Sir

At the thought of the Committee appointed to act during the Recess of the General Assembly I give you the following Orders and Instructions ー You are with the Sloop Katy and the Officers and Men to her belonging under your Command to embrace the First suitable Time and proceed with said Sloop on a Cruise against the Enemies of the United Colonies ー You are to cruize with the said Sloop from Nantucket Shoals to Halifax for so long a Time as you shall think proper not exceeding Six Weeks. ー You are to take all Vessels with Soldiers Arms Ammunition Provisions Naval or Warlike or other Stores for the Supply of the Ministerial Army and Navy now acting in America against the United Colonies And for your Encouragement and that of your Officers and Men the Hon'ble the Continental Congress have ordered that One Half of the Prizes you shall take shall be divided among you according to the Value thereof over and above your Wages ー You are also to retake all such Vessels as shall have been taken by the Enemy and in their Possession ー And such Prizes as you shall take you will send into this or the First safe Port in doing which you will use your utmost Judgment & Knowled[ge]

Capt Abraham Whipple Commander of the Sloop in the Service of the Colony of Rhode Island

[Endorsed]

Pawtucket Novem 13th 1775

I acknowledge this to be a true Copy of the Orders I have received from the Honble Nicholas Cooke Esqr Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island which I oblige myself to follow

[Postscript by Cooke] There are some Sloops & Schooners cruising upon the same Service Should You meet any Vessels as the Means of knowing whether they are upon the same Service the Signal agreed upon is Your hoisting your Ensign upon the Topping Lift

Nich Cooke

[Second endorsement] I acknowledge the above Postcript to be part of my Orders²