Report of the Committee on the Towns

v2:1501

The Committee appointed to prepare a list of such Towns its it would be expedient to apply to for Shirts, Breeches, &c˙, again reported. The Report was accepted, and is as follows, viz:

Whereas, there is a very pressing demand for some articles of clothing, more especially of Shirts, Breeches, Stockings, and Shoes, in the Army raised by the Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay, and there is danger of very mischievous consequences from a delay of supplying the same:

Resolved, That the inhabitants of the respective Towns and Districts in the Counties specified in a list hereunto annexed, be most earnestly desired, as soon as possible, to procure such a number of each of the articles of Shirts, Breeches, and Stockings, as are affixed to their said Towns and Districts, respectively, of a serviceable quality, and as many good Shoes as they can obtain, and deliver the same

v2:1502

"The — day of —, 1775. Received of —, — shirts, at —; — pair of Breeches, at —; pair of Stockings, at —; — pair of Shoes, at —: amounting to the sum of —, for the service of the Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay; which the Receiver-General is directed, in forty days after the date hereof, to pay to the said —, or order, in notes or bills of credit of this Colony."

And the Receiver-General is hereby required to pay the same accordingly. And that this business may be effected with the greatest expedition, the Selectmen and Committees of Correspondence in the several Towns and Districts before mentioned, are hereby most earnestly reqested to afford the utmost aid in their power to the person or persons appointed as aforesaid, in collecting said articles. And those persons are further directed to take such measures as will enable them to ascertain the price of each article on its arrival, and to contract at a reasonable rate with suitable wagoners and teamsters, to transport the effects, when procured, with great despatch, to the Committee of Supplies at Watertown, giving them a certificate of the sums to be paid for such service; for which sum said Committee are hereby directed to draw on the publick Treasury, in favour of any thus contracted with, or their orders; and the Receiver-General is accordingly directed to pay the same.

Committee. — SUFFOLK: Mr˙ Daniel Vose, Milton; Mr˙ Abner Ellis, Dedham; Deacon Jabez Fisher, Wrentham.

ESSEX: Major Asa Perley, Boxford; Colonel Daniel Thurston, Bradford; Major A˙ Fuller, Middleton.

MIDDLESEX: Mr˙ Peter Bent, Marlborough; Captain Timothy Walker, Wilmington; Mr˙ Israel Hobart, Townshend; Mr˙ Samuel Sprague, Stoneham.

PLYMOUTH: Mr˙ Ebenezer Thompson, Halifax; Col˙ Joseph Cushing, Hanover; Mr˙ George Partridge, Duxbury.

BRISTOL: Mr˙ Thomas Durfee, Freetown; Capt˙ Benjamin King, Raynham; Benjamin Aikin, Esquire, Dartmouth,

WORCESTER: Mr˙ David Bancroft, Worcester; Mr˙ Joseph Wheeler, Harvard; Col˙ Jonathan Grout, Petersham.

BARNSTABLE: Colonel Joseph Otis, Barnstable; Col˙ N˙ Freeman, Sandwich; Col˙ Elisha Cobb, Wellfleet.

DUKES COUNTY: James Athorne, Esquire.

Resolved, That the Receiver-General be, and he hereby is directed to pay Doctor Benjamin Church, Junior, or order, the sum of thirty-four Pounds, five Shillings, and two Pence, in full discharge of his account of expenses for himself and servant, on a journey to Philadelphia, in May last.

Ordered, That Mr˙ Gill, Mr˙ Phillips, and Dr˙ Taylor, be a Committee to provide a Dinner, on the 19th instant, for themselves and the Clergy.

Ordered, That Mr˙ Kollock, Dr˙ Taylor, and Deacon Nichols, be a Committee to get the Resolves relative to procuring Shirts, Breeches, &c˙, printed and dispersed, one to each Town mentioned in the schedule, and one to each of the Committee.