and stationed to act, for this season, in the environs of Boston. Thirteen thousand six hundred was the number supposed by our Congress to be this Colony’s proportion of such an Army, and that number we have, to our utmost, been endeavouring fully to complete; but because there are deficiencies in our Regiments, as your Honour well knows there always will be in such cases, in order to make that quota good we have been obliged to increase the number of the Regiments; but still there is a deficiency. And because of the inexpressible importance of having our Army effectually strong, we are, with unremitted efforts, and by every device, at vast expense, labouring to make that number fully complete, or rather to exceed it.

May it please your Honour: Because we are so vastly apprehensive of the fatal consequences of a general defeat of this Army to the whole American cause, and are so unutterably solicitous to have it effectually strengthened, we have called in every individual of our levies, from all our out-posts, to join the Army, although by that measure we expose all our Towns on the sea-coast to the rage and depredations of the enemy, and run the dreadful risk of the best of our Towns being reduced to ashes, and taking the miserable fate of Charlestown.

We beg leave to acquaint your Honour that it is most clearly our opinion, and that we have the best grounds to suppose, that as soon as the enemy have recovered a little breath from their amazing fatigues of the seventeenth of June, and the surprising losses which they then undoubtedly sustained shall be made up by arrivals of new troops, which is almost daily taking place, they will direct all their force to some one point, and make the utmost efforts to force our lines, destroy our magazines, and thereby strike general terrour and amazement into the hearts of the inhabitants of the whole Continent.

From this view of the case we cannot a moment longer forbear addressing your Honour, and most earnestly suggesting to the immediate consideration of your General Assembly, not only the expediency, but indispensable necessity of an immediate augmentation of the Troops from your Colony, for the more effectual strengthening of the Army. What the number of the augmentation ought to be, we most cheerfully submit to the good judgment of your Assembly, not in the least doubting but their wisdom and justice will direct and dispose them to do all that is proper in so important a crisis as we really consider the present.

We need not express to your Honour the indispensable necessity of despatch in making re-enforcements, nor the propriety and advantage of marching any new levies, which your Assembly may order with all possible speed, without the first raised Companies waiting for the completion of others; inasmuch as your Colony has here on the spot all the proper officers to make the necessary disposition, for their reception, and as the season of their being of any advantage for the support of our Army may be irrevocably lapsed before their arrival, if the least unnecessary delay should be indulged.

We have made a representation to the Lieutenant-Governour-of Rhode-Island, similar to the foregoing, and are about to make a like representation to the Congress of New-Hampshire, and to send the same by special express.

We suppose the whole number of our enemy’s land forces, when Joined with the four Regiments which were ordered to New-York, will amount to upwards of ten thousand, exclusive of negroes and tories, who are every way-provided and furnished in the best manner for action.

We have the fullest confidence that your Honour’s zeal and ardour for the salvation of our Country, and the preservation of our inestimable rights, will render any importunity unnecessary to induce yon to take all the requisite steps to effect the proposed augmentation for which we are most solicitous.

To Governour Trumbull.

MASSACHUSETTS COMMITTEE OF SAFETY TO THE SELECT-MEN OF BRADFORD.

Cambridge, June 25, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: It gives us great concern that we are obliged to address you on a subject which we are convinced must be disagreeable; but the department we are placed in, and the safety of this Colony, demand our exertions, which, with yours, will, we hope, put an end to all such disorders as have taken place in the instance to which we would now proceed. We are informed by Captain Gage that a company of fifty men were enlisted under his command as Minute-men, in the Town of Bradford, agreeable to a recommendation of the Provincial Congress; and we find, by said enlistment, they engaged to serve for the term of one year from February, 1775. We are also informed that said men refused enlisting anew, agreeable to the late order of Congress for establishing an army, but have, notwithstanding, been doing duty in the camp, and it was expected by their officers and this Committee, that they would continue in the service agreeable to their engagement; but to our surprise we are informed that the whole of said Company, save two men, have scandalously deserted the cause of their Country, and stained their own honour by leaving the camp and returning home; by which conduct they have forfeited all their pay, and set an example which, if followed, must injure the important cause we are engaged in. We therefore must, in the strongest terms, urge that you use your influence in this matter in such way as shall tend to bring those persons to such a sense of their bad conduct as may cause them to return to their duty; for should such base conduct not be put a stop to, how would our character in this Colony appear to our brethren in the sister Colonies? We apprehend we need not say any thing further to urge you to exert yourselves in this affair, but that the importance of putting a stop to such proceedings will be of sufficient weight with you to act such a part as will do you honour and your country service.

We are, &c.

N. B. Should they return and continue in their duty, they will no doubt be entitled to and receive pay for their whole services.

GEN. FOLSOM TO NEW-HAMPSHIRE COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

June 25, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: In my letter of the twenty-third instant, I informed you that Colonel Stark refused subordination to my orders; but yesterday he made such submission as induces me to desire you to pass over said letter, so far as it relates to him, unnoticed. He has three supernumerary Companies, one of which very lately joined his Regiment: pray your orders with respect to them. In my letter of the fourth instant I omitted mentioning that the Captain-General could as poorly supply me matrosses as artillery. ’Tis needless to mention that a camp is insecure without artillerymen in proportion to the battalion. The New-Hampshire forces, in their present station, are in a great measure independent of the other forces, and, if occasion requires, the few matrosses in our camp (scarcely sufficient to manage a few small field-pieces) may be detached from us, and the camp left entirely destitute. I therefore pray your judgment whether it is not more eligible to draft out one half the Artillery Company designed to be raised in Portsmouth, to join your forces here, with a good Engineer, as soon as may be.

If you cannot procure any expert gunner in New-Hampshire; several persons have been recommended to me by members of the Massachusetts Congress, who I believe may be procured by proper encouragement.

I am your most obedient humble servant,

NATHANIEL FOLSOM.

To the Honourable Committee of Safety for the Colony of New-Hampshire.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM AN OFFICER OF THE ARMY IN BOSTON TO HIS FRIEND IN ENGLAND, DATED JUNE 25, 1775.

When I left England, the service on which I am now come was even at that time irksome and disagreeable, but now it is doubly so. The cause in which we are concerned is entirely obliterated; our disputes, as from man’ to man, are of a private nature. The people of the country have, by various methods, exasperated and enraged us; and to free ourselves from a situation so disagreeable and confined, there is not any thing we would not attempt, I confess, upon the grand basis of this business we all unanimously