if any method can be taken for settling the appointment of the field officers. ||Then adjourned to three o'clock, P. M. The order of the day [was] read. [Afternoon] Ordered, That Mr. Dix, Mr. Gill and Doct. Sawyer, be a committee to sort and count the votes for two muster masters. The committee appointed to sort and count the votes for two muster masters,|| reported, that Gen. John Whitcomb and Col. Benjamin Lincoln, were unanimously chosen. The report of the committee respecting the appointment of muster masters was accepted, and is as follows, viz.: Resolved, That Gen. John Whitcomb and Col. Benjamin Lincoln,|| be, and hereby are appointed muster masters in the Massachusetts army, whose business it shall be to pass muster on every soldier that [shall] be enlisted into said army, and by no means to accept of any but such as are able bodied, effective men; and also to examine if their arms and accoutrements are in proper order: and said muster masters are hereby directed and empowered to receive from Henry Gardner, Esq., receiver general, or his successor in office, twenty shillings, lawful money, for each and every non commissioned officer and private soldier thus mustered and sworn, who shall appear with their arms and accoutrements; and shall give bonds to said receiver general, with sufficient surety, for such monies drawn out of the treasury; and shall forthwith pay out said sum of twenty shillings, as 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. Resolved, That the consideration of the pay of the muster masters be referred to some future time. Ordered, That Col. Thurston and Mr. Sawyer be a committee to apply to the committee of safety for a list of all such persons to whom they have given encouragement to receive commissions as field officers of the army now raising in this colony; and they are directed to inquire of said committee of safety, what field officers they expect will be most likely to succeed in filling up their regiments. Ordered, That Esquire Rawson, Mr. Partridge, Major Brooks, Mr. Webster, Col. Mosely, Mr. Bliss and Capt. Stone ||of Oakham,|| be a committee to inquire what number of province arms there are in the province, and in what place; and, in particular, that they apply to the a ||who.|| Resolved, That Ca as ordered by this ( to tarry, if at his di swer to said letter, the assembly at C alteration made b army now raising Ordered, Tit Taylor, Col. Fr bring in a res yesterday, res so far as to many member reconsidered Gardner, M tee to take and report Ordere committe the train The of mu Re two 1 Ce sup qu an 2 . arrel of powder, they paying for the same: which shall be replaced, i needed, as soon as the colony magazine can be supplied, Adjourned to twelve o'clock this day. Met at twelve o'clock, and adjourned to four o'clock, P. M. [Noon.] [Afternoon.] Met at four o'clock, and adjourned to to-morrow morning, nine o'clock. MONDAY, May 8, 1775, A. M. Ordered, That Mr. Lothrop, Mr. Partridge, Mr. Mills, Mr. Whiting, Capt. Stone, Col. Howe, Col. Mandell, Col. Mosely, Col. ||Pierce|| and Col. Thurston, be a committee to transcribe the narrative of the proceedings of the king's troops, on the 19th ult., together with depositions thereof accompanying, to be transmitted to Mr. Thomas for immediate publication. A letter from a number of the inhabitants of the town of Hopkinton, was read: whereupon, Ordered, that Doct. Church, Col. Foster and Deacon Rawson, be a committee to prepare an answer to the selectmen of that town, giving the opinion of the Congress on the subject thereof. The form of an oath, to be administered to the officers and private soldiers of the army now raising ||in|| this colony, was read and accepted, and is as follows, viz. : Resolved, That all officers and soldiers of the Massachusetts army now raising for the defence and security of the rights and liberties of this and our sister colonies in America, shall each and every of them, excepting only the general officers, repeat and take the following oath, viz. : I, A. B., swear, I will truly and faithfully serve in the Massachusetts army, to which I belong, for the defence and security of the estates, lives and liberties of the good people of this and the sister colonies in America, in opposition to ministerial tyranny, by which they are or may be oppressed, and to all other enemies and opposers whatsoever; that I will adhere to the rules and regulations of said army; observe and obey the generals and other officers set over me; and disclose and make known to said officers all traitorous conspiracies, attempts and designs whatsoever, which I shall know to be made against said army, or any of the English American colonies. So help me God. Ordered, That Col. Warren, Col. Gerrish and Col. Foster, be a committee of supplies, to know what number of fire arms they have procured, and how they have disposed of them. The committee who were appointed to consider the form of an establishment for the train, reported verbally, that the pay was in their opinion reasonable, but, as to the number of matrosses, they were not proper judges. The establishment was accepted, and is as follows, viz. : An establishment for the company of the train, as fixed upon 46 men, officers included, in each company of matrosses; a blanket and coat, as for the rest of the army. WILLIAM COOPER, Secretary. ||The Congress then|| adjourned to to-morrow morning, eight o'clock. SUNDAY, May 7, 1775, A. M. Resolved, That the committee of supplies be, and they are hereby empowered and directed, to procure at Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, or any other colony on the continent, such a number of fire arms and bayonets, for the use of this colony, as they shall think necessary. The committee appointed to make application to the committee of supplies, to know what number of fire arms they had procured, reported verbally, that they had not procured any. On an application made to this Congress, by Capt. Benjamin Dunning, of Harpswell, for powder, this Congress passed the following resolve, viz. : Whereas, the district of Harpswell, in the county of Cumberland, lies exposed to the ravages of the enemies, and is unprovided with a supply of powder: therefore, Resolved, that it be recommended, ||and it is hereby accordingly recommended,|| to the selectmen of the town of Haverhill, that they deliver to Capt Nehemiah Curtis and Mr. Benjamin Dunning, for the use of the said district of Harpswell, one half barrel of powder, they paying for the same: which shall be replaced, if needed, as soon as the colony magazine can be supplied. Adjourned to twelve o'clock this day. Met at twelve o'clock, and adjourned to four o'clock, P. M. [Noon.] [Afternoon.] Met at four o'clock, and adjourned to to-morrow morning, nine o'clock. MONDAY, May 8, 1775, A. M. Ordered, That Mr. Lothrop, Mr. Partridge, Mr. Mills, Mr. Whiting, Capt. Stone, Col. Howe, Col. Mandell, Col. Mosely, Col. ||Pierce|| and Col. Thurston, be a committee to transcribe the narrative of the proceedings of the king's troops, on the 19th ult., together with depositions thereof accompanying, to be transmitted to Mr. Thomas for immediate publication. A letter from a number of the inhabitants of the town of Hopkinton, was read: whereupon, Ordered, that Doct. Church, Col. Foster and Deacon Rawson, be a committee to prepare an answer to the selectmen of that town, giving the opinion of the Congress on the subject thereof. The form of an oath, to be administered to the officers and private soldiers of the army now raising ||in|| this colony, was read and accepted, and is as follows, viz. : Resolved, That all officers and soldiers of the Massachusetts army now raising for the defence and security of the rights and liberties of this and our sister colonies in America, shall each and every of them, excepting only the general officers, repeat and take the following oath, viz. : I, A. B., swear, I will truly and faithfully serve in the Massachusetts army, to which I belong, for the defence and security of the estates, lives and liberties of the good people of this and the sister colonies in America, in opposition to ministerial tyranny, by which they are or may be oppressed, and to all other enemies and opposers whatsoever; that I will adhere to the rules and regulations of said army; observe and obey the generals and other officers set over me; and disclose and make known to said officers all traitorous conspiracies, attempts and designs whatsoever, which I shall know to be made against said army, or any of the English American colonies. So help me God. Ordered, That Col. Warren, Col. Gerrish and Col. Foster, be a |