To George Washington from the Officers of Colonel Samuel Gerrish’s Regiment, 10 August 1775
From the Officers of Colonel Samuel Gerrish’s Regiment
Camps at Chelsea, Malden, Medford, and Sewells
Point [Mass.], the 10th Aug., 1775.
Your Excellencies’ humble petitioners, We, the Subscribers, Officers of the Regiment, Commanded by Colonell Samuell Gerrish, Esqr.: formerly in the Massachusetts Colony Service, now in the Continental, humbly beg Leave to inform your Excellency, that the most, and even more than 2 thirds of us, have been here in actual Service, since the Beginning of the Campaign, and been to a vast Deal of Expense, and not receiv’d one farthing of our pay; we therefore humbly petition your Excellency would make just provision, that we might at least receive some part of our pay, it being impossible for us,—some being at a great Distance from home,—to subsist without it;1 relying on your Excellency’s kind Compliance, we think it an honour to subscribe ourselves, Your Excellency’s Most humble, and most obedient Servants,
Thomas Mighill, Capt.
T. Baker, Jr., Capt.
Thos. Pike, Lieut.
Tho. Cumming, Lieut.
Mark Cresey, Lieut.
Caleb Robinson, Lieut.
Mica (?) Hoit, Lieut.
Jonas Johnson, Lieut.
all at Sewel’s point.
Mellen Chamberlain, ed., A Documentary History of Chelsea Including the Boston Precincts of Winnisimmet, Rumney Marsh, and Pullen Point, 1624–1824, 2 vols. (Boston, 1908), 2:466–67.
Thomas Mighill (1722–1807), Thomas Pike (died c.1816), and Mark Cressey (1734–1816), all of Rowley, Mass., apparently served in the Continental army until sometime in 1776. Caleb Robinson (1746–1799) and Micah Hoit were New Hampshire residents, and both joined the 2d New Hampshire Regiment in November 1776. Robinson was made a captain in that regiment, and Hoit became a second lieutenant. Robinson was captured at the Battle of Hubbardton in July 1777 but was later released. He returned to the army to become a brigade inspector in July 1781 and a major in the 2d New Hampshire Regiment in October of that year. Robinson retired in March 1782. Hoit was promoted to first lieutenant in December 1777 and left the army in the spring of 1779. Lt. Jonas Johnson and Capt. T. Baker, Jr., have not been identified, although Capt. John Baker may have served in this regiment. See John Baker to GW, 14 Sept. 1775. Lieutenant Cumming may be Thomas Cummings (d. 1825), who served as a lieutenant in the 10th Massachusetts Regiment from November 1776 to October 1778.
1. For GW’s efforts to pay the army, see General Orders, this date, and GW to the Massachusetts General Court, 12 Aug. 1775.