From this state of facts, it follows most evidently, in the first place, that the Town of Falmouth was destroyed for no other reason, but because of its obedience to the Continental and Provincial Congresses, and its attachment to the cause of liberty and America. In the next place, that those who live remote from us would do well to minister something, out of their abundance, for the relief of our suffering poor, until it becomes possible for them to get into some way to support themselves, as we find with pleasure and gratitude this Province, by its Representatives, have began to do.

Selectmen of the Town of Falmouth.

MAJOR SCAMMELL TO GENERAL SULLIVAN.

Camp on Winter-Hill, October 24, 1775.

DEAR HONOURED SIR: Your Brigade is almost a caput mortuum, and their countenances fallen. Providence, to prevent my seeing their gloomy aspects, has turned the relies of my dysentery into my eyes, so that I am almost blind. General Gates has never been here since your departure. General Greene urges the augmentation of the winter-Hill picket; I urge your orders to go on with the usual details, and by that means have avoided his request. He declares he will lay it before General Lee; but I hope General Lee will go for Rhode-Island before he will have an opportunity.

The enemy have been very peaceable since you left us; waiting perhaps in silent expectation to hear the success of their diabolical piratical emissaries. I hope they won’t hear of your absence till your return, lest they attempt our lines; and a body without a leader, they can fully depend on, will be, at best, but a dispirited number. We impatiently wait to hear of your success. We rest assured that all human efforts will be made use of to oppose the Ministerial butchers, since you preside.

May Heaven succeed and prosper your endeavours, preserve your life from the hostile balls, your health from any sad accident, and return you in safety to your many sincere friends and very humble servant,

ALEXANDER SCAMMELL.

To Brigadier-General Sullivan, at Portsmouth.

P. S. Please to make my compliments to Major Cilley. I long to be with you. The news of the camp (perhaps the lie of the day) is, that the King of France offers us two-and-twenty sail of the line, if we desire it.

DECLARATION OF DAVID NOBLE.

Williamstown, October 24, 1775.

Whereas the Committee of Correspondence for this Town have informed me, that some suspicions have been conceived of me, respecting my principles and conduct in regard to our publick affairs; and, in particular, concerning my conduct when I was Representative for this Town at the General Court held in Boston, in A. D. 1773; that I then acted in opposition to the measures pursued for the defence of our common rights and privileges, in that I voted against the petition and remonstrance to the King, for the removal of the then Governour Hutchinson: Now, impressed with a sense of my duty to myself and the publick, I sincerely declare, that although at the time above referred to, and for some time before then, I had conceived too good an opinion of that arch traitor to his Country, T. Hutchinson, and, for want of a thorough knowledge of mv duty at that time, I inconsiderately opposed the above-said petition and remonstrance and thereby justly incurred the displeasure of my constituents, and that by any thing whereby I have given any persons reason to suspect me to be unfriendly to my Country, I have so far deservedly forfeited their good esteem. Yet, to do justice to myself, I must declare, that although I have committed errours, and been liable to mistakes, in the little part I have been called to act, I have ever been a cordial friend to the liberties and true interest of America, so far as I understood it, and ever have conformed myself to the advice and directions of our several Congresses, and am determined for the future to unite, according to my abilities, in the defence of our common rights and privileges.

DAVID NOBLE.

The Committee of Correspondence being convened on the 26th of October, 1775, the abovenamed David Noble voluntarily presented the above declaration; which, being examined and accepted by this Committee, was presented to the Town, in a publick Town-meeting, for concurrence, which being twice read, was put to vote, whether the same be satisfactory to the Town. Passed in the affirmative Attest:

ISAAC STRATTON, Clerk of the Com.

BOOTHEAY COMMITTEE.

In Committee of Safety, Boothbay, October 24, 1775.

Whereas this Committee, on occasion of a late alarm, prevailed with Captain William Pierce Johnson to deliver to them one hundred weight of Powder, thirty-two and a half weight of Ball, fifty Fire-Arms, and two hundred Flints, for which their agents have given him receipts, and for the payment of the price this Committee now stands bound, and petitions have been sent to the honourable the Great and General Court, praying that a quantity of Captain Johnson’s cargo be forthwith ordered to be sold to the inhabitants of this County, as they are no less exposed to the enemy than any other part of the Colony, the answers to which petitions have not yet arrived:

Whereas Captain Johnson, in consequence of an express from the camp, has this night made a peremptory demand of this Committee for the return of the whole of said Arms and Ammunition, in order that the same may be speedily conveyed to Portsmouth, in New-Hampshire:

This Committee, having the greatest respect for the authority by which Captain Johnson has been ordered to remove said warlike stores, and the most cheerful readiness to obey it in every thing possible, yet having at the same time the firmest atlachment to the great cause in which all America is engaged, which they are sure must speedily suffer in the total loss of this Country, if the little pittance of Ammunition now in it be withdrawn, they are persuaded that the preservation of the lives of the inhabitants of this and the neighbouring Towns on the coast, the safety of the coast of this whole Country, and so fidelity to the liberty of all America, which, insignificant as we are, might be greatly affected should this County open to the enemy the free trade of three hundred miles of the best coast for navigation in New-England, all compel us to refuse to return to said Captain Johnson any part of said stores, as absolutely as he has demanded them.

We are well assured that, were the circumstances of these parts known at Head-Quarters, said demand would never have been made, and trust that by the return of our express the orders that produced it will be countermanded. However, this Committee are free to declare that, as they would have compelled the said Captain Johnson to deliver said stores, had he persisted to refuse them while he saw the common foe carrying fire and sword among us, and leaving all desolate where they come, so, as the same danger still continues to stare us in the face, we think it our duty as plainly to declare that no part of said stores shall be delivered until the pleasure of the General Court is known, or a force shall appear to demand it, greater than we can raise to defend it.

Signed by order of the Committee:

JOHN BLATH, Chairman.

COLONEL ARNOLD TO COLONEL ENOS.

DEAR SIR: The extreme rains and freshets in the river have hindered our proceeding any farther. When I wrote you last, I expected before this to have been at Chaudiere. I then wrote you that we had about twenty-five days’ provisions for the whole. We are now reduced to twelve or fifteen days’, and don’t expect to reach the pond under four days. We had a council of war last night, when it was thought best and ordered to send back all the sick and feeble, with three days’ provisions, and directions for you to furnish them until they can reach the Commissary or