fire from their ships and floating batteries had prevented any supplies from our main Army) were obliged to retreat, with the loss of about fifty men killed, and two hundred wounded, as near as has yet been ascertained, and about thirty taken prisoners, many of whom were wounded, and some are since dead of their wounds. The loss on the part of our enemies is much greater. Some person who were on the field of battle soon after the fight, affirm that they saw eight hundred men dead on the ground, and that there were as many more wounded. The lowest accounts we have had is one thousand killed and Wounded, among which are eighty four commissioned officers. On the same day the Town of Charlestown, consisting of near five hundred houses and other buildings, was, by those bloody incendiaries, set on fire and consumed to ashes. We cannot, however, but assure you, gentlemen, that, notwithstanding our present distressed situation, we feel a peculiar satisfaction in finding our patriotick brethren of the City and County of Albany so cordially interesting themselves in our particular welfare, and so kindly offering us their assistance, as well as manifesting their zeal for the rights and liberties of America in general. It is our ardent desire to cultivate harmony and friendship with all our neighbouring brethren, and we hope you will not fail to continue your favours; and we assure you that we shall always take pleasure in conveying to you any intelligence that shall afford satisfaction. As to the benevolent donations you mention, which are collected for our distressed brethren, as the transporting the article you make mention of is almost impracticable, we think it had better be exchanged for cash, or some necessary specie, which may be more easily transported. We are sorry to hear there is any prospect of an attack upon Ticonderoga, &c., but we trust those important fortresses are sufficiently garrisoned, and doubt not but our brave countrymen stationed there will be able to repulse any force which can be sent against them from Canada. Finally, brethren, we ardently wish that the great Supreme Being, who governs all things, may so direct all our military operations, that they speedily issue in the full restoration and peaceable possession of the natural and constitutional rights and liberties of every American

“P. S. Some make the number of our killed and missing to be near a hundred.”

The Committee on the Account of Messrs. Fish and Toby, reported. The Report was accepted, and is as follows, viz:

Resolved, That Simeon Fish and John Toby be allowed and paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, six Pounds, seven Shillings, for their time and expenses, in bringing Robert Campbell, a prisoner, from Falmouth to this Congress, and also for their time and expenses back to Falmouth, again; and the Receiver-General is hereby directed to pay the said sum of six Pounds, seven Shillings, to the said Fish and Toby, in full discharge of their expenses as aforesaid.

The Committee who were appointed to consider the Resolves of this Congress relative to absconding Soldiers, reported. The Report was recommitted.

Mr. Pidgeon was introduced, on the subject of Captain Stone’s Letter respecting Mr. Moore.

Ordered, That Deacon Fisher, Captain Batchelder, and Captain Stone of Framingham, be a Committee to join with Mr. Pidgeon in an inquiry into the conduct of said Moore, and report to this Congress.

Ordered, That Captain Batchelder, Colonel Coffin, and Captain Goodman, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve for the purpose of saving Provisions in the Army.

A list of persons recommended as Deputy Commissaries was read, and committed to Mr. Greenleaf, Captain Carpenter, and Mr. Johnson.

The Committee appointed to bring in a Resolve for giving a currency to the Notes or Bills of Credit of this Colony, reported. The Report was recommitted, for the purpose of introducing the large Notes issued by this colony.

Ordered, That Commissions be delivered to such Officers of Col. Gerrish’s Regiment as are not yet commissioned.

A Petition of John Obrian was read, and committed to Major Perley, Major Fuller of Middleton, and Mr. Cutt.

The Report of the Committee appointed to consider some measures for defending the sea-coasts, was again taken into consideration, amended, and accepted, and Colonel Freeman, Colonel Gerrish, and Captain Carpenter, were appointed to fix the pay of the Officers in proportion to that of the Soldiers, agreeable to said Report.

The Report of the Committee respecting absconding Soldiers, was put off to three o’clock, P. M.

The Committee appointed to consider some method of saving Provisions in the Army, reported. The Report was accepted, and is as follows:

The Committee appointed to consider of the most effectual means to prevent any waste of Provisions in the Army, beg leave to report, by way of Resolve:

Resolved, That the Commissary-General be, and he hereby is directed to purchase all the Provisions that any of the Soldiers may have to spare of their allowance, for the use of the Army, and pay a reasonable price for such Provisions.

Afternoon.

The following gentlemen were appointed a Committee to station the Troops in the County of Essex, agreeable to the Resolve of Congress which passed in the forenoon, viz: Lynn, Mr. Edward Johnson; Manchester, Mr. Andrew Woodbury; Gloucester, Colonel Coffin; Marblehead, El-bridge Gerry, Esquire; Salem, Mr. Pickering; Beverly, Captain Batchelder; Ipswich, Colonel Farley; Newbury, Colonel Gerrish; Newburyport, Captain Greenleaf; Salisbury, Captain Nathaniel Currier.

And the following gentlemen, for the County of York, viz: York, Captain Bragdon; Kittery, Edward Cutt, Esquire; Berwick, Major Goodwin; Wells, Col. Sawyer; Arundel, Deacon Hovey; Biddeford, James Sullivan, Esquire.

The following gentlemen were likewise appointed, agreeable to said Resolve, to give out Listing; Orders, viz: For the County of Essex, Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Greenleaf, and Colonel Farley; for the County of Plymouth, Hon. Colonel Warren, Mr. Lothrop, Captain Partridge; for the County of Barnstable, Colonel Freeman, Colonel Otis, Daniel Davis, Esq.; for the County of Dukes County, Mr. Nye; for the County of Bristol, Mr. Durfee, Hon. Mr. Spooner, Captain Holmes; for the County of York, Col. Sawyer, Edward Cutt, Esquire, Captain Bragdon; for the County of Cumberland, Hon. Colonel Freeman, Colonel Thompson, Mr. Mitchell; for the County of Lincoln, Mr. D. Sewall, Mr. Langdon, Mr. E. Witcher.

Ordered, That Colonel Freeman, Mr. Langdon, and Mr. Greenleaf, be a Committee to get two hundred of the Resolves for stationing Companies on the sea-coast printed.

The Resolves being completed, are as follow, viz: The Committee appointed to take into consideration, and report some way of defending and supporting the Towns upon the sea-coasts in this Colony, having considered of the same, report the following Resolves, viz:

Resolved, That there be immediately raised in the County of Essex ten Companies, to consist of fifty men each, officers included, to be stationed upon the sea-coast in that County, in such manner and proportion as shall be agreed upon by a Joint Committee, consisting of one member, to be appointed by this Congress, from, each of the Towns, of Lynn, Manchester, Gloucester, Marblehead, Salem, Beverly, Ipswich, Newbury, Newburyport, and Salisbury, in said County, and to be under the direction of the Committees of Correspondence of each Town where they may be stationed. Also, that there be raised in the Counties of Plymouth and Barnstable nine Companies, each to consist of fifty men, four of which Companies to be stationed in the County of Plymouth, according to the direction of the Field-Officers of the First Regiment of the County of Plymouth, under whose direction they shall be considered; the other five Companies to be stationed in the County of Barnstable, in such manner as the Field-Officers of the two Regiments there shall agree, and to be under their direction; and that the County of Barnstable shall have the