On the 9th of May, 1775 a meeting was held at Bedford, Pennsylvania. That meeting, of various influential residents of the county, was held in response to a notice that had been sent out by the Bedford County Committee of Correspondence. What follows is the text of a set of Resolves that were "unanimously entered into".
Resolved, That this County will immediately form themselves into Military Associations, and prepare themselves, in order to defend their lives, liberties, and properties, from any illegal attempts made against them.
Resolved, That each Township in this County shall be immediately notified to assemble themselves at a certain day and place most convenient for that purpose, and then and there, by ballot or otherwise, choose Officers in their respective Townships.
Resolved, That the said Officers, when chosen, shall make out a Roll, and each man shall subscribe his name in said Roll; and that the Captain shall immediately transmit a copy thereof to the Committee of Correspondence at Bedford.
Resolved, That the Committee of this County shall purchase all the Powder and Lead in any store that may be had within the said County, and have the same put up in some safe Magazine in the Town of Bedford, for the use of the said Soldiers; and that each Company shall, by subscription, make up a proportionable part of the same; which Ammunition shall not be distributed without the orders of the Committee of Correspondence of the said County, or until it shall be thought necessary by this Committee or a majority of them.
Resolved, That each Company in this County shall use their utmost endeavors to purchase or provide all the Ammunition they can, so that no person in the said Company shall have less than one pound of Powder, and Lead in proportion.
Resolved, That as soon as the said Companies are formed, they and each of them shall be subject to military regulations and discipline, in the same manner as any other of His Majesty's Troops are (corporeal punishment only excepted.)
Resolved, That in case any person or persons in this County shall refuse to subscribe himself in a roll of some Company in the said County, in order to defend the cause of liberty now contending for, or by any ways or means whatever discourage or dosunite the said Associations, that then he or they so offending shall be immediately reported by some of the officers of their respective Townships, to the Committee of Correspondence at Bedford, in order that such steps may be taken as by the said Committee may be thought most prudent; and that, in the mean time, no person or persons within the said County shall, directly or indirectly, have any dealing or commerce, by either buying or selling, borrowing, or lending to or with any of the said offenders.
Resolved, That all persons within this County that are not at present provided with Guns, Swords, or Tomahawks, in case of ability shall provide for themselves, and in case of inability, that the Captain of each Company shall immediately transmit their names, or their number, to the Committee of Correspondence at Bedford, that proper measures may be taken in order to provide for them.
Resolved, That each Township shall meet and choose their Officers, and make return agreeable to the above Resolves, within the space of ten days from this date.
By order of the Committee of Correspondence: David Espy, Clerk
