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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, JUNE 18, 1777
A letter from Joseph Thornburg, waggon master general, to General Mifflin, dated camp, at Middlebrook, June 16, was laid before Congress and read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
Resolved, That Joseph Thornburg, waggon master general, have the rank of lieutenant colonel in the army of the United States.
A petition from Elijah Clark, Richard Westcot, and others, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Marine Committee. A memorial from Henry Hailer, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
That two thousand Stands of Arms, four Field Pieces, two Tonn of Lead and one Cask of Flints which were imported into Portsmouth in New Hampshire, from France for account of the United States, remain in the Hands of the Continental Agent in that State subject to the Order of General Washington, until ordered away, to be made use of by the Executive Authority of the said State in Case of Invasion.
Resolved, That as several mitigating circumstances appear in favour of Thomas M'Cann, condemned by a general court martial, held at Charleston, South Carolina, to be shot for desertion, General Howe, commanding the
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continental forces in South Carolina, be empowered to grant a free pardon to the criminal, if he shall think such a step conducive to the good of the service and the public welfare, or order execution, if he shall think proper:
That a general officer commanding in a separate department, be empowered to grant pardons to, or order execution of, persons condemned to suffer death by general courts martial, without being obliged to report the matter to Congress or the commander in chief.
Resolved, That the petition of Thomas Rutherford, and the other prisoners from North Carolina, now on parole at Fredericktown, be referred to the governor and council of the State of Maryland, who are requested to allow them such limits and give such orders concerning their support and government as they shall think proper, agreeable to the resolutions of Congress, during their continuance in that State.1
[Note 1: 1 The original report added "and until the government of North Carolina to whose Jurisdiction they belong shall otherwise dispose of them." These paragraphs are based upon two reports from the Board of War. One is dated June 17, P. M, with John Adams, Samuel Adams and Roger Sherman present. The other, of the 18, was prepared by John Adams, Roger Sherman, Francis Lightfoot Lee, Charles Carroll and George Clymer. They are in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, I, folio 223.]
Congress proceeded to the election of commissaries and deputy commissaries general of purchases and issues; the nomination having been previously made, and, the ballots being taken, the following gentlemen were elected, viz.
Joseph Trumbull, Esqr. commissary general of purchases; William Aylett, William Buchanan, Jacob Cuyler, and Jeremiah Wadsworth, Esqrs. deputy commissaries general of purchases.
Charles Stewart, Esqr. commissary general of issues.
William Green Mumford, Matthew Irwine, and Elisha Avery, Esqrs. deputy commissaries general of issues.
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A letter from Thomas Chase, deputy quarter master, to General Mifflin, dated Boston, June 1, was laid before Congress and read.
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of Treasury, and that they confer with General Mifflin, and report such regulations respecting purchases in the quarter master's general department, as they think proper; that they also confer with the cloathier general, and such other persons as are employed in making purchases for the Continent, and report thereon.
The Committee for Indian Affairs, to whom the letter and papers from Colonel G. Morgan, were referred, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the treaty, proposed by Colonel Morgan, be held at Fort Pitt,and that for perfecting the same to the advantage of the United States three thousand dollars be advanced to him, he to be accountable.
That the commissary general be directed to supply Colonel George Morgan, with five hundred bushels of salt, to be forwarded to Fort Pitt, for curing the provisions directed by Congress to be stored there:
That the letter from Colonel Morgan, and the several papers therein enclosed, be referred to the Board of Treasury.
The Committee on the Treasury reported,
That there should be advanced to Ensign Regnal Hillery of the 4th company of the 1st batallion of Maryland continental forces, commanded by Colonel John Hawkins Stone, to be paid to William Paca, Esqr. and charged to the said batallion, the sum of 30 dollars.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Duane, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 243.]
In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners &c ∥of accounts,∥ the auditor general reports,
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That there is due to Robert Jewell, for his account of subsistence of prisoners in the new gaol, his and his two assistants' allowance, mending pump, wood, candles, &c. from the 11th April to 6 June, the sum of 1,338 58/90 dollars:
That there is due to Christian Farrer, for ferriage of troops over the Susquehanna, the sum of 16 39/90 dolls.
That there is due to Captain James Scott, of the Virginia militia, a ballance of his account for pay and subsistence of his company of Virginia volunteers, the sum of 179 dollars, to be paid to Mr. Kimber Barton:
That there is due to Michael Mearing, for 89 meals he supplied the troops on their way to head quarters, the sum of 11 78/90 dollars:
That there is due to Margaret Massey, for sundries she supplied two sick men in the hospital, the sum of 22 dollars:
That there is due to Captain Casper Snevely, and to be paid to Philip Marsteller, for the pay of three men of his company, who were not included in the pay roll formerly settled, the sum of 38 dollars:
That there is due to John Groh, for a riffle lost at Fort Washington, the sum of 16 dollars, to be paid to Philip Marsteller;
That there is due to Adam Orth, and to be paid to Philip Marsteller, for 85 meals supplied the troops on their march, the sum of 8 45/90 dollars:
That there is due to Stephen Paschall, for superintending the printing and rolling press, the sum of 52 dollars.1
[Note 1: 1 These items are comprised in two reports, dated June 17 and 18, respectively, in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folios 239, 241.]
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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