Whereas the Rebels have invaded his Majesty's Province of Canada, and taken the Kings Vessels on the Lakes; And his Excellency General Carleton hath required the Assistance of some of the Kings Squadron.
You are hereby required and directed to proceed in his Majesty's Sloop under your Command without a Moments Loss of time to Quebec, and on your Arrival you are to acquaint his Excellency the Governor, or the Commander in Chief of the sd Province for the time being, that you are ready to co-operate with and assist his Excellency against the Rebels to the utmost of your power, which you are hereby strictly required to do on every occasion. And you are to proceed to Montreal, or to any other part up and down the River as shall be thought best for the Kings Service, endeavouring in all things to demonstrate your Zeal for it by an active and steady discharge of your Duty. And his Majesty's Brig Gaspee being also stationed in the River St Lawrence for the purpose of co-operating with his Majestys Land Forces against the Rebels, you are hereby required and directed to give Lieut. [William] Hunter such Orders for his Guidance as the Kings Service may require.
You are both to remain stationed in the River St Lawrence for the purposes aforementioned until further Orders, giving me from time to time the most particular Accounts of your whole proceedings, with such further Remarks and Intelligence as are proper and necessary for me to be acquainted with. If at any time it shall become necessary or you shall be ordered to leave the River and go to any other part of this Continent, you are to be sure to compleat your Provisions at Quebec to four Months of all Species or as much as you can conveniently stow.
And you are further strictly ordered to be very particular in putting into Execution the Acts of Parliament for restraining the Trade of the Colonies, and all other Orders and Directions you have received, that the Rebels may have no Resources we can possibly deprive them of.
Given under my hand on board his Majs Ship Preston at Boston the 10th September 1775
