"Voted, That as soon as the Committee are ready to report, they give Notice to the Company by advertizing in the public Papers, or otherwise as to them may seem best.

"Voted, That the Books and Papers of the Company, together with the Report of the Committee made this evening be delivered to the Committee appointed to take up the Affairs of the Company at large, for their use and aid in the Prosecution of their appointment. BENJ. EDES, Clerk, pro-tem.

"Boston June 21st 1782. To Capt Samuel Barrett [1755], chairman of the Committee of the Anc. & Hon. Artillery Company.

"N. B. No copy is taken of this: therefore be pleased to be very careful of it, till recorded.1 B. EDES, Clerk.

"The Charter & Treasurer's Accounts accompanies this.

"B-E-Clerk, pro-tem."

The committee, according to the last vote passed May 30, 1782, inserted the following "Notice" in the public prints, June 10 and 17, to wit:

at

"Monday, June 3, 1782. The Surviving Members of the ancient and honorable Artillery Company are hereby notified that their Meeting stands adjourned to Monday the 17th of June, at 5 o'clock P. M., then to meet at the American Coffee House which Time and Place, the members are requested to give their punctual attendance, to receive the Report of their Committee on Matters of Importance to the Company."

1785.

In 1785, Col. Andrew Symmes (1760) and Major John Boyle (1769) were on the staff of Gov. Hancock. Robert Davis (1786) was captainlieutenant, with rank of captain, of the train of artillery in Boston; Edward Curtis (1786) was second lieutenant, and William Bird (1787) was adjutant. Joseph Webb, Jr. (1761), was colonel of the Boston regiment, and John May (1786), lieutenant-colonel; John Wise (1774) was promoted to be captain.

In 1785, the military spirit in and around Boston began to show itself, and that emulation for perfection in military exercise which existed before the Revolution displayed itself throughout the State.

June 15, 1785, "His Excellency, the minister of war," at New York, was pleased to direct that the uniform of the troops raised, and to be raised, for the frontier service "be blue, faced and lined with white, for the infantry; and blue, faced and lined with red, for the artillery; the cockade to be black." Discarding the union cockade did not seem to meet with general approbation.

It was announced, Aug 3, 1785, that " a company of Independent Cadets, composed principally of young gentlemen in the mercantile line," had been lately formed in Boston, and several other companies and troops of horse were being formed in various parts of the country.

Aug. 25, 1785, a company of grenadiers and a troop of light dragoons were formed at the American Coffee House, Boston.

'The original minutes of these meetings, as written by Benjamin Edes (1760), are in the archives of the Artillery Company; but the copy of the charter and the treasurer's accounts are presumably lost.

1786.

Oct. 10, 1786, the Independent Light Infantry met, and began their drill with great spirit. This company became known as the "Independent Boston Fusileers," which was incorporated May 11, 1787; its first regular parade taking place July 4, 1787, when the adoption of the new Federal Constitution was celebrated. It paraded in the escort and reception of Gen. Washington in Boston in 1789; was the body-guard of Gen. Hancock during the greater part of his administration; sole escort to the governor at the laying of the corner-stone of the State House in 1795, and has been prominent in the military displays of Boston for a century. Motto, "Aut vincere, aut mori."

In 1786, the people were suffering from the results of an eight years' war. The country had been drained by taxation; public credit was nearly extinct; trade depressed; manufactures ceased; paper money was well-nigh worthless; debts, great and many, rested on the country, the commonwealth, the town, and the people. There was widespread disaffection. The complaints of the people were stated as "grievances" in a convention which met at Hatfield, Aug. 22, 1786.

In consequence of this state of affairs, in the fall of 1786 bodies of armed men interfered with the sitting of the county courts. This was the origin of the rebellion against the constituted government in Massachusetts, called "Shays' Rebellion." His followers claimed that the salary of the governor was too high, the State senate was aristocratic, the lawyers extortionate, taxes burdensome, and money scarce. They demanded paper money a legal tender, and that the General Court should be moved from Boston. In December, 1786, Daniel Shays appeared at Worcester with an armed force, also at Springfield, and prevented the holding of the courts at those places. The State forces, under Capt. Shepard and Gen. Lincoln (1786), made short work of the rebellion, and scattered the rebels.

It was in this "emergency of publick affairs" that the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company volunteered its service for the maintenance of law and order. They were ready for field service. The necessary arrangements were made. Col. Waters (1769) was appointed adjutant, and John Warren, M. D., a celebrated surgeon, was appointed surgeon to the Company. No detailed account of their service exists, but they did all that the State asked of them. The rebellion was crushed before it had gathered sufficient unity or strength to seriously endanger the public welfare.

The following newspaper items throw some light on the part taken by the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in the stirring events of that time : —

"Boston, Saturday October 28, 1786. The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, under Major Bell [1760], the Independent Light Infantry under Capt Otis, have offered their services as volunteers. To them and to the Independent Cadets much credit is due for the alacrity with which, at their own expense, they have furnished themselves with the necessary equipage, and the zeal they discover for endeavoring to secure to the good people of this Commonwealth the quiet enjoyment of their constitutional rights."

"Boston, Wednesday Nov. 1, 1786. We are told, that his Excellency, the Captain General, has acquainted Major Gen Brooks [1786] that he will this day at twelve oclock, at Cambridge, review the troops under his command, now assembled at that place, which we are told amount to about 1300, composing two regiments of Infantry, three companies of artillery and a troop of horse. We are likewise told that the Independent Cadets, Light Infantry, &c, from this town, will attend the review."

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"Boston, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 1786. Of Tuesday, of Cambridge and the Supreme Court and the Insurgents- and the military of every description — the Cadets the Artillery - the Light Infantry-and the camp equipage &c. &c. &c, — which have engrossed the attention of all orders, degrees and conditions, from Thursday morning until Monday night - what must we say? That Tuesday came that the Court sat- that the military, to the amount of 1300, like Cæsar, veni, vidi, vici,saw (nothing) and overcame all opposition that everything wore the appearance of a brilliant parade and that the Insurgents were not to be found."

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"Boston, Saturday, November 4, 1786. This being the week for the Supreme Court to sit at Cambridge, his Excellency the Governor thought fit to order a military force of three regiments of Middlesex militia, and several companies of artillery to march to that place to protect them. On Wednesday morning, the General having given the proper orders, sent an invitation to the Supreme Court, requesting their company at the review of the troops, there assembled for their defence. By noon the line was formed, extending from the church in Cambridge, across the Common, near a mile, and composed, besides the several corps already mentioned, of the following from the first division, who were ordered by the Captain General to march to Cambridge, in order for a review with the troops there assembled, viz: The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, under Major Bell [1756]; Lieut Col Bradfords Independent Cadets; Captain Otis's Light Infantry; and Major Gibb's Light Horse; Major Spooners Company of Artillery from Roxbury and Colonel Bedlams Artillery from Dorchester.

"About half past twelve o'clock General Jackson, who, we are told, is appointed Adjutant General of the State, arrived at Cambridge to acquaint the General of the approach of his Excellency, who arrived about one o'clock at the University, accompanied by the Hon. Council, the French and Dutch Consuls, Major North, and several other gentlemen in the civil and military line. The Captain General being informed by Col Hull [1788], who cheerfully undertook, and with great skill, executed the office of Adjutant-General, that the troops were in readiness, proceeded to the review.

"On his Excellency's arrival on the right of the line, he received a`federal salute from Major Spooner's artillery: after which he reviewed the troops in the following order :

"Major Gibb's horse; on the right of which were the Major General, his aids, &c: Lieutenant Colonel Bradfords Independent Cadets and Volunteers; Captain Otis's Light Infantry; Artillery; Capt Kents new raised corps; Ancient and Honorable; Major Spooners; Major Badlams; Charlestown company under Major Calder; Major Browns Infantry; Colonel Grants regiment (the 1st); Colonel Lamson's (the 3) and Colonel Bryants (the 2nd) which formed the left of the line.

"After this review, his Excellency and suite went to the Court House, and again reviewed the troops on their march into town, from whence they immediately returned to the parade."

"Boston, Wednesday, November 29. 1786. The following division orders, we are told, were issued by Major General Lincoln [1786] on Monday last :

"The Major General directs that at the moment, authentic information shall be received (which will be announced by the discharge of three cannon on Fort Hill) that the insurgents are embodying themselves at Cambridge, the Independent Cadets, Independent Light Infantry, and the Republican volunteers are to take post at the south end