Minute-Men, when called out to the assistance of a neighbouring Colony, shall be subject to the Articles of War established by the Continental Congress, and be under the direction of their own Officers, unless a Continental Officer of superior rank be present, to whom, in such case, they are to yield due subordination.

15. And whereas several Companies of Light-Horse have been raised in this Colony, and as it is probable that more may be raised hereafter, It is therefore Resolved and Directed, That each Company of Light-Horse do not exceed forty Privates, and that one Company only be allowed to be raised in each County; and that each Regiment be commanded by a Colonel, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Major, who are to be subject to the command of the Brigadier-Generals of this Colony, the Provincial Congress, or Committee of Safety; and that such Regiments of Horse shall be under the same regulations, as to the times of muster, and learning the military discipline, as before directed for the Foot Militia by this Ordinance, and subject to the same fines and penalties for non-attendance; which fines and penalties are to be recovered in manner aforesaid; and that the Officers of each Regiment of Horse take equal rank with the Militia Officers of Foot, holding similar commissions of the same date.

16. And it is further Resolved and Directed, That each and every of the inhabitants of this Colony, between the ages of sixteen and fifty years, whose religious principles will not suffer them to bear arms as above directed, shall, as an equivalent thereto, and also in lieu of all future voluntary contributions for publick and benevolent uses, as recommended by Congress, pay into the hands of the Chairman of the Committee of the County where they reside, the sum of four Shillings per month for such exemption; and in case they, or either of them, shall neglect or refuse to pay the same, that then, upon such neglect or refusal, such Committee, once every three months, shall and are hereby required and enjoined to issue a warrant of distress, under the hand of their Chairman or Deputy Chairman, directed to such person or persons as they shall appoint for that purpose, requiring distress to be made on the goods and chattels of every such delinquent; and that the same be sold at publick vendue, giving five days’ notice thereof, by advertisement; and, out of the money arising by such sale, to pay to the Chairman of such Committee the money then due from every such delinquent, returning the overplus, if any, to the owner thereof, after detaining one Shilling and six Pence for every such distress and sale; and in case any person or persons aforesaid, under age, shall make default in paying their equivalent as aforesaid, the same, by order of such Committee, shall be demanded of the parent, master, or person whose care such delinquents are under; and, upon their refusal or neglect to pay, the same shall be recovered by distress and sale as aforesaid, of such delinquent’s parent, master, or other person whose care he or they are under; and the County Committees, respectively are also hereby enjoined and required, once every six months, to pay unto either of the Treasurers of this Colony for the time being, appointed by this Congress, all such sum and sums of money as they may receive as abovesaid, to be applied as a Provincial Fund to such uses and purposes as this or a future Congress shall judge the exigencies of the times may require.

17. Provided always, and it is further Resolved and Directed, That every person above directed and required to pay an equivalent for the above exemptions, shall be excused from paying such equivalent every time he shall make it appear to the Committee of the County where he resides, that he was sick or unable to attend musters at the time when the Company, in the District he lives in, shall attend their monthly exercises; or shall make it appear he was at that time out of the Province, or necessarily engaged in the publick business of the Colony.

18. And it is further Resolved, That in case any person or persons shall think him or themselves aggrieved by a distress made for their fines and forfeitures as aforesaid, such person or persons may, within two months thereafter, appeal to the Committee of the Township or Committee of the County in which he or they shall reside, which Committee shall take the same into consideration; and, in case they find any such appellant aggrieved, shall order suitable redress, by directing the money recovered of him or them, or such pan thereof as they think proper, to be returned by the Captain or other officer who issued the warrant of distress, who is hereby required to return the same accordingly; or in case the goods distrained are not sold, the Committee then may give such order therein as to them may seem just and right, conforming themselves in such decisions, as near as may be, to the true intent and meaning of this Ordinance.

Whereupon, the question being put, whether the aforesaid Ordinance do pass this Congress or not, it was carried in the affirmative.

On motion made, it is Ordered, That the Rules laid down by the Continental Congress, for the regulation of the Army of the United Colonies, be printed with the above Militia Ordinance.

On motion made, Resolved, That the following gentlemen be recommended by this Congress to the honourable the Continental Congress, as proper persons for Field-Officers of the two Battalions to be raised in this Colony, to wit:

For the Eastern Battalion: Lord Stirling, Colonel; William Winds, Lieutenant-Colonel; William De Hart, Major.

For the Western Battalion: William Maxwell, Colonel; Israel Shreive, Lieutenant-Colonel; David Ray, Major.

Ordered, That the President do sign an attested copy of this Resolution, and transmit the same to the Continental Congress.

On motion made, Resolved, That Commissions be certified, signed by the President, and delivered to the Members of this Congress for the distant Counties, to be by them filled up and delivered to the respective Officers, upon proper certificates, from the County Committee, that such respective Officers have been duly elected, according to the Ordinance of this Congress; which certificate is to be returned to this Congress at their next sitting, or to the Committee of Safety.

On motion made, Resolved, unanimously, That a Commission of Second Brigadier-General of the Militia Forces of this Colony do immediately issue to William Livingston, Esq.

Ordered, That the Secretary, Colonel Ellis, and Colonel Maxwell, be a Committee to wait on Mr. Livingston, at Mrs. Stell’s, and present him with the above Commission.

Whereupon, the Committee withdrew, and having returned to their seats, reported, that they had presented the said Commission to Mr. Livingston, who had received the same in a polite manner, and desired that his thanks might be returned to this Congress.

The Congress adjourned to three o’clock, P. M.

The Congress met pursuant to adjournment.

Major Ephraim Anderson having thought proper to resign his Commission of First Major of the First Regiment of the Hunterdon Militia,

Resolved, unanimously, That his resignation be accepted.

The following engrossed Ordinance, for striking the sum of Thirty Thousand Pounds, in Bills of Credit, for the use of this Colony, and to make a provision to sink the same, &c., was read, compared, and approved:

Whereas it appears essentially necessary, at this time of increasing danger, that the Inhabitants of this Colony should be furnished with Ammunition and other Military Stores, and that this Colony should be put into some proper posture of defence:

It is therefore Resolved and Directed, That Messrs. Samuel Tucker, Abraham Hunt, Joseph Ellis, and Alexander Chambers, be, and they are hereby appointed Commissioners for the Western Division; and that Hendrick Fisher, Azariah Dunham, Abraham Clark, and Samuel Potter, be, and they are hereby appointed Commissioners for the Eastern Division of this Colony; which said Commissioners, or the major part of them, are hereby authorized and directed to receive of the Treasurers of this Colony for the time being, appointed by this Congress, or either of them, all such sum or sums of money as they shall, from time to time, find necessary to expend for the use of this Colony, pursuant to the Resolutions hereinafter mentioned.