Scope and Content: Initial arrangements for provisioning Massachusetts troops during the American Revolution began with the appointment in Feb. 1775 of John Pigeon as commissary of stores (later commissary general) by the Committee of Safety at the request of the Second Provincial Congress.  At the time, the commissary maintained two stores, in Cambridge and Roxbury, one to supply each camp of colonial troops. In June 1775, Pigeon requested the appointment of a supervisor for each encampment (Journals of each Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, p. 577).  William Brown is described as commissary clerk at the Cambridge store and is presumed to have been responsible for the maintenance of the records for the Cambridge store (see entries for May 15, 1775 and May 20, 1775).  Series (which ends in Aug. 1775 with the transfer of responsibilities to the commissary general of the Continental Army, Gen. Joseph Trumbull (Resolves 1775-76, c 93)), consists of six blotters that document supplies received at and disbursed to regiments by the Cambridge store.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Contents: (1) Apr. 21-May 17, 1775  (2) May 17-26, 1775  (3) May 27- June 10, 1775  (4) June 10-July 9, 1775  (5) July 9-22, 1775  (6) July 22-Aug. 4, 1775
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Scope and Content: Richard Devens, a member of the Committee of Safety, was appointed commissary general by Nov. 1775 (Resolves 1775-76, c 343). A store building was built in Watertown in Feb. 1776 (Resolves 1775-76, c 679), where the state government was then located. In May 1776 the commissary’s office moved to Boston, and a store opened there, following the British evacuation of that city. The commissary general initially was occupied in the delivery of arms and provisions needed by the state for the war effort. As war activity moved outside New England in the late 1770s, and following the end of the war, the office focused on supplying state forces, including  provisioning the garrison established on Castle Island (Resolves 1785, Feb 1786 Sess, c 166)  and the troops fighting Shays’ Rebellion. It also arranged for the building of lighthouses and helped administer a program of tax payments in kind instituted subsequent to the rebellion (St 1786, c 39). Once the Board of War was disbanded in 1781, the military stores in the board’s possession were forwarded to the commissary general. The commissary office closed in June 1792 (Resolves 1792, May Sess, c 61).  Resolves 1793, May Sess, c 52 (June 22, 1793) provided the elderly Devens with one year’s compensation for his services in closing his office.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Restrictions: Restricted as fragile. Access by state archivist or curator of Massachusetts Archives only
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Scope and Content: Richard Devens, a member of the Committee of Safety, was appointed commissary general by Nov. 1775 (Resolves 1775-76, c 343). A store building was built in Watertown in Feb. 1776 (Resolves 1775-76, c 679), where the state government was then located. In May 1776 the commissary’s office moved to Boston, and a store opened there, following the British evacuation of that city. The commissary general initially was occupied in the delivery of arms and provisions needed by the state for the war effort. As war activity moved outside New England in the late 1770s, and following the end of the war, the office focused on supplying state forces, including  provisioning the garrison established on Castle Island (Resolves 1785, Feb 1786 Sess, c 166)  and the troops fighting Shays’ Rebellion. It also arranged for the building of lighthouses and helped administer a program of tax payments in kind instituted subsequent to the rebellion (St 1786, c 39). Once the Board of War was disbanded in 1781, the military stores in the board’s possession were forwarded to the commissary general. The commissary office closed in June 1792 (Resolves 1792, May Sess, c 61).  Resolves 1793, May Sess, c 52 (June 22, 1793) provided the elderly Devens with one year’s compensation for his services in closing his office.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: (1) May 1, 1776-Oct. 31, 1776.  (2)  Nov. 1, 1776-Dec. 31, 1777. (3) Jan. 1, 1778-Dec. 31, 1778. (4) Jan. 1, 1779-Dec 31, 1779. (5) Jan. 1, 1780-Dec. 31, 1781. (6) Jan. 1, 1782-June 19, 1787.  (7) June 20, 1787- Aug. 17, 1792
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Scope and Content: Richard Devens, a member of the Committee of Safety, was appointed commissary general by Nov. 1775 (Resolves 1775-76, c 343). A store building was built in Watertown in Feb. 1776 (Resolves 1775-76, c 679), where the state government was then located. In May 1776 the commissary’s office moved to Boston, and a store opened there, following the British evacuation of that city. The commissary general initially was occupied in the delivery of arms and provisions needed by the state for the war effort. As war activity moved outside New England in the late 1770s, and following the end of the war, the office focused on supplying state forces, including  provisioning the garrison established on Castle Island (Resolves 1785, Feb 1786 Sess, c 166)  and the troops fighting Shays’ Rebellion. It also arranged for the building of lighthouses and helped administer a program of tax payments in kind instituted subsequent to the rebellion (St 1786, c 39). Once the Board of War was disbanded in 1781, the military stores in the board’s possession were forwarded to the commissary general. The commissary office closed in June 1792 (Resolves 1792, May Sess, c 61).  Resolves 1793, May Sess, c 52 (June 22, 1793) provided the elderly Devens with one year’s compensation for his services in closing his office.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Vol. 1: Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 1777; June 19, 1779-Apr. 30, 1785. Vol. 2: Apr. 1781-Aug. 16, 1792
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Scope and Content: Initial arrangements for provisioning Massachusetts troops during the American Revolution began with the appointment in Feb. 1775 of John Pigeon as commissary of stores (later commissary general) by the Committee of Safety at the request of the Second Provincial Congress.  At the time, the commissary maintained two stores, in Cambridge and Roxbury, one to supply each camp of colonial troops. In June 1775, Pigeon requested the appointment of a supervisor for each encampment (Journals of each Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, p. 577). Aaron Blaney was the commissary for the Roxbury store during this period.  Series (which ends in Aug. 1775 with the transfer of responsibilities to the commissary general of the Continental Army, Gen. Joseph Trumbull (Resolves 1775-76, c 93)), consists of six account and receipt books in four groups, documenting supplies received at and disbursed by the Roxbury store, even before the official appointment of Blaney as deputy:
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Scope and Content: During the Revolutionary period, Massachusetts provided medical services to the military beginning in 1775, when the Committee of Safety voted in February that Dr. Joseph Warren and Dr. Benjamin Church form a committee to inventory military needs, and on Apr. 29 empowered Dr. Isaac Foster to remove sick and wounded soldiers to a Cambridge hospital.  On May 8, the Second Provincial Congress resolved that commanding officers recommend surgeons for their regiments to be approved by a committee of doctors. During the spring and summer of 1775, these surgeons, who dealt with minor illnesses, were stationed in Cambridge, Roxbury, and Prospect Hill, near the main army camps, working in conjunction with general hospitals in Cambridge, Roxbury, Metonomy, and Watertown.  After the bulk of the Continental Army moved out of Massachusetts in the spring of 1776, Craft’s artillery regiment on Castle Island and other troops used hospitals at Rainsford Island, West Boston, and Sewall’s Point in Brookline.
Arrangement: In two subseries: (1) Orders  (2) Log
Notes: Box 1: (1) Thomas Kittredge, Frye’s Regiment, June 4-Aug. 3, 1775  (2) Stephen Sevett, Phiney’s Regiment, July 18-Aug. 3, 1775 (chiefly Fort no. 2)  (3) Elisha Story, Little’s Regiment, July 17-Aug, 2, 1775 (some from Prospect Hill or College Hospital) (4) David Townsend, Brewer’s Regiment, July 4-Aug. 3, 1775 (from Prospect Hill and Cambridge, some by mate Harris Ellery Tudger)  (5) Isaac Rand, Cambridge (smallpox) Hospital, June 30-Aug. 2, 1775  (6) John Homan, Woodbridge’s Regiment, June 23-July 30, 1775  (7) Aaron Putnam, mate for Frye’s Regiment, June 26-July 29, 1775  (8) Isaac Foster, Cambridge and Metonomy hospitals, Apr. 30-July 29, 1775  (9) William Dunsmore, Whitcomb and Ward’s Regiment, June 7-Aug. 3, 1775 (includes Cambridge Hospital no. 2, Phipses House, Metonomy Hospital, College Hospital, Denes Hill)  (10) Edward Flint, Ward’s Regiment, June 20-July 26, 1776, chiefly Cambridge Hospital no. 2. Box 2: Joseph Gardner, Craft’s Regiment, Apr. 1777-May 1781 (bulk 1778-1780) (Boston and Rainsford Island Hospital, some by J. Whipple or E. Willard)
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Scope and Content: Fortifications at Castle Island, Boston Harbor, used since the 1640s for military and penal purposes, were rebuilt after being burned by evacuating British forces in 1776, and then manned by various militia troops, at times under the command of Paul Revere.  A military garrison consisting of a company of men was established there in 1779; the island became the site of a prison facility for Massachusetts from 1785 to 1798.  Enabling legislation (St 1784, c 63 ((Mar. 4, 1785) provided that the convicts, sentenced to hard labor, would compensate the state for internment by money-making industry, including manufacture of nails.  Series documents sale of these nails in casks.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically in numbered batches
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Scope and Content: Fortifications at Castle Island, Boston Harbor, used since the 1640s for military and penal purposes, were rebuilt after being burned by evacuating British forces in 1776, and then manned by various militia troops, at times under the command of Paul Revere.  A military garrison consisting of a company of men was established there in 1779; the island became the site of a prison facility for Massachusetts from 1785 to 1798.  The commissary general (Richard Devens) provided supplies and services to militia, garrison personnel, and convicts until dissolution of his office in June 1792.  Series consists of accounts submitted by contractors and others to and paid by that office.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: Richard Devens, a member of the Committee of Safety, was appointed commissary general by Nov. 1775 (Resolves 1775-76, c 343). A store building was built in Watertown in Feb. 1776 (Resolves 1775-76, c 679), where the state government was then located. In May 1776 the commissary’s office moved to Boston, and a store opened there, following the British evacuation of that city. The commissary general initially was occupied in the delivery of arms and provisions needed by the state for the war effort. As war activity moved outside New England in the late 1770s, and following the end of the war, the office focused on supplying state forces, including  provisioning the garrison established on Castle Island (Resolves 1785, Feb 1786 Sess, c 166)  and the troops fighting Shays’ Rebellion. It also arranged for the building of lighthouses and helped administer a program of tax payments in kind instituted subsequent to the rebellion (St 1786, c 39). Once the Board of War was disbanded in 1781, the military stores in the board’s possession were forwarded to the commissary general. The commissary office closed in June 1792 (Resolves 1792, May Sess, c 61).  Resolves 1793, May Sess, c 52 (June 22, 1793) provided the elderly Devens with one year’s compensation for his services in closing his office.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: HISTORICAL NOTE: The post-Revolutionary Massachusetts legislature endeavored to collect taxes levied to pay war debt and other state expenses, particularly burdening farmers in the western part of the state.  Angered by foreclosures and imprisonment imposed for tax delinquency and not receiving satisfaction for grievance petitions filed with the legislature, the protesting farmers rioted and closed courthouses under the leadership of Revolutionary veteran Daniel Shays.  The state militia was called out to suppress Shays’ Rebellion in Sept. 1786, in Jan. 1787 a state army was formed for the purpose, and by February the insurgents were defeated. –With the establishment of the state army, the commissary general’s office was responsible for furnishing provisions for the army, including food rations as well as other supplies such as wood, stationery, rum, and candles. These duties continued through March, when the commissary general was empowered by the General Court per Resolves 1786, Jan Sess, c 128 (Mar. 9, 1787), to contract with persons to supply rations to the troops, funds to be provided by the treasurer.  This resolve indicated the precise number and type (beef, pork, bread, vegetables, rum) of rations to be received on a daily basis.  Resolves 1786, Apr Sess, c 12 (April 30, 1787) and Resolves 1787, May Sess, c 26 (June 18, 1787) directed the paying of bills submitted by individuals or town selectmen for supplies furnished directly to the commissary general.
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