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Walpole, Norfolk County, May 20, 1776. Assembled the Town, and voted unanimously, That if the honourable Continental Congress should declare these Colonies independent of Great Britain, they would support them in the measure with their lives and fortunes. Medway, Norfolk County, May 22, 1776. At a legal meeting of the inhabitants of the Town of Medway, on the 22d of May, 1776: Resolved, by a vote, That if the honourable Continental Congress should, for the safety of the Colonies, declare them independent of the Kingdomof Great Britain, they will support them in the measure with their lives and fortunes. PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO GENERAL WASHINGTON. Philadelphia, May 21, 1776. SIR: As I imagine this will meet you on the road to this place, I waive making any mention of publick matters, except that it is the wish of Congress you would, if consistent with the good of the service, order one battalion from New-York to be posted at Amboy, in the Jerseys, agreeable to the enclosed resolve. General Gates arrived this morning; soon after which I was honoured with your favour by post, which I laid before Congress; and as they expect you so soon here, I imagine they will defer consulting General Gates, and wait your arrival. Your favour of the 201h instant I received this morning, and cannot help expressing the very great pleasure it would afford both Mrs. Hancock and myself to have the happiness of accommodating you during your stay in this city. As the house I live in is large and roomy, it will be entirely in your power to live in that manner you should wish. Mrs. Washington may be as retired as she pleases while under inoculation, and Mrs. Hancock will esteem it an honour to have Mrs. Washington inoculated in her house; and as I am informed Mr. Randolph has not any lady about his house to take the necessary care of Mrs. Washington, I flatter myself she will be as well attended in my family. In short, sir, I must take the freedom to repeat, my wish that you would be pleased to condescend to dwell under my roof. I assure you, sir, I will do all in my power to render your stay agreeable, and my house shall be entirely at your disposal. I must, however, submit this to your determination, and only add that you will peculiarly gratify Mrs. Hancock and myself in affording me an opportunity of convincing you of this truth, that I am, with every sentiment of regard for you and your connexions, and with much esteem, dear sir, your faithful and most obedient and humble servant, JOHN HANCOCK. To His Excellency General Washington. Fessenden is complaining for the want of money; I have advanced him sixteen dollars, which you will please to order him to account for. GENERAL WASHINGTON TO NEW-YORK CONGRESS. New-York, May 21, 1776. GENTLEMEN: Congress having been pleased to request my attendance at Philadelphia, to advise with them on the situation of affairs, and being about to set out immediately, I judged it necessary to give Major-General Putnam instructions similar to those I have the honour to enclose you, for the regulation of his conduct in case you come to any determination respecting the Tories here and on Long-Island, and should have occasion for military assistance to carry it into execution. I have the honour to be, with great esteem, gentlemen, your, most obedient servant, GEORGE WASHINGTON. To the Provincial Congress. INSTRUCTIONS TO GENERAL PUTNAM. SIR: I have reason to believe that the Provincial Congress of this Colony have in contemplation a scheme for seizing the principal Tories and disaffected persons on Long-Island, in this City, and the country round about, and that, to carry the scheme into execution, they will be obliged to have recourse to the military power for assistance. If this should be the case, you are hereby required, during my absence, to afford every aid which the said Congress, or their said Committee, shall apply for. I need not recommend secrecy to you, as the success, you must be assured, will depend abundantly upon the precaution and the despatch with which the measure, when once adopted, is executed. General Greene will, though not in person, perhaps, have a principal share in ordering the detachments from his brigade on Long-Island; of course he will be a proper person to let into the whole plan. I would, therefore, when application is made by Congress, have you and him concert measures with such gentlemen as this body shall please to appoint, and order the execution with as much secrecy and despatch as possible, and, at the same time, with the utmost decency and good order. Given under my hand at Head-Quarters, in the City of New-York, the 21st day of May, 1776. To Major-General Putnam. GENERAL WASHINGTON TO GENERAL PUTNAM. SIR: The Congress having been pleased to signify a desire that I should repair to Philadelphia, in order to advise and consult with them on the present posture of affairs, and as I am on the point of setting out accordingly, I have to desire that you will cause the different works now in agitation to be carried on with the utmost expedition. To this end I have written to the Provincial Congress of this Colony for tools, and have hopes of obtaining them. Apply, therefore, accordingly, taking an exact account of what you receive. The works upon Long-Island should be completed as expeditiously as possible; so should those in and about this town, and upon Governour’s Island. If new works can be carried on without detriment to the old, (for want of tools,) I would have that intended at Paulus Hook set about immediately, as I conceive it to be of importance. In like manner I would have that at the Narrows begun, provided Colonel Knox, after his arrangement of the artillery, should find that there are any fit pieces of cannon to be spared for it; otherwise, as I have no longer any dependance upon cannon from Admiral Hopkins, it would be useless. The barriers of those streets leading from the water, are not to be meddled with; and where they have been pulled down are to be repaired, and nearer the water, if more advantageous. As it does not appear to me improbable that the enemy may attempt to run past our batteries in and about the town, and land between them and the woody grounds above Mr. Scott’s, I would have you employ as many men as you can in throwing up flushes at proper places and distances within that space, in order to give opposition in landing; but if there are not tools enough to carry on the other more essential works and these at the same instant, you are not to neglect the first, but esteem this as a secondary consideration only. Delay not a moment’s time to have the signals fixed for the purpose of communicating an alarm upon the first appearance of the enemy. Let them be placed in such a manner, and at such distances, as to be easily discovered, day or night. If this was continued upon the Long-Island shore for some distance, good consequences might result from it, as nothing can be attended with more signal advantages than having timely notice of the enemy’s approach, whilst nothing can add more to the disgrace of an officer than to be surprised; for this reason, I have to beg that the same vigilance and precaution may be used as if the enemy were actually within sight, as a brisk wind and flowing tide will soon produce them when they are once on the coast. The officers and men, therefore, should be constantly at their quarters, the guards alert, and everything in readiness for immediate, action. As I have great reason to fear that the fortifications in the Highlands are in a bad situation, and the garrisons, on account of arms, worse, I would have you send Brigadier Lord Stirling, with Colonel Putnam, (and Colonel Knox, if he can be spared,) up there, to see, report, and direct such alterations as shall be judged necessary for putting them into a fit and proper posture of defence. Open any letters which may come directed to me upon *
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