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 38
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" Brothers ! I am sorry to hear of this groat quarrel between you and Old England. It appears that blood must soon be shed to end this quarrel. We never till this day understood the foundation of this quarrel between you and the country you came from."
" Brothers ! Whenever I see your blood running, you will soon find me about you to revenge my brother's blood. Although I am low and very small, I will gripe liold of your enemy's heel, that he cannot run so fast, and so light, as if he had nothing at his heels."
" Brothers ! You know I am not so wise as you are, therefore I ask your advice in what I am now going to say. I have been thinking before you come to action to take a run to the westward, and feel the mind of my Indian brethren, the Six Nations, and know how they stand, whether they are on your side, or for your enemies. If I find they are against you, I will try to turn their minds. I think they will listen to me, for they have always looked this way for advice concerning all im- portant news that comes from the rising of the sun. If they hearken to me, you will not be afrald of any danger from behind you. However their minds are affected, you shall soon know by me. Now I think I can do you more service in this way, than by marching off immediately to Bos- ton, and staying there : it may be a great while before blood runs. Now, as I said, you are wiser than I, I leave this for your consideration, whether I come down immediately, or wait till I hear some blood is spilled."
" Brothers ! I would not have you think by this that we are falling back from our engagements. We are ready to do any thing for your rellef, and shall be gulded by your counsel."
" Brothers ! One thing I ask of you, if you send for me to fight, that you will let me fight in my own Indian way. I am not used to fight English fashion, therefore you must not expect I can train like your men. Only point out to me where your enemies keep, and that is all I shall want to know."
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THIRD PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
[June 8,
shed some blood, soon after we spake to you last, by our letter. But we, with a small twig, killed so many, and frightened them so much, that they have shut themselves up in our great town, called Boston, which they have made strong.
We have now made our hatchets and all our instruments of war sharp and bright. All the chief counsellors who live on this side the great water, are sitting in the grand council house in Philadelphia. When they give the word, we shall all, as one inan, fall on, and drive our enemies out of their strong fort, and follow them till they shall take their hands out of our pouches, and let us sit in our council house, as we used to do, and as our fathers did in old times.
BROTHERS : Though you are small, yet you are wise : use your wis- dom to help us. If you think it best, go and smoke your pipe with your indian brothers, towards the setting of the sun, and tell them all you hear, and all you see, and let us know what their wise men say. If some of your young men should have a mind to see what we are doing liere, let them come down, and tarry among our warriors. We will provide for them while they are here.
BROTHERS : When you have any trouble, come and tell it to us, and we will help you.
To Capt. Solomon Uhhaunnauwaunmut, Chief Sachem of the Mohea- - kounuck tribe of Indians, at Stockbridge.
[Whereas, it appears to this Congress, that great benefit may arise to the American cause, should our friends of the Stockbridge, or Moheakounuck tribe of Indians, send belts and messengers to the seve- ral tribes connected with them ; and as the same may be attended with expense ; therefore, Resolved, that the selectmen of the town of Stock- bridge, for the time being, be a committee to promote the forwarding such messengers and belts, and that the committee aforesaid be allowed to draw out of the public moneys, in the hands of Stephen Nash, late collector for the town of Stockbridge aforesaid, any sum or sums, not exceeding fifteen pounds, for which said committee shall account to this, or some future Congress, or house of representatives, and be al- lowed all reasonable charges that have or may arise for promoting and forwarding the premises.]
The committee appointed to establish au allowance of provisions for the soldiers, reported. The further consideration of the report was put off to nine o'clock to-morrow morning.
A colonel's commission was delivered to Col. John Fellowes.
Adjourned to eight o'clock to-morrow morning.
313
THIRD PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
1775.]
FRIDAY, June 9, 1775.
A petition from the selectmen and others of the town of Manches- ter1 was read, and committed to the committee who were appointed to consider the circumstances of the sea port towns.
Col. Bowers and Mr. Fisher, who were of the committee appointed to consider the petition of the convention of committees of the county of Worcester,2 being absent, Ordered, that Major Bliss and Doct. Taylor be appointed in their room.
Col. Bowers, who was on the committee appointed to consider the situation and circumstances of the sea coasts, being absent, Ordered, that the Hon. Mr. Spooner be appointed in his room.
Ordered, 'That Capt. Stone of Oakham, Deacon Hovey, Col. Pres- cott, Col. Farley and Col. Grout, be a committee to consider what is proper to be done with the prisoners brought to this place from Arun- del.
Ordered, That Capt. Goodrich, Mr. Mitchel and Mr. Johnson, be a committee to consider a petition from Abiathar Angel, and report.
A petition from the town of Berwick was read, and committed to the committee appointed to consider the situation and circumstances of the sea coasts.
The committee appointed to bring in a resolve for the purpose of enforcing two resolves of the Continental Congress, reported : the re- port was accepted, and with the said resolves of Congress here follow, viz. :
IN CONGRESS, May 17, 1775, at Philadelphia.
Resolved, That all exportations to Quebec, Nova Scotia, the Island of St. Johns, Newfoundland, Georgia, except the parish of St. Johns, and to East and West Florida, immediately cease; and that no provi- sions of any kind, or other necessaries, be furnished to the British fish- eries on the American coasts, until it be otherwise determined by the Congress.
May 29.
Resolved, That no provisions or necessaries of any kind be exported to the island of Nantucket, except from the colony of the Massachu-
(1) The people of Manchester, suffering under the pressure of military duty, which interrupted tho cultivation of the fields and the prosecution of the fishery, requested liberty to raise and employ a company of men for the defenco of the town, to be placed on the provincial establishment, and attached to the regiment of the army stationed nearest to the petitioners.
(2) Tho convention of the committees of Worcester county, in addition to a former memorial, voted to remonstrate against the right of the delegates returned from the districts of Charlton and Paxton to hold their seats in Congress. The objections against the validity of the elections are not stated in the records.
40
314
THIRD PROVINCIAL CONGRESS. [June 9,
setts Bay, the convention of which colony is desired to take measures for effectually providing the said island, upon their application to pur- chase the same, with as much provision as shall be necessary for its internal use, and no more. The Congress deeming it of great impor- tance to North America, that the British fishery should not be furnish- ed with provisions from this continent through Nantucket, earnestly recommend a vigilant execution of this resolve to all committees.
A true copy from the minutes.
CHARLES THOMPSON, Sec'ry.
The foregoing resolves of the Continental Congress, being read and considered, Resolved, that the same be forthwith printed in hand bills, together with this resolve, and dispersed in the several sea port towns in this colony, that due obedience may be paid to the same. Further, Resolved, that the inhabitants of the island of Nantucket have liberty to purchase such provisions as are necessary for the internal use of said island, in any of the New England governments; provided, never- theless, that no provisions or necessaries of any kind be exported to the said island of Nantucket, without a permit in writing from the committee of safety of this colony, or such person or persons as they shall appoint to give such permit, expressing the quantity so to be trans- ported, be first had and obtained; and that the same be exported from such port only, in this colony, as shall be expressed in the same permit.
The order of the day was moved for.
The report of the committee on the establishment of an allowance of provisions for the soldiers, was read and considered, and after de- bate thereon, was recommitted.
The committee on the petition from the county of Worcester report- ed, that it is the opinion of the committee, that the delegates chosen by the districts of Paxton and Charlton, as mentioned in said petition, have not a right to seats in this house.
Moved, That a commission be delivered to Col. John Glover, as colonel of a regiment in the Massachusetts army.
[Afternoon.]
The report of the committee on the petition from the county of Wor- cester was considered, and, after much debate, the question was put, whether said report be accepted, and it passed in the negative.
Ordered, That the guard who has in custody the prisoners from Arundel, be relieved by a guard from the town of Watertown.
Ordered, That Mr. Sayer be added to the committee, who were ap-
315
THIRD PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
1775.]
pointed to consider some measures for commissioning the officers of the army, in the room of Col. Porter, who has leave of absence.
Leave of absence was granted to the Rev. Mr. Thayer, and the Rev. Mr. Curtis, and it being moved that they be directed to return as soon as may be, the question was put, and it passed in the negative.
Col. Porter, who was of the committee to consider the letter of Mr. Gridley to the committee of safety, relative to the train, being absent, Mr. Partridge was appointed in his room.
Resolved, That the committee of safety be required, as soon as may be, to certify to this Congress, the names of such gentlemen as are candidates for the command of a regiment, with the number of privates that have been enlisted under thein, and any other claims or preten- sions that any gentleman may have to a commission in the service.
Ordered, That the papers exhibited to this Congress by Capt. Phelps be returned to him by Major Bliss.
Adjourned to nine o'clock to-morrow morning.
SATURDAY, June 10, 1775.
Ordered, That the committee of safety be directed to make return, in writing, to this. Congress, as soon as may be, of the names of all those persons who claim, or offer themselves to be commissioned as colonels of regiments in the colony army, and are not commissioned, with any agreement that may have been made with any such persons by the committee of safety ; as also, a state of those regiments, which such persons claim the command of, as to their numbers, equipments, and the time they have been engaged in service.
The committee appointed to consider what is proper to be done with the prisoners brought from Arundel, reported as follows, viz. :
The committee appointed to examine the persons and papers sent to this Congress, by the committee of the town of Arundel, have attended that service; and, after due perusal of said papers, Josiah Jones and Jonathan Hicks, therein referred to, were brought before them. Said Jones in his defence says, he had no concern with the sloop Polly, otherwise than as a passenger in her to Nova Scotia; notwithstanding which, it appears clearly to this committee, by said papers, as also by the evidence of Capt. Smith, master, herewith transmitted, that said Jones went on board said sloop as supercargo, in the service of general Gage, to bring hay and other articles to Boston, to supply our enemies. We find by said Jones' account of himself, that he went to Boston soon after the memorable Lexington battle, of the 19th of April last, in company with John Ruggles, of Hardwick, who was ordered by a
316
THIRD PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
[June 10,
committee to the said town of Hardwick ; and that said Jones was know- ing to the proceedings of said committee against said Ruggles, before they set out together from Weston to take refuge in Boston ; and that they left the common road, and went in the woods and difficult places, to pass the town of Roxbury. The committee, upon the whole, have not the least reason to doubt, of said Jones' being a notorious enemy to his country, and of his having been in the actual employment of our enemies against the just liberties of the people. [They] therefore beg leave to report the following order, viz. :
IN PROVINCIAL CONGRESS, June 10, 1775.
Ordered, That Josiah Jones, taken from the sloop Polly, be sent, with a sufficient guard, to the town of Concord, in the county of Mid- dlesex, and committed to the common jail, there to remain until the fur- ther orders of the Congress, or house of representatives of this colony.
Said Jonathan Hicks in his defence says, that since the public dis- putes respecting the liberties of the country, he has not liked the part that has been acted, in many respects, on either side, therefore could not see his way clear to join with any. Upon examination, the com- mittee find by evidence, that at Gardinerston, while he lived there, he expressed himself highly against committees of correspondence, &c., calling them rebels, and using other opprobrious language against the people who appeared for liberty, and endeavored to hinder their unity. That, also, while he the said Hicks lived at Plymouth, he was esteem- ed by the good people there, inimical to the liberties of his country by his general conduct, and that at certain times he appeared very high, and once drew his sword or spear upon certain persons. Said Hicks, upon the whole, owns his general conduct has been such, as the people for liberty call tory, but still says he is against the oppressive acts.
Said Hicks confesses, that the evening after the battle of Lexington aforesaid, he left Plymouth, and took shelter with the troops at Marsh- field, not thinking himself safe in the country ; that he went with them to Boston, and there remained until he went on board the sloop Polly, with Jones, and says he designed for Halifax, there to tarry, if he could find business, in order to be out of the noise.
Capt. Smith, master of said sloop, can give no account of Hicks' business on board ; all he can say is, he in general appeared inimical, calling the liberty people rebels, &c. The committee, therefore, beg leave to report the following order :
IN PROVINCIAL CONGRESS, Watertown, June 10, 1775. Ordered, That Jonathan Hicks, taken from the sloop Polly, be sent,
317
THIRD PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
1775.]
with a sufficient guard, to the town of Concord, in the county of Mid- dlesex, and committed to the common jail, there to remain until the fur- thier orders of the Congress, or house of representatives of this colony.
Resolved, That the keeper of the jail in the county of Middlesex be directed to receive Messrs. Jones and Hicks, who were taken prison- ers from the sloop Polly, at Arundel, and keep them in safe custody till further order, and provide them necessaries for their subsistence whilst in jail, and that the committee of correspondence for the town of Watertown, be directed to see that the resolves of Congress, respect- ing the said Jones and Hicks be forthwith carried into execution, and to take such guards as they think necessary for that purpose.
Ordered, That the Hon. Mr. Sever, Col. Otis and Mr. Davis, be added to the committee, who were appointed to consider the expedien- cy of establishing a number of armed vessels for the protection of the sea coasts.
Ordered, That Major Hawley, Capt. Stone, of Framingham, Col. Parks, Hon. Mr. Sever, Mr. Johnson, Hon. Mr. Spooner and Deacon Plympton, be a committee to take into consideration the artificers which may be necessary for the army in the pay of this colony, and that they report, as soon as may be, in what way such artificers shall be established, the numbers wanted for the army at Cambridge and Roxbury of each kind, and the sum that is proper to be allowed them per month.
Ordered, That Mr. Whittemore, Capt. Dwight and Mr. Kollock, be a committee to bring in a resolve for the appointment of a number of armorers for the Massachusetts army, and for the establishment of their pay.
The resolve for establishing an allowance of provisions for the sol- diers was again read, and accepted : and ordered to be printed in hand bills, and is as follows, viz. :
The committee appointed to make an establishment for the allow- ance for provisions for the soldiers of the Massachusetts army, beg leave to report the following resolve, viz. :
Resolved, That each soldier in the Massachusetts army shall have the following allowance per day, viz. :
1st. One pound of bread : 2d. Half a pound of beef and half a pound of pork ; and if pork cannot be had, one pound and a quarter of beef; and one day in seven they shall have one pound and one quarter of salt fish, instead of one day's allowance of meat : 3d. One pint of milk, or, if milk cannot be had, one gill of rice: 4th. One quart of good spruce or malt beer : 5th. One gill of peas or beans, or
318
THIRD PROVINCIAL CONGRESS. [June 11,
other sauce equivalent : 6th. Six ounces of good butter per week : 7th. One pound of good common soap for six men per week : Sth. Half a pint of vinegar per week per man, if it can be had.
The committee appointed to inquire into the state of the army, re- ported, that, in order to execute their commission, it is necessary that they should be furnished with a copy of all recommendations for com- missions, sent to this Congress by the committee of safety, and a list of all officers commissioned by the Congress, and asked leave to sit again. The report was accepted.
Ordered, That Mr. Sayer, Mr. Edwards and Major Fuller, be a committee to consider the proposal of the Hon. General Ward, re- specting furloughs for the soldiers, and report.
Afternoon.
The petition of a number of the freeholders of Williamsburg1 [was] read, and committed to Mr. Hale, Mr. Lyman and Col. Danielson.
The petition of Davis & Coverly2 [was] read, and committed to Mr. Fairbanks, Mr. Webster and Col. Sawyer.
Monday next, three o'clock, P. M., was assigned to make choice of three delegates to meet those that may be sent from the other New England colonies.
The choice of two major generals [was] referred to Monday, five o'clock, P. M.
Hon. Col. Warren, Hon. Mr. Spooner, Doct. Taylor, Capt. Stone, Mr. Edwards, Col. Cobb, Col. Thompson, were appointed a committee to consider the expediency of establishing a number of armed vessels.
SUNDAY, June 11, 1775.
[The Congress] met at eight o'clock, and adjourned to half past three, P. M.
Resolved, That the Hon. Major Hawley, Hon. Mr. Spooner, Hon. Col. Warren and Hon. Col. Foster, have leave to offer, for the consid- eration of this Congress, an address which they have prepared for the Continental Congress. The same being read and amended, was ac- cepted, and ordered to be transcribed, and signed by the Hon. Major Hawley as vice president, and sent immediately, by express, to Phila- delphia ; and that the committee of supplies be desired to procure some person to carry it. It is as follows, viz. :
(1) Letters from the town clerk and other inhabitants of Williamsburg declare that the meeting held for election of a member of the Congress was illegal, but assign no specific informalities.
(2) The petitioners asked leave to exchange a quantity of goods owned by them in Boston, for similar merchandise in Marlborough, the property of a merchant residing in the former town.
319
THIRD PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
1775.]
May it please your honors :
The situation of any colony, or people, perhaps was never before such as made it more necessary for fully exercising the powers of civil goverment, tlian the present state and situation of the colony of the Massachusetts Bay. The embarrassments, delays, disappointments and obstructions, in executing every undertaking necessary for the preservation of our lives, and much more of our property, are so great and many, as that they cannot be represented, or enumerated : and that is chiefly to be attributed to our want of a settled civil polity or govern- ment : besides, every thing necessary for the abovesaid most important purposes, which is in some degree effected, is done in the most expen- sive manner : in short, although the times we are fallen into, and the prospects before us, are such as require the utmost economy, yet, nothing of the kind can be preserved in our present state.
There are, in many parts of this colony, alarming symptoms of the abatement of the sense, in the minds of some people, of the sacredness of private property, which is plainly assignable to the want of civil government ; and your honors inust be fully sensible, that a communi- ty of goods and estate, will soon be followed with the utter waste and destruction of the goods themselves ; besides, the necessity of civil gov- ernment appears more and more apparent from the extreme difficulty of maintaining the public peace without it; although we can truly say, much fewer enormities and breaches of the peace have happened among us, than it was natural to expect, from the contemplation of such a state as we have been cast into.
May it please your honors : The pressing weight of our distresses has necessitated the sending a special post to obtain your immediate advice upon this subject ; and we do most earnestly entreat, that you would, as soon as possible, despatch the messenger with such advice.
Our former application to you, of the 16th of May last, has rendered it unnecessary that we should further enlarge upon this subject ; and, to prevent repetition, we beg leave to refer you to our letter of that date.
The army under the command of general Gage, we estimate to amount, at least, to 5000 men, well appointed, under tlie command of generals of character and experience, and prepared with every thing necessary for action, exclusive of the additional strength derived from negroes, which the general has taken into his service, and disaffected Americans. We have great reason to apprehend, that a reenforcement of at least eight regiments of foot and one of horse may be hourly ex- pected. We enclose a copy of an intercepted letter from Major Sher-
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THIRD PROVINCIAL CONGRESS.
[June 12,
riff, which exhibits to you one ground of this apprehension.1 We have had under our consideration, the propriety and necessity of augmenting our army, notwithstanding our great embarrassment, and though we have not yet adopted it, nothing, perhaps, but the more ample provi- sion of the neighboring colonies, will relieve that necessity.
The depredations and piracies frequently committed on our sea coasts, and the little trade which remains to us, whereby, among other capital articles, the importation of ammunition and provisions is almost totally obstructed, and threatens our ruin; have also occasioned our contemplating steps to prevent those inconveniences, by [ªfitting] out a number of armed vessels, with sufficient strength to encounter their small though numerous cutters.
We.shall only add, that, as the seat of war, with all its attendant dis- tresses, have, for the present, taken their principal residence here, we should consider it as a happy event, if you should think proper to ad- journ to some part of the continent not so far distant, that the advice and aid of the ['Continental Congress] may be more expeditiously afforded upon any emergericy.
Adjourned to Monday morning, eight o'clock.
MONDAY, June 12, 1775.
Ordered, That Mr. Wheeler, Deacon Baker and Mr. Webster, be a committee to consider some measures for preventing the violation of the sabbath, and to bring in a resolve for this purpose.
Resolved, 'That five o'clock in the afternoon, be assigned for the consideration of the report of the committee, who were appointed to bring in a resolve for giving a free currency to the bills of credit of this and the other colonies.
Ordered, That the Hon. Mr. Spooner, Hon. Col. Gerrish and Doct. Whiting, be a committee to consider the petition from the committee at Charlestown, and report.
Resolved, That the secretary have liberty to procure such assistance, from time to time, as he shall think necessary.
a [fixing.]
b [continent.]
(1) The letter of Major William Sherriff, deputy quarter master general, was dated at Boston, May 29, 1775, and addressed to Thomas Williams, Esq., keeper of the king's ordnance at Annapolis, in Nova Scotia. The writer speaks of the profits and rewards the people of the eastern province might receive, if they would collect forage and provisions for the royal army in Massachusetts. "On the other hand," he says, " if they give themselves airs, and follow the example of these mad men, they will consider how easily government can chastise them, and they may rely upon it they will, and that immediately too : but 1 hope they will consider their interest better, and make all the money they can" .... " We are in the same situation, as when I wrote you last, except the addition of twelve hundred troops lately arrived from England. The regiment of horse, and eight other regiments are hourly expected, when I hope you will hear better accounts from us."
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