To the Honble the Council of the State of Massachusetts Bay, the Petition of Josiah Batchelder jr & Co Humbly Sheweth,

That your Petitioners have fitted out & Acquipted the Brigt Calld the Retaliation, for a Privateer, to Cruize on the Enemies of the United States of America, and having conformed to all the Resolves & Regulations of the Honble the Grand American Congress, & of the General Court of this State Relative to fitting out private Ships of War Humbly pray that your Hon. nors would be pleased to Commisionate the within Named Persons, with full Power to proceed on Their Cruize &c and your Petitioners as in duty Bound Shall Ever pray, in behalf of himself & Co

Josⁱ Batchelder Jr

An Account of the Brigt Retaliation Stores & Appurtinances as Followeth - viztー

Brigt Retaliation about Seventy five tons
Ten Carriage Guns from four to two pounders
Nine Swiv[e]l Guns ー
Josiah Batchelder junr & Co of Beverly Owners
Eleazer Giles ー Captain
Thomas Stephens junr first Lieut
John Procter junr Second Lieut
Seventy Menー
Fifty Barrils Beef & Pork
Four thousand wt Bread
Four Quintalls Fish
Six Jarrs Oyl
ten Bushels Potatoes
five hundred wt Powder
Eighty wt Musket Balls
four hundred Cannon [Shot]
Twenty five Small arms
Thirty Cutlassesー
Ten La[nc]es

These May Certify that the above is a True Acct of the Brigantine Called the Retaliation to Gether with her Stores Appurtinances & Acquipment &c. Beverly Septr 2d 1776. ー ²

[Endorsed] In Council [Watertown] Sept 4[th] 1776 Read & Ordered that the Above mentioned Eleazer Giles be commissionated as Comr of the Brigt Retaliation he complying with the Resolves of Congressー

Samuel Adams Secry