Joseph Stebbins- A Pioneer at Outbreak of the Revolution

10 JOSEPH STEBBINS

Liberty, and for repelling every hostile Invasion thereof. You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty of Captain by doing and performing all Manner of Things thereunto belonging. And we do strictly charge and require all Officers and Soldiers under your Command to be obedient to your orders as Captain. And you are to observe and follow such Orders and Directions from Time to Time, as you shall receive from this or a future Congress of the United Colonies, or Committee of Congress, for that Purpose appointed, or Commander in Chief for the Time being of the Army of the United Colonies, or any other your superior Officer, according to the Rules and Discipline of War, in Pursuance of the Trust reposed in you. This Commission to continue in Force until revoked by this or a future Congress. July 1st 1775 By order of the Congress John Hancock, President Attest Chas Thomson Secy* Having received his commission Capt. Stebbins was now a full-fledged soldier in the continental army which had been put by Congress under the command of George Washington, June 19, only eleven days before Stebbins?s commission was made out. Let us note that this commission was issued in the same room and by the same body of men which had commissioned Washington Commander-in-chief of the rebel army.

Washington left Philadelphia June 21 to take command of the American army at Cambridge ; this he did July 3, a memorable day in the history of the colonies.

Capt. Stebbins was in Col. Brewer's regiment which was then at Headquarters, Cambridge. Aug. 1, Stebbins's Company was full. We know that he was earnestly engaged under Brewer in driving Gage and Howe out of Boston. Bunker Hill had spoken in tones of thunder, Howe had taken counsel of prudence, and Boston was evacuated Mar. 17, 1776.

Owing to an unfortunate accident a large number of the old Stebbins family papers were destroyed, so that we have fewer particulars than we

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*An examination will show that this commission was issued by twelve colonies only ; as Georgia, the last, the thirteenth, had now taken its place, the presumption is that the economical secretary of the Second Congress utilized a printed form left over from the First Congress.