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Thursday, June 29, 1775.
Met according to adjournment.
The Congress heard Colonel Stark' s complaint, and dismissed the same.
Voted, That Joseph Welsh and Samuel Hobart, Esqrs˙, be, and hereby are appointed Paymasters of the Troops now employed by this Colony in the American Army, and that they proceed, as soon as may be, to the Army, and pay one month' s wages to the Officers and Soldiers; and previous to the paying of the Soldiers, that they receive of the Captain, or the Commanding Officer of each Company, a complete Muster-Roll of their respective Companies, upon oath, and return the same to this Congress, or to the Committee of Safety; and that they take a receipt for all the money paid from each Officer and Soldier; and further, that they pay no Officer or Soldiers who have not taken the oaths, and have been or shall be mustered by the Muster-Master as able-bodied, effective men; also, that Joseph Welsh, Esquire, assist the Muster-Master in mustering the men unmustered at the Army; and also, that they pay no more than ten Companies in a Regiment, of sixty-six men in a Company, including Officers.
Adjourned till three o' clock, P˙ M.
Met according to adjournment.
Voted, That whereas it is necessary that the Officers and Soldiers raised and to he raised in this Colony for the preservation and defence of this and the other Colonies in
Resolved, That the following Rules, Articles, and Regulations, for our said Forces, be, and hereby are earnestly recommended to be strictly adhered to by all Officers and Soldiers, and others concerned, as they regard their own honour and the publick good. The Rules and Articles of War voted, are those voted in the Massachusetts Colony, from No˙ 1 to 53, inclusive, and now printed.
Voted, That Colonel John Fenton is not a friend to this Country.
Voted, That the Records and Files of the Secretary' s Office, and Clerk' s Office of the Superiour Courts, be kept at John Rice' s, Esq˙; the Register of Deeds' Office to be kept at Deacon Samuel Brooks' s; Register of Probates Office to be kept at William Porker' s, Sun˙, Esq˙; Inferiour Courts and Quarter Sessions Offices, Records, &c˙, to be kept at Noah Emery' s, Esquire.
Voted, That Messrs˙ Samuel Brooks, Captain Stephen Evans, Major Weeks, Samuel Dudley, esq˙, and Lieut˙ Thomas Bartlett, be a Committee to remove the Records to the above-mentioned places, as soon as may be.
Voted, That the Secretary, the Clerk of the Superiour Court, the Register of Deeds, the Register of the Court of Probates, and the Clerk of the Inferiour Court and Quarter Sessions, be requested to accompany the Committee, with the several Records, to Exeter, and to keep them, agreeable to a Resolve of this Congress, until further, directions from said Congress; and in case those gentlemen refuse to go to Exeter and keep their respective offices there, then the Committee are empowered to receive and give receipt for the Records.
Adjourned to eight o' clock to-morrow.
Rules and Articles of War for Massachusetts
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America should be fully acquainted with their duty, and that the Articles, Rules, and Regulations be made, as plain as possible; and having great confidence in the honour and publick virtue of the inhabitants of this Colony, that they will readily obey the Officers chosen and appointed by this Congress, and will cheerfully do their duty when known, without any such severe articles and rules, and cruel punishments (excepting in capital cases) as are usually practiced in Standing Armies, and will submit to all such rules and regulations as are founded in reason, honour, and virtue: It is, therefore,