" Whereas, a great number of the men enlisted in " the Continental Service, in this Colony, are desti- " tute of Arms, and in order to carry into execution "the Resolutions of the Continental Congress, it is " absolutely necessary to have those troops armed : " And whereas, every method to hire or purchase "Arms, hitherto attempted, has failed to procure a " sufficient number of Arms for the said troops, and "the only method remaining is to impress Arms for "their use,

" Resolved, therefore, That all such Arms as are " fit for the use of the troops raised in this Colony, " which shall be found in the hands or custody of any " person who has not signed the General Association " in this Colony, shall be impressed for the use of the " said troops. And

" Ordered, That the person or persons who shall " have the charge of the carrying this Resolution into " execution, in each County, shall direct all the Arms "that shall be so impressed, to be collected at some " place in the County where they are impressed, and " there valued and appraised by three indifferent men " of reputation of the County, any two of whom " agreeing, shall be sufficient to ascertain the price ; "that an account be kept from whom every Musket, "Gun, or Firelock, so impressed, shall have been " taken ; and each such Gun, Musket, or Firelock " caused to be marked with the initial letter of the " name of the County where it is impressed and num- " bered, the numbers following each other, succes- " sively ; and that the same be entered in a bopk pro- " vided for that purpose, with the name of the owner "opposite to the number marked on each Musket, " Gun, or Firelock, respectively.