State of the Massachusetts
To the Honourable Council of the State
aforesaid now sitting at Boston
The petition of Joseph Marquand of Newbury Port, humbly sheweth, that your memorialist with Thomas Jones & John Stickney, all of said Newbury Port in the County essex Merchants, have at their own expence fitted out, arm'd and equipt the Schooner Washington Burthen about Fifty Tons wherof Joseph Stockman is Commander, Thomas Clough first Leutenant & Joseph Wadley Master, as a private Vessell of War to Cruize against the Enemies of the united States of America, with six Carriage Guns (two & three pounder's) Twelve swivels Twenty small arms, three hundred weight Powder & Ball answerable, Twenty Barrells Beef & Pork thirty Cask Bread &c. with Thirty Men, therefore your memorialist pray your Honours would Commissionate the said Schooner Washington for the purpose aforesaid, & as in duty Bound will ever pray
[Endorsed] In Council April 22d 1777 Read & Ordered that the Prayer of the Petition be granted & that a Comission be issued out to Joseph Stockman as Comander of the within mentioned Schooner called the Washington ー he complying with the Resolves of Congress ー
