a Regiment to fortify the Harbour of Boston, and procure a sufficient number of the same, together with the form of Inlistment and Establishment, printed and distributed; and that the Beating Orders be directed to all the Officers proposed for each Company, with the rank which they are proposed to sustain, provided they can raise their Companies.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to David Curtis, the sum of eighteen Shillings, in full for his son’s board while wounded.

A Bill entitled “An Act for preventing the forging and altering Bills of Publick Credit and for their depreciation, and for making them a tender in all payments,” having passed the House of Representatives to be enacted,

In Council: Read a second time, and passed a concurrence to be enacted.

A Bill for amending An Act entitled “An Act for the encouraging the fixing out of Armed Vessels for the defence of America,” having passed the House of Representatives to be enacted:

In Council: Read a second time, and passed a concurrence to be enacted.

Resolved, That the Soldiers belonging to the British Army, with their wives and children, be sent to General Ward, and that Caleb Wheaton and others, who were taken on board the Brig Sally, by Captain John Manly, be sent to this Court for examination, except the women and children; and them (exclusive of the soldiers’ wives and children) to be disposed of by the Committee of Correspondence of Marblehead, in that way and manner that shall be the least charge to Government; and that Brigadier Farley be desired, in season, to collect the accounts of the necessary expenses attending the support and maintenance of these and all the other persons taken on board the same vessel, and endeavour to have the same discharged out of the moneys arising on the sales of the cargo and effects found on board the said vessel.

Adjourned to ten o’clock, Monday morning.

Monday, April 15, 1776.

Present in Council: Honourable James Otis, Benjamin Greenleaf, Walter Spooner, Eldad Taylor, James Prescott, Michael Farley, Caleb Cushing, Joseph Gerrish, John Whetcomb, Jedediah Foster, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, Benjamin White, Esquires.

The Committee of both Houses on the state of the Colony, beg leave to report: That, in their opinion, it is highly expedient that the cannon on Castle-Island, or such of them at least as are fit for use, or may soon be rendered so, should be immediately removed from thence to the Town of Boston, or other safe and convenient place. And that the Committee appointed to see to the fortifying the Harbour of Boston be directed to apply to General Ward, to order some part of the Army under his command to effect the removal of them accordingly.

BENJAMIN GEEENLEAF, per order.

Read, and accepted.

The Committee appointed to consider the Account of Benjamin Milk, reported: That they had attended that service, and, upon examination of the same, found them fairly stated, and well vouched; and that the said Benjamin received of Henry Gardner, Esq., Treasurer for the Colony, the sum of one hundred and ninety-five Pounds, for the purpose of supplying blankets; that the said Benjamin hath supplied one hundred and six blankets, of the value of one hundred and seventeen Pounds nine Shillings; so that there remains due to the Colony aforesaid the sum of seventy-seven Pounds eleven Shillings, as the just balance due from the said Benjamin.

Whereupon, Resolved, That the said Benjamin pay unto the said Henry Gardner, Esq., Treasurer as aforesaid, the aforesaid sum of seventy-seven Pounds eleven Shillings, as the just balance due as aforesaid; whose receipt for the same shall be a discharge in full for the said Benjamin for the sum of one hundred and ninty-five Pounds, by him received as aforesaid.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to Benjamin Mills, the sum of three Pounds seventeen Shillings and two Pence, in full for Blankets lost out of those purchased by said Mills for this Colony.

Resolved, That the Depositions of Doctor John Warren, Daniel Scott, and Frederick Ridgely, respecting a quantity of Medicines left in the Workshop of the Town of Boston, lately improved as an Hospital by the British Troops, be published in the Watertown Newspaper, by order of the General Court.

The Committee of both Houses, appointed to take into consideration the Commissary’s Accounts, beg leave to report: That they have examined the Account of Colonel Beriah Norton, as exhibited up to the 4th of this instant, April, and find the same right cast and well vouched. That four hundred and sixty-seven Pounds fifteen Shillings and eight Pence have been advanced for Provisions and other necessaries by the said Colonel Norton, for the sea-coast service. That a balance of eighty-six Pounds fourteen Shillings and five Pence, appears due to said Colonel Norton; and, notwithstanding he has not been able to exhibit at this time a particular account of the disposal of every article, your Committee are of opinion that he should receive his second payment, agreeable to the establishment made for the service aforesaid, he being further accountable.

CHARLES CHAUNCY, per order.

Read, and accepted, and thereupon

Resolved, That the said Colonel Norton receive his second payment, agreeable to the establishment aforesaid, he being further accountable.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to Benjamin Mills, Esquire, for the use of Thomas Rogers, in full for a Gun improved by George Mills, in the service the last summer, and not returned to said Rogers, the sum of two Pounds four Shillings, in full of said Gun.

Adjourned to nine o’clock, to-morrow morning.

Tuesday, April 16, 1776.

Present in Council: Honourable James Otis, Benjamin Greenleaf, Walter Spooner, Caleb Cushing, Joseph Gerrish, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, John Whet-comb, Jedediah Foster, James Prescott, Jabez Fisher, Benjamin White, Esquires.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the puhlick Treasury of this Colony, to John Taylor, Esquire, Captain John Greenleaf, and Mr. James Noble Shannon, the sum of one thousand two hundred Pounds, to be by them applied for the purchasing of Ammunition, Salt, Corn, &c., to be distributed to the several Committees in the eastern parts of the County of Lincoln, for supplying the inhabitants thereof.

Ordered, That Captain Edmund Sawyer, of Newbury, be joined to Mr. Tufts, of Newburyport, in the business of inspecting, receiving, and paying for Saltpetre.

Ordered, That Mr. Partridge and Mr. Pitts be of the Committee on the Instructions of his Excellency General Washington to the Honourable General Ward, in the room of Brigadier Godfrey and Mr. Cutter, absent. And the Committee are enjoined to sit forthwith.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to Lieutenant Andrew Gilman, the sum of twenty-three Pounds eight Shillings, in full for his wages and billeting to this day, and that he be discharged from the service of this Colony.

Resolved, That there be paid out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, to Colonel Josiah Whitney, the sum of two hundred and nineteen Pounds sixteen Shillings and one Penny, in full of his abstract of the pay due to the Officers and Soldiers in his Regiment, from the time of their engaging to the day they marched to Camp.

Whereas his Excellency General Washington has given it in order’s to General Ward to comply with the requisitions of the Council or General Court, respecting the forces under his command, so far as are consistent with his particular orders:

Therefore Resolved, As the opinion of this Court, that all Colonel Glover’s Regiment, now at Beverley, excepting one hundred and sixty men, including the proper officers, be removed to Boston, to assist in fortifying said Town and Harbour; and that one hundred and sixty men, including the proper officers, are sufficient to be kept on Bunker’s Hill, to be employed in levelling the lower lines of that work next Prospect and Winter Hills, and to guard the works there, as well as the Town of Charlestown.

And it is further Resolved, That a Beacon be erected at