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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 --FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1777
Resolved, That the bill, dated 24th February, 1777, drawn by Colonel Daniel Morgan, of Virginia, on the President, in favor of Gamal Dowdell, for six hundred and twenty five pounds, Pensylvania currency, ∥equal to 1,666 60 dollars,∥ be paid, the said money having been advanced to Colonel Morgan for the pay of the troops under his command, for which Colonel Morgan is to be accountable.
Resolved, That the sum of sixteen hundred dollars be advanced to Thomas Butler, continental armourer; he to be accountable:
Resolved, That a new order for the sum of 131/3 dollars in favour of Mr. Timothy Shaler, be drawn.
A petition from Levy Marks, to be appointed to superintend the cloathing making up for the troops, was read, and referred to the cloathier general.
A petition from George Folger, Seth Jenkins, and Alexander Coffin, respecting some hard money, and other articles said to be detained from them by the owners of the privateer Congress was read, and dismissed;
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the matter belonging to the court where the judgment was given.
Resolved, That the letter from Colonel Stewart to the committee on the affairs of the northern department be referred to the Board of War.
Resolved, That the committee appointed on the 13th day of March to confer with General Gates, be also a committee to confer with General Greene on the several matters given in charge to him by General Washington, and that three members be added to the committee:
The members chosen Mr. [James] Wilson, Mr. S[amuel] Adams, and Dr. [John] Witherspoon.
The committee appointed to consider the State of the French officers ∥on foreign applications,∥ brought in a report, ∥which was read and considered;∥ Whereupon,
Resolved, That a copy of the resolve of Congress of the 13 instant with a certificate signed by the secretary, setting forth, "That it is wholly and only upon the grounds mentioned in the said resolve, that the bearer is not employed by these United States," be given to the Chevalier de Bourneuf, Mons. de Bordes, Mons. de Luce, Mons. de Baury, Mons. Devermond, Mons. du Vernis, the Chevalier de Colones, [Celeron?] and Mons. Faneuil; and that the committee aforesaid be empowered to order a like certificate to such other foreigners applying for rank in the Continental army ∥of the United States,∥ as they think proper.
Resolved, That the Count de Mountford be recommended to General Washington for a brevet of a lieutenantcy.
Ordered, That three hundred dollars be granted to Mons. Faneuil, to free him from those embarrassments which he has been brought into by pursuing his own
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great desire to enter into the service of these United States, in consequence of advice from the assembly of Massachusetts Bay and from General Washington.1
[Note 1: 1 The last clause of the original report read: "Advice and Encouragement given to him by some highly respectable friends to the American Cause." The report, in the writing of James Lovell, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 25, I, folio 13.]
Resolved, That 100,000 dollars be advanced to Mr. James Mease, cloathier-general: he to be accountable.2
[Note 2: 2 "I drew an order on Mr. Smith, Commissioner of the Loan Office, for this sum, dated 22d. March." Note by John Hancock.]
Resolved, That one million of dollars be sent by the Continental treasurer to ∥John Gibson, esq.∥ the auditor general; the said money to be subject to the order of Congress, and the auditors to be accountable.
Resolved, That 30,000 dollars be advanced to Mr. Richard Dallam, deputy pay master general of the flying-camp; he to be accountable.
The Board of War brought in a report, ∥which was read and considered;∥ Whereupon,
Resolved, That 500,000 dollars be sent to the pay master general immediately.3
[Note 3: 3 "Drawn for in two Orders. The last of April 22d." Note of John Hancock.]
That Copies of the Plan of the Barracks and Stockade at Lancaster in Pennsylvania, be sent to the different Places where To lie Barracks for the reception of Prisoners are ordered to be built.
That for preventing unnecessary expence, when the militia of any of the States is called to serve in the pay of the United States, no more officers shall be entitled to pay than a proper number in proportion to the privates, viz. for every company consisting of not less than thirty-six and under fifty privates, two commissioned officers; for every company not less than fifty and under sixty-eight privates, three commissioned officers; for every
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company of sixty-eight or more privates, four commissioned officers; and for every battalion of five hundred and more privates, three field officers; for every battalion under five hundred, and not less than three hundred privates, a lieutenant colonel and major; and for any number of privates above one hundred and fifty and under three hundred, one lieutenant colonel or major. To be published.1
[Note 1: 1 It appeared in the Pennsylvania Packet, 25 March, 1777.]
Resolved, That General Sullivan's letter, relative to Monsieur Vernejous, be referred to the Committee appointed to confer with the French gentlemen ∥on foreign applications.∥
Ordered, That General Mifflin's plan, with two letters from General Washington, for regulating the duty of the quarter-master's department, be referred to the committee appointed to confer with ∥General Gates, and∥ General Greene.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, I, folio 111.]
The part of the report of the Board of War of the 12th instant, which was postponed, was taken up and reconsidered: Whereupon,
Resolved, That the Council of Massachusetts State, erect, at the expence of the United States, in some convenient place in the county of Worcester, in said State, barracks, with a stockade or enclosure surrounding the same, capable of containing 1,500 prisoners, to be built of wood, as may appear to them most conducive to the public service, and, in the end, least expensive to the public.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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