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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 --MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 1777
A letter, of the 3d, from General Washington, was read:1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Washington is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IV, folio 431. It is printed inWritings of Washington (Ford), VI, 3.]
Ordered, That the same be taken into consideration at one o'Clock.
A letter, of the 23 July, from William Sever, Esq. president of the council of Massachusetts bay, with a list. of the troops raised by that State; one, of the 26, from Elisha Avery, in which he begs leave to decline accepting the office of deputy commissary general of issues; one, of this day, from R. Bache; a memoir from Mons. du
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Condray; a memorial from Christopher Ludwig; and a letter, of the 25 July, from Brigadier de Roche Fermoy, at Fort Edward, were read:1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Sever is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 65, I, folio 203; that of Avery, in No. 78, I, folio 103; that of Ludwig, in No. 41, V, folio 193; and that of Fermoy, in No. 78, IX, folio 107.]
Ordered, That so much of the letter from the council of Massachusetts bay, as relates to money, be referred to the Board of Treasury, that the remainder be referred to the Board of War; that the letter from Mr. Bache be referred to the Board of Treasury; that the memoir from Mons. du Coudray, the memorial from Christopher Ludwig, and the letter from Brigadier de Roche Fermoy, be referred to the Board of War.
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to enquire into, and report the number of muskets and field pieces, and the quantity of soldier's cloathing imported, or manufactured, or purchased for the use of the army, the time of importation and the place, and the persons to whom delivered, together with the number of arms in the several magazines under the care of the Board of War, the number in the stores of the commissary general of military stores, and in the hands of the continental troops, and whist number has been lost or condemned, and that the committee have power to send for persons and papers.
The members chosen, Mr. [Samuel] Chase, Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry and Mr. [Nicholas] Vandyke.
The committee to whom were referred the petition of Daniel Bucklin, and the memorial of Isaac Jones, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That Joseph White, commander of the privateerRevenge, appear before the committee of appeals within 40 days after a copy of the petition of Daniel Bucklin, and of this resolve, is served on the said Joseph
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White, the agent or one of the owners of the said privateer, to shew cause why the prayer of the said petition should not be granted.
Resolved, That William Dennis, commander of the privateer sloop called theAmerica, appear before the committee of appeals within 40 days after a copy of the memorial of Isaac Jones, and of this resolve, is served on the said William Dennis, the agent, or one of the owners of the said privateer, to shew cause why the prayer of the said petition should not be granted.
A motion was made and seconded, "that a committee be appointed to revise the regulations of the commissary's department, so far as it respects the appointment of officers; that they confer with General Washington on the subject, and report such alterations as they may judge necessary."
After debate, a motion was made and seconded to postpone it: and the question being put on the motion of postponing, was carried in the negative, 7 noes, 4 ayes, one divided.
A motion was then made to amend the original motion by striking out "so far as it respects the appointment of officers" and insert "so far as it respects the salaries to be given to and the oaths to be taken by persons employed in the issuing department:" Question being put, carried in the negative, 10 noes, 2 ayes.
A motion was then made to amend the original motion by striking out the words "so far as it respects the appointment of officers:" The question put, carried in the negative, 6 noes, 5 ayes, one divided.
The question being put on the original motion, carried in the negative, 6 noes, 5 ayes, one divided.
Congress took into consideration the letter from General Washington, wherein "he wishes to be excused from
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making the appointment of an officer to command the northern army;" and thereupon [it was resolved that]
Congress proceed to the election of an officer; and the ballots being taken, Major General Gates was elected to that command by the vote of eleven States.
Resolved, That General Washington be informed of this appointment, and that he be directed to order General Gates to repair, with all possible expedition, to the northern department, to relieve Major General Schuyler.
Ordered, That the remainder of the letter from General Washington be referred to the Committeeappointed to digest and report the mode of conducting the enquiry &c on the Northern Department.
The several matters &c ∥to this day referred, being postponed,∥
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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