writing to the colonel of the regiment to whom the prisoner belongs, (where the prisoner is confined upon the guard belonging to the said regiment, and that his office only relates to the neglect of duty in his own corps,) or to the commanderin-chief, their names, their crimes, and the names of the officers who committed them, on the penalty of being punished for his disobedience or neglect, at the discretion of a general court martial.

ART. XLV. And if any officer under arrest shall leave his confinement before he is set at liberty by the officer who confined him, or by a .superior power, he shall be cashiered for it.

ART. XLVI. That whatsoever commissioned officer shall be convicted before a general court martial of behaving in a scandalous, infamous manner, such as is unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman, shall be discharged from the service.

ART. XLVII. That all officers, conductors, gunners, matrosses, drivers, or any other persons whatsoever, receiving pay or hire in the service of the artillery of this colony, shall be governed by the aforesaid rules and articles, and shall be subject to be tried by courts martial in like manner with the officers and soldiers of the troops.

ART. XLVIII. That for differences arising among themselves, or in matters relating solely to their own corps, the courts martial may be composed of their own officers; but where a number sufficient of such officers cannot be assembled, or in matters wherein other corps are interested, the officers of artillery shall sit in courts martial with the officers of the other corps.

ART. XLIX. That all crimes not capital, and all disorders and neglects which officers and soldiers may be guilty of, to the prejudice of good order and military discipline, though not mentioned in the articles of war, are to be taken cognizance of by a general or regimental court martial, according to the nature or degree of the offence, and be punished at their discretion.

ART. L. That no courts martial shall order any offender to be whipped, or receive more than thirty-nine stripes, for one offence.

ART. LI. That the field officers of each and every regiment, are to appoint some suitable person belonging to such regiment, to receive all such fines as may arise within the same, for any breach of any of the foregoing articles, and shall direct the same to be carefully and properly applied to the relief of such sick, wounded, or necessitous soldiers as belong to such regiment; such persons shall account with such officer for all fines received, and the application thereof.

ART. LII. That all members sitting in courts martial shall be sworn by the president of said courts, which president shall himself be sworn by the officer in said court next in rank. The oath to be administered previous to their proceeding to the trial of any offender, in form following, viz: You, A. B. swear that you will well and truly try, and impartially determine, the cause of the prisoner now to be tried, according to the rules for regulating the forces raised, or to be raised, for the defence of the colony of Connecticut-so help you God.

ART. LIII. That all persons called to give evidence in any case before a court martial, who shall refuse to give evidence, shall be punished for such refusal at the discretion of such court martial. The oath to be administered in the form following, viz: You swear the evidence you shall give in the case now in hearing,

shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth-so help you God.

A resolution passed directing all officers who assisted in assembling or fur. nishing ammunition to such of the colony in the (then) late alarms, who marched cast or west, to deliver to the selectmen of their respective towns, their accounts, and the names of those who marched in relief of those in distress, and the time detained until their return. The selectmen were ordered to collect a particular account of expenses, for provisions, &c., and the names of those who supplied, to be laid before the committee of pay table for settlement.*

It was also resolved, that the committee of the pay table should give orders on the treasurer for the payment of all money actually expended, or for obligations given therefor, in obtaining the possession of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, by said accounts being liquidated and approved by the committee. And the committee were directed to receive the accounts of the costs and expenses for men and provision in taking and securing said fortresses, by any inhabit. ants of this colony, or any other colony, if employed by the colony of Connec. ticut, and digest and put in proper form all such accounts, and lay the same before the Assembly.

It was resolved, that each non.commissioned officer and soldier, of any mili tary company in the colony, should be paid out of the colony treasury, six pence for each half day he had performed military duty, and one shilling for each day he had performed regimental duty, in obedience to a law of the colony passed the October preceding.

* At this time there was convincing proof that a design was formed by the British ministry, of making an invasion from Canada, i. e. from Quebec upon the northern colonies, to take the lives and liberties of the colonists. Some steps had actually been taken to carry their designs into execution. Some of the citizens in the vicinity of Ticonderoga, who were immediately exposed to incursions, being impelled by a just regard for their defence and self preservation, had taken possession of that post, and also of Crown Point, where was then lodged a quantity of cannon and military stores, which were exposed to be taken by the enemy, as well as the few officers and soldiers who were stationed there. And as the colony of Connecticut had of right no command of said posts exclusively, said posts being in possession of people of different colonies, it was considered impracticable for the officers and soldiers of this colony to return either to Ticonderoga, or Crown Point at that time; and it therefore became necessary that such officers and soldiers and their families, for the time being, should be provided for by the colony.

It was therefore resolved, that Col. Erastus Wolcott, Capt. Samuel Wads. worth, Capt. Ezekiel Williams, Epaphras Bull, Henry Allyn, Col. Fisher Gay, Col. Matthew Talcott, Col. James Wadsworth, Capt. Jonathan Welles, Elene. zer White, and Col. Jonathan Humphrey, should be a committee, or any three of them, at the expense of the colony, to take care of and provide for the officers and soldiers and their families, in procuring labor for the soldiers until the con. tinental Congress, or the Assembly, should take farther order concerning them. Directing the commander-in-chief to make proper returns under his hand to said committee, of such corps as were under his command.

It was resolved, that Jabez Hamlin, Matthew Talcott, and Titus Hosmer, Esq'rs., be a committee to provide stores of lead, as they should judge necessary for the use of the colony, or to take the lead ore raised out of the mine at Middletown, and refined and fitted for the use of the colony; with power to receive out of the colony treasury any sums of money that should be necessary to procure said lead, or purchase said lead ore and smelt and refine it, not exceeding the sum of £400-Provided that the owners of said mine, should be allowed for any loss or damage they might sustain by reason of the premises.

It was resolved, that the commander-in-chief of the forces raised in the colony, at their respective destinations, were empowered to procure armorers to repair all fire arms damaged in service.

And the committee of pay table were directed to repair the arms of the colony in the hands of the treasurer, and deliver them to the inhabitants enlisted, to have them appraised, and take a receipt for them.

Samuel Mott, Esq., was appointed an engineer to repair forthwith to Ticon. deroga and Crown Point, to act in that capacity, and to take rank as a lieuten. ant colonel among the troops raised for the defence of the colony of Connecticut.

The Legislature appointed the Hon. Matthew Griswold, Hon. Eliphalet Dyer, J. Huntington, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, N. Wales, Jr., J. Elderkin, Joshua West, and Benjamin Huntington, Esq'rs., to assist the Governor when the Assembly was not in session, to direct the marches and stations of the soldiers enlisted for the defence of the colony, or any part of them, as they should judge proper, and supply with every matter and thing that should be needful for the defence of the colony.*

That the commissions ordered by the special Assembly in April, be dated May 1st, 1775.

That the warrants for the staff be dated 20th day of May, 1775, viz.: chap. lain, surgeon, and surgeon's mate.

The sum of £4 per month was granted to Major General Wooster, to assist him to provide a proper secretary for the necessary service of his department. Also the sum of £4 per month to Brigadier Generals Spencer and Putnam, to provide secretaries for their respective departments.

Jonathan Fitch, Esq., was appointed commissary, in the room of Thomas Howel, resigned.

It was resolved, that the commissaries should be allowed one and a half per cent. commission on all supplies purchased and paid for by them, by order of the Assembly.

The Treasurer of the colony was ordered to pay Captain Edward Mott, the sum of £20, and said Mott to account to the Assembly.

Jabez Hamlin and Jesse Root, Esq'rs. were added to the committee to sign the bills of credit in the colony, ordered by the Assembly on the 26th day of April, 1775.

It was resolved, that 500 pounds of powder should be forthwith borrowed by the committee of pay table from the town stocks of the adjacent towns, and to

*This was the first Committee of Safety appointed by Connecticut, to aid the Governor in his deliberations and acts during the recess of the General Assembly.

be transported by Col. James Easton, with the utmost expedition, to Crown Point and Ticonderoga, and to be there used for the immediate defence of those posts, until the resolves of the Continental Congress should be carried into execution; directing the committee of pay table to draw on the colony treasurer in favor of Col. Easton for the sum of £200, to be expended in defraying the expenses of transporting said powder, and other necessary purposes, for the immediate support of said fortresses.

The pay of an adjutant was fixed at £6 per month; the pay of the 1st lieu tenant of the colonel's companies in each regiment fixed at £6 per month. £10 was ordered paid to Capt. Eleazer Oswald.

Fees of six shillings per day was allowed for the committee of the pay table for each attending on the service, and so in proportion for the time served. David Johnson, Jr., was appointed 2d lieutenant, 2d company, 4th regiment, in the room of David Bissell, superseded.

Capt. John Chester enlisted five men more than his quota, the Assembly gave him liberty to retain them in his company.

Col. Charles Burrall received an order of £12:9:11 for repairing arms of the colony.

Jabez Thomson, Ichabod Lewis, Thomas Belding, John Mead, Henry Cham. pion, Comfort Sage, and Nathan Denison, were appointed lieutenant colonels of militia.

Zebulon Butler, Matthew Talcott, Samuel Chapman, William Williams, and Gold S. Silliman, were also appointed colonels of the militia.

William Douglass, John Chester, Stephen St. John, Dyer Throop, John Pen. field, William Judd, and Oliver Smith, were also appointed majors in the militia of the colony.

Abraham Blakely, of New Haven, captain of a company, was cashiered, and removed from office, for manifesting dissatisfaction with the government.

Andrew Philip Skeen, of Skeensborough, in the State of New York, on the 9th of May, 1775, was taken at home, with his aunt, two sisters, and a man by the name of Beach, and brought to this colony. On his application to the Assembly to return with his family, and be protected in their return to his farm; or that the Legislature would send some suitable person to take care of his farm in Skeensborough. The Assembly granted liberty to the family of said Skeen to return home, or to Quebec, under the direction of O. Wolcott, Elisha Shel. don, of Salisbury, and John Bigelow, of Hartford. And said Skeen had liberty granted under the direction of said committee, to appoint and send a suitable man to take charge of his farm and business. And the commander from this colony at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, were directed to see that Major Skeen's estate should receive no unnecessary damage from the troops under their charge. Public affairs were such, that public attention was called from private matters to things of greater importance.

Therefore it was resolved, that all private business of a civil nature, and dis. putable, should be referred over to the [October session of the Assembly.

The Assembly adjourned, subject to the call of the Governor, and in his absence, the Deputy Governor.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

SPECIAL SESSION.

The General Assembly, convened by special order of the Governor, on the 1st day of July, A. D. 1775.

Hon. JONATHAN TRUMBULL, Governor.

Only eight of the Council present; and Samuel Huntington, added to the Assistants.

An act in addition to an act passed 26th day of April, 1775, to raise troops, it was enacted, that in addition to, and reinforcement of, the inhabitants in and by said act directed to be assembled, &c., to raise a further body of 1,400 men, exclusive of commissioned officers, who were forth with enlisted, equipped, accoutred, and assembled for the special defence of the colony, to serve during the pleasure of the Assembly, not exceeding five months, to be led and conducted as the Assembly should order; to be formed into two regiments, of ten companies each, and each company to consist of seventy non-commissioned officers and privates, (besides commissioned officers) with the same number of commission and staff officers as in the regiment then raised and assembled for defence by the act aforesaid. And that the said troops, both officers and soldiers, should receive the same bounty and pay, and be allowed for arms, blankets, knapsacks, accoutrements, and provisions; be furnished with the same quantity of ammunition, and in every respect be under the same regulations as was provided for troops assembled.

In pursuance of the above act, the following appointments were made, and in the form following, viz.: This Assembly do appoint the persons hereafter named to the respective offices hereinafter mentioned, to take the command of the inhabitants to be enlisted and assembled for the special defence and safety of this colony, in addition to the six regiments heretofore raised for the same purpose, to lead and conduct them as the General Assembly shall order; and his Honor the Governor is desired, and is hereby authorized and empowered to give commissions according to the form provided and ordered for each officer, according to his office and rank, and warrants to such as are appointed in the staff, viz.:

SEVENTH REGIMENT.

This Assembly do appoint Charles Webb, Esq., colonel of the 7th regiment, and captain of the 1st company.

1st company-Ebenezer Hill, captain and lieutenant; Stephen Betts, Jr., 2d lieutenant; Sylvanus Mead, ensign.

Street Hall, lieutenant colonel, and captain of 2d company.

2d company-William Hull, 1st lieutenant; Stephen Potter, 2d lieutenant; Titus Moss, ensign.