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Original.
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[Barrett to Council.]
Frederick Town Feby 10th 1776.
Gentlemen. I had the Honor to receive from the delegates
of the Freemen of this Province a Commission as Captain of
one of the Independant Companies in the Regular service, no
one would be more happy than myself in the acceptance of it,
had the gentlemen who were appointed Lieutenants been
known to the men I would wish to carry into action. It is
twenty years since I first had the Honour to command a Com-
pany in Defence of my Country, since that time I have com-
manded many. And being apprehensive at the beginning of
this unhappy, cruel, & unnatural Contest between the mother
Country and her Colonies that I might be once more called on
to stand forth in defence of our Liberties I had frequently con-
versed with and informed my Militia Company and many
others of my neighbours and acquaintance that it was highly
probable I might again solicit them to follow me to the field
of Battle they in the general most chearfully agreed to march
whenever I should call on them, but as it was possible I might
fall if we went into action, they desired that two gentlemen
which they had agreed on might be appointed Lieutenants,
and as it had been customary with me to nominate the sub-
alterns, I promised that those Gentlemen (did I accept of a
Commission) should be my Lieutenants, and had wrote to Mr
Johnson while at the Convention mentioning the names of the
Gentlemen and informing him of my promises but unfor-
tunately my letter miscarried, one of those gentlemen was a
Lieutenant of mine in a late expedition against the Indians
who behaved himself much to the satisfaction of my Company
as well as to myself. I have come this far in consequence of
a letter from Mr Johnson, Who inclosed my commission with
an intent to accept it and to return and enlist a Company of
Riflemen, which I flatter myself I could have done at furthest
in a week (not knowing but my letter had got safe to hand,
and the Lieutenants (if appointed at all by the Convention)
were the gentlemen I had mentioned, from this disappoint-
ment after my engagements I am reduced to the disagreeable
necessity of betraying the confidence of my Company and
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