GENERAL WARD TO THE MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS.

May 19, 1775.

SIR: It appears to me absolutely necessary that the Regiments be immediately settled; the officers commissioned; the soldiers numbered and paid, agreeable to what has been proposed by the Congress—if we would save our Country. I am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

A. WARD.

J. Warren, Esq., President of the Congress at Watertown.

JAMES RUSSELL TO JOSEPH WARREN.

Charlestown, May 19, 1775.

SIR: I yesterday, by Major Fuller, Mr. Whittemore, and Mr. Bliss, received a Resolve of the Congress appointing them a Committee to call on me to know whether I have any of the publick moneys in my hands. In answer thereto, I would desire you, Sir, to inform the Provincial Congress, that the light money for several years past since the increase of light-houses, and more especially since the obstructions of the last year upon our trade, has not been sufficient to defray the expense of said houses; and I have consequently been under a necessity to apply the money arising from the Impost for that purpose. Ever since I received the favours of my Country, in being chosen to the Impost Office, I have done all in my power in the discharge of my duty therein to their satisfaction. The means of procuring oil, by the unhappy and increasing troubles of our Country, appearing very uncertain and precarious, I have endeavoured to purchase as large a stock as I could; and as the Impost Bill expired the first of March last, the publick moneys I have in my hands will not be more than sufficient to enable me to pay for the oil contracted for to complete for the present year.
Your most humble servant,

JAMES RUSSELL.

Joseph Warren, Esq., President Provincial Congress.

ABIJAH BROWN TO THE COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

Watertown, May 19, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: Agreeable to your order I have removed the cannon under my care at Waltham, to the Town of Watertown, and have delivered them to the Committee of Correspondence for the same Town; and shall have my company in readiness to march to Cambridge to-morrow morning. I am, gentlemen, with much respect, your most obedient and most humble servant,

ABIJAH BROWN.

To the Hon. the Committee of Safety, at Cambridge.

PETITION OF BENJAMIN THOMPSON.

To the Honourable the Committee of Safety for the Colony of MASSACHUSETTS-BAY:

The Petition of BENJAMIN THOMPSON, Esq., of Concord, in the Province of NEW-HAMPSHIRE, humbly sheweth:

That on Monday, the 15th instant, your petitioner was taken up and confined in this Town, upon suspicion of being inimical to the liberties of this Country; and that in consequence of his being taken up, the Committee of Correspondence for the Town, after having given publick notice of the time and place of hearing, and desired all persons that could give evidence to attend, proceeded to an examination of the affair, agreeable to the recommendation of the Honourable Provincial Congress. But as no person appeared to lay any thing of consequence to his charge; and as the Committee were not pleased either to acquit or condemn him; and as his own personal safety, as well as the quiet and satisfaction of the publick, but more especially of the people of New-Hampshire, depends on his having an acquittance after the most publick, thorough, and impartial examination, your petitioner humbly prays that the Committee of Safety would be pleased to take the matter into consideration, and examine the same; and that they would be pleased to give notice of the time and place of hearing, not only to the people of New-Hampshire, and others that are in the Army at Cambridge, or elsewhere, but also that the publick in general, and the inhabitants of the Town of Concord, in the Province of New-Hampshire, and the adjacent Towns in particular, be desired to attend or send in depositions of what they know relative to the affair. And your petitioner, as in duty bound, shall ever pray, &c.,

BENJ. THOMPSON.

Woburn, May 19, 1775.

NEW-HAMPSHIRE COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

May 19, 1775.—A Committee of Safety was appointed by the Congress, consisting of the following persons, viz: Honourable Matthew Thornton, Doctor Josiah Bartlett, Esquire, Captain William Whipple, Nathaniel Folsom, Esquire, and Ebenezer Thompson, Esquire.

May 23, 1775.—The Committee of Safety was empowered by vote of the Congress to recommend persons they think proper for Chaplains, Surgeons, and Surgeons’ Mates, and also to procure proper forms for enlisting Soldiers.

May 24, 1775.—Israel Morey and Samuel Ashley, Esquires, Captain Josiah Moulton, and Reverend Samuel Webster, were added to the Committee of Safety; and said Committee was empowered to issue orders for enlisting men sufficient for one Regiment, in the same manner as is practised in the Massachusetts-Bay, and receive returns of men enlisted as is done there.

Accordingly, the same day the Committee gave orders to Winborn Adams of Durham, Winthrop Rowe of Kensington, Henry Elkins of Hampton, Samuel Gilman of Newmarket, Philip Tilton of Kingston, Benjamin Titcomb of Dover, Jonathan Wentworth of Somersworth, Jeremiah Clough of Canterbury, James Norris of Epping, and Zaccheus Clough of Poplin, to enlist each a Company; which orders, &c., were of the forms following:

“To.  .  .  .  .  .  
“SIR: You are hereby empowered immediately to enlist a Company, to consist of sixty-two able-bodied and effective men, well accoutred, including Sergeants, as Soldiers in the New-Hampshire service, for the preservation of American liberty, and cause them to pass muster as soon as possible.              .  .  .  .  .   Chairman.”

“Exeter,     .   .   .   1775.

“Whereas you have this day received orders for enlisting sixty-two Soldiers well accoutred, including Sergeants, for the New-Hampshire service, for the preservation of the liberties of America, you are hereby acquainted that the commission of a Captain in said service shall be made out for you as soon as you have completed the said enlistment, and you will also be allowed to nominate two Subalterns to serve under you, who will receive commissions accordingly, if the Committee shall approve of them.

“By order of the Committee of Safety:

“  .  .  .  .  .   Chairman.”

The Enlistment.

“We, the subscribers, do hereby severally solemnly engage and enlist ourselves as Soldiers in the New-Hampshire service for the preservation of the liberties of America, from the day of our enlistment to the last day of December next, unless the service should admit of a discharge of a part or the whole sooner, which shall be at the discretion of the Committee of Safety, and we hereby promise to submit ourselves to all the orders and regulations of the Army, and faithfully to observe and obey all such orders as we shall receive from time to time from our Officers.            .  .  .  .  .  

“  .  .  .  .  1775.”

NEW-HAMPSHIRE PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.

At a Convention of Deputies from the several Towns in the Province of New-Hampshire, met at Exeter, the 17th day of May, 1775, the following persons from the Towns, Parishes, and places respectively annexed to the several names being returned to sit as Members in this Convention, took their seats accordingly, viz:

PORTSMOUTH.—Captain William Whipple, Captain William