USA > Massachusetts > The journals of each Provincial congress of Massachusetts in 1774 and 1775, and of the Committee of safety, with an appendix, containing the proceedings of the county conventions-narratives of the events of the nineteenth of April, 1775 > Part 31
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Wo are, gentlemen, your humble servants."
" Wo hope you will not omit any thing you can do, as it is uncertain what New York will under- take, without the advice of the general congress, &c."
4
240
SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS. [May 19,
Ordered, That Doct. Perkins and Capt. Baker be added to the com- mittee, who were appointed to inquire where the treasurer can borrow money.
Resolved, That all persons who may have any goods or chattels, be- longing to Lady Frankland, now in their custody, which are not men- tioned in the resolve of this Congress for allowing her, with certain effects to go into Boston, be, and hereby are directed, to permit her to send them to Hopkinton, or dispose of them in any way agreeable to her, not inconsistent with the resolves of this Congress.
The committee appointed to consider what steps may be taken for the relief of such of the inhabitants of Boston as come over to Charles- town, &c., reported; whereupon, Ordered, that Deacon Cheever, Col. Davis and Capt. Withinton, be a committee to bring in a list of names of persons to fill up the blank in said report.
Mr. Gerry reported an answer to a letter from the committee of cor- respondence of Connecticut ; which was [ªaccepted.]1
Adjourned to three o'clock, P. M.
[Afternoon.]
Ordered, That Doct. Holten, Mr. Whittemore and Major Bliss, be a committee to take into consideration the representation made to this Congress by Col. Warren, by desire of Gen. Ward, of the necessity there is, that the army should be immediately supplied with iron pots, as well as an additional stock of powder, as also for providing a house for the abode of Joseph Trumbull, Esq., of Connecticut, and another for the chairman and the other members of the committee of safety.
The report of the committee for revising the commissions of [the committee of ] safety, after being read paragraph by paragraph, was amended and accepted, and is as follows, viz. :
Whereas, the former Congresses of this colony have chosen, and by divers resolutions have empowered, John Hancock, Esq., Doct. Joseph Warren, Doct. Benjamin Church, Capt. Benjamin Church, Capt. Ben- jamin White, Col. Joseph Palmer, Mr. Richard Devens, Mr. Abraham Watson, Jr., Mr. John Pigeon, Col. Azor Orne, Nathan Cushing, Esq., Col. William Heath, Col. Thomas Gardner, Col. Asa Whitcomb, Mr. Edward Durant and Mr. James Sullivan, to be a committee of safety, and by virtue of the authority of that office, on certain occasions, to cause to be assembled the militia of this colony, for the defence of the inhabitants thereof; and which committee of safety are, by the resolu-
a [accepted, and is as follows, viz.]
(1) Mr. Gerry's draft of an answer, never entered on the record, is not retained on the files of Congress
241
SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS,
1775.]
tions of said congresses, empowered to do several other acts for the service of the colony, as by the journals and records of said congresses appear :
It is Resolved, That, whatever the said committee of safety, or any of them, liave done pursuant to the said resolutions of said Congress, shall be held good and valid; and that the said inhabitants of said col- ony shall be held thereby, as well according to the true intent and meaning of said resolutions, as according to the strict letter thereof : and, whereas, there appears to be still a deficiency of power in said committee, considering the particular exigencies of the colony, and it being necessary to have their commission as concise and explicit as possible, which can be done only by consolidating the powers intended in the several resolutions of this, as well as the former congresses, to be given them. It is, therefore, Resolved, that all and every resolution now in force, respecting the said committee of safety, shall be, and hereby are, repealed, revoked, and rendered null and void.
And it is also Resolved, That [Hon. John Hancock, Esq., Doct. Joseph Warren, Doct. Benjamin Church, Capt. Benjamin White, Col. Joseph Palmer, Mr. Richard Devens, Mr. Abraham Watson, Mr. John Pigeon, Col. Azor Orne, Hon. Benjamin Greenleaf, Esq., Mr. Nathan Cush- ing, Doct. Samuel Holten, Hon. Enoch Freeman, Esq.,] be a commit- tee of safety for this colony hereafter, until some further order of this, or some future congress or house of representatives of this colony shall revoke their, or either of their appointments.
And it is also Resolved, That the said committee of safety shall be, and hereby are empowered, when they shall think it necessary, in de- fence of the lives and properties of the inhabitants of this colony, to assemble such and so many of the militia thereof, and them to dispose and place where, and detain so long, as the said committee of safety shall judge necessary, and to discharge said militia when the safety of this colony will admit of it; and the officers of the said militia are hereby enjoined to pay strict obedience to the orders and directions of the said committee of safety.
And it is also Resolved, That the said committee of safety shall be, and hereby are empowered, to direct the army of this colony to be stationed where the said committee of safety shall judge most condu- cive to the defence and service of the colony ; and the general, and other officers of the army, are required to render strict obedience to such orders of said committee : provided always, that it shall be in the power of this, or any future congress, to control any order of the said committee of safety, respecting this or any other matter.
31
242
SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
[May 19,
And, whereas, the former committee of safety were, by a resolve of this Congress, empowered to nominate persons to this Congress, to be commissioned to be officers in the army now establishing for the de- fence of this colony, and said committee having already given orders to a number of persons, to enlist men for that purpose : Resolved, that the committee of safety now appointed, proceed in that matter, that such officers, where the regiments are completed, may be commission- ed by this Congress; and if any regiments should be nearly completed, and the officers thereof ready to be commissioned, agreeably to the re- solve of this Congress, during the time between the dissolution of this Congress and the meeting of the next, the said committee shall have power to fill up and deliver out commissions to them, and blank com- missions, signed by the president of this Congress, and attested by the secretary, shall be delivered to the said committee for this purpose.
And it is also Resolved, That any five of the said committee be a quorum, with full power to transact any business which the committee, by the resolves above, are empowered and vested with authority to do.
Ordered, That letters be sent to the Hon. Benjamin Greenleaf, Esq. and the Hon. Enoch Freeman, Esq., informing them of their being chosen members of the committee of safety, and requesting their at- tendance as soon as possible.
Resolved, That Mr. John Pigeon be, and he hereby is appointed and empowered, as a commissary for the army of this ||ªcolony, || to draw from the magazines, which are or may be provided for that pur- pose, such provisions and other stores as, from time to time, he shall find necessary for the army ; and he is further empowered, to recom- mend to the Congress such persons as shall be necessary, and as he shall think qualified, to serve as deputy commissioners ; and said dep- uty commissioners, when confirmed by the congress for the time being, shall have full power to act in said office, and are to be accountable to the commissary for their doings; also, said commissary is empowered to contract with, and employ, such other persons to assist him in exe- cuting his office, as shall be, by him, found necessary ; and his con- tracts, for necessaries to supply the army, during the late confused state of the colony, shall be allowed; and the committee of supplies are hereby directed to examine, and if they find them reasonable, con- sidering the exigencies of the times, to draw on the treasury for pay- ment of the same.
The form of a commission for Gen. Ward was read, amended and accepted, and is as follows :
a ||province.||
243
SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
1775.]
THE CONGRESS OF THE COLONY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY.
To the Hon. Artemas Ward, Esq .- Greeting :
We, reposing especial trust and confidence in your courage and good conduct, do, by these presents, constitute and appoint you, the said Artemas Ward, to be general and commander in chief of all the forces raised by the congress aforesaid, for the defence of this, and the other American colonies. You are, therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of a general, in leading, ordering and exercising the said forces in arms, both inferior officers and soldiers; and to keep them in good order and discipline, and they are hereby commanded to obey you as their general ; and you are yourself to observe and follow such orders and instructions as you shall, from time to time, receive from this, or any future congress or house of representatives of this colony, or the committee of safety, so far as the said committee is em- powered, by their commission, to order and instruct you, for the de- fence of this, and the other colonies; and to demean yourself accord- ing to the military rules and discipline established by Congress, in pur- suance of the trust reposed in you.
, the of
A. D., 1775.
By order of Congress.
President pro tempore.
Secretary pro tempore.
Ordered, That Col. Foster, Capt. Stone and Mr. Webster, be a com- mittee to get the depositions, and narrative of the late excursion of the king's troops to Concord, printed in a pamphlet, on the best terms they can ; and that they forward one pamphlet to each town and dis- trict in the colony.
Resolved, That there be a blank left in the commissions, to be given the officers of the several regiments of the colony army, for the rank of the regiment, and that [blank ] be a committee to settle the ranks of the regiments, when the regiments are completed.
Resolved, That the same committee be directed to bring in a resolve, settling the rank or number of the regiments, according to the rank or age of the counties from whence the majority of the regiments shall come.
Resolved, That the rank of the regiments, where there are more than one in each county, be according to the rank which those regi- ments ||have|| formerly sustained in the old arrangement from which they are taken, provided that can be ascertained, and where that can- not be determined, the rank to be determined by lot.
244
SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS. [May 20,
Resolved, That the commissions be all of one date, and that the rank of the officers be determined by this Congress, or by a committee from this Congress, at some future time.
Resolved, That Col. Samuel Gerrish have a commission for a colonel in the army, and that the oath be administered to him by Mr. Gardner, the receiver general.
[ª Also, that commissions, as captains, issue for Richard Dodge, Jacob Gerrish, William Rogers,] to bear date the 19th of May.
Adjourned till to-morrow morning, nine o'clock.
[SATURDAY,] May 20, 1775, A. M.
Ordered, That Col. Foster, Doct. Holten and Major Brooks, be a committee to confer with Mr. Revere, respecting his proposal for an alteration in the value of the colony notes, which have been ordered to be struck off.
Ordered, That Col. Thurston, Esquire Aikin and Mr. Crane, be a committee to take into consideration a petition from a number of the inhabitants of Deer Island.1
The committee appointed to consider the case of the prisoners in Boston, and the inhabitants which are there kept in duress, reported ; the report was read and accepted, and is as follows, viz. :
Whereas, this Congress did, on the 30th of April last, pass a re- solve for permitting such inhabitants of the colony to remove into Boston, with their effects, fire arms and ammunition excepted, as
a [Also that captain's commission for Richard Dodge; do. Jacob Gerrish ; do. William Rogers ; commissions to bear date the 19th of May.]
(1) The petition of the inhabitants of Deer Island, corresponds in the representations of distress, with those coming from many of the towns of the eastern coast. It was subscribed by Nathan Dow, Robert Nason, Francis Haskell, Samuel Haynes, Courtney Babidge, Isaiah Crockett and Thomas Thompson, and is almost a solitary exception to the general correctness with which the memorials to the Provincial Congress were drawn. The inartificial construction and simplicity of language, render the description of want and embarrassment more vivid :
" DEER ISLAND, in the county of Lincoln.
" To the honored gentlemen of the Provincial Congress:
" SIRS :- We, who are the committee of this town, do desire to make our complaint unto you, and will inform you in what poor circumstances we are at this time : and would beg your assist- ance, as we are witbout powder and ball, and [have] no way to get any, as our wood and lumber will not sell at any price ; and, gentlemen, we are in great want for corn and pork, and shall suffer, unless we have help from you, and unless the ports are opened and trade goes on. And, gentlemen, if you will be so kind unto us as to help us, we will make you full satisfaction for the same, when we can sell our lumber. We would inform you, that there are on this island about three hundred · souls, and we beg you would consider in what poor condition we must be. Gentlemen : we can't purchase corn nor pork at any rate whatsoever : and we hope, that your love and regard for your brethren and true sons of liberty, will send us speedy relief. And, gentlemen, in complying with the above, you will greatly oblige your humble servants."
May 11, 1775.
245
SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
1775.]
should incline thereto, it being in consequence of general Gage's prom- ise to the inhabitants of Boston, that, upon resigning their arms and ammunition, they should have liberty to remove from said town with their effects : and, whereas, but a small proportion of the said inliabit- ants of Boston have been, hitherto, permitted to leave the town, and those only to bring their clothing and household furniture, they being constrained to leave their provisions and all their other effects; therefore, Resolved, that Gen. Ward be, and he hereby is directed, to order the guards, in future, not to suffer any provisions or effects, excepting fur- niture and clothing, to be carried into the town of Boston, so long as the said general Gage shall suffer the persons or effects of the inhabit- ants of said town, contrary to his plighted faith, to be restrained.
The committee appointed to confer with Mr. Revere, brought in the following resolves, which were accepted, and the secretary [was] direct- ed to erase from the minutes the resolve which passed this Congress for issuing colony notes of ten shillings each.
Whereas, this Congress did, on the fourth day of this instant May, pass a resolve in the following form, viz. : Resolved, that each non- commissioned officer and private soldier, who has, or shall enlist him- self into the service of this colony, shall have twenty shillings paid him, out of the receiver general's office, as advance pay ; and that the commanding officer of each regiment, who shall be, and hereby is, em- powered to act as muster master to his said regiment, shall draw from the receiver general's office the sum of twenty shillings, for each non- commissioned officer and private soldier in his said regiment, and pay the same according to the tenor of this resolve, as soon as said men have enlisted themselves and been duly sworn, and give his bond, with suffi- cient sureties, to the receiver general therefor; said bond to be dis- charged by a receipt produced by said officer, from each non-commis- sioned officer and private soldier, that he has received the same :
And, whereas, this Congress have, by a subsequent resolve, super- seded the appointment of the muster masters aforementioned, and di- rected that Col. Benjamin Lincoln and Col. Asa Whitcomb be ap- pointed muster masters in the Massachusetts army, whose business it shall be to pass muster on every soldier that should be enlisted into the said army, and by no means to accept of any but such as are able bodied and effective men, and also to examine their arms and accou- trements, &c., [to ascertain] that they are in proper order ; and said muster masters are thereby directed and empowered to receive from Henry Gardner, Esq., receiver general, twenty shillings, lawful money, for each and every non-commissioned officer and private soldier then
246
SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS. [May 20,
mustered and sworn, as shall appear with arms, &c., and shall give bond to said receiver general, with sufficient sureties, for such moneys drawn out of the treasury, and shall forthwith pay out said sum of twenty shillings, advance pay, to each and every non-commissioned officer and private soldier, and on producing receipts from them to said receiver general, said bonds shall be cancelled : and, whereas, it is found that sufficient ready cash cannot be obtained so soon as it will be needed for the purpose aforesaid ;
Therefore, Resolved, That each non-commissioned officer and pri- vate soldier aforesaid, if he will accept the same, shall, instead of twenty shillings advance pay, upon the muster aforesaid, receive forty shillings advance pay, in three notes on interest, from the receiver gen- eral, to be paid in one year from the date of said notes ; and that for all such sums as the said Col. Lincoln and Col. Whitcomb shall re- ceive of the receiver general, in notes aforesaid, they give bonds, and that such bonds be discharged by receipts, as in and by the last men- tioned resolve is directed.
Ordered, That the president, Major Hawley, Gen. Whitcomb, Mr. Gerry, Col. Palmer, Col. Lincoln and Col. Foster, be a committee to consider what measures are proper to be taken for organizing the Mas- sachusetts army in the most effectual and ready manner.
Resolved, That for the payment of advance pay to the Massachu- setts army, there be issued by the receiver general, on the credit of this colony, a sum not exceeding twenty-six thousand pounds, lawful money, in notes of the following denominations, viz. : of twenty shil- lings, of eighteen, sixteen, fifteen, fourteen, twelve, ten, nine, and of six shillings : to be four thousand, three hundred, and thirty-three, of each denomination, and no more; and to be of the forin following, viz .:
COLONY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY.
No
May 25, 1775.
The possessor of this note shall be entitled to receive, out of the public treasury of this colony, the sum of shillings, lawful money, on the twenty-fifth day of May, A. D., 1776, with interest, at the rate of six per cent. per annum ; and this note shall be received in all payments at the treasury, at any time after the date hereof, for the principal sum, without interest, if so paid before the said 25th day of May, A. D., 1776.
Receiver General.
Which notes shall be received in all payments in this colony, and no
247
SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
1775.]
discount or abatement shall be made thereon, in any payment, trade, or exchange whatsoever.
The committee appointed to consider the practicability of providing chaplains for the army, reported ; the report was read, and recommit- ted.
The petition of Benjamin Thompson to the cominittee of safety, was read, and ordered to subside.1
Adjourned to three o'clock, P. M.
[Afternoon.]
The report of the committee appointed to consider the practicability of providing chaplains, was again read and accepted, and is as follows, viz. :
Whereas, it is necessary that chaplains should be appointed in the Massachusetts army, under the command of the Hon. Artemas Ward, Esq., which, if appointed, on the establishment made by this Congress, will greatly enhance the colony debt; and, whereas, it has been repre- sented to this Congress, that several ministers of the religious assem- blies within this colony, have expressed their willingness to attend the army aforesaid, in the capacity of chaplains, as they may be directed by this Congress; therefore, Resolved, that it be, and it is hereby re- commended, to the ministers of the several religious assemblies within this colony, that, with the leave of their several congregations, they attend said army in their several ||ªturns,|| to the number of thir- teen at one time, during the time the army shall be encamped, and that they inake known their resolutions, to the Congress, thereon, or to the committee of safety, as soon as may be.
Resolved, unanimously, that the president be desired to deliver to Gen. Ward, the commission prepared for him by this Congress, as gen- eral and commander in chief of the Massachusetts forces.
Ordered, That Major Brooks, Col. Mitchell, Esquire Rawson, Es- quire Dix and Major Bliss, be a committee to examine the prisoner at the door, brought from head quarters, and report some order to be taken thereon.
The president communicated to the Congress the request of the se- lectmen of Boston, that the Congress would permit Mr. Hall to carry
a ||towns.]]
(1) Mr. Benjamin Thompson, of Concord, in New Hampshire, represented, that he had been ar- rested and confined in Woburn, upon suspicion of being inimical to the liberty of the country : that the committee of correspondence had made a public examination, but were not pleased to acquit or condemn him : that his personal safety and reputation depended on a thorough and impartial inves- tigation of the charges against him : and prayed the committee of safety to take the subject iuto consideration, and afford him a full and fair trial, and an honorable discharge from confinement.
248
SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS. [May 20,
two loads of hay into Boston, one for himself and one for another per- son, (lieutenant governor Oliver ;) whereupon, Ordered, that the mes- senger in waiting ||for an answer|| be dismissed.
Resolved, That only the colonels of each regiment should attend this Congress to receive their commissions, unless they should be in- disposed, or otherwise necessarily prevented; in which case, the next field officer may apply for his commission, and commissions for the in- ferior officers in his regiment.
'The Hon. Mr. Dexter having, by order of Congress, administered the oath to Gen. Ward, his commission was delivered to him by the president.
The following cominissions were likewise delivered, viz .: to Thom- as Cogswell, John Wood, captains, under the command of Col. Ger- rish; Ephraim Doolittle, colonel ; Ebenezer Learned, colonel; Joseph Reed, colonel; James Bricket, lieutenant colonel, under Col. James Fry ; Calvin Smith, major, under Col. Joseph Reed; Danforth Keyes, lieutenant colonel, Jonathan Holman, major, under Col. Ebenezer Learned; Ebenezer Clap, lieutenant colonel, under Col. Joseph Reed.
Ordered, That commissions be delivered to the captains of Col. Fry's regiment, agreeably to a list exhibited.
Resolved, That nine o'clock, next Tuesday morning, be assigned for taking into consideration the expediency of giving lieutenants' commissions to the subaltern officers.
Resolved, That three o'clock, next Tuesday afternoon, be assigned to consider a motion made by Col. Doolittle, for appointing a muster master for the enlisted companies at Northfield.
Ordered, That Capt. Brown and Esquire Dix, be a committee to procure a guard over the prisoners ||brought|| from head quarters, and that the guard who conducted them from thence be now re- leased.
Adjourned till to-morrow afternoon at four o'clock.
SUNDAY, May 21, 1775, A. M.
Met at four o'clock, and adjourned to to-morrow morning, eight o'clock.1
(1) From this date until the dissolution of the second Provincial Congress, no journal of the pro- ceedings is preserved. The fragments on the following pages, have been gathered from the papers on the files, from the copies of resolves certified to be correct by Mr. Secretary Freeman, and from authorized publications in the prints of the times. These relics afford a very imperfect history of the doings of the Congress during the last eight days of its existence, and excite deep regret for the loss of the record, which, it is probable, from the evidence afforded by the volumes preserved, was never entered in regular form by the clerk.
249
SECOND PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
1775.]
MONDAY, May 22, 1775.
['The committee on the petition from the inhabitants of Deer Island, reported as follows, viz. : ]
[The committee on the petition of a number of the inhabitants of Deer Island, so called, in the county of Lincoln, beg leave to report, that they have made inquiry of the bearer of the petition, Major Low, and find that the people there are greatly in want of provisions, and ought to be relieved : but whether it will be best to remove them from the island, or to supply them with 150 bushels of corn, 100 bushels of potatoes, 2 barrels of pork, 20 cod lines, with leads and hooks, and a small quantity of salt, we submit to the Congress.]
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