Wentworth’s Failed Enlistment Order
On Thursday, the 15th of December, 1774, Governor Wentworth ordered thirty effective men to be enlisted or impressed for the protection of Fort William and Mary without result, as the following will testify:
PROVINCE OF NEW, HAMPSHIRE.To Capt. John Dennet & the Commission officer of the First Regiment of Militia in the Province of New Hampshire: Gentlemen.--You are without Delay out of your several companies to enlist or Impress Thirty effective men to serve his Majesty as a Guard & Protection to his Fort William and Mary at New Castle and make return immediately to me of your doings therein with the Names of the Persons so enlisted etc., that Provision may be made for their being regularly placed in the said Garrison, for all which this is your Warrant.
I am Gentlemen, your friend etc Theodore Atkinson, Maj[o]r Gen[era]l.
Dated at Portsmo[uth] on the 15th of Decem[be]r 1774 12 o'clock at noon.
Indorsed on the back of the foregoing order is the following:
Pursuant to the within Warrant we have Paraded the streets, caused the Drums to be Beat, & Proclamation to be made at all the Publick corners, & on the Place of Parade. No Person appearing to Enlist, we wait for further orders.
JOHN DENNET, JAMES STOODLEY, Commanding Officers Portsmouth, 15 December 6 o'clock, p.m.
From: N.H. Provincial Papers, Vol. II, p. 421.