Voted. That Capt. Titus Salter & Capt. Eliphalet Daniel be appointed to go over to the Isles of Shoals and Inform all the Inhabitants there that it is the opinion of this Congress that the situation of said Islands are such that the Inhabitants are expos'd to our enemies in the Present unhappy controversie and may be obliged (by their weak Defenceless circumstances & Inability to Defend... Continue Reading
A few minutes after I tu[c]k my Leave off you Capt John Derby of Salem came to me and made a demand of the Guns Belonging to the Lee Schr which Collr [John] Glover borrow'd of him I interceeded with him as much as Lay in my Power to have them only for one Cruse more but he Utterly Refused and insists upon having off them imediately upon Receiving the demand I togeather with Collr. Glover Pursued... Continue Reading
Colony of the Massachusetts Bay } The Major part of the Council ー
To the Keeper of the Goal in Worcester in the County of Worcester ー
Greeting ー
You are hereby order'd & directed to take into your Custody, John Guilderoy, Wm Collins, John Smith, Benja Ward, George Morrison Alexr Gordon Soldiers; George Mitchell, James Richardson, Francis Ossy, Anthy Simmins, Jacob Wilson, Joseph Mason Seamen... Continue Reading
A Petition of John Bunker, of Mount Desert, representing that in Nov. last he took and carried into Goldsborough, a Schooner between fifty and sixty Tons, bound from Nova-Scotia to Boston, and laden with Cattle, Butter, Cheese, &c. and praying that he may have Orders from the Court to remove her to some secure place for his benefit and that of his Country.
Read and committed to Mr. [James]... Continue Reading
I have had the Honour to receive your Letters of the 2d and 3d instant, the last inclosing Extracts from a Dispatch from Lord Dartmouth, one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State to your Excellency, fully acquainting me with the Scope of his Majesty's Intentions respecting the present War with the Rebels. The Mercury is the Ship with me best calculated for the Service proposed to the... Continue Reading
Lieutenant [Christopher] Mason, who now, commanded the Nautilus by Order, 2 received directions of the accustomed kind to proceed to Sea and cruize in Boston Bay and about Cape Anne and Marblehead; to be careful not to be blown off; in bad Weather to anchor off Cat Island, in Cape Cod Harbour, Nantasket Road, or any Place he should think best, and put to Sea again as soon as Weather... Continue Reading
Jany '76 Friday 5th
Moored in Boston Harbour at 10 AM fired a Gun and made the Signal to Unmoor, Unmoor'd & hove short on the Small Br at ½ past 11 fired a Gun & made the Signal to weigh, at noon weigh'd & made sail, with H. Majys schooner Hinchinbrook, the Symetry, Hatfield, Diana & Whitby Transports, Running out of the Light House Channell: Ships draught of water abaft, 16... Continue Reading
DESERTED from the Continental Navy, the following Persons, viz. Daniel Collier, a short thick Fellow, about 23 or 24 Years of Age, has a red Face, Pockbroken stutters very much, supposed to be gone to the Eastward. ー An Indian Fellow named Ben Hazard, about 23 or 24 years of Age, about 5 feet, 5 or 6 Inches high, supposed to be gone to Hoosack. ー John Young, about 5 Feet 3 Inches high, about 35... Continue Reading
Moved to conclude where the 4 row-gallies lately ordered by the Assembly under the direction of said committee shall be built, and on consideration resolved, that one of them be built at Norwich, and one at East Haddam, and tho't proper not now to determine as to the other two.
On a letter and request from Mr. Dean [Silas Deane] in behalf of the Naval Committee at Congress, requesting that Cap. [... Continue Reading
Colony of Connecticut
To James Rice
Dr
Jany 5th To 16 Four pound Carriages
a 35/
28..ー..ー
To 0.2.q 3 lb Iron
19.. 8
To Caleb Fords Bill For mending a Gun
1.. 4..ー
To Hamblin Dwight for Carting Guns
18..ー
To Stephen Herrick For painting Carriages
15..ー
To Hezekiah Sabins Bill For Paints & Oil
19.. 7½
To 16... Continue Reading
Enclosed is a Copy of a Paper said to be wrote in New England, and sent to all the Sea Coasts in North America, to persuade the People to suffer their Towns to be destroyed rather than supply the King's Ships with Provisions....
The Provincial Congress here have given Leave to some Persons to export Country Produce, on Condition of importing the Value in Powder, and other military Stores. A Copy... Continue Reading
The Committee of claims reported, that there is due to Adam Fischer, for expences attending his conducting [John] Connolly and [Allen] Cameron from Frederick, in Maryland to Philadelphia, and his charges back again for himself and men, the sum of 156 dollars.
Ordered, That the same be paid.
The Congress having conferred with the gentlemen sent to Congress by the Convention of New York, 2... Continue Reading
[Philadelphia] Friday 5 [January]. Mr [Thomas] Palmer & Capt [John Grenell] from New York called in & examined as to the Fortifications to be built on Hudsons River, this affair took up several Hours & was at last, after passing a Resoln to abandon the Works at Martilers Rock with [Bernard] Roman's the Projector of them & to fortify at Poplopens Hill, referred back to the N. York... Continue Reading
Orders and Directions for the Commander in Chief of the Fleet of the United Colonies
You are to take care that proper discipline good order and peace be preserved amongst all the Ships, and their companies, under your command
You are to direct the Several Captains to make out and deliver monthly or oftner, an exact return of the officers seamen and marines on board of each respecting vessel... Continue Reading
The United Colonies directed by principles of just and necessary preservation against the oppressive and cruel System of the British Administration whose violent and hostile proceedings by Sea and land against these unoffending Colonies, have rendered it an indespensible duty to God, their Country and Posterity to prevent by all means in their Power the ravage, desolation and ruin that is... Continue Reading
You being Commander of the Sloop Hornet in the senrice of the United Colonies, are instructed as soon as the said Sloop shall be armed and manned, to proceed down the Bay of Chesapeak so far as to be certain of not being interrupted by the ice, and choose some safe and convenient Station for annoying the Enemy in every way you can. You are also to order the Schooner Wasp to follow or accompany... Continue Reading
The Congress attentive to the safety and security of every part of the united Colonies, and observing the peculiar distresses that the Colony of Virginia is liable to from a Marine enemy, have with all possible expedition fitted out a small fleet of Armed Vessels, which they have ordered in the first place to the Bay of Chesapeak, if the winds and weather permit, there to seize and destroy as... Continue Reading
I am Informed that Barney Mullen 2 a young man belonging to the Experiment Arm'd Boat under my Command is Now Confined on board the Ship under your Command Should be much Obliged to you to order him out of Confinement and let him Returne to his duty onboard the Sd arm'd Boat I am sir [&c.]
Robert Towers, Commissary, Reports his having deliver'd the following Articles on account of the Continental Congress, vizt.:
2400
lbs. Grape shot, d'd Capt. [Nathaniel] Falconer. 2
758
lbs. Musket Ball.
242
6 pound Canon Ball.
200
4 pound do.
26
Cross Barr, Sliding & Starr Shot.
13
Swivel Shot.
1000
ditto small.
38
Barrels,
Gunpowder weight 6500 lbs.
18
half... Continue Reading
Inclosed I send you the Deposition of a certain Capt John Horn of Providence in Rhode Island who arrived here this day. By said Deposition it appears, That there is the greatest Reason to believe the Ships of War have fired upon & destroyed the Town of Norfolk in Virginia. I thought it a matter of so much Importance that the Congress should have the earliest Advice of this important... Continue Reading