State of Rhode Island — & Providence Plantations

To the Sheriff of the County of Providence or to his lawful Deputy Greeting. —

You are hereby in the Name of the Governor and Company of the State aforesaid Commanded to take a good sufficient and Able Guard. & proceed to the PrisonHouse in Providence and there take all the Prisoners of War being Seamen or Comon Sailors & also all such Prisoners being Seamen or Comon Sailors that are to be found in and about the Town of Providence, & them under such Guard convey to Pautuxet, & their deliver the same Prisoners unto the Order of Commodore Hopkins to be put on Board the Ships of War under his Command. And all Officers Civil & Military are hereby required to be aiding and Assisting you the said Sheriff in executing this Warrant. And for your so doing this shall be your Sufficient Warrant. Hereof fail not Given under my Hand & Seal this ninth day of December AD 1776. —

Providence December 9th 1776

[Endorsed]

in Obedence To your Hanners Within Command I Took up som Seam[e]n & others and Took some from the gold [sic gaol] in Providence To the Nomber of Twenty & Nine and By the Sistance of Corniel Arnolds Coppyney of Gra[n]naders Percaded To Pauteexset and Del[i]ver[e]d them To the ofers[er]s on Bord Commodore Hopkens fleet Lying near there in the Bay

per Mee — Martin Seaman Deputy Sher[e]f

Feas 20/