Train, agreeable to the recommendation of the Committee of Safety.

A Letter from Elisha Phelps, dated June 12, 1775, was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

The Letter from Mr. Isaac Stone, which was this day transmitted to the Committee of Supplies, was, by that Committee, returned, and again read, and thereupon,

Ordered, That Major Fuller be directed to notify the Commissary-General to attend this Congress on the subject thereof.

The Committee appointed to consider in what way the sea-coasts should be protected, reported; whereupon,

Ordered, That the Committee of Supplies and all Committees of the House now out, be directed immediately to give attendance.

Ordered, That the Committee appointed to provide Hospitals for the Army be directed to provide another Hospital to be appropriated solely for such of the Army as may be taken with the Small-Pox, and to consider what measures can be taken to prevent the spreading of that distemper; and that Doctor Rand and Doctor Foster be added to the Committee.

Resolved, That the Resolve passed yesterday, directing how the Fire-Arms should be distributed, be reconsidered. The same being amended, was again accepted, and is as follows, viz:

Whereas, this Congress has ordered a number of Fire-Arms to be furnished from several Towns and Districts in this Colony, to be forwarded to the Army to supply those who are destitute of Arms, but no provision is made for delivering them out, and taking proper receipts for the same: therefore,

Resolved, That all the Small-Arms that are or may be procured by the above order, be delivered to the Committee of Safety at Cambridge, they to give their receipt for the same to the person from whom they receive them, that the same be delivered out to such officers as shall produce orders there for from the Hon. General Ward, they giving receipts for the same to the said Committee of Safety, to be returned in good order, unless lost in the service of the Colony. And every soldier who shall receive any such fire-Arm, shall give his receipt for the same to the officer from whom he shall receive it, to be returned as aforesaid, and the officer shall return the said receipts to the Committee of Safely; and in case the same shall not be returned at the close of the campaign, or sooner, the value of the said fire-arm shall be deducted out of the wages of the person receiving the same; and that the Committee of Safety shall appraise all such arms as have not already been appraised, and take an account of the whole.

Ordered, That Col. William Henshaw, an Adjutant-General, take the oath appointed to be taken by the Officers and Soldiers of the Massachusetts Army, and that a commission as Adjutant-General be delivered to him.

The Committee appointed to examine Ensign Robert Campbell, reported the following Resolve, which was accepted:

The Committee appointed to take into consideration the case of a Prisoner bound to Boston to join the Army under the command of General Gage, have examined said Prisoner; and his account of himself is, that his name is Robert Campbell, about seventeen years old, son of Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Campbell, who is now Lieutenant-Governour of Fort George, in Inverness, and is one of the first families in Scotland. Said Robert Campbell further says, he was born in the Army, and now has a recommendation for an Ensign’s commission in the Thirty-Fifth Regiment.

Resolved, That Robert Campbell be sent immediately to the care of the Select-men of Concord, to he by them put under keepers or into prison, and provided for as their prudence shall direct, until the further order of this Congress, or some future House of Representatives, and that he be delivered to Colonel Barrett, to be conveyed to said Select-men of Concord.

An Account of Simean Fish and John Toby, of the expenses of bringing Ensign Robert Campbell from Falmouth to this Congress, was read, and committed to the Committee who were appointed to examine said Campbell.

The Committed appointed to inquire into the state of the several Towns’ stocks in the Counties of Hampshire and Worcester, reported a schedule, containing an account of the stocks of the several Towns in said Counties, which was committed to Mr. Singletary, Mr. Nye, and Mr. Cutt, who were directed to consider what quantity should be drawn from each Town for the use of the Army.

The Committee appointed to consider the Letter of General Thomas, relative to the request of a number of our wounded friends in captivity in Boston, reported. The Report was accepted, and a copy of it ordered to be sent to General Thomas, and is as follows, viz:

The Committee appointed to consider the request of a number of our wounded friends now in captivity in Boston, beg leave to report, that General Thomas be requested moderately to supply said Prisoners with fresh Meat, in case he can convey it to them, and them only.

The Report of the Committee appointed to consider some means for protecting the sea-coasts was again read and considered, and, after debate, the further consideration of it was put off till to-morrow morning.

Adjourned to to-morrow morning, eight o’clock.

Wednesday, June 28, 1775.

The Committee appointed to prepare an answer to the Letter from Albany, reported.

Ordered, That Colonel Lincoln bring in a Resolve making five of the Committee of Supplies to be a quorum, or in defect of five, that three may be a quorum, provided the Chairman be one of the three.

Colonel Lincoln reported a Resolve, which was read, accepted, and is as follows, viz:

Whereas, the publick interest often makes its necessary that a very considerable number of the Committee of Supplies should be absent on business of the Colony, and as no orders can be paid by the Receiver-General but such as are signed by the said Committee, or the major part of them, by reason whereof the publick service may be obstructed and greatly delayed; for the prevention of which, it is

Resolved, That three of said Committee of Supplies, the Chairman, David Cheever, Esquire, being always one of the three, shall, when there are less than five present, be considered as a quorum; and all orders, bargains, and contracts by them made, shall be held good to all intents and purposes, as fully as though the whole of said Committee were present and assenting to such orders, bargains, and contracts, and that the Receiver-General of this Colony be, and hereby is directed to govern himself accordingly.

The Letter prepared to be sent to the Committee of Albany was accepted, and is as follows:

“GENTLEMEN: This Congress have received your very obliging letter by Mr. Price, of the 23d ultimo, and they cheerfully embrace the opportunity to forward to you by the same hand, as particular an account of the late engagement with the enemies of America as we, in the present hurry of bur publick affairs, are able to do. On the night of the 16th of June instant, a body of our Troops took possession of a hill in Charlestown, where they began some intrenchments; but as soon as the morning light appeared, they were fired upon by some of the ships in Boston harbour, and also from a battery on Copp’s Hill, which is on Boston side. Soon after, several ships and floating batteries drew up as near as possible on each side of Charlestown Neck, in order, with their cannon, to annoy our people, and prevent any recruits going from our main body to their relief. About two o’clock, P. M., a large body of regular Troops, consisting of several thousands, commanded by Lord Howe, suddenly crossed Charles River, and landed near the hill on which our people were posted. They immediately marched up, in order to force our infant intrenchments; but our people gave them so warm a reception, that they thought best to retreat, but soon renewed their attempts, but were repulsed the second time with great slaughter; but on their third attempt our people (being almost destitute of ammunition, as the enemy’s constant