To the Massachusetts Committee of Safety

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To the Honourable the Committee of Safety for the Province of the MASSACHUSETTS-BAY:

The Petition of WILLIAM BENT and others, humbly sheweth:

That from various hands we, the subscribers, have obtained beating orders, and have respectively enlisted a company of men, consisting of fifty-six privates; and being all from the same neighbourhood, and doing duty along our seacoast, we are desirous of being immediately formed into a regiment.

And we beg leave most earnestly to move to your Honours, that Colonel Lemuel Robinson, of Dorchester, may be appointed to take the command of us as our Colonel. From the acquaintance we have with this gentleman, and from his known military character, we are induced to think that he is highly worthy the honour and the trust, and therefore are very desirous of being under his command.

Besides, we are concerned for the honour of the County of Suffolk. Present appearances render it suspicious that there are not gentlemen enough in said County sufficiently capacitated to command the Companies raised in it — a thought too degrading. And we are apprehensive that we, or a part of us, shall be put under the command of officers from other Counties; which will be very disagreeable, not only to us, but to our Companies also.

We therefore pray, that for the honour of the County, and for the peace and good order of our Companies, Colonel Lemuel Robinson may have the command of us. And as in duty bound, will ever pray.

WILLIAM BENT,
ELIJAH VOSE,
Milton.

SETH TURNER,
JOHN VINTON,
SILAS WILD,
Braintree.

JACOB GOULD.
JOSEPH TREFONT,
Weymouth.

JOTHAM LORING,
JAMES LINCOLN,
Hingham.

JOB CUSHING,
Cohasset.

May 15, 1775.