A Call to Arms! 1777 Broadside Recruiting MA Soldiers For Continental Army
Revolutionary War
Boston, MA, January 25, 1777
A Call to Arms! 1777 Broadside Recruiting MA Soldiers For Continental Army
Broadside
A rare and original 1p printed broadside of a militia resolution passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives on January 25, 1777 (Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes, 1777.) Printed on laid paper. The ownership signature of Col. William Howard is located at upper right. Docketed on verso. Expected wear including toning, as well as scattered scuffs, stains, and handling marks. With isolated loss along the transmittal folds showing evidence of expert restoration. Else very good. 9" x 14.25". Evans 15425; Ford 2074; Wright, "A Guide to Pre-Federal Records in the National Archives," 1989, p. 191.
This resolve, or resolution, was issued in fiery defiance of British might, and in proud compliance with the Second Continental Congress's crucial Eighty-Eight Resolution of September 1776. This resolution had been passed at the urging of John Adams in anticipation of Washington's urgent need for an army founded not on short enlistments but on "a permanent footing." With this key legislation, Adams's Massachusetts House calls for "Male Inhabitants, from Sixteen Years old and upwards… [to] compleat [sic] our Quota of the Continental Army."
In full, with original usage:
"State of Massachusetts-Bay.
In the House of Representatives, January 25, 1777.
The Perseverance of Britain in her Attempts to subjugate the Free States of America to an unconditional Submission to their arbitrary Impositions, demands a vigorous Perseverance in the Inhabitants of these States, to frustrate the barbarous Design. For this End the Supreme Council of the Continent, convinced of the fatal Impolicy of short Inlistments, have called for Eighty-Eight Battalions, to serve during the War, or for the Term of Three Years, and for Fifteen of them from the Massachusetts-Bay. The Necessity and Wisdom of the Measure, must meet the Approbation of every Friend to his Country.
When this Court considers that a speedy and full Compliance with this Requisition, will (under GOD) issue in the greatest and happiest of all Events: And at the same Time remembers the Virtue and Patriotism of their Constituents, they are happy to realize that they have only to point to a Method that will prove effectual.
It is therefore, Resolved, That the commanding Officer of every Regiment of Militia in this State, immediately upon the Receipt hereof, cause the several Companies in his Regiment, consisting of training Band and Alarm Lists, to be forthwith mustered in their respective Towns and Plantations, and the Terms of Congress, with the additional Encouragement of this Court, to be made public, and order the commissioned Officers of said Companies, that they cause to be inlisted, as many Men as will, on the Terms and Encouragement above-mentioned, voluntarily enter the Service of their Country.
And whereas it is the Judgment of this Court, that a Number amounting to One Seventh Part of all the Male Inhabitants, from Sixteen Years old and upwards, at home and abroad belonging to this State, will compleat our Quota of the Continental Army. The commissioned Officers aforesaid, are hereby impowered to muster their Companies from Time to Time, in such Manner as they shall judge will best serve to compleat the voluntary Inlistment of a Number of able bodied Men, equal to the Number of One Seventh Part of all the Male Inhabitants of each Town and Plantation, of Sixteen Years old and upwards, without any Exceptions, save the People called Quakers. Provided, that where any commissioned or Staff Officer may be appointed in any Town or Plantation, for either of the Fifteen Battalions aforesaid, such Officer is not to be reckoned as Part of the Proportion to be inlisted by such Town or Plantation.
And whereas Doubts may arise with Respect to those intended by 'Inhabitants,' mentioned in the foregoing Paragraph.
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Revolutionary War
Boston, MA, January 25, 1777
A Call to Arms! 1777 Broadside Recruiting MA Soldiers For Continental Army
Broadside
A rare and original 1p printed broadside of a militia resolution passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives on January 25, 1777 (Boston: Printed by Benjamin Edes, 1777.) Printed on laid paper. The ownership signature of Col. William Howard is located at upper right. Docketed on verso. Expected wear including toning, as well as scattered scuffs, stains, and handling marks. With isolated loss along the transmittal folds showing evidence of expert restoration. Else very good. 9" x 14.25". Evans 15425; Ford 2074; Wright, "A Guide to Pre-Federal Records in the National Archives," 1989, p. 191.
This resolve, or resolution, was issued in fiery defiance of British might, and in proud compliance with the Second Continental Congress's crucial Eighty-Eight Resolution of September 1776. This resolution had been passed at the urging of John Adams in anticipation of Washington's urgent need for an army founded not on short enlistments but on "a permanent footing." With this key legislation, Adams's Massachusetts House calls for "Male Inhabitants, from Sixteen Years old and upwards… [to] compleat [sic] our Quota of the Continental Army."
In full, with original usage:
"State of Massachusetts-Bay.
In the House of Representatives, January 25, 1777.
The Perseverance of Britain in her Attempts to subjugate the Free States of America to an unconditional Submission to their arbitrary Impositions, demands a vigorous Perseverance in the Inhabitants of these States, to frustrate the barbarous Design. For this End the Supreme Council of the Continent, convinced of the fatal Impolicy of short Inlistments, have called for Eighty-Eight Battalions, to serve during the War, or for the Term of Three Years, and for Fifteen of them from the Massachusetts-Bay. The Necessity and Wisdom of the Measure, must meet the Approbation of every Friend to his Country.
When this Court considers that a speedy and full Compliance with this Requisition, will (under GOD) issue in the greatest and happiest of all Events: And at the same Time remembers the Virtue and Patriotism of their Constituents, they are happy to realize that they have only to point to a Method that will prove effectual.
It is therefore, Resolved, That the commanding Officer of every Regiment of Militia in this State, immediately upon the Receipt hereof, cause the several Companies in his Regiment, consisting of training Band and Alarm Lists, to be forthwith mustered in their respective Towns and Plantations, and the Terms of Congress, with the additional Encouragement of this Court, to be made public, and order the commissioned Officers of said Companies, that they cause to be inlisted, as many Men as will, on the Terms and Encouragement above-mentioned, voluntarily enter the Service of their Country.
And whereas it is the Judgment of this Court, that a Number amounting to One Seventh Part of all the Male Inhabitants, from Sixteen Years old and upwards, at home and abroad belonging to this State, will compleat our Quota of the Continental Army. The commissioned Officers aforesaid, are hereby impowered to muster their Companies from Time to Time, in such Manner as they shall judge will best serve to compleat the voluntary Inlistment of a Number of able bodied Men, equal to the Number of One Seventh Part of all the Male Inhabitants of each Town and Plantation, of Sixteen Years old and upwards, without any Exceptions, save the People called Quakers. Provided, that where any commissioned or Staff Officer may be appointed in any Town or Plantation, for either of the Fifteen Battalions aforesaid, such Officer is not to be reckoned as Part of the Proportion to be inlisted by such Town or Plantation.
And whereas Doubts may arise with Respect to those intended by 'Inhabitants,' mentioned in the foregoing Paragraph.
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