Colonel Howe, to the Town of Bedford,

Major Brooks, to the Town of Lincoln,

Captain Walker, to the Town of Wilmington,

Colonel Perry, to the Town of Natick,

Captain While, to the Town of Needham,

Major Fuller, to the Town of Newton,

Deacon Leonard, to the Town of Weston,

Major Blood, to the Town of Waltham,

Mr. Hendrick, to the Town of Stoneham,

Captain Hobart, to the Town of Malden,

Mr. Ingalls, to the Town of Reading,

Major Johnson, to the Town of Woburn,

Captain Brown, to the Town of Watertown,

Major Bliss, to the Town of Medford,

Mr. Perry, to the Town of Medfield,

Captain Carpenter, to the Town of Walpole.

Ordered, That Mr. Gerry, Captain Partridge, Mr. Pitts, Colonel Dwight, and Colonel Cushing, be a Committee to consider what towns it would be expedient to send to for Wood, which are at a greater distance from the Camp than those specified in a Resolve of this House of the 2d instant, and report to the House.

Benjamin Chadbourn, Esq., brought down the Report of the Committee of both Houses appointed to wait on, and represent to General Washington, the circumstances of four Companies, now doing duty in the Towns of Braintree, Weymouth, and Hingham, viz:

The Committee of both Houses "appointed to wait on, and represent to his Excellency General Washington, the circumstances of four Companies now doing duty in the Towns of Braintree, Weymouth, and Hingham, setting forth by whose order they were raised; that they were then considered as part of the thirteen thousand six hundred men agreed to be inlisted by this Colony, where they have done duty, &c, and to request that his Excellency would order them to be paid by the United Colonies," beg leave to represent, that as the propriety of such an order depends upon various circumstances; and, as many important matters are constantly soliciting his Excellency's attention, the Committee report the following state of facts to be laid before him, so that he may be the better enabled to answer the request of this Court:

Upon application from the towns aforesaid, (as also from those of Chelsea and Maiden,) on or about the 1st of May last, to the Committee of Safety of this Colony, who then had the direction of raising and stationing the forces within the same, praying that they would (from a consideration of the situation of said towns, and that the enemy could land in any of them from Boston Harbour within an hour after they enter their boats, and in some parts in less than half an hour; and also that they could from thence easily penetrate into the country,) order a detachment from the camps, as a guard, to be stationed in these towns. The said Committee of Safety, with the Council of War, after full inquiry and deliberation, determined that it was necessary that a party should be constantly stationed on the seacoasts of these towns, to watch the motions of the enemy, and prevent their landing; but as no troops could well be spared at that time from either of the camps of Cambridge or Roxbury, they directed that there should immediately he raised one company in Hingham, one in Weymouth, and two in Braintree, (also two at Chelsea and Maiden,) and that these companies should be joined to such regiments in future, as should be directed. The men were raised, as ordered, and were then, and ever have been considered as part of the thirteen thousand six hundred men to be raised by this Colony; they were so considered by the General Officers, and have been employed in such services, place, and places, as the Commanding Officer at Roxbury hath from time to time directed, as will appear by his orders to the several Captains of said companies, some copies of which accompany this representation. A company from Roxbury was, as soon as the state of that camp would admit of it, detached to the assistance of these four companies, and upon their being remanded in August last, two other companies, also part of the Continental Army, were sent to supply their place, and the place of a company drawn from Cohasset, a town adjoining to Hingham. When these four companies were raised, this Colony had it not in contemplation to raise men for the general defence of the sea coasts; and they never have been considered by us in any other point of view than as part of our quota for the common defence; and being stationed far within the narrow limits of the Harbour of Boston, his Excellency will, undoubtedly, from all these considerations, grant the reasonable request of this Court, and order these forces to be paid by the United Colonies.

In Council, December 26, 1775: Read, and accepted, and, thereupon, Resolved, That the Committee who were appointed to wait upon his Excellency General Washington, with a representation of the state of the said four companies, be excused that part of their service; and that the Committee appointed to wait upon his Excellency to request his informing this Court how far he will extend his Guards, &c., present him with the foregoing Report and Representation, with the papers accompanying the same, and request his ordering payment to said companies.

Read, and concurred.

A Petition of Duncan Campbell, praying that he may have liberty to send a vessel to Tobago, in ballast. Read, and committed to Mr. Speaker, Major Hawley, and Mr. Sullivan.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the Town of Newton, to send to Roxbury one half of the Wood which they were, by a Resolve of this House, desired to send to Cambridge.

The Militia Bill was recommitted at large, and Major Hawley and Mr. Gerry were added to the Committee.

Ordered, That Mr. Speaker and Mr. Cushing be a Committee to wait upon the Quartermaster-General, and desire him to make a return to this House, weekly, of what Wood he receives from the several towns which the House has recommended to supply the Army with. And also to represent to them the necessity this House conceive there is of having proper wood-yards provided, and persons at hand to pay for what may be carried to such yards.

The House then adjourned till ten o'clock, to-morrow morning.

Wednesday, December 27, 1775.

A Petition of David Pratt and others, a Committee of Spencertown, in the County of Albany, and Colony of New-York, setting forth, that early last Spring the inhabitants of that town formed a company of Minute-Men, who, on the 23d of April last, set out on their march for Boston, but being stopped by the advice of Colonel Fellows, and that of the Committee aforesaid, who became bound to pay them for their service until the 25th of May following, as represented in said Petition, they then received orders to march to Lake-George, but General Schuyler having refused to pay them for any service before the said 25th May, without the desire of this Court, they pray the Court to signify to him their opinion hereon.

Read, and committed to Doctor Whiting, Mr. Whitney, and Deacon Wood.

On the Memorial of William Powell, entered the 21st instant:

Resolved, That the Schooner of about sixty tons, mentioned in the Memorial of William Powell, of alem, in the County of Essex, be permitted to proceed on a voyage to any part of Europe, or to the West-Indies, (the Dominions of Great Britain excepted,) for the purpose of procuring Gunpowder, or other necessary stores, provided the owner of the vessel enter into bonds, with sufficient sureties, in the sum of one thousand Pounds, to be taken by the Committee of Safety of Salem, in the name of the Treasurer of this Colony; that said Schooner shall proceed on said voyage with cash only, (as is proposed in the Memorial,) with all possible despatch, and bring nothing back except Gunpowder, or other Military Stores, if a full load of the former cannot be obtained, and land the same in some part of this Colony, Boston and Nantucket excepted.

Moses Gill, Esq., brought down a Petition of Mrs. Deborah Cushing, wife of the Honourable Thomas Cushing, Esq., one of the members of the Continental Congress, setting forth, that Mr. Cushing, being at the lime of commencing hostilities by the Ministerial troops, called out of Boston on publick business, was prevented from getting out any of his household furniture, except one or two beds;