Powder-Mill Ordered to be Built at Sloughton Without Delay

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Thomas Cushing, Esquire, brought down the Report of the Committee of both Houses appointed to confer with Mr˙, Thomas Harling on the subject of erecting a Powder-Mill, &c˙, viz:

That they have conferred with said Harling, who has viewed the Streams both at Sutton and Stoughton, and are of opinion, that it will be most for the benefit of this Colony, that said Mill should be built at Stoughton.
CALEB CUSHING, per order.

Read, and accepted, and Mr˙, Gerry was appointed to bring in a Resolve accordingly.

Mr˙, Speaker communicated to the House a Letter from his Excellency General Washington, and several copies of Letters relative to the death of General Montgomery, the wounding Colonel Arnold, and the late unsuccessful assault upon the City of Quebeck, with Minutes of a Council of War held at Head-Quarters in Cambridge, January 18th current.

Ordered, That Major Sewall, Doctor Rice, and Mr˙, Woodbridge, be a Committee to proportion on the several Towns in the County of York the men to be raised in that County.

Moses Gill, Esquire, brought down the Proclamation prepared agreeable to order by a Committee of both Houses.

Ordered, That Mr˙, Gerry bring in a Resolve for raising a Regiment of seven hundred and twenty-eight men, including officers, in the Counties of Hampshire and Berkshire, to go into Canada, agreeable to General Washington' s Letter, and for the appointment of Field-Officers for said Regiment, agreeable to the method pointed out in the Militia Bill.

Ordered, That the Members from the Counties aforesaid forthwith prepare a list of Field-Officers for said Regiment, and lay the same on the table.

Mr˙, Gerry, agreeable to order, reported the following Resolve, viz: Read, and accepted.

Resolved, That the Committee lately appointed for erecting a Powder-Mill for this Colony be, and they hereby are directed to cause the same to be built at Stoughton, without delay, and to exert themselves for executing this most important and necessary business in preference to every other engagement which they may be at present under to this Court, and to cause the same to be constructed in such manner as shall appear to them most advantageous.

Mr˙, Gerry, agreeable to order, reported the following Resolve. Read, and accepted, viz:

Resolved, That the request of his Excellency General Washington, relative to raising one Regiment, to consist of seven hundred and twenty-eight men, including officers,

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Ordered, That Major Learned assist the Members from the County of Berkshire in proportioning on the several towns in that County the men to be raised therein.

The House proceeded, by ballot, to choose the Field-Officers for the Regiment to be raised in the Counties of Hampshire and Berkshire, to reinforce the Continental Army in Canada, agreeable to a Resolve of this day, and unanimously made choice of Elisha Porter, Esq˙, Colonel; Thomas Williams, Esquire, Lieutenant-Colonel; and Mr˙, Abner Morgan, Major.

Ordered, That Mr˙, Gerry, Colonel Orne, and Mr˙, Hopkins, be a Committee to bring in a Resolve for raising a Regiment in the Counties of Hampshire and Berkshire, agreeable to the proportion laid on the several towns by the Members from those Counties, and to empower a Committee to appoint the Staff-Officers.

Moses Gill, Esquire, brought down the following Vote of Council, viz:

On a motion, Ordered, That John Winthrop and Thomas Cushing, Esquires, with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to take under consideration a Resolution of the American Congress, passed January 2d, 1776, and report.

Read, and concurred, and Mr˙, Speaker, Mr˙, Hopkins, and Mr˙, Cooper, are joined.

The House then adjourned till ten o' clock, to-morrow morning.