[SEAL]

WILLIAM SHIRLEY-PROCLAMATION1

Authorizing Enlistment of Recruits

Province of the Massachusetts-Bay.

By His Excellency the GOVERNour,

I Do hereby authorize and impower [Capt Richard Cutt junr] to beat his Drums within the Regiment of Militia, whereof [William Pepperrell] Esq: is Colonel, for the enlisting of Voluntiers for His Majesty's Service, in the intended Expedition against the French of Cape-Breton; for the Conducting of which Expedition [William Pepperrell Esqr. is] Commander in Chief.

And the said Colonel, with the other Officers in the said Regiment, are hereby commanded not to give the said [Capt Richard Cutt] any Obstruction or Molestation herein; but on the contrary to afford him all necessary Encouragement and Assistance, for which this is a sufficient Warrant.

And the said [Capt Richard Cutt] is hereby required not to suffer this Warrant to go out of his Hands, nor to give Copies of it to any Person whatsoever; but after he has made full Use of it, to make Return thereof into the Secretary's Office.

Given under my Hand and Seal at BOSTON, the [fifth]

Day of [February] 1744. In the Eighteenth Year of
His MAJESTY'S Reign.

W. SHIRLEY.

1 Original, Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., Belknap Manuscripts, 61 A, p. 136. This is a printed document, the words in brackets being filled in in manuscript. It is an illustration of the recruiting permits issued by Shirley to various officers at this time. See also Shirley to Colonel Thomas Bowen, Feb. 7, 1744, Boston Public Library Mss. v, 225, and to Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire, Feb. 14, N. H. Prov. Papers, 5, 935.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY-PROCLAMATION

Directing Assemblage of Troops1

Province of the

Massachusetts Bay

By his Excellency the Governour

I do hereby direct all Persons Employed by my Warrants to Enlist Soldiers for the Present Expedition or who have Enlisted any by Virtue of my Proclamation, to repair as soon as may be with the Soldiers Enlisted under them to the Respective Places of Rendezvous Underwritten Vizt: Those Enlisted to the Eastward of Biddeford at Falmouth; Those to the Westward thereof within the County of York, at York; Those at Newbury & the Towns on Merrimack river in the County of Essex together with Rowley to Rendezvous at Newbury; Those Enlisted in the Western Part of the County of Essex to Rendezvous in the Town of Salem, that so the sd Soldiers may be Daily Exercised & Fitted for Service, & in case any of the sd Officers have not made up their Compliment yet they that have Enlisted the Number of Thirty men are hereby Commanded to send them under some Officer to their respective Rendezvous as above & all the sd Officers are hereby required Forthwith to send me by Alexander Young the Bearer hereof Lists of the Men they have Already Enlisted.

Given under my hand at Boston the Thirteenth day of Febry 1744 in the Eighteenth Year of his Majesty's Reign W. SHIRLEY.

1" Coppy," Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., Belknap Manuscripts, 61 A, P. 140.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO WILLIAM PEPPERRELL1

SIR,

Boston, Febry. 13, 1744.

I desire that you would forthwith send Orders to the several Officers that are enlisting Men in the County of York to bring their Men without Delay to the Places of Rendezvous in the said County; vizt those in the Eastern Parts so far as the Town of Biddeford (including that Town) to Falmouth, & those in the Western Part, at York, there to be billeted at twenty shillgs per Week old Tenor, & to be constantly exercised that they may be fit for Service; And I desire that you would take effectual Care that Quarters be provided for them in York and Falmouth accordingly, and that you would appoint some Persons well skilled in the Military Exercises for instructing them in both Places; Every Officer that has enlisted thirty Men must bring them to the Rendezvous; And I further desire you to get Lists of every Officer of the Names of the Men enlisted, & send them to me as soon as may be, & take Care that the Exercises be diligently attended.

And whereas there will be wanting 150 Men of the Size of Granadiers, or as near it as you can find, to be employed in that Service, who must be instructed in the Exercise of throwing hand Granadoes, I desire you would draft out of the Men which shall rendezvous in your Town thirty whom you shall judge most fit for the Service, & send 'em to Boston forthwith to be instructed for that Purpose.

I am, Sir,

Your most assured Friend

and Servant

W. SHIRLEY.

1 Original, Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., Belknap Manuscripts, 61 A, p. 141. Pepperrell was commissioned Lieutenant General and Commander in Chief of all forces by sea and land Jan. 31 by Governors Shirley, Law, and Wentworth. His commission to hold Court Martials was from Shirley alone and was dated Mar. 19.

You will be pleased to employ as many persons to assist in the Services here mentioned as is wanting: and what is reasonable must be allow'd.1

P.S. I must also desire the favour of you to forward my Warrant to the several Towns beyond you; and to appoint some very proper person to view all the Arms, and to take a particular acct of the different bores among 'em that balls & Cartridges may be provided accordingly; & that I may know how many Firelocks, Bayonetts, Cutlasses, and Belts must be provided to supply those who want 'em, or who have such as are not fit for Use: and let me know all this as soon as is possible.

Honble General Pepperrell

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO WILLIAM PEPPERRELL'

SIR,

Boston, Feby 14, 1744.

Perceiving that the Province of New Hampshire is likely to fail at last in furnishing Levies for the Expedition, I have propos'd to Govr Wentworth the raising of five or six Companies within his government to go under my Commissions, and in the pay of this province, for wch purpose I have sent him six beating Orders3 sign'd in blank; and have told him that if their having one field Officer out of their own province would encourage the thing, I would give a Commission to such as he should recommend wth your Approbation: This I think is right policy; and I have endeavour'd to do the same within Rhode Island Colony, that we may at all Events be secure of our 3,000 Men at least; and if more than that Number should be rais'd by this means, it is possible our Assembly may be induc'd to take 'em into pay; But at all

The last two paragraphs of the letter are in the writing of Shirley.

2 Original, Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., Belknap Manuscripts, 61 A, P. 142.

See Shirley to Wentworth, Feb. 14, N. H. Prov. Papers 5, 935.

Events it behoves us to secure our Number of 3,000 wch seems to me necessary for effecting our scheme. You will perceive, I write in a great hurry, and have only at present to assure you that no Attention and Vigilance of mine shall be wanting and that I think the Affair has a very good Aspect.

I propos'd to Govr Wentworth that he should name either a Lieutent Colonel or Major: But if his naming both those Officers would promote the raising of the Levies within his province, it would be well worth our while to have it so: If there should be Occasion, I could appoint two Majors or two Lieutent Colonels to one Regiment.

I am

Sir

Your most Humble Servant

Brigadier Genl Pepperill.

W. SHIRLEY.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO WILLIAM PEPPERRELL1 Boston, Feby 17, 1744.

SIR,

My Daughter Bollan being very dangerously ill in Childbed, I have but just time to acknowledge the favour of yours by the post, and shall write at large by the return of it. I am intirely of your Opinion that not a momts time should be lost in getting the forces ready, and upon further Consideration I would have all of 'em sent to Boston, the moment they can come; and as any Number of 'em is raised without staying for compleating the Regiments: For we have but ten days of this Month left, and they must be fitted wth Arms and disciplined a little before they go.

I beg that you would give Orders accordingly within the County of York and am in the utmost hurry, but with great truth

Brigadier Genl Pepperill.

Sir,

1 Original, Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., Belknap Manuscripts, 61 A,

p. 142.