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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, JULY 16, 1776
Sundry letters were laid before Congress, [and read, viz.]
One from Brigadier General Sullivan, of the 2d, from Crown Point:
One from General Washington, of the 14th:
One from the committee of Lancaster, of the 13th:1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Washington is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, II, folio 217. It is printed inWritings of Washington (Ford), IV, 247. That of Sullivan is in No. 160, folio 15. That of the Committee of Lancaster is in No. 69, I folio 181.]
One from Samuel Blackden, [Blagden] of the 16:
Resolved, That the letter from General Washington be referred to the Board of War:
Resolved, Thatthe letter from Samuel Blackden be referredto the Board of Treasury to the deputy pay master and deputy commissary general in the northern department.
Resolved, That General Washington be desired to lodge powder with such persons as he may think proper, for the use of such parts of the state of New York, as he may apprehend exposed to danger, and that the commanding officer in New Jersey do the same in that colony; and that General Washington, and the said commanding officer in New Jersey, be empowered to draw, from Messrs. Wisner, Livingston and Ford's powder mills, any powder which may be requisite for these purposes, or for the use of their respective camps.
The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,
Resolved, That there be appointed, by the commanding officer of each regiment in the continental army, a serjeant major, quarter master serjeant, drum major and fife major, who shall respectively hold no other appointment but those before mentioned, and that their pay be one dollar
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a month each, more than that allowed to a Serjeant, Drum or Fife in the said regiments:
That a beating warrant be made out to Mr. John Doyle, to be a captain of a company of rifflemen to be raised for three years, unless sooner discharged by Congress; his commission to be given him as soon as his company is full:
That a pay master be appointed to each regiment in the army of the United States, with a salary of 26 dollars and two thirds of a dollar a month.1
[Note 1: 1 See a letter from Elbridge Gerry to General Gates, 25 June, 1776, in Force,American Archives, Fifth Series, I, 21.]
That the application to Congress from Mr. Rowland Chambers, desiring to be appointed pay master to the Jersey troops at New York, cannot be complied with, as such an appointment would interfere with the duty of the pay master general, within whose department it properly lies:
That half a dollar per week be allowed to each man of the Connecticut light horse, who has joined the army at New York, for the maintenance of his horse, for so long time, only, as the general shall think it necessary for such horses to continue in the service:
That General Schuyler be directed to take every possible precaution to cleanse the army, under his command, from the infection of the small pox:
That it be recommended to the provincial convention of Pensylvania, now sitting, to take such measures as they may judge proper and necessary, for procuring as much lead, within that Colony [state,] as can be obtained for the supply of the flying camp:
That three commissioners be appointed by Congress, to repair, as soon as may be, to New York, there to audit the accounts of the commissary general, quartermaster
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general, and director general of the hospital, and all other accounts of the army; the said commissioners to take an oath for the faithful execution of their trust:
That three commissioners be appointed, for the like purposes, in the northern army:
That General Washington be informed, that the bounty granted by the resolution of Congress of the 26 June, was intended as a general regulation, and to extend to all such men, now in the continental service, and all others, who will inlist for the term of three years, to be computed from and after the expiration of the term of their present inlistment.
Resolved, That Monsieur Kirmovan be appointed an engineer in the continental service, with the pay of 60 dollars per month, and the rank of lieutenant colonel:
That he be ordered immediately to repair to New Jersey, and put himself under the command of the officer commanding the flying camp.
Resolved, That Richard Humpton be employed in the continental service, with the rank and pay of lieutenant colonel:
That Samuel Dawson be employed in the continental service, with the rank and pay of captain:
That they be ordered immediately to repair to New Jersey, and put themselves under the command of the officer commanding the flying camp.
Resolved, That General Washington be desired to call to his assistance, at New York, two thousand of the men who have marched into New Jersey to form the flying camp; and that the convention of New Jersey be requested immediately to supply their places with an equal number of the militia of that state: that letters be written to the states of Massachusetts bay, Connecticut and New Jersey, setting forth the situation of our affairs in the New York
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department, and pressing them immediately to comply with the requisition of Congress of the 3d of June:
That the situation of our army at New York be pointed out to the state of Connecticut; and thai it be earnestly recommended to that state, immediately to send all the militia thereof, which can be spared, into New York, to reinforce the army there, and continue in service until the proportions requested of the several states arrive.
The Congress proceeded to the election of a commissary of military stores ∥for the flying camp∥; and, the ballots being taken, Benjamin Flower, Esqr. was elected.
A letter from Samuel Chase, Esq. of the 8 July, was laid before Congress, and read:
Resolved, That the same, together with the petition of Mr. Mentges, read the 12th, be referred to the delegates of Pensylvania and Maryland.
A petition from Captain Benedict was presented to Congress, and read; [Whereupon,]
Resolved, That a copy thereof be sent to General Schuyler, and that he be desired to order the accounts of Captain Benedict to be settled and paid, or to inform Congress of the reasons why payment ought to be withheld.
Resolved, That Mr. [Henry] Wisner be empowered to employ a proper person to manufacture gun flints.1
[Note 1: 1 On July 16 John Alsop sent his resignation to the New York Convention, disapproving the Declaration of Independence.]
∥Adjourned to nine o'clock to-morrow.∥
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