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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 --SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1776
Resolved, That an order be drawn on the treasurers, in favour of the committee of safety for Pensylvania, for the sum of 15,000 dollars, for the use of the five batallions to be raised in said colony; the said committee to be accountable.
The Committee of Claims reported, that there is due,
To Captain Henry Shylock, for his expences in bringing Dr. John Smith from Hagars town, and for his expences in returning home, the sum of 89 3/10 dollars.
To John Nelson, for his expences in bringing the said Dr. Smith from the Little Meadows to Hagars town, and for his trouble in attending him to this city, with allowance of expences in returning home, the sum of 75 dollars.
To Francis Johnson, Esqr., for sundry expences incurred by guards for powder, waggons, &c. the sum of 38 dollars.
To Thomas Dewees, for supporting several prisoners, the sum of 43 2/10 dollars.
Ordered, That the above accounts be paid.
A memorial from Colonel Bull was read setting forth that "an attachment to liberty and a regard for the rights of mankind had induced him to take an active part in the present struggles for the defence of the same and to offer his services as colonel of the first Pensylvania batallion which were accepted," but that finding himself ill treated by many of the officers in his corps and that continuing in the command might prejudice the service he was
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obliged by a regard to the public interest to beg leave to resign his commission humbly requesting that the Congress would proceed to a determination on the memorial exhibited against him and declaring that "the present untoward circumstances shall not alter his conduct nor abate his eel and that whenever he shall be called upon again to serve his country he shall with the greatest pleasure obey the summons."1
[Note 1: 1 This memorial is in Force,American Archives, Fourth Series, IV, 785. It was printed in thePennsylvania Gazette, 24 January, 1776.]
The committee on General Schuyler's letter, brought in a farther report, which being taken into consideration, the Congress came to the following resolutions:
Resolved, That General Washington be desired to despatch a general officer, if he can be spared from the service at Cambridge, to command the army in Canada.
That, it being necessary to procure a large quantity of specie for the operations in Canada, which cannot be successfully carried on without that article, it be recommended to the general assemblies, conventions, and councils or committees of safety, upon the continent, to employ proper persons, within their respective colonies, to collect all the gold and silver coin they can, and inform Congress of the sum collected.
That it will not be expedient at present to send a committee of Congress to Canada:
That the Committee of Secrecy be desired to despatch one ton of gun powder with the first companies that shall march from Pensylvania to Canada, and that Governor Trumbull be desired to send the like quantity of gun powder with the first detachment of forces directed to march thither from Connecticut:
That the losses sustained by Captain Hazen be ascertained by commissioners to be appointed by the commanding
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officer in Canada, and that the commissioners report their proceedings, with the examination of the witnesses, and their own opinion thereupon, to the Congress:
That the general assemblies, conventions or councils, or committees of safety, of the colonies, in which forces are directed to be raised for the service of Canada, be desired to raise, for the same service, one company of matrosses, consisting of forty privates, in each colony, under proper officers; and where a company cannot be compleated, to raise as many as they can, under subaltern officers, in proportion to their numbers:
That General Wooster be desired to take possession of the medicine chest mentioned by Colonel Campbell, to be claimed by Dr. Beaumont, and if it appear to him to be private property, to pay the value thereof to the owner:
That the general assemblies, conventions, or councils or committees of safety, be desired to take the most effectual measures for recovering the arms, accoutrements, betteans, tools, and other stores of the continent, said to have been carried off by some of the soldiers who have returned from Canada:
That 12,500 dollars be advanced to each of the general assemblies or councils, or committees of safety, of the colonies in which forces are directed to be raised for the service of Canada, for the purpose of recruiting their respective regiments:
That, from the necessity of the ease, and to prevent delays, blank commissions be issued by the president for the field officers, captains, and subalterns, who are to command the battalions ordered to be raised for Canada, in New Hampshire, and Connecticut, to be filled up with the names of such gentlemen as shall be judged most proper by the convention or committee of safety of
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New Hampshire, and by the Governor and council of Connecticut:
That the foregoing resolution be not drawn into a precedent:
That, exclusive of Colonel Livingston and his regiment, already determined upon, there be one thousand Canadians more raised, for one year, or during the present disputes, at six dollars and two thirds of a dollar bounty, and the usual pay, which number shall compose four battalions, and form one regiment, five companies of fifty men to each batallion, one captain, one lieutenant, and one ensign, to each company, and four majors, one lieutenant colonel, and one colonel commandant, to the whole regiment:
That the committee of safety of Pensylvania be desired to provide and despatch fifes and drums to Canada, for the two regiments directed to be raised in that Colony.
Resolved, That orders be drawn on the treasurers, in favour of the delegates of New Hampshire, for the above sum of 12,500 dollars; and in favour of the delegates of Connecticut, for the like sum of 12,500 dollars; and in favour of the delegates of New York, for the like sum of 12,500 dollars, for the use of the batallions to be raised for Canada; and that the said delegates be desired to forward the said sums to their respective colonies with all expedition; the several colonies to be accountable for the same.
Resolved, That the president be directed to send an express to General Schuyler, with a letter, informing him of the measures the Congress have taken for the defence of Canada, and desiring him to forward the same to General Wooster:
That he likewise despatch an express, with the like information, to General Washington, to the Governor of
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Connecticut, and the conventions or councils of safety of New Jersey, New York and New Hampshire.
The Committee on Qualifications having recommended the following gentlemen for ensigns for the first Pensylvania batallion, viz: Nicholas Scull, Joseph Greenway, John Irvine, John Brice, Benjamin1 Rice, and Major Walbroon, the same were agreed to, and commissions ordered to be given them accordingly.
[Note 1: 1 In the corrected Journal and the printed editions, this name is given as Richard.]
Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to supply the delegates of New Jersey with 300 pounds of powder for the Use of Colonel Maxwell's battalion.
That the delegates of New Jersey be empowered to call on Mr. T[imothy] Matlack and receive from him a quantity of flints, for said battalion, and a quantity of ball or lead proportioned to 300 w[eigh]t. of powder.
Resolved, That the treasurers be directed, with all expedition, to send a trusty person with £1,000, in continental money, to Samuel Patterson, Esqr. near Christiana Bridge and receive in exchange for the same so much in silver and gold.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday next.2
[Note 2: 2 "I beg leave to renew my request, that Delegates may be appointed and sent here, as soon as possible, as in my opinion the representation of a Colony, at this important crisis, is too weighty and important to be intrusted to any one person. That you may see the necessity of a larger representation of our Colony, I would inform you, that beside Committees for special purposes, that are frequently chosen, there are four or five standing Committees appointed, some for secrecy, some for despatch; some of which Committees are intrusted with large powers; and that there may be no cause of complaint, those Committees consist of one Delegate from each Colony; sometimes two, sometimes three, of those Committees sit at the same time, so that, though I attend some one of the Committees almost every night and morning, before and after Congress, yet sometimes business of consequence is transacted by them without our Colony being represented, and sometimes the Committees sit while the Congress is sitting, so that our Colony must be unrepresented in one of them, while every other Colony may be represented in both.
"I have been here almost five months, great part of the time without a colleague. I really find that I never knew what confinement, with business, was before, and that I want more exercise of body, and less of mind, at least for some time. I please myself with hopes I shall soon see Delegates here from our Colony, and that I my return to my family, and with my domestick affairs relax and unbend my fatigued mind."Josiah Bartlett to Committee of Safety of New Hampshire, 20 January, 1776.]
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