To The Honourable, The Continental Congress.

The Petition of Hector M^cNeill, most humbly Sheweth,

That your petitioner, haveing had the honour of commanding the continental ship Boston, did Sail on a cruise from Nantasket road, on the 21^st. of May 1777; in company with, and under the command of John Manley Esq^r. commander of the Hancock— 

That dureing the aforesaid cruise a British Frigate, call'd the Fox;¹ was capture'd, by the continental Ships above mentioned; which Frigate was lost on the 7^th of July Last, and the Hancock Also on the day following, both taken by the Enemey— 

That in consequence of this Loss—courts Martial have been held on both the commanders of the Continental Ships,—by the proceedings of which courts and more especially their finall Sentence,²—Your Petitioner thinks hims[elf] exceedingly agreived; inasmuch as he finds himself thereby rob’d of his reputation and exposed to perpetuall infamy (as he humbly conceives) without even the Shaddow of Law, or justice, as will Sufficiently appear by the Severall reasons set forth in his protest of the 30^th. June 1778—³ 

Your Petitioner humbly presumes, that he can make it appear—That he has not been guilty of any offence within the compass of any of the Articles of war Prescribed by the Honourable Congress for the government of the american Navy—and thinks it extreamly hard to be condemn'd by Opinion or Prejudice, without Law—he therefore most humbly implores the mercy, &c justice of the honb^le Congress, to Save him from the impending ruin, with which he is threatned, and prays that they would order the proceedings of the aforesaid Court Martial to be revised, or take Such other Steps as their wisdom Shall think most Expedient for procureing him that Justice which he finds himself under a Necessity of Seeking from them alone—and your Petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray &c^a. &c^a. 

Philadelphia 25^th July 1778.