastward, At... Continue Reading
Date: 29 May 1776
Volume: Volume 5
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