[Boston] Thursday April 24th 1777
Whereas an Act passed the 27th March AD 1777 for securing & making provision for the support of Prisoners who may be taken by any American Armed Vessel & brought or sent into any Port of this State, & it is necessary that some suitable person should have the Command of said Guard Vessel with a sufficient number of Men to take care she is from Time to Time, properly moor'd, & that her Stores with such prisoners as may be put onboard the said Vessel are kept secured. And Whereas the aforesaid Act has impowered the Council from time to time to appoint as there may be occasion such suitable person for a Commissary to take care of and provide such Victuals & other necessaries for the prisoners confined onboard such prison Ship or other Vessel or any Island as the Council may Order and direct; and the Council as aforesaid are hereby further impowered to cause such Vessel or Vessels to be procured as may be proper to answer the purpose designed by this Act, and to draw on the Treasurer of this State for such sums from time to time as will be sufficient to have this Act carried into execution, & to make all other necessary regulations for guarding such prisoners and for carrying this Act in all its parts effectually into Execution ー
Therefore Ordered that the Brigantine Rising Empire belonging to this State be improved for this purpose and that Ezra Weston be and hereby is appointed Master of the same for the purpose beforementioned and that three other Persons be imployed by him in assisting in taking care of said Guard Ship and that the Captain be allowed the Sum of Six pounds p Month & the Men two pounds ten shillings p Month as Wages ー The Captain to be allowed three Rations and the Men cine ration each, the allowance for rations to be the same as is allowed the Continental Navy ー And that Robert Pierpont Esqr be and hereby is appointed Commissary of Prisoners to take care of and provide Victuals & other necessarys for them while confined on board such prison Ship ー
Petition of Samuel Page for himself & Company setting forth that he has ready for a Cruize against the Enemies of America a Sloop called the Trenton Commanded by John Leach praying that he may be commissioned for that purpose ー Ordered that the Prayer thereof be granted & that a Commission be issued out to the said Commander he complying with the Resolves of Congress ー Bond being given a Commission & Instructions were delivered accordingly
Petition of Daniel Martin & Thomas Adams setting forth that they have now ready for a Cruize against the Enemies of America the Schooner Buckram ーーーーMarany Master & praying that he may be commissioned for that purpose ー Ordered that the prayer thereof be granted and that a Commission be issued out to the said Commander ー he complying with the Resolves of Congress ー Bonds being given a Commission & Instructions were delivered accordingly.
Ordered that Capt John Glover Commander of the Sloop Two Pollys a Flag of Truce bound for Halifax, now lying below Castle Island be & he is hereby ordered to embrace the first good Wind & proceed with the Prisoners on board to Halifax and orders given Yesterday notwithstanding ー And the Board of War are desired to forward this order to Capt Glover ー