A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --MONDAY, MARCH 24, 17771
Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789
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Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789
MONDAY, MARCH 24, 17771
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Link to date-related documents.[Note 1: 1 See note on p. 176, ante.]
A letter, from General Gates, of the 22d, was read, and referred to the Committee on French Officers ∥Foreign Applications∥
One of the 26 February, from Brigadier General R. Howe, at Charleston, South Carolina.
Sundry papers delivered in by Colonel Flower, referred to the Board of War.
A letter of the 12 from Francis Wade.
A remonstrance and petition from sundry inhabitants of the counties of Accomac, Somerset, and Worcester, ∥were read:∥2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of Gates is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 154, I, folio 151; that of Howe is in No. 160, folio 348.]
Resolved, That the papers from Colonel Flower be referred to the Board of War:
That the letter from Captain F. Wade be referred to the committee appointed to enquire into the conduct of the commissaries:
That the remonstrance and petition from the inhabitants of the counties of Accomac, Somerset, and Worcester be referred to the delegates of Virginia and Maryland; and that the said delegates furnish their respective states, with a copy of the said remonstrance and petition.
Resolved, That Monsieur Faneuil have the rank of a colonel by brevet in the continental army, without pay or rations.
The committee appointed to confer with Major General Greene, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That General Washington be informed that it never was the intention of Congress, that he should be
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bound by the majority of voices in a council of war, contrary to his own judgment:
That the commander in chief in every department be made acquainted, that though he may consult the general officers under him, yet, he is not bound by their opinion, but ought finally to direct every measure according to his own judgment:
That if the officer commanding the army of the enemy will acknowledge Major General Lee to be a prisoner of war, and entitled to be treated and exchanged as such, General Washington be authorized to proceed in the exchange of prisoners, either according to the principles and regulations of the cartel already agreed to, or according to such other and farther principles and regulations as shall appear to him most proper and advantageous:
That the pay of aides de camp be equal to that of other officers of their rank.
Congress being informed that a vessel is just arrived with a quantity of arms belonging to the Continent, and also some arms belonging to private persons:
Ordered, That the Secret Committee be empowered to purchase such of the arms and military stores as belong to private persons.
The Medical Committee, to whom the plan of the general hospital was recommitted, brought in a report, which was read:
The Medical Committee, having taken into their consideration the establishment of the medical department in the Army, Report as follows:
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1st. That to each regiment there be appointed one Surgeon and one Surgeons Mate, who shall constantly attend the Regiment, to afford present relief to the sick and wounded, and take care of such as it may be improper to remove to the hospital.
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2nd. That Senior Surgeons of approved Abilities in Physick and Surgery be appointed to each Brigade or a greater number of Regiments as the General commanding in each department or grand division of the Army shall judge necessary; whose business it shall be, to Superintend the Regimental Surgeons and Mates, see that they do their duty, advise and direct them in all difficult cases, and direct or perform all Capital Operations, give Assistance to the director of the hospital when such assistance is necessary; direct the Commissary of the Sick in the Articles Necessary to be procured for the Sick and wounded out of the hospital, and see that the Commissary, purveyor and Nurses Regularly perform their respective duties, and provide proper Nurses to attend the sick when Necessary; and also from Time to Time furnish the Regimental Surgeons with such Medicines and instruments as they may have Occasion for out of those furnished them by the Apothecaries, taking receipts for the same, and render Accounts of all medicines and instruments by them received or delivered out. when required thereto by Congress.
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3rd. That a Commissary for the Sick be appointed to attend each grand division of the Army, who shall appoint one or more assistants if necessary, whose business it shall be to purchase and deliver to the purveyor all such Provisions, Liquors, and other necessaries for the Sick and wounded as directed by the Senior Surgeons, and keep accounts of and take receipts for the same: he shall also provide Straw, hay and fuel for the hospitals, and have the care of burying the Dead: he shall furnish the hospital with such a number of shirts, sheets, blankets, and cases for straw for the Accommodation of the Sick as the General commanding in such grand division of the Army shall direct: he shall likewise provide or obtain from the Quarter master general a proper number of hospital tents for the Sick in case the Army is likely to be stationed in places where houses convenient cannot be obtained for that purpose: and also provide and Superintend the Waggons necessary to be employed in removing the Sick and wounded, the number of hospital tents and Waggons necessary for the above purposes to be fixed and ascertained by the Generals commanding each division, and certified under their hands respectively: of all which Articles above enumerated, when provided, the Commissary shall take proper receipts and vouchers proving that the same were furnished, which he shall lay before Congress when required.
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4th. That one Purveyor be appointed to attend each grand division of the Army, with one or more Assistants if necessary: whose duty it
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shall be to receive from the Commissary, take care of and distribute the provisions and other necessaries provided for the sick and wounded in such manner as the Senior Surgeons shall direct: which provisions and necessaries are to be delivered in lieu of well rations.
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5th. That the General commanding in each Department or grand division of the Army, direct one hospital to be provided in some Convenient place contiguous to the Army consisting of different or seperate houses, if such can be had, in order that the wounded may be kept apart from the sick, and also that the sick may be properly divided, as may be most conducive to their recovery: to which hospital all such sick and wounded are to be sent as the Senior Surgeons may think proper, and whose circumstances will admit being removed, which hospital shall be supplied by the Commissary for the sick, with such provisions and other necessaries for the use of the sick and wounded, as the director shall require in lieu of well rations.
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6th That one director of approved skill in Physick and Surgery be appointed for each hospital, who shall have the liberty of appointing one assistant Surgeon and four mates; a purveyor and such a number of Washer-women and Nurses as he shall judge necessary for the comfortable accommodation and attendance of the sick and wounded under his care, always observing that no more than necessary are employed. Also that the director May call to his assistance one or more of the Senior Surgeons when the number of sick and wounded in the hospital requires such assistance. Also that the director take an Account of each of the sick and wounded under his care, with the Time of their coming to the hospital, and when discharged, or deceased: and also of the Number of attendants employed in Nursing and taking care of the sick: and make due returns thereof every month to the general commanding in each grand division of the Army to be by him transmitted to Congress.
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7th. That there be two Apothecaries, one in the middle, and one in the eastern department, whose business it shall be to receive all such Medicines and instruments as shall be procured by the Secret Committee, and to purchase such others as they shall direct. That the Apothecaries prepare and put up such medicines and instruments for each hospital, and for each Regimental Surgeon, and also for each Senior Surgeon to be used by them or dealt out to the Regimental Surgeons when needed, as the medical committee shall direct, and forward the same with Supplies from Time to Time agreeable to their orders, keeping exact accounts and taking proper receipts for the same
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to be laid before Congress when required. Each Apothecary to be allowed one mate.
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8th. That the sick and wounded as well in the Army as in the hospital be kept seperate from each other, when circumstances will admit thereof; and that the sick be always placed at such a distance from those in health as to prevent the spread of infection in the Army.
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9th. That the pay of the medical department be as follows--
The director of the hospital ... dollars per month and ... rations per day.
The Senior Surgeons and Assistants to the directors ... dollars per month and ... rations per day each.
The Apothecaries ... dollars per month and ... rations per day each.
The Regimental Surgeons ... dollars per month and ... rations per day each.
The directors Apothecaries and Surgeons mates ... dollars per month and ... rations per day each.
The Commissary of the sick ... dollars per month and ... rations per day each.
The Purveyors ... dollars per month and ... rations per day each.
The Assistant Commissaries and Assistant Purveyors ... dollars per month and ... rations per day each.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Abraham Clark, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 22, folio 15.]
Ordered, That it be referred for consideration to morrow morning.
A letter, of the 14, from Colonel F. Johnson, was read respecting the independent company commanded by Captain Nelson.
Ordered, That the said company be added to the batallion commanded by Colonel F. Johnson.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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