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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, JULY 16, 1777

Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789
WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1777

Congress proceeded to the election of a committee to confer with Mons. du Coudray, and, the ballots being taken, the following gentlemen were elected:

Mr. [Thomas] Heyward, Mr. J[ohn] Adams, and Mr. [James] Lovell.

The Marine Committee brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

Resolved, That the pay and subsistence of surgeons in the navy, be equal to the pay and subsistence of the lieutenants of the vessels to which they shall respectively belong.

Resolved, That the Marine Committee be empowered to fit out two fire ships at the continental expence.

Congress took into consideration the report of the Board of War of the 23 June last;² Whereupon,

[Note 2: 2 The members of the Board present were: John Adams, Charles Carroll, Francis Lightfoot Lee, Samuel Adams, Roger Sherman, and James Wilson.]

Resolved, That, for carrying into execution the resolve respecting Colonel Nicola's corps of invalids, the following plan, for raising one company, be adopted for raising the whole of the said corps:

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• 1. That the director general of the continental hospital be desired to give directions to the Physicians and surgeons, in the different departments at a reasonable distance from Philadelphia, that, before they discharge any serjeants, corporals, or private men from the hospitals as unfit for service, they consider, whether such men are actually, or likely soon to be, capable of doing garrison duty; and, if thought so, to mention it in the discharge, that they may not be entirely discharged from the service, but transferred from the regiment to which they actually belong, to that of invalids; and that in case such men are at a distance from their respective regiments, that the director or steward of each hospital send such men to Philadelphia, in the best manner circumstances will admit:
• 2. That notice be sent, by the Board of War, to the generals commanding the armies, of the raising a corps of invalids, and that they be desired to give orders to the officers commanding regiments, that, in case they have any serjeants, corporals, drummers, or private men, deemed incapable of doing field duty, such men should be examined by the director of the hospital or some other physician or surgeon, and, if judged fit for garrison duty, that they be not discharged, but transferred to the invalid corps, and sent to Philadelphia as soon as possible.

  Men having only one leg or one arm each, if otherwise capable of doing garrison duty, are to be deemed proper recruits for this corps.

• 3. That the following advertisement be published in the several newspapers as soon as possible, viz.

"War-Office, June, 1777: The Congress, being desirous to make provision for such men as suffer in the military service of the United States, have directed a regiment of invalids to be immediately raised for the reception of such as have already been, or may, in future, be rendered, by wounds or disorders, incapable of doing field duty, but

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are yet fit for garrison service. Notice is hereby given, that all persons in Philadelphia, or within twenty miles round, who are under continental half-pay, on account of incapacities contracted in the service, must, within fifteen days, repair to Philadelphia and shew themselves to Colonel Nicola, in Front street, four doors below the Coffee house, that, if judged capable of duty, they may be put on full pay. All other persons, who have served in the armies of the United States, within the above description, though not on half-pay, may present themselves, and, if judged capable, they will be immediately received. All such as are above twenty miles from Philadelphia must apply to the nearest continental general, field officer, physician or surgeon, who are desired to forward such as they judge fit for the corps of invalids. Officers who, from wounds or disorders contracted in the service, are rendered unfit for field duty, must signify their pretensions, with certificates from continental physicians or surgeons to the Board of War. As this corps is intended, not only as a provision for disabled officers and soldiers, but as a school for propagating military knowledge and discipline, no officers need apply but such as produce ample certificates of their having served with reputation, and having supported good characters, both as citizens and soldiers. Officers and soldiers who have engaged during the war will be preferred."

Resolved, That Enoch Welsh be appointed an ensign in the corps of invalids.¹

[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, I, folio 237.]

Resolved, That 880 dollars be advanced to Captain Matthews, who is under orders to go to Virginia on the recruiting service, and charged to the 4th batallion of Virginia forces, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Lawson.

A letter, of the 15, from President M'Kinley, ∥of the state of Delaware,∥ was read.²

[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 70, folio 619.]

The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

Resolved, That there be advanced to Colonel Benjamin Flower, commissary general of military stores, 20,000 dollars, for which he is to be accountable:

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That there be advanced to Mr. Anthony Butler, agent to Major General Mifflin, quarter master general, 100,000 dollars, agreeable to the quarter master general's draught on the president of Congress, dated the 10 instant, and, for which money, the quarter master general is to be accountable:

That there be advanced to the president and supreme executive council of the commonwealth of Pensylvania, on their application for that purpose, 60,000 dollars, for which the said commonwealth is to be accountable.¹

[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 303. The last paragraph is in the writing of James Duane.]

The Board of War, to whom the plan of the works at Billingsport was referred, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

Resolved, That Mons. du Coudray's plan of the 14 instant, of the fort at Billingsport, be approved of and immediately carried into execution.²

[Note 2: 2 This report, prepared by John Adams, Francis Lightfoot Lee, Samuel Adams, William Duer, and James Wilson, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, I, folio 275. It also contained the following:
"That such of the Regimental Chaplains [of the North Carolina Brigade, as incline to return home have leave so to do, and be discharged the Service. And those of the said Chaplains who] as choose to stay in the Service, be continued with their Regiments under their present pay and Appointments."]

A letter, of the 14, from General Washington, at Vanauler's, eight miles from Pumpton Plains; and one, of the 6, from Richard Varick, deputy muster master general in the northern department, with sundry muster rolls, were read:³

[Note 3: 3 The letter of Washington is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IV, folio 347]

Ordered, That the latter be referred to the Board of War.

Ordered, That the Board of War lay before Congress as soon as possible a list of the foreign officers in the service of the United States, with an account of the relative

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rank they held in the armies of the king of France, or other European power, and the rank they now hold.

A memorial from Monsieur du Portail and other engineers, together with observations on the treaty made with themand Mr. S. Deane in France, were read.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.

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