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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1776
A letter from Mr. M[atthew] Tilghman, dated Annapolis, 5 January, with sundry enclosures, also a number of intercepted letters, being ∥some despatches from Governor Franklin, and a letter from C. Skinner, which were intercepted, were∥ laid before Congress, was read.1
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXII, folio 5.]
Resolved, That a letter be written to Mr. Tilghman, informing him, that theHornet andWasp are under orders to sail to the capes of Delaware, and that such vessels, as are ready to sail, may take the benefit of that convoy.
Resolved, That the Committee for fitting out armed vessels, be directed to give orders to the captains of theHornet andWasp, to take under their convoy, such vessels as are ready to sail.
The Committee of claims reported, that there is due,
To Michael Conolly, for expenses in conducting Captain John Livingston and Lieutenant Anstruther from Kingston to Lancaster, the sum of 250 dollars.
To Richard Butler, for necessaries furnished to five Indians, the sum of 49 3/10 dollars.
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To Joseph Cowperthwaite, the sum of 419 6/16 dollars, for expenses in conducting cash to Cambridge.
∥Ordered, That the above be paid.∥
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to enquire into the conduct of the Officers who are prisoners, and the manner in which they are subsisted at present, and report thereon.
The members chosen, Mr. W[illiam] Livingston, Mr. [Eliphalet] Dyer, and Mr. [William] Floyd.
Ordered, That a certified copy of the intercepted letter of Mr. Cortland Skinner, be sent to the committee of safety of the colony of New Jersey:
That an order issue to Lord Stirling, to take with him a sufficient force, and immediately apprehend and keep in safe custody ∥the said∥ Cortland Skinner, of Amboy, till farther orders from this Congress.
That he carry said Cortland Skinner before the committee of safety of the colony of New Jersey, for examination.
That the committee of safety be desired to transmit his examination to Congress.
Resolved, That the militia raised in the counties of Orange and Ulster, in the colony of New York, by order of this Congress, for the support of the fort lately erected on Hudson's river, be discharged, except those stationed in the fort, who shall also be discharged whenever other troops arrive there to supply their places; and that it be recommended to the committee of safety of the colony of New York, to see that this Resolve be carried into execution.
Resolved, That 500,000 dollars be sent to the pay master general, for the use of the army in the Massachusetts bay.
That the delegates for Pensylvania be directed to count
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and forward the same, with all convenient speed, under a guard of an officer and two men.
The Congress resuming the consideration of the report of the committee on General Schuyler's letters, thereupon came to the following resolutions:
Resolved, That Colonel V. Schaick, Lieutenant Colonel Yates, and Major Gansevoort, be continued in the service of the United Colonies, and that they take the command of the batallion to be levied in the colony of New York, for the service in Canada.
That Captain Lamb be appointed commander of the artillery in the northern department, with the rank of Major, and that he be allowed fifty dollars per month, from the first day of the present month, as a reward for his activity and spirited conduct in the last campaign.
Resolved, That no postage be paid for any letters to or from private soldiers, while engaged in actual service in the defence of the United Colonies; and that such letters be franked by some person authorised for that purpose, by the commanding officer of the department.
Resolved, That a letter be written to General Schuyler by the president, informing him, that it is the opinion of Congress, he should proceed to have the conduct of Lieutenant Halsey enquired into, by a court martial, giving him previous notice to appear in his own defence, and that such sentence should be passed on him, as such court martial shall think just, and if the said Lieutenant Halsey shall decline to submit his conduct to such examination and sentence, that then all arrears of pay due to him be stopped; to enable him to give discharges to such officers as have quitted the service; to assure him, that we have great confidence in his attention to the public interest, and rely, that he will give to the proper officers in his department, such orders, as will procure indemnification
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to the public, for any embezzlement or waste of its stores, or monies; to empower him to remit to such of the troops, raised in the province of New York, as may re-inlist, any right we may have to stop wages for under cloths delivered to them; to desire he will communicate to Mr. Price the sense this Congress have of his friendly offices to General Montgomery, in favour of the American cause; to return him our thanks for the same, and assure him, immediate measures shall be taken for replacing the monies he has advanced; to notify to Colonel Easton our approbation of his late services, and that we shall retain in our minds a just sense of them.
Resolved, That General Schuyler be directed to appoint Mr. J[ohn] M'Pherson,to the rank a Major in one of the batallions ordered to be raised out of the troops in Canada.
Resolved, That a conductor of artillery, a superintendent of the arms, a barrack master, and store keeper, be appointed to the northern army, and that General Schuyler be desired to recommend proper persons to the Congress for those offices.
Resolved, That the deputy pay master general have liberty to appoint under him, two assistant pay masters, who shall each receive 26 2/3 dollars per month, for their trouble and services.
Resolved, That all the officers and soldiers in the Northern department be paid in person by the deputy pay master general, or the assistants to be appointed by him in consequence of the foregoing resolve.
Resolved, That a communication should be forthwith opened between Skenesborough and fort Ann, and that Wood creek be cleared for that purpose.
Resolved, That it be recommended to the committee of safety of the province of New York, to appoint proper
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persons to enquire into the propriety and practicability of obstructing or lessening the depth of water in the narrows, or in any other place at the entrance of New York, or of any way of fortifying that pass, so as to prevent the entrance of the enemy; and also to enquire whether the depth of water in Hudson's river, below the battery, may not easily be lessened, so as to prevent large ships passing up, and to make an estimate of the expence, and report their proceedings in the premises immediately to Congress.
Resolved, That to Morrow be assigned for the choice of two Brigadiers general, viz. one for the army in Massachusetts bay, and the other for the army in the northern department.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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