May it Please Your Excellency:

I am under constraint to inform your Excellency of a number of men of about thirty or more are combined together in this County for mischiefous purposes, they have caused four of the Drafted men to desert and declare publicly they will support them with their Guns, and are frequently giving out the most bitter oaths and imprecations to deter officers or others from apprehending them, they are daily committing acts of misprision of Treason, and persons that oppose them are always in danger of both life and property. Those are part of the mob who several times broke open stores for salt &c. In short they are become so outrageous and daring that every person who wishes well to his Country is insulted by them. To raise any part of the same County to apprehend them would hardly be practicable. If your Excellency will be pleased to advise me of the proper method to be taken to subdue these lawless fellows, it shall be strictly pursued.

On the 26th June I marched twenty-one men from Bath, on their way to Halifax with cart, provisions &c., left behind one sick man and four deserters. I am