Chronology

Orange County's Thomas Burke and John Kinchen sit on the committee whose report becomes the Halifax Resolves

On April 8 the congress named a select committee, Burke and Kinchen of Orange among its seven members, to weigh the British measures against America. Its report, adopted unanimously on April 12, empowered the colony's delegates at Philadelphia to join the other colonies in declaring independence.

People: John Kinchen

The Provincial Congress lets Colonel John Hogan resign command of the Orange County militia regiment

Sitting at Halifax, the congress granted Colonel John Hogan of the Orange County militia regiment leave to give up his command. Nine days later it split the county militia into two regiments under new colonels.

John Butler and John Atkinson are named Orange County commissioners to gather and buy firearms for the troops

The congress appointed two commissioners in each county to take in arms seized from the Tories, buy serviceable guns and have broken ones repaired for the new regiments. John Butler and John Atkinson served for Orange, each county drawing an advance of 300 pounds.

The Provincial Congress divides the Orange County militia into Northern and Southern regiments

The congress split the county militia into two equal regiments along an east-west line the county court had already run. John Butler became colonel of the Southern Regiment with Nathaniel Rochester as lieutenant colonel, and James Saunders colonel of the Northern Regiment with William Moore as lieutenant colonel.

People: John Butler · Nathaniel Rochester

The Provincial Congress orders a public musket factory for Hillsborough District under Johnston, Burke and Ramsey

The congress told three commissioners in each district to set up a public works for muskets and bayonets, gather gunsmiths and pay no more than 5 pounds a gun. For Hillsborough District it named William Johnston, Thomas Burke and Ambrose Ramsey, with up to 1,000 pounds to spend.

People: Thomas Burke

John Butler and William Tate are named to inventory the estates of Orange County Loyalists held or sent away

The congress named commissioners in six counties, Butler and Tate for Orange, to list the property of prisoners sent out of the province or out on parole or bail, guard it against waste, and see that their wives and children did not go without.

The congress orders foot soldiers drafted from the Hillsborough and Salisbury brigades for duty at Cross Creek

To hold Cross Creek it ordered 100 light cavalry and 200 infantry there under Ebenezer Folsome, the footmen to be drafted in proportion from each regiment of the Salisbury and Hillsborough brigades unless enough volunteered. The same day it sent 400 pounds of powder to the Hillsborough District brigadier.

The congress dissolves the district committees of safety and seats Person and Rand for Hillsborough District on a new Council of Safety

Setting up a Council of Safety to govern between sessions, the congress dissolved the Provincial Council and every district committee of safety, Hillsborough's among them, and chose Thomas Person and John Rand as the Hillsborough District members.

The congress routes the money for Orange County militia claims through Nathaniel Rochester

On its last day the congress ordered the sum allowed for the Orange militia's claims paid to Rochester, who was to pay each officer named on the allowed pay roll once the officer handed over the roll or a copy.