keeping said horse, and Mr. Emerson is hereby permitted to keep and use said horse, till the further order of this Congress.

The committee appointed to consider the papers relating to Ticonderoga, &c., reported a letter to Col. Arnold, another to the Hon. William Williams, Esq., speaker of the assembly of the colony of Connecticut, and another to the Provincial Congress of New Hampshire, which were read and accepted, and ordered to be authenticated, and sent forward, and are as follow, viz.:

Letter to Col. Benedict Arnold:

SIR :-This Congress have received yours of the 19th and 23d of May ult., per Capt. Brown and Capt. Phillips, a copy of which has been sent to New Hampshire; they highly approve of, and take great satisfaction in the acquisitions you have made at Ticonderoga, Crown Point, on the lake, &c. As to the state you are in respecting men, provision, &c., we have advices from Connecticut and New York, that ample preparation is making, with the greatest despatch, in those two colonies, from whence you may depend on being seasonably supplied. They are sorry to meet with repeated requests from you, that some gentleman be sent to succeed you in command; they assure you, that they place the greatest confidence in your fidelity, knowledge, courage, and good conduct; and they desire that you, at present, dismiss the thoughts of quitting your important command at Ticonderoga, Crown Point, Lake Champlain, &c., and you are hereby requested to continue your command over the forces raised by this colony, posted at those several places, at least until the colony of New York or Connecticut shall take on them the maintaining and commanding the same agreeably to an order of the Continental Congress.

To Col. Benedict Arnold,

Ticonderoga.

P. S.-We have just received intelligence, by a letter from Gov. Trumbull, that the general assembly have ordered a thousand men to march immediately to reenforce the army now at Crown Point, Ticonderoga, &c., also [to send] 500 lbs. powder, and also that each soldier is furnished with one pound of powder, &c. The Congress further advise, that in case your present necessity requires it, you make use of the £160 you found on board the sloop, for the service of this colony, you accounting for the same to this or some other congress, or house of

(1) These, with other letters of Col. Arnold, and documents relating to the capture of Ticonde. roga, too voluminous to be annexed to the text as notes, are inserted in the Appendix.

representatives of this colony; and they hereby assure you, that this colony will repay it, whenever it shall be ordered by the Continental Congress; and that you also complete the raising the number of four hundred men in the pay of this colony, if you judge it necessary.

[To the House of Assembly of Connecticut :]

GENTLEMEN:-We gratefully acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 27th ult. We fully concur in opinion with you, that maintaining a post at Ticonderoga or Crown Point, is of the utmost importance therefore, take particular satisfaction, that you have, on this subject, so early, and repeatedly expressed your minds to the Continental Congress.

By private intelligence of the 29th ult., sent to Capt. Joseph Trumbull, we are informed, that the Provincial Congress of New York, do not understand the resolve of the Continental Congress, concerning said fortresses, to extend so far as wholly to dismantle them; but so far, only, as to supply any fortifications that may be built at the south end of Lake George; which resolve, in this sense of it, they are, with despatch, executing therefore, in our present distressing situation, we have postponed sending further assistance to ||*Col.|| Arnold, especially since New York have not requested it.

To the Hon. William Williams,

Speaker of the House of Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut.

[To the Provincial Congress of New Hampshire:]

GENTLEMEN :-We send you enclosed, a copy of a letter from Col. Arnold, commander of the troops at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, together with a copy of a letter from the speaker of the house of representatives for the colony of Connecticut, by which you will be acquainted with the present situation of those fortresses, and the measures necessary to be taken for securing and defending so valuable acquisitions.

You will, doubtless, agree with us in sentiment, that it is a matter of the greatest importance, that those places remain in our possession, in order to secure our frontiers from the depredations of our enemies, if they should attempt to attack us from that quarter, of which there appears to be great danger.

It was the agreement of this colony, that four hundred men, and £100 in money, should be raised for the reduction of the place; and

a ||Captain.||

it is our determination to contribute our full proportion toward securing the acquisition. By the letter from the speaker of the house of representatives for Connecticut, you will find, that that colony have voted to send immediately to their assistance, four companies, and 500 pounds weight of powder; and we suppose the troops are on the march there and we most earnestly request, that you would contribute your endeavors, likewise, for the speedy and effectual security of the aforementioned places, which, considering the importance of the affair, and the ready disposition which you have discovered for the defence of the common cause, leaves us no room to doubt of your compliance therewith.

To the Provincial Congress of New Hampshire.

Resolved, That the secretary be, and hereby is empowered, to appoint some person to assist him in his office.

Adjourned till to-morrow morning, eight o'clock.

FRIDAY, June 2, 1775.

The committee appointed to bring in a resolve recommending to the town of Eastham to choose one or more members to represent them in this Congress, reported; the report was accepted, and is as follows, viz. :

Whereas, this Congress, upon examination, judge that the persons returned as delegates for Eastham, in the county of Barnstable, were not legally chosen, and that the allowing either of them a seat in this house would be attended with many inconveniences; therefore, Resolved, that it be, and it hereby is recommended, to the said town of Eastham, that they forthwith elect or depute one or more persons, to serve for, and represent said town, in the Provincial Congress, now held at the meeting-house in Watertown, to be chosen by such only as are qualified to vote for representatives in the general assembly, and to be continued by adjournment, as they shall see cause, until the expiration of six months from the first sitting of this Congress, and no longer, and to consult, and deliberate, and resolve, upon such further measures, as, under God, shall be effectual, to save this people from impending ruin, and to secure those inestimable liberties, derived to us from our ancestors, and which it is our duty to preserve for posterity.

Resolved, That ten o'clock, this forenoon, be assigned for the choice of a chaplain for this Congress.

Ordered, That Mr. Fisher, Col. Barrett, Capt. Holmes, Col. Bowers and Col. Sawyer, be a committee to bring in a resolve for making further provision for distributing the poor of Boston to such towns in the colony as the committee may think convenient.

Ordered, That Col. Gerrish, Mr. Spooner, Mr. Sever, Col. Bowers, and Mr. Fisher, be a committee to take into consideration the petition and memorial of the several committees of correspondence for the county of Worcester, and report.1

The committee appointed to consider the resolve and proposals of the reverend gentlemen of the clergy, reported; the report was accepted, and is as follows, viz.:

Whereas, it is of the greatest importance that our colony army be furnished with gentlemen to act as chaplains, on whose virtue, firmness and patriotism they can safely rely; and whereas, the reverend convention of the clergy of this colony have, most nobly and without reward, tendered their services in their country's cause:

Therefore, Resolved, That the general and field officers be, and they hereby are empowered and directed, to choose nine gentlemen of the clergy of this colony, to act as chaplains to said army: provided that not more than two of them belong to any one county; and the general officers of said army are hereby empowered to determine the regiments to which each chaplain shall be desired to officiate; and also, the committee of supplies are hereby directed to make suitable provision for said chaplains during their continuance in camp.

Ordered, That Mr. Spooner, Col. Richmond and Col. Dwight, be a committee to take into consideration the expense Capt. Phelps has been at, in supplying the Massachusetts forces at Ticonderoga, and report.

Ordered, That Doct. Whiting and Doct. Bailies, be added to the committee which was appointed by the last Congress, to examine those persons who might be nominated for surgeons of the Massachusetts army.

Ordered, That Deacon Bayley, Hon. Joseph Gerrish, Esq., Josiah Johnson, Esq., Mr. John Hale, Hon. William Sever, Esq., Col. Joseph Otis, Hon. Jerathmiel Bowers, Col. Cutt, Capt. Stephen Maynard, Col. Thompson, Mr. Joseph North and Timothy Edwards, Esq., be a committee to take into consideration the situation and circumstances of

(1) The purport of this memorial may be inferred from a resolution of the convention of committees of correspondence of the county of Worcester, May 31, 1775: "Voted, That a committee be chosen to draw up a remonstrance to the Provincial Congress, that no man be allowed to have a seat therein, who does not vote away his own money for public purposes, in common with the other members and his constituents."

the sea port towns and islands in this colony, which are exposed to the excursions and ravages of the enemy, and in particular to consider the letter of Mr. Stephen Nye to Col. Freeman; the petition from the town of Kittery; the resolve of the last Congress relative to the invasion of the enemy on our sea coasts, &c.; and a petition from some of the inhabitants of Deer Island, and sit forthwith, and report as soon as may be.1

Order of the day moved for.

Ordered, That Mr. Jones, Mr. Bliss and Mr. Toby, be a committee to receive, sort and count the votes for a chaplain. The committee having attended that service, reported, that the Rev. Mr. [William] Gordon was chosen.

Ordered, That Col. Davis, Mr. Wheeler and Major Bliss, be a committee to wait upon the Rev. Mr. Gordon, informing him that this Congress have made choice of him to officiate as their chaplain during its session in this place.

The committee appointed to inquire how many armourers were appointed, &c., reported, that the committee of safety informed them that there were thirteen appointed, and several others nominated, and that the general officers had agreed that thirteen was a sufficient number, but that they were in want of tools and stock.

Afternoon.

Ordered, That commissions be given to the officers of Col. Scammell's regiment, except such captains as have already received their commissions, agreeably to the list by him exhibited.

Ordered, That Col. Prescott, Col. Freeman, Hon. Mr. Spooner, Mr. Partridge, Col. Cushing, Col. Spaulding and Col. Sayer, be a committee to consider the petition of Capt. Jacob Gerrish, and seven other captains in the Massachusetts army.

Ordered, That Col. Richmond be, and hereby is appointed, to countersign the notes, which were ordered to be prepared for the soldiers' advance pay, in the room of Major Fuller, who declines serving further in that business.

Ordered, That Deacon Baker, Major Brooks, Mr. Nichols and Col. Grout, be added to the committee who were appointed by the last Congress, to draw up some easy and concise method of making salt petre.

(1) All the petitions from the sea port towns, represent, in substance, that the harbors lie open to the enemy, that the lives and property of the inhabitants of the Atlantic coast are exposed to danger from the incursions of the British troops: that the want of arms and ammunition prevents prudent preparations for defence; and some papers contain moving descriptions of alarm and peril from the approach of the king's war ships, and of suffering and distress from the scanty supply of food. Such was the general tenor of the memorials mentioned in the text.