APRIL 17, 1775.

At a meeting of the committees of safety and supplies, at Mr. Taylor's house, in Concord, on Monday, April 17, 1775:

Present-Hon. John Hancock, Esq., Col. Heath, Col. Palmer, Capt. White, Mr. Devens, Col. Gardner, Mr. Watson, Col. Orne and J. Pigeon, committee of safety: Col. Lee, Mr. Gill, Mr. Cheever, Mr. Gerry and Col. Lincoln. committee of supplies:

Voted, unanimously, that application be made to Capt. Hatch, for captain of the artillery company for Boston, and if he refuses, to offer it to Mr. Crafts, and so on in order as they stand in the company; also, that Capt. Robinson of Dorchester be applied to as captain of the company of Dorchester; and that Mr. Newhall of Charlestown be applied to; that the captain for the Marblehead company be not appointed until the Marblehead members make inquiry and report; that Capt. Timothy Bigelow be applied to as captain of the Worcester company; that Mr. Thomas Wait Foster of Hadley, be applied to as captain of the company at Hadley.

Voted, That two four pounders, now at Concord, be mounted by the committee of supplies, and that Col. Barrett be desired to raise an artillery company, to join the army when raised, they to have no pay until they join the army; and also that an instructer for the use of the cannon be appointed, to be put directly in pay.

Voted, unanimously, that six pounds, lawful money, a month, be a captain's pay in an artillery company, that the first and second lieutenant have four pounds, the lieutenant of fireworks to have three pounds, five shillings, that the sergeants have forty-two shillings per month; the corporals thirty-eight shillings per month, the common men thirty-six shillings per month, the drummers and fifers thirty-eight shillings per month; also, that four shillings per week be allowed for their board. Voted, That when these committees adjourn, it be to Mr. Wetherby's, at the Black Horse, Menotomy, on Wednesday, at ten o'clock.

Voted, That the four six pounders be transported to Groton, and put under the care of Col. Prescott.

Voted, That two seven inch brass mortars be transported to Acton. Voted, That the two committees adjourn to Mr. Wetherby's, at Menotomy, [at] ten o'clock.

APRIL 18, 1775.

At a meeting of the committees of safety and supplies, on Tuesday, the 18th of April, 1775:

Present-Col. Orne, Col. Palmer, Col. Heath, Col. Gardner, Mr.

Devens, Mr. Watson, Capt. White, J. Pigeon, committee of safety: David Cheever, Esq., Mr. Gerry, Col. Lee, Col. Lincoln, committee of supplies:

Voted, That the two brass two pounders, and two brass three pounders, be under the care of the Boston company of artillery, and of Capt. Robinson's [company.]

[The following letter was sent to Capt. Timothy Bigelow.]

Capt. Timothy Bigelow:

NEWTON, APRIL 17, 1775.

SIR-The committee desired me to write you, to desire the favor of your company, next Wednesday, the 19th instant, at Mr. Wetherby's, at the Black Horse, in Menotomy, on business of great impor

tance.

Sir, your most humble servant,

J. PIGEON, Clerk.

P. S. The committee meet at ten o'clock.

Voted, That all the ammunition be deposited in nine different towns in this province; that Worcester be one of them; that Lancaster be one, (N. B. Col. Whitcomb is there ;) that Concord be one; and, that Groton, Stoughtonham, Stow, Mendon, Leicester, and Sudbury, be the others.1

Voted, That part of the provisions be removed from Concord, viz. : 50 barrels of beef, from thence to Sudbury, with Deacon Plympton; 100 barrels of flour, of which what is in the malt-house in Concord be part; 20 casks of rice; 15 hogsheads of molasses; 10 hogsheads of rum; 500 candles.

Voted, That there be, by the committee of supplies, provided, six ammunition carts, one to be in each town where a company of matrosses is fixed.

Voted, That one company of matrosses be stationed at Worcester; one at Concord; one at Stoughtonham; one at Stoughton; one at Stow; and, one at Lancaster.2

Voted, That thirty-three rounds of round shot, thirty-three rounds of grape shot, and, thirty-three canisters of langrage, be provided and lodged with each of the twelve field pieces belonging to the province,

(1) In the original journal the words "be another," are added to the name of each town.

(2) The word "ditto" is inserted in the original, before the place designated for the station of the company.

together with one hundred cartridges of powder, one hundred and sixteen tubes, one hundred wads, together with all necessary materials.

Voted, That the towns of Worcester, Concord, Stow, and Lancaster, be provided with two iron three pound cannon each.

Voted, That four hundred and fifty four-pound-cannon ball be carried from Stoughtonham to Sudbury.

Voted, That one ton of grape shot be carried from Stoughtonham to Sudbury.

Voted, That one ton of three pound cannon ball be carried from ditto to ditto.

Voted, That one half of the two pound cannon ball, now at Stoughtonham, exclusive of what is for the use of the matrosses, be carried to Sudbury.

Voted, That the vote of the fourteenth instant, relating to the powder being removed from Leicester to Concord, be reconsidered, and, that the clerk be directed to write to Col. Barrett, accordingly, and to desire he would not proceed in making it up in cartridges.

Voted, That one half of the musket cartridges be removed from Stow to Groton.

Voted, That the muskets balls under the care of Col. Barrett, be buried under ground, in some safe place, that he be desired to do it, and to let the commissary only be informed thereof.

Voted, That the spades, pick-axes, bill-hooks, shovels, axes, hatchets, crows, and wheelbarrows, now at Concord, be divided, and one third remain in Concord, one third at Sudbury, and one third at Stow. Voted, That five hundred iron pots be deposited at Sudbury, five hundred at Concord, and one thousand at Worcester.

Voted, That the two thousand wooden bowls be deposited [in those towns in the same proportion] as the pots; and the spoons in the same

manner.

Voted, That the fifteen thousand canteens be deposited [in the same manner]as the above.

Voted, That the weights and measures be put into the commissary's hands.

Voted, That two medicinal chests still remain at Concord, at two different parts of the town; three of said chests at Sudbury, in different parts of the town; six do. at Groton, Mendon, and Stow, two in each town, and in different places; two ditto in Worcester, one in each part of the town; and, two in Lancaster, ditto; that sixteen hundred yards of Russia linen be deposited in seven parts, with the doctor's chests;

that the eleven hundred tents be deposited in equal parts in Worcester, Lancaster, Groton, Stow, Mendon, Leicester, and Sudbury.

Voted, That these committees adjourn to nine o'clock instead of ten. Voted, That the papers belonging to the committees be lodged with Mr. Abraham Watson.

[The following letter was sent to Col. Barrett:]

Col. Barrett;

NEWTON, APRIL 19, 1775.

SIR-The committee have directed me to inform you, that the cannon powder, which last Saturday you were desired to have removed from Leicester, one load at a time, and to make up into cartridges, they would not have you send for, unless you have already; but, if sent for, take care of it; but do'nt make it into cartridges.

I am, Sir, your humble servant,

J. PIGEON, Clerk.

[APRIL 20, 1775.]

[The following circular letter was sent to the several towns:]

[GENTLEMEN:-The barbarous murders committed upon our innocent brethren, on Wednesday, the 19th instant, have made it absolutely necessary, that we immediately raise an army to defend our wives and children from the butchering hands of an inhuman soldiery, who, incensed at the obstacles they meet with in their bloody progress, and enraged at being repulsed from the field of slaughter, will, without the least doubt, take the first opportunity in their power, to ravage this devoted county with fire and sword. We conjure you, therefore, by all that is sacred, that you give assistance in forming an army. Our all is at stake. Death and devastation are the certain consequences of delay. Every moment is infinitely precious. An hour lost may deluge your country in blood, and entail perpetual slavery upon the few of our posterity who may survive the carnage. We beg and entreat, as you will answer to your country, to your own consciences, and above all, as you will answer to God himself, that you will hasten and encourage by all possible means, the enlistment of men to form the army, and send them forward to head quarters at Cambridge, with that expedition, which the vast importance and instant urgency of the affair demands.]1

(1) The following letter was addressed by the committee of safety to the governments of the colonies of New Hampshire and Connecticut. "CAMBRIDGE, APRIL 20, 1775."

"On Wednesday, the 19th instant, early in the morning, a detachment of General Gage's army

APRIL 21, 1775.

At a meeting of the committee of safety, April 21, 1775, [the following] form of enlistment [was adopted :]

I, A. B. do hereby solemnly engage and enlist myself as a soldier in the Massachusetts service, from the day of my enlistment to the last day of December next, unless the service should admit of a discharge

marched into the country to Lexington, about thirteen miles from Boston, where they met with a small party of minute men exercising, who had no intention of doing any injury to the regulars; but they fired upon our men, without any provocation; killed eight of them the first onset; then marched forward to Concord, where they destroyed the magazines and stores for a considerable time. Our people however, mustered, as soon as possible, and repulsed the troops, pursuing them quite down to Charlestown, until they reached a place called Bunker's Hill, although they received a very large reenforcement at Lexington from General Gage. As the troops have now commenced hostilities, we think it our duty to exert our utmost strength to save our country from absolute slavery. We pray your honors would afford us all the assistance in your power, and shall be glad that our brethren who come to our aid, may be supplied with military stores and provisions, as we have none of either more than is absolutely necessary for ourselves. We pray God to direct you to such measures as shall tend to the salvation of our common liberties.

Per order of the committee of safety."

A letter was addressed to General Gage, by Doct. Joseph Warren, of the same date, which fol lows:

"CAMBRIDGE, APRIL 20, 1775."

"SIR:-The unhappy situation into which this colony is thrown, gives the greatest uneasiness to every man who regards the welfare of the empire, or feels for the distresses of his fellow-men, but even now, much may be done to alleviate those misfortunes which cannot be entirely remedied, and I think it of the utmost importance to us, that our conduct be such as that the contending parties may entirely rely upon the honor and integrity of each other, for the punctual performance of any agreement that shall be made between them. Your excellency, I believe, knows very well the part I have taken in public affairs. I ever scorned disguise. I think I have done my duty; some may think otherwise; but be assured, Sir, as far as my influence gocs, every thing which can reasonably be required of us to do, shall be done, and every thing promised shall be religiously performed. I should now be very glad to know from you, Sir, how many days you desire may be allowed for such as desire to remove to Boston, with their effects; and what time you will allow the people in Boston for their removal. When I have received that information, I will repair to Congress, and hasten, as far as I am able, the issuing a proclamation. I beg leave to suggest, that the condition of admitting only thirty waggons at a time into the town, appears to me very inconvenient, and will prevent the good effects of a proclamation intended to be issued for encouraging all waggoners to assist in removing the effects from Boston with all possible speed. If your excellency will be pleased to take the matter into consideration, and favor me, as soon as may be, with an answer, it will lay me under a great obligation, as it so nearly concerns the welfare of my friends in Boston. I have many things which I wish to say to your excellency, and most sincerely wish I had broken through the formalities which I thought due to your rank, and freely have told you all I knew or thought of public affairs, and I must ever confess, whatever may be the event, that you generously gave me such opening, as I now think I ought to have embraced, but the true cause of my not doing it, was the knowledge I had of the vileness and treachery of many persons around you, who I supposed had gained your entire confidence.

His Excellency General Gage.

I am,

&c."

"JOSEPH WARREN."