Regulation for the Settlement of Accounts for Provisions Supplied the Men

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Friday, February 9, 1776.

Present in Council: Honourables William Sever, Waller Spooner, Caleb Cushing, John Winthrop, Thomas Cuyhing, Jedediah Foster, James Prescott, Eldad Taylor, Benjamin Lincoln, Michael Farley, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Holten, Jabez Fisher, Moses Gill, John Taylor, Benjamin White, Esquires.

In Council: Whereas, Accounts have been presented to this Court for payment, by several towns in this Colony, for provisions supplied the men who marched from such towns, respectively, on the alarm on the 19th of Aprillast, and after, and no sufficient vouchers are lodged with such accounts, whereby it may be made evident that the publick had the benefit of such provisions; and whereas, this Colony allowed to each man, so marching, one penny per mile, to refund his expenses of travelling into camp, &c˙,

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Therefore, Resolved, That each Town, who have presented their Accounts to this Court for payment, and yet remain unpaid, and those who in future shall present such Accounts for payment, shall lodge with them, before they shall be passed on, a certificate from the officer who commanded such men, on the alarm aforesaid, that no part of the provisions mentioned in such Account were expended on their march to Head-Quarters, and a certificate from the Commissary what number of days such Company were in camp, and did not draw their allowance from the publick stores.

In the House of Representatives: Read, and concurred.

An engrossed Bill, entitled, "An Act to enable the Inhabitants of Falmouth to support prosecutions against persons who have in possession goods taken from said Inhabitants during the late fire," having passed the House of Representatives, to be enacted,

In Council: Read a second time, and passed a concurrence, to be enacted.

An engrossed Bill, entitled "An Act for reviving a number of Laws that are expired, or near expiring," having passed the House of Representatives, to be enacted,

In Council: Read a second time, and passed a concurrence, to be enacted.

In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That Doctor John Greenleaf be joined to the Committee appointed to receive, examine, and pay for all good and merchantable Saltpetre, at the rate heretofore established by this Court, that shall be manufactured in this Colony; and that there be paid to the said Committee, out of the publick Treasury of this Colony, the sum of one thousand four hundred Pounds, to enable them to pay for the same, they to be accountable to this Court for the money they or either of them shall receive; and Mr˙ Jedediah Phips is directed to attend at Watertown, on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, for that purpose, until the 1st day of June next, and to advertise this order for his attendance in the Watertown and Cambridge Newspapers three weeks, successively.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

In the House of Representatives: Resolved, That the following be the form of an Inlistment, to be signed by such soldiers as are to be raised by this Colony in the Counties of Hampshireand Berkshire, to join the American Army in Canada; and Brigadier Thompson is hereby appointed to get the same printed, as soon as possible:

We, the subscribers, do hereby severally inlist ourselves into the service of the United American Colonies, until the 1st day of January next, if the service do require it, and each of us do engage to furnish, and carry with us into the service aforesaid, a good, effective fire-arm, and blanket; also, a good bayonet, cartridge-pouch, and a hatchet or tomahawk, or cutting-sword, if possible. And we, severally, consent to be formed into a regiment, under the command of such Field-Officers, Captains, and Subalterns, as are, or may be appointed and commissionated by the American Congress; and, when so formed, we engage to march under said officers into Canada, with the utmost expedition. And we further agree, during the time aforesaid, to be subject to such Generals, and other officers, as are, or shall be appointed, and to be under such regulations, in every respect, as are provided for the American Army.

Dated the ˙ ˙ ˙ A˙ D˙ 1776.

In Council: Read, and concurred.

Adjourned to ten o' clock, to-morrow morning.