Pursuant to the letters within written, the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of……, qualified as is therein directed, upon due warning given, assembled and met together the ……day of ……, 1775, and did then elect and depute …… to serve for and represent them in the session and sessions of the Great and General Court or Assembly, appointed to be convened, held, and kept at the meeting-house in Watertown, upon Wednesday, the 19th day of July, 1775; the said person being chosen by the major part of the electors present at said meeting.

Dated at ……aforesaid, the ……day of ……, Anno Domini 1775.

}Selectmen of …….

The person chosen as aforesaid, notified thereof and summoned to attend accordingly, by me,

Constable of …….

The Committee appointed to prepare a Letter to the Continental Congress, reported. The Report was read, paragraph by paragraph, and accepted, and ordered to be transcribed, authenticated, and sent forward, and is as follows:

To the Honourable the Continental Congress, now sitting at PHILADELPHIA:

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR HONOURS: Having been favoured with your Resolve respecting the assumption of Government in this Colony, we seize the earliest opportunity to express our grateful sentiments for that compassion, seasonable exertion, and abundant wisdom evidenced in your recommendation to this people on that head, and for the generous provision you have made for our support in our efforts for the defence of the common liberty and essential rights of the whole Continent.

As we are plunged into the accumulated distresses of a domestick war, our constant attention to the calls of our brethren in the field will leave us but little time to contemplate the acts of ordinary legislation; but as we are impressed with the indispensable necessity of rescuing this people from the danger they are in of falling into a state of anarchy, and that our publick resolutions may be taken and executed with the greater despatch, we shall apply ourselves with all diligence to fulfil your benevolent intentions, and establish the form of Government recommended by your Honours, that so order and government may be restored to this disturbed community.

We think it our indispensable duty to inform you that re-enforcements from Ireland, both of Horse and Foot, being arrived, (the number unknown,) and having good intelligence that General Gage was about to take possession of the advantageous posts in Charlestown and on Dorchester Point, the Committee of Safety advised that our Troops should prepossess them, if possible. Accordingly, on Friday evening the 16th instant, this was effected by about twelve hundred men. About daylight on Saturday morning, their line of circumvallation, on a small hill south of Bunker’s Hill, in Charlestown, was closed. At this time the Lively, man-of-war, began to fire upon them. A number of our enemy’s ships, tenders, cutters, and scows or floating batteries soon came up, from all which the fire was general by twelve o’clock. About two the enemy began to land at a point which leads out towards Noddle’s Island, and immediately marched up to our intrenchments, from which they were twice repulsed, but in the third attack forced them. Our forces which were in the lines, as well as those sent for their support, were greatly annoyed on every side by balls and bombs from Copp’s Hill, the ships, scows, &c. At this time the buildings in charlestown appeared in flames in almost every quarter, kindled by red-hot balls, and are since laid in ashes. Though this scene was most horrible, and altogether new to most of our men, yet many stood and received wounds by swords and bayonets before they quitted their lines. At five o’clock the enemy were in full possession of all the posts within the isthmus. In the evening and night following, Gen. Ward, extended his intrenchments before made at the Stone-House over Winter Hill. About six o’clock, P. M., of the same day, the enemy began to cannonade Roxbury from Boston Neck and elsewhere, which they continued twenty-four hours, with little spirit and less effect.

The number of killed and missing on our side is not known, but supposed by some to be about sixty or seventy, and by some considerably above that number. Our most worthy friend and President, Doctor Warren, lately elected a Major-General, is among them. This loss we feel most sensibly. Lieutenant-Colonel Parker and Major Moore, of this Colony, and Major McClary, from New-Hampshire, are also dead. Three Colonels, and perhaps one hundred men, are wounded. The loss of the enemy is doubtless great. By an anonymous letter from Boston, we are told that they exult much in having gained the ground, though their killed and wounded amount to about one thousand; but this account exceeds every other estimation. The number they had engaged is supposed to be between three and four thousand. If any errour has been made on our side, it was in taking a post so much exposed.

As soon as an estimate can be made of publick and private stocks of gunpowder in this Colony, it shall be transmitted without delay, which we are well assured will be very small, and by no means adequate to the exigences of our case. We apprehend that the scantiness of our stock of that article, cannot fail to induce your Honours still to give your utmost attention to ways and means of procuring full supplies of it. We feel ourselves infinitely obliged to you for your past care in this respect.

We beg leave humbly to suggest, that if a Commander-in-Chief over the Army of the United Colonies should be appointed, it must be plain to your Honours that no part of this Continent can so much require his immediate presence and exertions as this Colony.

Ordered, That the Honourable Major Hawley and Mr. Phillips be a Committee to draw up a Resolve to be sent to General Ward, suggesting to him the expediency of drawing part of the Forces stationed at Roxbury to the Camp at Cambridge.

The said Committee reported the following Letter, which was accepted, and ordered to be sent by Mr. Thaxter to the Camp at Cambridge immediately:

SIR: This Congress, considering the present situation of the enemy and that of the division of our Army at Cambridge, think proper to suggest to your serious consideration, whether it is not proper and expedient that there should be an immediate draught of a Regiment or more from the Roxbury Camp to that at Cambridge. Your good sense will undoubtedly incline you to consult General Thomas before you determine absolutely on this measure; but we conceive the consideration of this matter ought not to be delayed a moment.

To the Hon. General Ward.

Adjourned to Wednesday morning eight o’clock.

Wednesday, June 21, 1775

Resolved, That the vote of this Congress, for ranking the Major-Generals agreeable to the order of their choice, be reconsidered.

The Commission prepared for General Heath was presented to Congress, read and accepted, and is as follows:

“The Congress of the Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay to the Honourable William Heath, Esq., greeting:

“We, reposing especial trust and confidence in your courage and good conduct, do, by these presents, constitute and appoint you, the said William Heath, to be a Major-General of all the Forces raised by the Congress aforesaid, for the defence of this and the other American Colonies. You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of a Major-General, in leading, ordering, and exercising the said Forces in arms, both inferiour Officers and Soldiers, and to keep them in good order and discipline; and they are hereby commanded to obey you as their Major-General. And you are yourself to observe and follow such orders and instructions as you shall from time to time receive from the General and Commander-in-Chief of said Forces, or any other your superiour Officers, and to demean yourself according to military rules and discipline established by said Congress, in pursuance of the trust reposed in you.

“Dated at Watertown, the 21st of June, 1775.

“By order of Congress:

“. . . . . . . . ., President.”

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