CONNECTICUT ASSEMBLY.

Anne Regni Regis Georgii Tertii 16to, 1775.

At a General Assembly of the Governour and Company of the English Colony of Connecticut, in New-England, in America, holden at New-Haven, in said Colony, by special order of the Governour, on Thursday, the 14th day of December, Annoque Domini 1775, Present:

The Hon. Jonathan Trumbull, Esq., Governour, the Hon. Matthew Griswold, Esq., Deputy Governour, Jabez Hamlin, Elisha Sheldon, Jabez Huntington, William Pitkin, Roger Sherman, Abraham Davenport, William Samuel Johnson, Oliver Wolcott, Samuel Huntington, Esquires, Assistants.

Representatives or Deputies of the Freemen of the several Towns are as follows, viz:

HARTFORD: Col. John Pitkin, Mr. Benjamin Payne.

FARMINGTON: Colonel Isaac Lee, Colonel Fisher Gay.

SUFFIELD: Captain Abraham Granger, Captain John Harman.

COLCHESTER: Mr. Daniel Foot, Captain Peter Bulkley.

EAST-WINDSOR: Colonel Erastus Wolcott, Mr. Benoni Olcott.

WEATHERSPIELD: Colonel Thomas Belden.

SYMSBURV: Mr. Judah Holcomb, Mr. Elisha Graham.

EAST-HADDAM: Mr. Daniel Brainard, Mr. Jabez Chapman.

STAFFORD: Captain Isaac Pinney, Captain Samuel Davis.

HADDAM: Captain Joseph Brooks, Mr. Joseph Smith.

HEBRON: Captain Benjamin Buell, Mr. Samuel Gilbert.

WILLINGTON: Major Elijah Fenton.

BOLTON: Mr. Benjamin Trumbull, Mr. Seth King.

TOLLAND: Mr. Ichabod Greggs, Captain James Chamberlin.

ENFIELD: Major Nathaniel Terry, Mr. Nathaniel Chapin.

SOMERS: Mr. Hezekiah Spencer.

MIDDLETOWN; Mr. Titus Hosmer, Dr. John Dickenson.

WINDSOR: Major Roger Newbury, Captain Henry Altyn.

GLASTENBITRY: Captain Jonathan Wells, Mr. Abijah Holister.

CHATHAM: (None.)

NEW-HAVEN: Mr. Samuel Bishop, Colonel Jonathan Fitch.

DURHAM: Colonel James Wadsworth, Mr. Daniel Hall.

WALLINGFORD: Mr Samuel Beach, Mr. Oliver Stanly.

WATERBURY: Mr. Joseph Hopkins, Captain Ezra Brunson.

MILFORD: Mr. Ephraim Strong, Mr. Isaac Miles.

GUILFORD: Mr. John Burgess, Mr. Samuel Brown.

DERBY: Captain John Holbrook.

BRANFORD: Captain Russell, Mr. Daniel Page.

NEW-LONDON: Mr. Richard Law, Mr. William Hillhouse.

NORWICH: Mr. Benjamin Huntington.

KILLINGWORTH: Mr. Hezekiah Lane.

SAYBROOK: Captain Benjamin Williams, Captain Justus Buck.

LYME: Major Samuel Selden, Mr. John Lay, 2d.

STONINGTON: Mr. Nathaniel Minor.

GROTON: Mr. Thomas Mumford, Mr. Nathan Gallop.

PRESTON: Captain William Witter, Captain Joseph Tyler.

FAIRFIELD: Mr. Jonathan Sturgess, Mr. Thaddeus Burr.

STRATFORD: Captain Robert Fairchild, Captain Ichabod Lewis.

NORWALK: Colonel Thomas Fitch, Doctor Thaddeus Beits.

STAMFORTT: Mr. Benjamin Weed, Mr. Thomas Young.

GREENWICH Colonel John Mead.

RIDGEFIELD: Mr. Samuel Olmstead, Colonel Philip B. Bradley.

DANBURY: Captain Daniel Starr.

NEW-FAIRFIELD: Mr. Alexander Stewart, Captain Dan. Towner,

REDDING: Mr. William Hawley.

NEWTOWN Mr. Oliver Tousey, Mr. Daniel Baldwin.

WINDHAM: Mr. Samuel Webb, Mr. Ebenezer Devotion.

LEBANON: Colonel William Williams.

CANTERBURY: Colonel Jabez Fitch, Captain Benjamin Bacon.

COVENTRY: Captain Ebenezer Kingsbury, Mr. Jeremiah Ripley.

PLAINFIELD: Mr. Joshua Dunlap.

POMFRET: Colonel Ebenezer Williams.

ASHFORD: Captain Benjamin Sumner, Mr. Ezra Smith.

KILLINGLY: Mr. Simeon Learned, Mr. Benjamin Leaving.

MANSFIELD: Captain Amariah Williams.

WOODSTOCK: Captain Elisha Child, Major Samuel McClellan.

VOLUNTOWN: Major James Gordon, Mr. Robert Hunter.

LITCHFIELD: Mr. Jedediah Strong, Mr. Abraham Bradley.

WOODBURY: Mr. Daniel Sherman, Capt. Increase Moseley.

TORRINGTON: (None.)

SHARON: Mr. John Canfield, Captain Caleb Jewet.

GOSHEN: Colonel Ebenezer Norton, Mr. David Thompson.

CANAAN: Captain Samuel Forbes, Mr. Asahel Bebee.

NEW-MILFORD: Major Samuel Canfield, Capt. Sherman Boardman.

CORNWALL: Mr. Edward Rogers, Mr. John Pearce.

NEW-HARTFORD: Mr. Abel Merrill, Captain Seth Smith.

KENT: Captain Jethro Hatch, Captain Justus Sackett.

HARWINTON: Mr. Jonah Phelps, Captain John Wilson.

WESTMORELAND: (None.)

SALISBURY: Captain Abiel Camp, Captain James Bird.

William Williams, Esq., Speaker of the House of Representatives; Richard Law, Esq., Clerk,

An Act for raising and equipping a body of Minute-men, to be held in readiness for the better defence of this Colony.

Be it enacted by the Governour, Council, and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That one-fourth part of the Militia of this Colony be forthwith selected by voluntary inlistment, with as many other able-bodied effective men, not included in any militia roll, as are inclined to inlist, to stand in readiness as Minute-men, for the defence of this and the rest of the United Colonies.

And that such inlistment may be speedily made, Be it further enacted, That the Colonels, or chief officers of the respective Regiments of Militia in this Colony, shall forth-with give orders to the Captains, or chief officers of the several military companies in their Regiments, requiring them to call their respective companies together, and inlist the fourth part of the same as aforesaid, with such other able-bodied effective men, not included in any militia roll, as shall voluntarily offer themselves; and said Captains, or chief officers of said companies, shall immediately execute said orders, and make return of their doings to the Colonels or chief officers of the respective Regiments; and thereupon the Field-Officers of each Regiment of Militia shall form said men into distinct companies, each consisting of about sixty-eight rank and file; which companies shall have liberty to choose their own officers, to wit: one Captain, two Lieutenants, and one Ensign, four Sergeants, one Clerk, one Drummer, one Fifer, and four Corporals; and said Field-Officers shall lead such companies to the choice of their commissioned officers, and make return of their choice, with a muster roll of their company, to his Honour the Governour; who, on receipt thereof, is authorized and desired to commission them accordingly.

And be it further enacted, That his Honour the Governour, with the advice of the Committee appointed to assist him in the recess of the General Assembly, be, and he is hereby authorized and desired, to form said companies into distinct Regiments, and specially appoint and empower such of the Field-Officers of the Regiments of Militia for the time being to take command of such new-formed Regiments as he shall think proper and expedient.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That such officers and soldiers shall completely equip themselves with arms and ammunition, according to law; and also provide themselves with a good bayonet and knap-