In Committee of Safety.
Philad'a, 27th June, 1776.
The Board thinking it necessary that Capt. Henry Dougherty should have proper Instructions for his Government, the following were drawn up, approved of, and sign'd by the Chairman:
In Committee of Safety, 27th June, 1776.
Sir:
The Committee think it proper to give you the following Instructions to regulate your Conduct, as Eldest Captain of the thirteen Armed Boats, or Galleys, in the service of this Province:
You are forthwith to take upon you the Command of the said Armed Boats, and station them, at anchor, at the East side of Fort Island, and keep them at that station until otherwise ordered by this Board, or the necessity of the service shall require their removal.
You are to cause the said Armed Boats to be frequently exercis'd, and keep them in a compleat state of preperation to receive the Enemy; And the better to effect this immediately, take an exact survey of the present Condition of the said Armed Boats, and whatever may be wanting in their Equipments make a Report of to Capt. William Richards, who is appointed and directed to supply all their defficiencies.
The Officers must Constantly Lodge in their Respective Boats, and you are to take particular care that neither Officers or Men be absent from their respective Vessels any length of time, without your license in writing, or the leave of this Board, and you are not to suffer more than four Officers, and of that Number not more than two to be Captains, to be absent at any one time, nor any of them to be longer absent than forty-eight Hours at one time.
You are to cause fifty Rounds of Powder to be delivered from the Ammunition Vessel on Board each of the said Boats, for which the Respective Captains are to give Receipts, and all the powder now on Board said Boats to be put on Board the said Ammunition Vessel, and order her up immediately to this City, to deliver the same to the Commissary.
You are by all possible Means to establish such a proper sense of subordination in the Officers & Men of the Boats, that all the orders you think necessary to Issue be punctually and implicitly obeyed, a loose and Relaxed discipline utterly enfeebling every Military Establishment, however Respectable it may otherwise be in the Circumstances of Number & Force.
Should any accident or Circumstance happen in the Fleet that has the least tendency to effect the service, you are to give the earliest information of it to the Committee of Safety, that they, if they have the means of Remedy, may apply such as the nature of the case may Require.
These being the principal matters that have occurred to the Committee, they earnestly Recommend that you endeavour to promote the utmost Harmony between you & the Officers of the Fleet, and between one another, on which depends so much the success of every undertaking where Men are to Act in Concert, and mutual assistance is required.
By order of the Committee.
Sign'd, Geo. Ross, Chairman.
To Capt. Henry Dougherty.
The Committee having Reason to believe that wicked & ill-disposed persons have seduced and inticed some of the Men belonging to the Boats, to desert the service and go into other employ, have thought it necessary to publish the following Resolve of Assembly:
In Assembly, Tuesday March 26, 1776.
Resolved, That any person or persons, whatsoever, within this Colony, who shall harbour and Conceal any Deserter (knowinghim to be such) from the Continental Forces, or any other Forces raised within this or any other of the United Colonies, for the defence of America, shall forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding Fifty nor less than Thirty Dollars, or suffer three months imprisonment for each offence, being convicted thereof by the Testimony of one or more Witnesses, before any two Justices of the Peace of the City, Borough, or County, respectively, where such offence shall be Committed, who are hereby authorized to hear and determine all Offences contrary to the above Resolve; which Fine shall be deposited in the Hands of the Overseers of the poor of the City, Borough, or Township, where the offence is Committed, for the use of the poor of such place.
And the Committee give this Public Notice, that they are determined to prosecute with the utmost Rigour, any person who shall Harbour, Conceal, or in any manner employ any Deserter from the service of this Colony.