Extract of a Letter from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Dated May 6, 1775

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EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA, DATED MAY 6, 1775.

Yesterday the County Committee met from nineteen Townships, on the short notice they had. About, three thousand men have already associated. The arms returned amount to about fifteen hundred. The Committee have voted five hundred effective men, besides commissioned officers, to he immediately drafted, taken into pay, armed and disciplined, to march on the first emergency; to be paid and supported as long as necessary, by a tax on all estates, real and personal, in the County; the returns to be taken by the Township Committees, and the tax laid by the Commissioners and Assessors; the pay of the officers and men nearly as usual in times past. This morning we meet again at eight o' clock among other subjects of inquiry this day, the mode of drafting, or taking into pay, arming, and victualing immediately the men, and the choice of field and other officers, will, among other important matters, be the subject of deliberation. The strength or spirit of this County perhaps may appear small, if judged of by the number of men proposed; but when it is considered that we are ready to raise fifteen hundred or two thousand, should we have support from the Province; and that independent, and in uncertain expectation of such support, we have voluntarily drawn upon this County a debt of about Twenty-Seven Thousand Pounds per annum, I hope we shall not appear contemptible. We make great improvement in military discipline; it is yet uncertain who may go.