correspondence were unanimously passed, and sent to every colony for approval and adoption. In May 1774, the first explicit movement for a Continental Congress was made at a meeting in Providence, and within a few weeks delegates were elected to attend. Of the 13 colonies, all but Georgia sent representatives to the congress, with Rhode Island's delegates being Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward. On 19 April 1775, the Battle of Lexington began the long-anticipated war between the colonies and Britain. Three days later the Rhode Island General Assembly, sympathetic of Massachusetts, passed an act for raising 1500 men as an army of observation, prepared to assist any sister colonies. On 25 April Governor Wanton, Deputy Governor Darius Sessions and two others signed a protest against raising an army of observation "because we are of the opinion that such a measure will be attended with the most fatal consequences to our charter privileges, [and] involve the country in all the horrors of a civil war." Removal from office At the May 1775 session of the Assembly, Wanton was elected governor for his seventh term, but Nicholas Cooke replaced Sessions as deputy governor. A resolution of the Assembly outlined a number of grievances against Wanton, some being that he protested raising an army; he refused to commission officers to command the troops; and he failed to attend the Assembly and take the oath of office. Wanton sent a calm reply to this resolution, but continued his opposition to the army and the commissions. This was not satisfactory to the patriots in the General Assembly, and at the June session of the Assembly Wanton was excused from office, without an impeachment trial, then formally removed in November, and Deputy Governor Cooke fulfilled the duties of his office until the next election. While critics treated Wanton harshly for his actions, and branded him as a loyalist, he did have valid concerns about going to war with the mother country. He was a resident of Newport, the wealthiest community of its size in the colonies. A war with the home government would likely cause loss of wealth and social rank in the town. As an important seaport center, the occupation and devastation of the town was also likely. On 2 May 1775, Wanton wrote in a letter, "The prosperity and happiness of this colony is founded in its connection with Great Brittain; for if once