Orders sent to Major Lattimer, at New-London

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Thursday, August 17, 1775.

At a meeting of the Governour, &c˙, this day, present the same Members as at the last.

Many Letters, &c˙, laid in and considered; and directed and prepared a Letter to Captain Jeremiah Wadsworth, Commissary, &c˙, in answer to one from him for advice, &c˙, directing him to risk the Pork he buys at the westward by water, if necessary, and it cannot be done by the sellers; and that the Colony will indemnify him in prudent conduct about it; and that he may release about two hundred barrels he had bought of—McLane, of Danbury, in favor of Mr˙ Rensselaer, who had a permit at the last meeting to buy four hundred and fifty barrels in this Colony, for the use of General Schuyler' s Army at the northward.

A Permit having been granted to P˙ Rensselaer at the last meeting to purchase Pork, &c˙, and he having proposed to convey it by water to New-York, &c˙, and it being thought and considered as in great danger of falling into the hands of our enemies, if water-borne, &c˙, it was proposed and voted, that the Governour be desired to give and send positive orders to said Rensselaer not to ship any Pork purchased in this Colony to New-York, but transport the same by land to the North River, to be thence shipped to Albany, &c˙ That is an explanatory permission to purchase said Pork on that condition; and the same done, and both instantly despatched, &c˙, by Mr˙ Skinner.

General Washington having wrote the Governour, by Letter received yesterday, that he has ordered General Schuyler to send down a quantity of Lead Ball found at Ticonderoga, Crown Point, &c˙, and directed it to be under the conduct of said Governour Trumbull, &c˙, it is, on consideration, advised, that the Governour write General Schuyler to send the same to the care of Commissary Phelps, at Albany; and that said Phelps be advised of it, and directed to forward the same by the best and most expeditious way to General Washington.

Voted and Resolved, That orders be sent to Major Lattimer, commander of the Troops now at New-London, to see that regular Watchers and Guards are kept about his Camp; that his Soldiers are properly exercised, instructed and disciplined; and kept clean, out of idleness and bad practices. And orders drawn and sent accordingly.

Voted and Resolved, That orders be sent to Captain Lyon, who, with his Company, are now at Norwich, to remain there till further orders, near the Landing, and to

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On consideration of the scarcity of Pork and other Provisions, and the vast consumption of it by the Army, it is thought necessary, and for the safety of the Colony, that the Embargo laid and continued by the Assembly to the 20th instant, should be revived and further continued; and the Governour is advised and desired to issue his Proclamation to-day, and continue the same to the 20th October next. Which was done accordingly, and sent to the Printer; he directed to send to each Town Clerk and Naval Officer in the Colony.

Voted and Granted, An Order to pay for eighteen Blankets, sent per Lebanon, and request, &c˙, to supply part of the loss at Bunker' s Hill; and nine Guns for the same place, for the same purpose, both to amount to £28 6s˙, being duly appraised, &c˙; and ditto to pay Samuel Hunt for carrying the same, £3 8s˙ 9d. And ditto to pay David Trumbull going express three times to the Army, and sundries allowed, £8 19s. And ditto to pay John Alden, for going express to Killingsby, to recall Troops on their march to Cambridge, by advice from General Washington, £1 8s. Also to pay Simeon Gray, for a Horse bought for Indian Cognahue to ride, with Belt and Speech, &c˙, to the Oneida Indians, &c˙, £5.

And then, on motion heretofore, by and in behalf of New-Haven, that they may be allowed to provide Carriages for four six-pound Cannon, instead of four-pounders, as those allowed at a meeting, seventh instant, marked by Messrs˙ Williams and Wales, were of that size; and that they may also prepare Carriages for five Field-Cannon, instead of two, as then allowed, &c. On consideration of said motions, and the reasons thereof, this Council are of opinion, that the first motion is reasonable, and do allow and approve thereof; and as to the other, respecting five instead of two Field-Pieces, are of opinion, that two may be sufficient for the present, and that they may not properly allow more, without the approbation of the Assembly.

Copy also drawn for the Governour to forward, &c.

Voted, That an Order be drawn on the Pay-Table Committee for two hundred Pounds, in favour of Benjamin Huntington, Esquire, to Captain John Deshon, to pay the purchase of the Schooner Britannia, for the use of the Colony, as an armed and intelligence vessel, which this Council had judged most for the benefit of the Colony to purchase at that price, and appointed said Committee to purchase of Edward Hancox, Jonathan Denison, 5th, &c˙, of Stonington, and which they have done accordingly. And Orders drawn accordingly by me, as Clerk, the next day.

And the Council and Meeting was adjourned without day.