Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 4
The Comsrs. Appointed by Congress to conduct an Enquiry into the Causes of the Failure of the Expedition agt. R. Island & into the Conduct of the General officers Conducting such Expedition,1 are now met sitting at Providence in the State of Rhodisland & in persuance of their Commissn. they require hereby notify you to attend them at sd. Providence as soon as possible in order to answer such Questions as may be asked you by sd. Commissrs. them respecting sd. Expedition agreable to the Resolve of Congress—& you are desired to bring with you all returns, proceedings, documents & papers in yr. possessn. which may have a tendency to throw light on the sd. affair.2
RTP went directly from the New Haven Convention to the Enquiry upon the Failure of the Rhode Island Expedition at Providence, arriving there on Feb. 6. The three commissioners met from the 6th until the 13th, when they adjourned until Mar. 24. RTP returned briefly to Taunton and then went to Boston for a session of the Superiour Court and a session of the Maritime Court at Portsmouth, N.H. On Mar. 23, he returned to Providence, and the next day the “Cmssrs. sat on the enquiry of Secret Expedition.” RTP does not note the conclusion of the enquiry, but he rode home to Taunton on Mar. 27 (RTP Diary).
See Nathaniel N. Shipton, “General Joseph Palmer: Scapegoat for the Rhode Island Fiasco of October, 1777,” New England Quarterly 39(1966):498–512.