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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 --WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1777
A letter, of the 5, from the committee of Congress in Philadelphia, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 133, Appendix, folio 65.]
Resolved, That General Washington be directed to propose to General Howe, an exchange of Lieutenant Colonel Gezeau, a French gentleman taken with General Lee, and said to be then on his journey to solicit a commission
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from Congress, for an officer of equal rank, or take such other measures as shall be effectual to obtain his release.
The Committee of Treasury laid before Congress a farther list of persons recommended by the treasurer to sign the bills of credit, who were approved of, and are as follows: William Gibson, William Lyon, Robert Smith, John Philpot, Richard Johns, John Harris, Thomas Hammond, Robert Dorsey, and Mark Alexander.
The committee appointed to take into consideration a letter from William Kennon to General Lee, relative to magazines of provisions laid in by the said William Kennon, in the states of South Carolina and Georgia, as it is said, by order of General Lee, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That it be recommended to the president of the state of South Carolina, and to the president of the state of Georgia, to appoint proper persons to enquire what quantity of provisions have been stored by William Kennon for public use, agreeable to engagements made with General Lee; and that they take such provisions off Colonel W. Kennon's hands, allowing him the price thereof, if they judge it reasonable, with an adequate recompence for his trouble and expences; that they fulfil any engagements he may be under, by having pledged his credit, they receiving the provisions for which such engagements have been made. That the presidents of the said states also appoint commissaries to remove such provisions as are fit for use, to places of safety and to make returns, as soon as may be, of the quantity and cost thereof: That the presidents of those states also certify to the continental treasury office, the amount of the said William Kennon's demand against the Continent, and that it will be paid accordingly to the said William
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Kennon, or any others applying in his behalf, properly empowered for that purpose.
Congress resumed the consideration of the report from the Committee of the whole, which was agreed to as follows:
Resolved, That the council of the state of Massachusetts bay be desired to attend to the situation of the enemy in the province of Nova Scotia, and, if they are of opinion that an advantageous attack in the course of the winter or early in the spring may be made on fort Cumberland and the said province, whereby the enemy's dock yard and other works with such stores as cannot be speedily removed can be destroyed, they are hereby impowered to conduct the same in behalf of these united States; to raise, subsist and pay a body of men not exceeding three thousand under such officers as they shall appoint for carrying on the said expedition; and for this purpose to provide suitable magazines of military and other stores and convey them to such of the eastern parts of the said state as they shall think best, and they are desired to conduct this affair in the most secret manner that the nature of such an enterprize will admit and to apply to Congress for a sum of money sufficient to accomplish the design which they may form relative thereto.
Ordered, that a copy of the above be sent by express to the Council of Massachusetts bay, and that General Washington be informed thereof, and that the said resolution and all debates had thereon be kept secret till the farther order of Congress.
The committee, to whom the letter of G[eorge] Morgan was referred, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
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Resolved, That, pursuing the idea of Congress for quickly reinforcing the army, the governor of Virginia be desired, by letter from Mr. President, to order Colonel Wood's and the West Augusta batallions to march immediately by the nearest routs to join General Washington in New Jersey; leaving proper recruiting officers behind to complete the batallions, if they are not already full, and to follow on with their recruits:
That for the defence of the western frontiers of Virginia against Indian incursions, the forts Pitt and Randolph be each garrisoned at continental expence, with a company of an hundred men, commanded by one captain, two lieutenants, one ensign, and the usual inferior noncommissioned officers:
That the governor and council of Virginia appoint and commissionate, with continental commissions, the proper officers to recruit and command said companies, and that the men be inlisted during the war:
That provision for 2,000 men, six months, be laid in at fort Pitt, to be in readiness, if it should become necessary, to chastise Indian irruptions, by going to their towns:
That 100 bushels of salt be ordered by the Secret Committee from the continental stock, for the purpose of curing said provisions:
That as many boats and proper vessels be procured, as may be sufficient for conveying 1,500 men, with their provisions, from Pittsburg, to Hockhocking; and that that they be kept in readiness at Pittsburg:
That the goods mentioned in Mr. Morgan's letter, be purchased, and brought down to this place immediately, except the powder and lead, which may remain at Pittsburg, for public use on that quarter:
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That the sum of 4,500 dollars be advanced to Mr. Morgan on account, for the following uses, viz.
That Mr. Morgan be authorized to draw a bill on the president of Congress, for the amount of the goods already mentioned, which he estimates at 4 or 5,000 dollars:
That Mr. Morgan have the rank and pay of a colonel on the continental establishment:
That John Fernee be paid the sum of 50 dollars, for a waggon horse, stolen from him by the Seneca Indians, as he returned from the late treaty at Pittsburg:
That Colonel Morgan appoint a proper person deputy commissary, for providing and taking care of the provisions for the garrisons upon the western frontiers of Virginia, and to take care of the provisions and other continental stores, laid up at those places, for Indian expeditions, and other public purposes; and the said commissary is directed to receive the provisions, and fulfil the contracts made by the government of Virginia, for victualling and supporting said western garrisons:
The Committee of Treasury reported that there is due,
To Peter Galloway, for riding express to Frederic and Annapolis, in Maryland, the sum of 13 30/90 dollars:
To John Biddle, for furnishing provisions to men, women and children, prisoners, at Reading, 333 80/90 dollars:
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They farther reported that they have examined the accounts of Robert Jewell, for the maintenance of prisoners in the new gaol of Philadelphia, and for the salary of himself and two assistants, &c. amounting, in the whole, to [£]668.17.3=] 1,783 57/90 dollars; of which he has received the president's warrant for 500 dollars; that there remains a balance due to him of 1,283 57/90 dollars:
That there is due to the Honble. Roger Sherman, for money advanced by him to Andrew Gilman, to pay the expences of the Penobscot Indians, who joined General Washington, 48 30/90 dollars, the said Gilman to be accountable:
That there is due to the honourable Samuel Chase, Esq. the sum of 400 dollars, 200 of which sum was advanced by him to Captain Levin Winder, for the expence of conveying the North Carolina prisoners to Baltimore, and 200 dollars advanced to Mountjoy Bayly, for the expence of Jersey prisoners from Philadelphia to Frederictown; the said Winder and Bayly to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 93.]
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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