The next day, the 10th of May, 1776, Mr. Jones was ordered by the commander in chief to take command "as captain of the Providence." This proves that Mr. Jones did his duty on the [New] Providence expedition. As the commander in chief had in his hand no blank-commission, this appointment was written and signed on the back of the commission that Mr. Jones had received at Philadelphia the 7th of December, 1775. Captain Jones had orders to receive on board the Providence the soldiers that had been borrowed from General Washington, and to carry them to New York, there enlist as many seamen as he could, and then return to New London, to take in from the hospital all the seamen that had been left there by the squadron, and were recovered, and carry them to Providence. Captain Jones soon performed these services; and having hove down the sloop and partly fitted her for war at Providence, he received orders from the commander in chief, dated Rhode Island, June loth, 1776, to come immediately down to take a sloop then in sight, armed for war, belonging to the enemy's navy. Captain Jones obeyed orders with alacrity; but the enemy had disappeared before he reached Newport. On the 13th of June, 1776, Captain Jones received orders, dated that day at Newport, Rhode Island, from the commander in chief, to proceed to Newburyport to take under convoy some vessels bound for Philadelphia; but first to convoy Lieutenant Hacker in the Fly, with a cargo of cannon, into the sound for New York, and to convoy some vessels back from Stonington to the entrance of Newport. In performing these last services, Captain Jones found great difficulty from the enemy's frigates, then cruising round Block Island, with which he had several rencontres; in one of which he saved a brigantine that was a stranger, from Hispaniola, closely pursued by the Cerberus, and laden with public military stores. That brigantine was afterwards purchased by the Continent, and called the Hampden. Captain Jones received orders from the commander in chief to proceed for Boston instead of Newburyport. At Boston he was detained a considerable time by the backwardness of the agent. He arrived with his convoy from Boston, safe in the Delaware, the 1st of August, 1776. This service was performed while the enemy were arriving daily at Sandy Hook from Halifax and England, [under the escort and protection of Lord Howe,] and Captain Jones saw several of their ships of war [which he had the address to avoid.] Captain Jones received a captain's commission [under the United States of America,] from the president of Congress the 8th of August.

It was proposed to Captain Jones by the Marine Committee of Congress to go to Connecticut, to command the brigantine Hampden; but he choosing rather to remain in the sloop Providence, had orders to go out on a cruise against the enemy "for six weeks, [or] two or three months." He was not limited to any particular station or service.