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Sir, Since my Letter to you of the 24h Ult: by Ensign Hill, the greater part of the people in this part of the Country have been constantly under Arms, threatning destruction to the Persons and Properties of those who refuse to join with them; in the Town of Brunswick near Kennebeck River, two Hundred of them Assembled, took Mr [Edward] Parry the Contractors Agent for the Navy Masts into Custody and all the Masts in the River belonging to him, which they hourly threaten to destroy: they also laid hold of Five of the principal Friends to Government, one of which they buried Alive, and put the rest in Jail;² as soon as they had finished this, they resolved to embark on board of Two Sloops in order to repair to Falmouth, board, and burn the Canceaux, and the two Vessels she has in Charge, this Resolution was made known here, the Night before last, upon which their Associates of the Town assembled, disapproved of the Plan, and refused Assistance, excepting Major [Enoch] Freeman and the lower Class; ー this Man I have mentioned in my former Letters as a leading Instrument of Sedition in these parts, and it is a great pity he should be left so long among them. Since I was made acquainted with this History I have dared them to put their Plan in execution though the Ship is not manned equal to my wishes, yet the few Hands that I have picked up since I have been here, gives me a fairer prospect of the safety of those Vessels I have in Charge. The new Ship is now almost in a Condition to go to Sea, which she would have been some time ago, had the Smiths and Carpenters been suffered to work, the labourers to a Man refuse to load, and as yet Mr. [Thomas] Coulson has not been able to procure any Seamen, although he has used every means, not only here, but at Marblehead and Salem, to which place he sent the Master of his Sloop for that purposeー

The Friends of Government of this Town, have represented their situation to General [Thomas] Gage, and they have also requested me to spare them an Officer and a few Hands to go in a Vessel to Boston, which they have hired for that purpose; a Copy of which Application I herewith enclose:³indeed I am happy in this opportunity myself, as I am still without a reply to the Letters that I wrote to Captain [Andrew] Barkley; though I can now have but poor hopes of your sparing any Marines, if there is any truth in the reports that circulate here.

Mr [William] Tyng the Sheriffe of this County carries the Petition to the General, and at the same time means to pay his respects to You: this Gentleman is well acquainted with the dispositions of the People in this part of the Country and not less so with the Seditious and Rebellious Principles that are daily practiced hereabouts, by which he has suffered not a little. With this I transmit the State and Condition of the Armed Ship under my Command. I am Sir [&c.]