| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 1777
A letter, of the 8, from General Mifflin; and,
A petition from Allen M'Donald, a prisoner at Reading;
A petition from Thomas Lowry; and
A letter, of the 7th, from Joseph Borden, and one, of the 8th, from Christian Febiger, ∥were read.∥1
[Note 1: 1 The petition of McDonald is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, V, folio 41; the letter of Borden is in No. 78, II, folio 167; that of Febiger, in No. 78, IX, folio 77.]
Ordered, That the petition of Thomas Lowry, be referred to the Board of Treasury.
That the letter from Joseph Borden, Esq. be referred to the Board of War; who are directed to return a box of cartridges to the county of Burlington, in lieu of the box belonging to them, which was expended by continental troops.
Resolved, That 1,000 dollars be advanced to Lieutenant Colonel Christian Febiger, for the use of his regiment; he to account with the pay master general, when the first pay roll is made up for the said regiment.
Resolved, That an order for 40,000 dollars be drawn on the commissioner of the loan office for the state of Pensylvania, in favour of the Navy Board, the said Board to be accountable.
The committee appointed to revise and amend the articles of war, brought in a report, which was read:
Ordered, To lie on the table.
The committee appointed to consider what steps are proper to be immediately taken by Congress for opposing the enemy, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That a camp be immediately formed on the western side of Delaware, to which the continental troops, now in Philadelphia, and on their march from the southward
Page 251 | Page image
and westward, shall be ordered to repair with all expedition.
That it be recommended to the supreme executive council of the commonwealth of Pensylvania, to put not less than three thousand of the militia of that state in readiness to march to the camp before mentioned, on the shortest notice.
That proper officers be immediately despatched to enquire into the number and condition of the troops at Annapolis, and between that city and Philadelphia, and to hasten the march of such as are fit for service.
Resolved, That General Schuyler be, and he is hereby, directed to carry the foregoing resolutions into execution.
Ordered, That a copy of the foregoing resolutions be sent to the supreme executive council of the Commonwealth of Pensylvania.
That General Washington be immediately informed, by express, of the resolves now agreed on; and that he be informed that Congress mean not, by forming a camp on the west of Delaware, to delay the continental troops, or to prevent their joining the army under his command as fast as he shall think proper to order them; and that the committee, who brought in the report, bring in the draught of a letter to the General, assigning the particular reasons that induced Congress to come into the resolutions.
Resolved, That Mr. James Mease be directed to advance to Colonel Joseph Wood, a sum sufficient to pay the arrears due to his batallion, taking his receipt for the money advanced, and transmit the same to the pay master general, to be produced against him on the settlement of the accounts of his said batallion.
The Board of Treasury brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That General Washington be directed to transmit to the Board of War, a list of his appointments,
Page 252 | Page image
in consequence of the powers with which he is invested by Congress, together with a copy of all commissions originating from and issued by him.
That the commanders in chief of the several departments, previous to the discharge of any regiment or corps of militia reinforcing the army, be respectively directed to issue their warrants on the pay master or deputy pay master general for the amount of the pay due to the same; and, when the military chest is unsupplied, the pay master or deputy pay master general is authorized to draw on the president for the amount of such warrants.
Resolved, That Brigadier General Hand be, and he is hereby, ordered immediately to repair to Fort Pitt, and take measures for the defence of the western frontiers, agreeable to the resolutions of Congress, passed the 9th ∥instant.∥
Resolved, That the commissary general of musters, have the rank of colonel in the army of the United States: that the deputy muster masters general have the rank of lieutenant colonels in the army of the United States.
Congress proceeded to the election, and the ballots being taken,
Joseph Ward, Esqr. was elected commissary general of musters.
Richard Varick and William Bradford, Jun. were elected deputy muster masters general.
Resolved, That the nomination and election of the other two be postponed till to morrow.
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.1
[Note 1: 1 In the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, I, folio 135, is a report of the Board of War, dated April 10, as follows:
"Agreed, That the Clerk of the Board call on the Secretary of Congress every day for all Resolutions of Congress relative to the Board and which in any wise concerns their Department."]
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |