recommend him if there should be a vacancy. Colonel Porter was, in conjunction with Colonel Patterson, and by agreement with Colonel Patterson, to have the chief command in that Regiment, and officiated some time in that capacity, waiting for the men raised by Colonel Porter’s orders to arrive; but they not arriving so soon as expected, and another officer with several companies arriving, and offering to join and fill Colonel Patterson’s Regiment, Colonel Porter said he was willing to resign rather than the publick service should be bindered. Since this, we are informed by Colonel Porter that the men raised by his orders are upon their march to Cambridge. Col. Joseph Henshaw expected to have the command of Lieutenant-Colonel in General Ward’s Regiment, and the dispute between him and Colonel Ward having been already laid before Congress and acted upon, we would only represent that he has signified to this Committee that a number of companies incline to go under him, as will appear by his return, which accompanies this Report.

About five or six weeks past Mr. Greenleaf applied to the Committee of Safety, desiring that the men raised in and about Newbury might not be annexed to Colonel Gerrish Regiment, or any other where it would be disagreeable to them. He afterwards applied to this Committee respecting said men, and desired that the eight companies enlisted upon orders issued by this Committee, through Colonel Gerrish’s ands, who have since petitioned in favour of Colonel Little’s taking the command of them, might be put under him as Colonel of a Regiment. We then found we had given orders for as many Regiments as would complete the Establishment made by this Colony, and therefore did not give said Colonel Little any orders to raise a Regiment, but promised that if any vacancy should happen, he should have the preference. We find said companies were early in the field, and have done duty ever since, and are very well equipped.

Early after the 19th of April this Committee sent ten sets of beating orders to the Honourable General Preble, desiring him to give out said orders to such persons as he thought suitable for commissions, in order to form a Regiment; and Colonel March was also supplied with ten sets of orders, for the purpose of raising a Regiment to be commanded by him. Soon after it was represented to us by the Committee of Correspondence for Falmouth, that it would be inconvenient to that County, in their exposed situation, to raise men for the Army, and the same was agreed to by Colonels Finney and March in the Committee; on which we wrote to General Preble, informing him of the same, but heard nothing further until about six days past, we received a return from Colonel Finney of about five hundred men, enlisted in a Regiment to go under his command, and Colonel March certified that he had agreed to come in as his second; the copy of which letter to General Preble accompanies this. Colonel Sergeant’s case having been represented to Congress, the copy of said representation accompanies this Report.

The Committee beg leave to represent that the reason why more enlisting orders were delivered out than were sufficient to enlist the number of men established by Congress, was an apprehension that the Province was in the utmost danger for want of men, the Committee not being able to prevail on the Militia and Minute-Men to tarry in Camp; and but very few men being at that time enlisted, we were obliged to issue further orders.

BENJAMIN WHITE, Chairman.

To the Honourable Provincial Congress at Watertown.

June 12, 1775.

The Committee not apprehending that it was necessary to detain Eliphalet Hill, of Newbury, any longer as a Rider in the Colony service, he was dismissed therefrom on the yesterday.

Shubael and Joseph Sever, of Framingham, entered into the Colony service as Armourers, the 10th instant.

Captain Lawrence, in Colonel Prescott’s Regiment, offering to act as an Armourer without any pay for his labour, and to return home for some tools which are necessary to effect the repairs of the Muskets, it was consented to by the Committee, and the said Lawrence was desired to procure his tools as soon as may be.

June 13, 1775.

Jonathan Stickney, in Colonel Woodbridge’s Regiment, received a Small-Arm of one Guillam, a scholar, for which he gave a receipt in the rough minute book, to deliver the same again to this Committee when so required.

Whereas, it is daily expected that General Gage will attack our Army now in the vicinity of Boston, in order to penetrate into the country, it is of the utmost importance that said Army be in every respect prepared for action as soon as possible; therefore,

Resolved, That the General be desired to order each Colonel in the Army to make immediate return to him of the state and equipment of their respective Regiments, setting forth what number of men are destitute of arms, and what arms are fit for immediate service; and that this vote be laid before the Committee as soon as may be.

Mr. Devens appointed a Committee to inquire of the Committee of Supplies relative to the quantity of Powder in their possession, and where the same is.

On motion made,

Resolved, That the debates and determinations of this Committee be kept a profound secret by its members and their attendants, until further order of this Committee.

Whereas Daniel Adams, of Boston, a lunatick now in Camp at Cambridge, occasions great disorder in said Camp; therefore,

Resolved, That the Selectmen of the Town of Woburn be, and they hereby are directed and empowered to take into their custody and care the above-mentioned Daniel Adams, and make such provision for him, at the expense of this Colony, as his circumstances, being peculiar, may require, and also for the guards while there.

Whereas, frequent complaints have been made to this Committee of the waste and destruction of the property of some persons who have left their habitations in sundry Towns in this Colony, and taken refuge in the Town of Boston; therefore,

Resolved, That it be recommended to the honourable Congress now sitting at Watertown, that they take the above into their consideration, and act thereon as to them in their wisdom shall seem meet.

The Committee earnestly recommend to the honourable Congress, that the representations from the Quartermaster-General be taken into immediate consideration, especially as the Committee, from their own knowledge, find the rooms too much crowded, and the health and lives of the Soldiers thereby greatly exposed; and if tents cannot be immediately furnished, that some barracks be forthwith erected.

June 14, 1775.

Whereas this Committee are informed that Dr. How, of Andover, is prepared to receive, and well skilled in such disorders as Daniel Adams, of Boston, sent on the 13th instant to the Town of Woburn, is affected with; therefore,

Resolved, That the Selectmen of the Town of Woburn be, and they hereby are released from the keeping said Daniel Adams in the Town of Woburn, and they are required to provide a horse and carriage, with provisions, to forward the said Adams to Andover, the expense of which will be paid by this Colony.

Resolved, That Daniel Adams, a lunatick now at Woburn. be carried to the Town of Andover, and committed to the care of Dr. How; and the said Dr. How is hereby desired to take proper care of the said lunatick, at the expense of this Colony.

The following Vote passed this Committee the 4th of May last, viz:

Moved and Voted, That the vote passed the 2d of May, respecting the raising of two Companies Braintree, be reconsidered, and that the copy of said vote, together with the two enlisting papers, be ordered to be returned into the hands of said Committee of Safety.

And whereas a petition from the Town of Braintree, Weymouth, and Hingham, hath this day been presented to this Committee, setting forth the exposed situation of those Towns, and praying for such relief and protection as may be thought proper; therefore,

Voted, That the Town of Brainiree be hereby empowered to raise one Company, the Town of Hingham another