Head-Quarters, Cambridge, October 26, 1775.

As several of the Officers have not yet signified their intentions respecting the requisitions contained in the orders of the 22d instant, and as the nature of the case will admit of no delay, the General directs that every Officer in the Army do forthwith declare to his Colonel or commanding Officer of the Regiment to which he belongs, whether he will or will not continue in the service until the last day of December, 1776, if the Continental Congress shall think it expedient to retain him so long. This declaration must be made in explicit terms, and not conditional, as the Congress are to be advised thereof immediately, in order that proper steps may be taken to provide other Officers and other men, if necessary. The times, and the importance of the great cause we are engaged in, allow no room for hesitation and delay. When life, liberty, and property, are at stake; when our Country is in danger of being a melancholy scene of bloodshed and desolation; when our Towns are laid in ashes, and innocent women and children driven from their peaceful habitations, exposed to the rigour of an inclement season, and to the hand of charity, perhaps, for a support; when calamities like these are staring us in the face, and a brutal savage enemy, more so than was ever yet found in a civilized nation, are threatening us, and every thing we hold dear, with destruction from foreign Troops, it little becomes the character of a soldier to shrink from danger, and condition for new terms. It is the General’s intention to indulge both Officers and Soldiers, who compose the new Army, with furloughs, to be absent a reasonable time; but it must be done in such a manner as not to injure the service, or weaken the Army too much at once. The General also thinks that he can take upon himself to assure the Officers and Soldiers of the new Army, that they will receive their pay once a month, regularly, after the terms of their present enlistments are expired. The Major of each Brigade is furnished with the form of a return to be made to the Colonel or commanding Officer of each Regiment, of the determination of the Commissioned Officers therein; and it is expected that a return thereof will be made on Saturday morning, without fail, as no longer time can be allowed.

The General is willing to grant one month’s pay to such Regiments and Corps as are in want of money for the purchase of necessaries, and abstracts are to be made out for the month of September accordingly.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, October 27, 1775.

For making out the pay abstracts for the month of September, the Colonels and commanding Officers of Corps are not to include any Officer or Soldier on the detachment with Colonel Arnold, as he drew full pay, for that month, for every man under his command.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, October 28, 1775.

The General Court-Martial, whereof Colonel Bridge was President, is dissolved.

It is recommended to the Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers, whose pay will be drawn in consequence of last Thursday’s orders, (especially to those whose attachment to the glorious cause in which they are engaged, and which will induce them to continue in the service another year,) to lay out their money in Shirts, Shoes, Stockings, and a good pair of Leather Breeches, and not in Coats and Waistcoats, as it is intended that the new Army shall be clothed in uniform. To effect which, the Congress will lay in goods upon the best terms they can be bought any where for ready money, and will sell them to the Soldiers without any profit; by which means a uniform Coat and Waistcoat will come cheaper to them than any other clothing of the like kind can be bought. A number of Tailors will be immediately set to work to make regimentals for those brave men who are willing, at all hazards, to defend their invaluable rights and privileges.

The undernamed men, in Colonel Whitcomb’s Regiment, to be sent directly to the Quartermaster-General, viz: David Clark, Samuel Barrett, John Farmer, James Farmer, Daniel Fleeman, Amos Brown, Joshua Holt, Philip Overlook, and Joseph Champman, to burn charcoal for the use of the Army. Five wood-cutters, from each Brigade, to be added to those already ordered to cut fire-wood, under the direction of the Quartermaster-General.

A General Court-Martial to sit Monday morning, at nine o’clock, in Cambridge, to try such prisoners as shall be brought before them. Evidences and persons concerned to attend the Court.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, October 31, 1775.

As many Officers and others have begun to enlist men for the Continental Army, without orders from Head-Quarters, the General desires that an immediate stop be put thereto, that the enlistments be returned, and that no person, for the future, presume to interfere in this matter, till there is a proper establishment of Officers, and those Officers authorized and instructed in what manner to proceed. Commissions in the new Army are not intended merely for those who can enlist the most men, but for such gentlemen as are most likely to deserve them. The General would, therefore not have it even supposed, nor our enemies encouraged to believe, that there is a man in this Army (except a few under particular circumstances) who will require to be twice asked to do what his honour, his personal liberty, the welfare of his Country, and the safety of his family, so loudly demand of him; when motives, powerful as these, conspire to call men into service, and when that service is rewarded with higher pay than private soldiers ever yet met with in any former war, the General cannot nor will not, until he is convinced to the contrary, harbour so despicable an opinion of their understanding and zeal for the cause, as to believe they will desert it. As the Congress have been at so much pains to buy goods to clothe the Army, and the Quartermaster-General at great trouble to collect, upon the best terms he can, such articles as are wanting for this purpose, he is directed to reserve those goods for those brave soldiers who are determined to stand forth in defence of their Country another year; and that he may be able to distinguish these from such as mean to quit the service at the end of their present engagement, he will be furnished with the enlistments. Any person, therefore, (negroes excepted, which the Congress do not incline to enlist again, ) coming with a proper order, and will subscribe the enlistment, shall be immediately supplied. That every Non-Commissioned Officer and Soldier may know upon what terms it is he engages, he is hereby informed that he is to be paid by the calendar month, at the present rates, to wit: forty-eight Shillings to the Sergeants, forty-four to the Corporals, Drums and Fifes, and forty to the Privates; which pay it is expected will be regularly distributed every month.

That each man is to furnish his own Arms, and good ones; or, if Arms is found him, he is to allow six Shillings for the use thereof during the campaign.

That he is to pay for his clothing, which will be laid in for him upon the best terms it can be bought; to do which, a stoppage of ten Shillings a month will be made until the clothing is paid for.

That two Dollars will be allowed every one of them who brings a good Blanket of his own with him, and will have liberty to carry it away at the end of the campaign.

That the present allowances of Provisions will be continued; and every man who enlists shall be indulged in a reasonable time, to visit his family in the course of the winter; to be regulated in such a manner as not to weaken the Army or injure the service.

The Quartermaster-General, in preparing Barracks for the Officers, is to assign one to each complete Corps under the new establishment.

ADDRESS OF THE COUNTY OF BERWICK.

Address of the Freeholders of the County of Berwick, presented to His Majesty by Colonel James Pringle, their Representative in Parliament.

To the King’s Most Excellent Majesty.

The humble Address of the Freeholders of the County of BERWICK, in general meeting assembled.

Most Gracious Sovereign:

Enjoying under your Majesty all the blessings which a mild and equal Government can bestow, we observe, with