Colonel Benjamin Hinman is appointed to the command of the troops at Ticonderoga, consisting of one thousand men from this Colony, well armed, and furnished with one pound of powder and three pounds of ball to each man, with flints sufficient; besides this we have also sent there about eight hundred pounds of powder. Colonel Hinman is a gentleman, in whom we trust full confidence may be placed. On giving my orders to him, (dated 29th of May, 1775,) instructed him to keep up the strictest vigilance to prevent any hostile incursions from being made into the settlements in the Province of Quebeck.

In compliance with the other resolution of Congress, I have appointed a Commissary to receive at Albany, and forward the supplies of provisions for the forces on Lake Champlain, with directions to him, with advice of Colonel Hinman, to employ such others under him as that service shall appear to require.

I am, with great truth and regard, Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

JONATHAN TRUMBULL.

To Hon. John Hancock, Esquire.

ABIATHAR ANGEL TO MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS.

Watertown, June 9, 1775.

HONOURED SIR: I take this method to communicate to you my present unhappy situation, viz: that I have a company of men now lying at Worcester, which I enlisted and brought from the remotest parts of this Province, many of them having been in the expedition to Ticonderoga, and now enlisted as Rangers in the service of this Province; and whereas, as matters have turned, there is not such an establishment.

I came off myself in the alarm after the battle of Concord, from my house, one hundred and forty miles from here, and here staid many days a volunteer, on my own expense; but seeing nothing of importance speedily to be done, and that there was a regular establishment on foot for a standing army, I received orders from David Brewer, of Kingston, from under the hand of the honourable Committee of Safety, for enlisting a company of Rangers into the service of this Province; and judging the men to be greatly wanted, I exerted myself in speedily raising and equipping said company, and have expended above twenty Pounds for said purpose, and marched my men away, greatly against the minds of the inhabitants from whence they came, on account of the commotions to the westward. But being under no regular establishment to go that way, I marched my men forward, and came as far as Worcester; there halted last Sunday, and came forward myself, previously hearing of some difficulties attending Colonel Brewer’s establishment, of which you, Sir, are not unapprised. I have been now in waiting ever since Tuesday last, endeavouring to obtain some orders and directions from the honourable Congress in regard to my situation. The situation of about fifty men, who have, most of them, been in the service near six weeks at Ticonderoga, without receiving the least consideration for the same, surely demands some attention; for them to be now disbanded, when they have laid out of their business for the season, will be almost the ruin of many; and as they are so greatly wanted to the westward, I have petitioned the House for orders to march them to Ticonderoga, but have received as yet no orders thereon. I most earnestly entreat you, Sir, to have some regard to my situation, and use your influence for my relief.

I am, Sir, your sincere friend, and most obedient servant,

ABIATHAR ANGEL.

To the Honourable the Provincial Congress for the Province of MASSACHUSETTS-BAY:

The Petition and Remonstrance of ABIATHAR ANGEL, of LANESBOROUGH, in the County of BERKSHIRE, humbly showeth:

That the petitioner came off from his home, one hundred and forty miles from this place, a volunteer, in the alarm after the battle of Concord, and here staid several days on his own expense, and seeing nothing of importance to be speedily done, and that there was a regular establishment on foot for a standing army, received orders from Captain David Brewer, signed by the Chairman of the Committee of Safety, for raising a company of Rangers in the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay, for the defence of the liberties of America. And that your petitioner, judging said men to be greatly wanted, exerted himself to raise a company, and expended upwards of twelve Pounds, lawful money, in effecting the same, and marched them from the remotest part of this Province, greatly against the minds of the inhabitants where they came from, on account of the commotions to the northward; but as your petitioner was under no regular establishment from authority to go that way, I marched my men forward towards Head-Quarters at Cambridge, and came as far as Worcester, where they now, by my orders, remain. I do, therefore, at the earnest request of the Committees and principal inhabitants of sundry Towns from whence they came, earnestly pray this honourable Congress that I may be regularly appointed, by the authority of this Province, to march with my company to Ticonderoga, for the safely and protection of the inhabitants in the northwestern frontiers of this Province. And your petitioner, as in duty bound, shall ever pray.

ABIATHAR ANGEL.

JOHN LANE TO THE MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS.

Fort Pownall, June 9, 1775.

SIR: I have proceeded agreeable to my orders, as you will see by the enclosed journal, and have got one of the chiefs to go as an ambassador, attended by three young men, as far as Falmouth, and I am in hopes to be able to get them as far as Watertown. I could not have thought that they had been so hearty in the cause, and are very ready to assist us, if occasion requires. The Canada Indians are all of the same mind. The Indians are now here, and we shall go to Casco-Bay to-morrow, when I shall write more fully. I am, Sir, with respect, your much obliged servant,

JOHN LANE.

Honourable Joseph Warren, Esquire.

The following is my journal to Penobscot, in behalf of the honourable Provincial Congress:

Monday, May 22, 1775.—I received my orders from the Congress, by James Sullivan, Esquire, Monday, and proceeded to Falmouth, where I arrived on the 24th current, and applied to Colonel Preble and the gentlemen belonging to the Committee for that place, who supplied me with some stores for the Indians. On Sunday, the 28th of said month, set sail for Penobscot, and arrived at Boothbay the same day. Monday morning sailed about ten miles towards Penobscot, and meeting with a sloop at sea, commanded by David Hanwood, bound for Penobscot, which I got on board of and proceeded. Tuesday, the 30th, arrived at a place called Owl’s-Head, at the mouth of Penobscot-Bay. The 31st set sail to go up the Bay, and got up to the fort.

The first of June, when I waited on Colonel Goldthwait, and acquainted him of my business, who was willing to do every thing in his power for the good of the Province, and offered me all the assistance possible to forward my business and any sort of provision or clothing that I should want for the Indians, which I accepted, and ordered the interpreter of the fort to go with me to assist in my business. The second day of June I went up the river, accompanied by said interpreter and an Indian of the Penobscot tribe, and got up to the Truck-House the same day; there met a number of this tribe, and informed them of my business, among whom was an Englishman, belonging to the St. François tribe, who gave me the greatest assurance of his utmost abilities to engage the St. François tribe in our behalf, and doubted not but he could accomplish it; and I think this Englishman is a man of truth, by the conversation I had with him, and may be relied on. On the third I had some discourse with them, when they agreed to go up to their village to bring their chiefs down to the Truck-House, to know their minds respecting going to the westward. Sunday, the fourth, four of their chiefs, accompanied by a number of Indians, came to the Truck-House, and after my making known my proposals to them, they told me they fully understood the nature of the thing, and, after some talk, agreed to send one of their chiefs as an ambassador, and three of the young