exact accounts thereof at any time before the making up of the Muster Rolls: and the said Captains are hereby directed to give orders for such articles only as they judge necessary for their respective soldiers, not exceeding one half of the wages that shall at any time be due to them, and to cause the same to be deducted from their wages on making up the muster rolls.

Ordered, That Doctor Church, the President, Colonel Dexter, Colonel Warren, and Mr. Gerry, be a Committee to prepare a spirited application to General Gage, respecting his treatment of the inhabitants of Boston.

Ordered, That the same gentlemen be a Committee to consider what provision shall be made for furnishing such enlisted Soldiers as are unprovided with Fire-Arms, with such effective Fire-Arms as are necessary for them to carry into the field.

Ordered, That Colonel Barrett, Doctor Holten, and Colonel Danielson, be a Committee to take into consideration a printed false account of the late excursion of the King’s Troops to Concord.

The Order of the Day was moved for.

Ordered, That Colonel Farley, Doctor Holt en, and Colonel Danielson, be a Committee to sort and count the votes for a Muster-Master.

The Committee appointed to sort and count the votes for a Muster-Master, in the room of Colonel John Whitcomb, who declined accepting that trust, reported that Colonel Asa Whitcomb was chosen.

A motion was made and seconded, that a Committee be appointed to take into consideration, the expediency of restraining the people of this Colony from supplying the inhabitants of Boston with Provisions.

After debate, the question was put, and it passed in the negative.

Adjourned to three o’clock, P. M.

Afternoon.

On a motion made, that the Resolve passed yesterday, assigning Friday next, three o’clock, P. M., for the consideration of the expediency of assuming Government, be reconsidered, and that an earlier day be assigned for that purpose:

The question was put, and it passed in the negative.

Ordered, That Mr. Pickering be added to the Committee appointed to take into consideration an equal representation of this Colony, in the room of Mr. Rawson, absent.

Ordered, That Mr. Sawyer, Colonel Foster and Mr. Dix, be a Committee to take into consideration the expediency of establishing Post-Offices and Riders in this Colony.

The Committee who were appointed to prepare a Remonstrance to General Gage, reported. The Report was ordered to lie on the table until the further orders of this Congress.

The same Committee, agreeably to their appointment, reported a Resolve relative to furnishing those enlisted Soldiers with Fire-Arms who are unequipped therewith; which, after debate, was ordered to be recommitted.

Ordered, That Captain Stone, of Framingham, be added to the Committee who was appointed to consider of some measures to be taken with respect to the County Records, in the room of Mr. Brown, of Abington, now absent.

The Committee appointed to consider the expediency of establishing Post-Offices and Riders, in this Colony, reported; whereupon,

Resolved, That the further consideration thereof be referred till to-morrow morning, ten o’clock.

The Committee appointed to consider the false account of the late excursion of the King’s Troops, reported; which Report being read, amended, and completed, was accepted, and is as follows, viz:

Whereas, a printed paper, said to be a circumstantial account of an attack which happened on the 19th of April, 1775, on His Majesty’s Troops, by a number of the people of the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay, has been read in this Congress; which contains, among many falsehoods, the following paragraph, viz:

“When Captain Parsons returned with the three Companies over the bridge, [at Concord,] they observed three soldiers on the ground, one of them scalped, his head much mangled, and his ears cut off, though not quite dead.”

Resolved, That Colonel Barrett be, and hereby is directed to make strict inquiry of the persons who saw the three soldiers aforementioned lying at the said bridge, and also of those who buried them, and take their depositions, that so the truth or falsity of the aforesaid assertion may be ascertained.

The Committee appointed to consider of some method for furnishing those Soldiers with Fire-Arms who are not therewith equipped, again reported.

The Report was read, and is as follows, viz:

Whereas, a few of the inhabitants of this Colony, who are enlisted into its service, are destitute of Fire-Arms and Bayonets, and other accoutrements: Therefore,

Resolved, That the Selectmen of the several Towns and Districts in this Colony be, and hereby are directed and empowered to examine into the state of the equipment of such inhabitants of their respective Towns and Districts as are, or may be enlisted into the service of this Colony; and where any are deficient in Arms or Accoutrements as aforesaid, it is recommended to the Selectmen to supply them out of the Town Stock; and in case of a deficiency there, to apply to such inhabitants of their respective Towns and Districts, as in their opinions can best spare their Arms or Accoutrements, and to borrow, or purchase the same for the use of said inhabitants so enlisted: and the Selectmen are also directed to take a bill from such persons as shall sell their Arms and Accoutrements in the name of this Colony, and receipts from the soldiers to whom they shall cause them to be delivered, and render the same to the Committee of Supplies for this Colony: and each soldier so supplied, shall pay for the use of such Arms and Accoutrements, out of his wages, the sum of six shillings; and if he does not return the said Arms and Accoutrements, there shall be deducted from his wages, at the time of making up the muster-roll, the full value of said Arms and Accoutrements, as appraised by the Selectmen, at the time of borrowing or purchasing the same. And it is strongly recommended to such inhabitants of the Colony as the Selectmen as aforesaid shall apply to for Arms and Accoutrements, that they supply the Colony with the same.

And as many Arms in this Colony which are now useless may, by small repairs, be rendered fit for service,

Resolved, That a sufficient number of Armourers, not exceeding twenty, be appointed by the Committee of Safety, to mend and repair such Arms as shall be brought to them by the Soldiers enlisted into the Massachusetts Army.

Ordered, That Mr. Webster, Major Fuller, and Mr. Batchelder, be a Committee to get this Resolve published and dispersed.

Adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o’clock.

Wednesday, May 10, 1775.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to confer with the Committee of Safety upon the general state of the Army, be directed particularly to confer with them on the propriety of removing the whole or part of the Cannon and Stores now at Cambridge, further back into the country.

Resolved, That the General Officers be, and are hereby directed, forthwith, to call in all the Soldiers who are already enlisted in the service of this Colony; and that they give immediate orders to all the enlisted. Soldiers, and all others now in the Camp at Cambridge and Roxbury, that they do not depart till the further orders of this Congress.

A Petition from the Committees of Correspondence and the Committees of Inspection for the Town of Pownalborough, was preferred by Joseph Tinkham.

Ordered, That this Petition lie on the table.

Ordered, That the Resolve passed by this Congress the 23d ultimo, recommending to the Selectmen of the several Towns in this. Colony to furnish each Non-commissioned Officer and Private Soldier with a Blanket, be fairly copied by the Secretary, and printed in a handbill, and sent to the Selectmen of the several Towns and Districts in the Colony.

Ordered, That the Petition from Pownalborough just now read, be delivered to Mr. Joseph Tinkham, agreeably to his request.