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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, APRIL 23, 1777
Resolved, That the sum of six hundred and eighty dollars be paid to the captain, officers and privates, of the brigantine Andrew Doria, the same being in full of the bounty granted for ten carriage guns mounted, and sixty men, on board of the armed sloop Racehorse, at the time of her capture by the said brigantine Andrew Doria, as certified by the register of the court of admiralty for the state of Pensylvania.
The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That Dr. James Tilton be authorized to repair to Dumfries, in Virginia, there to take the charge of all continental soldiers that are or shall be inoculated, and that he be furnished with all necessary medicines: that the commanding officers in that department be directed to afford every assistance in their power, and that all commissaries and quarter masters on whom the doctor shall have occasion to call, be directed to provide quarters and every thing requisite for this business.
Resolved, That the Board of War be empowered and directed to sell to the delegate of North Carolina, [Thomas Burke], 200 gun-locks.
A petition from Lawrence Powell, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
The committee, to whom was re-committed the report on the quarter master's department, brought in a ∥new∥ report, which was read.1
[Note 1: 1 Printed under May 14, 1777, post.]
Joseph Trumbull, commissary general, being arrived at Philadelphia,
Ordered, That the committee on the commissary's department, and the committee ∥appointed to devise means∥
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for supplying the army with fresh beef, be consolidated: and that Mr. Trumbull ∥be directed to∥ confer with the said committee.
The Committee appointed to confer with the Commissary General beg leave to report,
That your Committee are informed by Mr Commissary there are now at the Head of Elk 3,000 barrels of salted fish and 300 barrels of salted meat, and that he expects from Virginia at the same place 300,000 wt. of Bacon and 1,000 bbls. of Pork.
That at Lancaster and on the route here are near 1,500 bbls. of Salted meat.
That these provisions are daily arriving from the above places to this City, from whence they are transporting by water to Trenton with all possible dispatch, and from Trenton teams are provided to forward them to the army as fast as they reach that place.
That at Carlisle are 1,500 bbls. of salted meat, which the most effectual means possible shall be immediately taken to forward to camp.
That Mr Commissary is of opinion, the army is at present supplied with three days provisions of fresh meat out of seven, and that this latter supply will be encreased in a short time.
That measures have been taken to bring on provisions from the eastward where 15,000 bbls. of salted meat are laid up in Connecticut, and 15,000 in Massachusetts Bay exclusive of a full supply for the Northern Army.
That Mr Commissary is not under apprehension of flour being Wanted, unless the army should go into N. England.
That upon the whole of these facts Mr Commissary thinks there is no danger of the army suffering for want of provisions, unless it should happen within 48 hours from this time; which it is not probable will be the case, as 80 bbls. of salt meat were sent on Monday last from hence by land and 200 bbls. of salted meat have been forwarded by water yesterday and this day, and that an equal quantity hath been ordered from Eastown, so as to be by this time with the army.
That the reason of the present appearance of an immediate want of provisions for the army has arisen from the Stores laid up at Lebanon being removed to Carlisle, and those in this City to Lancaster, as it
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is said by order of Congress, and that in making this removal, it was omitted to regard the present supply of the army by leaving a sufficient quantity for that purpose.
That Mr. Commissary proposes to repair to Head Quarters without delay.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 29, folio 69. The first three lines are in the writing of Richard Henry Lee, and the rest of the report in that of Jonathan Bayard Smith. It is endorsed as "passed."]
Resolved, That a committee of five six be appointed to consider ways and means of speedily reinforcing General Washington's army.
The members chosen, Mr. [William] Duer, Mr. S[amuel] Adams, Mr. [James] Wilson, Mr. J[onathan] B[ayard] Smith, Mr. R[ichard] H[enry] Lee, and Mr. [Roger] Sherman.
Ordered, That the committee confer with General Schuyler and General Mifflin on the subject.
The Board of Treasury reported, that there is due,
To Edward Snicker, and to be paid to Colonel Daniel Morgan, the sum of £276 2 6, for sundry arms, blankets, provisions, &c. furnished by him for the use of the said Morgan's regiment, and for an allowance made him for his trouble and expence of purchasing the said arms, &c. and for those purchased as per a former account, amounting to £482 8, the sum of £37 18 6, which two sums amount to £314 1, Virginia currency, equal to 1,046 75/90 dollars:
That there should be paid to Captain Nathaniel Ramsey, for sundry cloathing he purchased for the use of his company in the first Maryland batallion, which were taken by the enemy, as is set forth in his memorial to Congress, the sum of £43 5 0 equal to 115 30/90 dollars:
That there is due to John Carswell, late a soldier in the deceased Captain Hendrick's company, who was taken
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prisoner at Quebec, for his pay from the 1 January, 1776, to the 22 April, 1777, the sum of 94 73/90 dollars.
That there should be paid to Henry Shitz, for 46 reams of paper for continental bills of credit, the sum of 444 dollars:
That there should be paid to the honble. Francis Lewis, Esqr. for sundry goods purchased for cloathing the army out of the prize schooner Hannah, and put into the hands of Samuel and Robert Purviance, at Baltimore, the sum of £2,755 0 2 equal to 7,346 62/90 dollars; the said Samuel and Robert Purviance to be accountable:
That there should be advanced to Colonel Daniel Morgan, of the 11 Virginia regiment, for the bounty of a volunteer company inlisted to the said regiment, the sum of 1,800 dollars; he to be accountable:
That the Rev. Mr. John Nevelling officiated as chaplain to nine New Jersey batallions for one month and six days, at 50 dollars per month, amounting to 59 77/90 dollars; of which he received of the pay master 33 30/90 dollars, and that a balance of 26 47/90 should be paid him.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 121.]
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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