Head Quarters at Portsmouth Novr 1st 1775
General Sullivan being called to Head quarters upon business of Great Importance, takes this oppertunity to return his thanks to the Several Officers and Soldiers that have appeared under his command, for the cherfullness and alacrity they have Shewn in Compleating the works for defence of this Harbour The industry of the officers and men has fully convinced him of their disposition to defend and maintain them for the good of their Country ー
The General is deeply impressed with gratitude to the Committee of Safety for the great assistance they have Given him ー
as the General expects to return in four or five days, he thinks nessesary to give the following orders subject however to any Regulation and alterations by the Provincial Convention, or Committee of Safety (Vizt) Colo [Joshua] Wingate to have the chief Command and keep his Station at Seavey's Island, untill he shall find necessary upon the Prospect of an Engagement to take Some other Station ー Colo Burnam [Jonathan Burnham] to retain the Command of Pierce's Island ー Major [James] Hackett being appointed next in Command to Colo Burnam is to be considered and obeyd as Such, and is to take his Station at Great Island, and to Command there. Colo Cutts to retain his Command at Kittery Point and to Receive his orders from Colo Wingate ー the Riflemen to keep their Station at New-Castle till further orders ー
Capt Dearing is to imploy a Sufficiant number of hands and Compleat the Carriages at Kittery Point as soon as may be ー
The Soldiers are to be assembled at the Parapat and go through the Parapat fireings at least once a day Mr [William] Palfrey aid de Camp, to General [Charles] Lee, who generously offers to tarry with and assist the Troops in this Quarter till General Sullivan returnes, is to be obeyed and respected as an officer of Distinction, and the General Requires the officers and Soldiers, to treat and Respect him agreeable to the importance of his Station in the army.
Colo Wingate is desired to call upon Doctr Hall Jackson to lay out a Redoubt upon the Summet of the Hill upon the North part of Great Island, who will mark out the same agreable to the directions given him.
the works already begun are to be compleated as soon as possible on Each Island as well as on Kittery Point ー
the Gentleman who have the care of the Ships are intreated to moore them as soon as possible, & unless a Boom should be thought best, to sink three vessells in the narrow against Gunnerson's House, if the Boom is preferred, they are to provide two Fire Ships to lay above the Boom, and a small brestwork on each end of the boom, of about Sixty feet in Length, with two flanks running off at right angle of about fifteen feet each and open in the Rear are to be thrown up ー
The fire Rafts are to be placed in the following manner ー (Vizt) two at Adams's Wherehouse two at the parting of the tide below the boom ー two near the Western end of the boom ー and four above the boom as near as the tide will admit and the Residue above the town ー
In case a boom Should be thrown across crooked lane Channel, the General recommends two fire Rafts to be placed just above in addition to the ships and these to be taken from them Recommended to be placed above the town a Return of the number of the officers and men are to be made to the [Provincial], Congress as soon as possible by Colo Wingate ー
Capt [Caleb] Hodgdon with his company is to join the forces at Kittery Point immediately
The Redoubt which is to be thrown up is to have a Reentering angle in the middle of each Curtain in Order to flank the Enemy of which Doctr Jackson is to take notice
The artillery officers now here required to assist in laying out and Compleating the works.
A large number of boats should be collected and kept at Peirces Island ー partly above & partly below the boom in order to transport the men to Such Places as may be thought Necessary
The Fire Bucketts Ought to be Sent for and kept within the town to extinquish any houses that may be Set on Fire by the Enemy
In case the fleet should appear in Sight, the General recommands that Suspected persons be Desired to quit the town immediately, and upon refusal to be confined
As the barbarity of our Cruel and invetirate enemies has in many instances exceded that of the more Savage Barbarians, as they have fully proved that neither the tears of the aged or the cries of the Tender infant can have the least effect upon them, as Havock and Destruction Seemes to give them Pleasure and deducing to ashes the most Elegent and populous towns fills them with Delight ー we can have nothing to hope but from heaven and the Sword
The General therefore calls upon his Distressed Countrymen, and Conjures them in the name of amarica, by the Duty they owe to their God, their country, and them self, to quit themselves like men to meet those melicious enemies with a becomming fortitude inspired with a just resentment deal to them that Destruction which their unnatural and Cruel Conduct so justly merits.