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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 --MONDAY, MARCH 25, 1776
A letter from General Washington of the 19, was presented to Congress, and read, informing that on the 17, the enemy had evacuated Boston, and our troops took possession of it:
A letter from General Schuyler of the 12:
A letter from Lord Stirling of 21 March;
A letter from the committee of safety of New Jersey.1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Washington, unsigned, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, I, 537. It is printed inWritings of Washington (Ford), III, 475. That of Schuyler is in No. 153, II, folio 47. That of Stirling is in No. 162, folio 485. That of the Committee of Safety of New Jersey, dated March 23, is in No. 68, folio 113.]
Resolved, That the thanks of this Congress, in their own name, and in the name of the thirteen United Colonies, whom they represent, be presented to his excellency General Washington, and the officers and soldiers under his command, for their wise and spirited conduct in the siege and acquisition of Boston; and that a medal of gold be struck in commemoration of this great event, and presented to his Excellency; and that a committee of three be appointed to prepare a letter of thanks, and a proper device for the medal.2
[Note 2: 2 "The next morning after the arrival of the news, I did myself the honor to move for the thanks of Congress to your Excellency, and that a medal of gold should be struck in commemoration of it." John Adams to Washington, 1 April, 1776.
For Du Simitière's design for the medal, seeJohn Adams to his wife, 14 August, 1776.]
The members chosen, Mr. J[ohn] Adams, Mr. [John] Jay, and Mr. [Stephen] Hopkins.
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to confer with Mr. Dugan, and Colonel Ritzema.
The members chosen, Mr. [Benjamin] Harrison, Mr. [Thomas] Johnson, and Mr. [Andrew] Allen.
Resolved, That 20,000 dollars be advanced to the delegates of Virginia, for the use of the batallions in Virginia; the said delegates to account for the expenditure thereof.
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The committee appointed to take into consideration the state of the colonies in the southern department, brought in their report, which was read as follows:
That it appears highly probable that a very considerable force will be exerted in that department by our enemies early this spring; that the continental forces employed in South Carolina, and Virginia, respectively, cannot prudently be solely relied on, for the defence of those colonies; that notwithstanding South Carolina and Virginia are at a very great separate expence in armed vessels, rendered absolutely necessary by the situation and circumstances of those countries; the militia of South Carolina are obliged to perform a very laborious duty, which, from the smallness of their number, and the consequent quick rotation, is excessively burthensome; and that the colony of Virginia, in addition to the six continental batallions already there, have resolved to raise, and are now embodying, three other batallions: Whereupon, the Congress came to the following resolutions:
Resolved, That the convention or council of safety of South Carolina be permitted to raise and embody two other batallions, and that they be on the pay and at the expence of the continent, as soon as they shall be armed fit for service, and accordingly mustered:
That the three colonial batallions of Virginia be also on the pay and at the expence of the continent, as soon as they shall be armed fit for service, and accordingly mustered:
The committee aforesaid farther reported, that the council of safety of Virginia hath contracted for the subsistence of the third batallion in that colony, at 6½ pence per ration; the fifth at 8 pence, the second, fourth, seventh, eighth, and ninth, at 7½ pence per ration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That those contracts be confirmed.
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Resolved, That a deputy muster master general be appointed for the southern department.
The ballots being taken ∥and examined,∥
Mr. Edmund Randolph, was elected.
Resolved, That Mr. E. Randolph, be empowered to appoint two deputy muster masters under him, one for North Carolina, and the other for South Carolina and Georgia.
Resolved, That the order of the day be postponed till to Morrow.
The Congress then took into consideration the report of the committee on the ways and means of supplying the troops in Canada with provisions and necessaries: Whereupon,
Resolved, That General Schuyler be directed to take such orders respecting the supplies of provisions necessary for the troops in Canada, as he may deem expedient.
The Congress, being of opinion that the reduction of Quebec, and the general security of the province of Canada, are objects of great concern,
Resolved, That General Washington be directed to detach four batallions into Canada, from the army under his command, as soon as he shall be of opinion that the safety of New York and the eastern service will permit.1
[Note 1: 1 "I this day moved in Congress and succeeded, to send an order for four batallions to be detached for Canada from Gen. Washington's Army."Richard Henry Lee to Charles Lee, 25 March, 1776.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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