Form of Inlistment.

"We, the subscribers, do hereby severally inlist ourselves into the service of the United Colonies of America, to serve until the 1st day of April next, if the service shall require it; and each of us do engage to furnish and carry with us into the service, a good effective fire-arm and blanket, (also, a good bayonet and cartridge-pouch, if possible;) and we severally consent to be formed by such person as the General Court shall appoint, into a company of ninety men, including one Captain, two Lieutenants, one Ensign, four Sergeants, four Corporals, one Drummer, and one Fifer, to be elected by the companies; and, when formed, we engage to march to Head-Quarters of the American Army, with the utmost expedition, and to be under the command of such field-officer, or officers, as the General Court shall appoint; and we further agree, during the time aforesaid, to be subject to such Generals as are, or shall be appointed, and to be under such regulations, in every respect, as are provided for the Army aforesaid. Dated this. . . . . . . . day of. . . . . . . . A. D. 1776."

Thomas Cushing, Esquire, brought down the Report of the Committee of both Houses appointed to confer with Mr. Thomas Harling on the subject of erecting a Powder-Mill, &c, viz:

That they have conferred with said Harling, who has viewed the Streams both at Sutton and Stoughton, and are of opinion, that it will be most for the benefit of this Colony, that said Mill should be built at Stoughton.

CALEB CUSHING, per order.

Read, and accepted, and Mr. Gerry was appointed to bring in a Resolve accordingly.

Mr. Speaker communicated to the House a Letter from his Excellency General Washington, and several copies of Letters relative to the death of General Montgomery, the wounding Colonel Arnold, and the late unsuccessful assault upon the City of Quebeck, with Minutes of a Council of War held at Head-Quarters in Cambridge, January 18th current.

Ordered, That Major Sewall, Doctor Rice, and Mr. Woodbridge, be a Committee to proportion on the several Towns in the County of York the men to be raised in that County.

Moses Gill, Esquire, brought down the Proclamation prepared agreeable to order by a Committee of both Houses.

Ordered, That Mr. Gerry bring in a Resolve for raising a Regiment of seven hundred and twenty-eight men, including officers, in the Counties of Hampshire and Berkshire,," to go into Canada, agreeable to General Washington's Letter, and for the appointment of Field-Officers for said Regiment, agreeable to the method pointed out in the Militia Bill.

Ordered, That the Members from the Counties aforesaid forthwith prepare a list of Field-Officers for said Regiment, and lay the same on the table.

Mr. Gerry, agreeable to order, reported the following Resolve, viz: Read, and accepted.

Resolved, That the Committee lately appointed for erecting a Powder-Mill for this Colony be, and they hereby are directed to cause the same to be built at Stoughton, without delay, and to exert themselves for executing this most important and necessary business in preference to every other engagement which they may be at present under to this Court, and to cause the same to be constructed in such manner as shall appear to them most advantageous.

Mr. Gerry, agreeable to order, reported the following Resolve. Read, and accepted, viz:

Resolved, That the request of his Excellency General Washington, relative to raising one Regiment, to consist of seven hundred and twenty-eight men, including officers, agreeable to the Continental establishment to reinforce the Army in Canada, be forthwith complied with, and that the said Regiment be inlisted from the Counties of Hampshire and Berkshire, to continue in the service of the United Colonies until the first of January next, if required thereto, and that the Field-Officers be now appointed by ballot of one House of Assembly, and concurrence, of the other, and when so chosen, the said officers be commissioned by the Council, and ordered on the service of recruiting without delay.

Ordered, That Major Learned assist the Members from the County of Berkshire in proportioning on the several towns in that County the men to be raised therein.

The House proceeded, by ballot, to choose the Field-Officers for the Regiment to be raised in the Counties of Hampshire and Berkshire, to reinforce the Continental Army in Canada, agreeable to a Resolve of this day, and unanimously made choice of Elisha Porter, Esq., Colonel; Thomas Williams, Esquire, Lieutenant-Colonel; and Mr. Abner Morgan, Major.

Ordered, That Mr.Gerry, Colonel One, and Mr. Hopkins, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve for raising a Regiment in the Counties of Hampshire and Berkshire, agreeable to the proportion laid on the several towns by the Members from those Counties, and to empower a Committee to appoint the Staff-Officers.

Moses Gill, Esquire, brought down the following Vote of Council, viz:

On a motion, Ordered, That John Winthrop and Thomas Cushing, Esquires, with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to take under consideration a Resolution of the American Congress, passed January 2d, 1776, and report.

Read, and concurred, and Mr. Speaker, Mr. Hopkins, and Mr. Cooper, are joined.

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

Saturday, January 20, 1776.

Major David Wells was returned a Member from Shelburne, and made his first appearance in the House,

Two Accounts of the Honourable John Adams, Esquire, of his expenses at Philadelphia, and also, of going to and returning from that place. Read, and committed to Captain Stone, Major Moody, and Mr. Hale.

Colonel Thompson was directed, to alter with a pen the date of the Resolve for procuring Hay, which was printed this day, from the 16th to the 20th instant.

A Petition of Philip Hodgkins, setting forth the cruel treatment he met with from Colonel Cargill, and praying the consideration of the Court. Read, and committed to the Committee appointed to consider the Letter from Mr. Samuel Jordan, brought down yesterday.

It was moved, that a bounty should be given to the Regiment which is to be raised in the Counties of Hampshire and Berkshire, to reinfore the Army at Canada.

Afternoon.

The House considered the expediency of paying a bounty to the Regiment to be raised in the Counties of Hampshire and Berkshire, to reinforce the Army at Canada.

On a motion, Ordered, That Mr. Speaker, Major Hawley, Deacon Rawson, Colonel Cushing, and Mr. Cooper, be a Committee to confer with his Excellency General Washington at large, on the subject of raising a Regiment for reinforcing the Army in Canada.

Ordered, That a message go to the honourable Board desiring them to send down his Excellency General Washington's Letter, relative to the raising a Regiment to go into Canada.

Walter Spooner, Esquire, brought it down accordingly.

A Petition of Jonathan Hastings, representing that he some time since preferred a Petition to this Court, praying that compensation might be made him for his_tirne and trouble, for the accommodation of Officers, and others, at the battle of Lexington and Charlestown, &c, which Petition being mislaid, he again prays consideration of his Account. Read, and ordered_to lie.