Sir

You being Commanding Officer of Marines on board the Ship Boston under my Command—My Orders are that the Commissioned & Non commissioned Officers are to go on board with the Men under your Command & reside there constantly at their Duty—

You are to be particularly careful that a Commissioned Officer does constantly lie on board every night—

You are to obey such Orders as you shall receive from me, or the Commanding Officer of the Ship in my Absence—

The Commanding Officer of the Ship is not to give any Marine Leave to go on Shore upon their own Occasions, if you have any reasonable Objection thereto

The Marines are to be exercised in the Use of their Arms as often as you shall think proper, and are to be employed as Centinels, and upon any other Duty & Service on board the Ship which they shall be capable of—Such as not on Duty that 24 hours as Centinels, therein to be subject to the Officers of the Ship—but they are not to be obliged to go aloft, or be beat or punished for not shewing an Inclination to do so, being assured the Ambitious will do it without driving—Those Marines not on immediate duty are to be turned on Deck by a Serjeant to do Duty as above—The Marine Arms,. Cartooch Boxes, Drums, Fifes & Accoutrements are under the immediate Inspection of You or your Officers—You are to be careful that the Arms be kept in good Order, & keep a sufficient number of Cartridges & Balls in readiness for Action—You are welcome to go on Shore when you please, leaving such Orders with your Officers, as are for the Safety & good Order of the Ship—

Relying wholly on your good Judgement for the Honour and Glory of your Country in the Defence of which, make no Doubt of your doing your duty as a faithful Officer—

Given under my hand on Board the Continental Ship Boston this 20th. day of January A.D. 1778.—