Report on the Best Method of Obtaining Muster-Rolls

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Tuesday, October 31, 1775.

The Committee for considering the best method of obtaining Muster-Rolls of the Forces raised by this Colony, for their services to the first day of August, reported as follows:

That they conceive the most expeditious way to obtain the Muster-Rolls of the several Regiments raised by this Colony, will be to apply to his Excellency General Washington, to request him to give out his orders to the several Colonies, that the several Captains in each Regiment make out a Muster-Roll of his Company, from the day each Soldier was enlisted, to the first day of August last, and that the Rolls be made up agreeable to the form herewith presented; three hundred printed copies of which to be lodged with the Adjutant-General for that purpose. And that the Rolls, so made up and sworn to by the several

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That such of the Soldiers as have received Arms from the Colony, or the Town to which he belongs, be paid only such sums as shall appear to be due to him to the first day of August last, after deducting the value of the Arms received by him, at the rates charged by the Committee of Safety, or the Committee of Supplies, or the Town of whom he received the same, as also the amount of Clothing he has been supplied with; and that if, after the last day of December next, such Soldier shall deliver such of his Arms as he has received of the Commissary or Selectmen of any Town, in behalf of the Colony, to the Commissary-General of this Colony, at Watertown, such Soldier shall receive out of the publick Treasury the amount of the stoppage that shall be made for said Arms, deducting six Shillings for the use of the same, he producing a certificate that such Arms are so delivered; and also for such Arms as shall have been borrowed and received from any Selectmen of any Town, in consequence of any Resolves of the late Provincial Congress, upon a receipt of such Selectmen being produced, that the same have been returned; the sum so stopped in the Roll shall be paid by the Receiver-General, the said deduction of six Shillings being first made, unless they shall produce a certificate that the owners have been satisfied for the use of the same Arms.

WILLIAM STOUT, per order.

Read and accepted; and thereupon,

Ordered, That Mr˙ Gerry procure the three hundred of the forms for a Muster-Roll printed and delivered to the Adjutant-General.

Ordered, That Mr˙ Story, Colonel Otis, and Mr˙ Pitts, wait on his Excellency, for the purpose mentioned in the foregoing Report.