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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 --SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 1777
A letter, of the 22, from General Washington;
One of the 21, from Colonel J. E. Howard, at Baltimore; two, from Governor Johnson; and sundry other letters from sundry persons in Baltimore, respecting the enemy's fleet in Chesapeake bay; were read.
A letter, from Lieutenant Edward Cowan, of Captain Weaver's company, was read, praying for leave to resign his commission:1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of Washington is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IV, folio 535. It is printed inWritings of Washington (Ford), VI, 49. That of Howard is in No. 78, XI, folio 223; those from Johnson in No. 70, folios 215 and 219, with enclosures in No. 78, folios 227 and 229; that of Cowan, in No. 78, V, folio 101.]
Ordered, That he have leave to resign.
Resolved, That the president inform General Washington, that Congress never intended by any commission hitherto granted by them, or by the establishment of any department whatever, to supersede or circumscribe the power of General Washington as the commander in chief of all the continental land forces within the United States.
A letter, of this day, from General Washington, was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IV, folio 539. It is printed inWritings of Washington (Ford), VI, 50.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
Congress took into consideration ∥the committee, to whom was re-committed∥ the report of the committee on
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the mode of conducting the enquiry into the causes of the evacuation of Ticonderoga and Mount Independence, &c ∥and into the conduct of the general officers in the northern department, at the time of the evacuation.∥ Upon the first paragraph a motion being made, and the question put to strike out "a committee of three members of Congress be appointed," and insert the words "that the judge advocate with the assistance of -- and -- be directed" ∥should conduct the enquiry:∥ carried in the negative.
On motion made to strike out "a committee of three" and insert "three commissioners not," and the question being put, carried in the affirmative.
The yeas and nays being required by New Hampshire, are as follows:
Ayes and noes. Mr. Dyer on calling the States, aye; on calling the individuals, no.
So the States were equally divided, one of the members having changed his opinion.
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At a Board of War,23r. August, 1777.
Present: Mr John Adams, Mr S. Adams, Mr Lee, Mr Wilson and Mr Clymer
Agreed to Report to Congress:
That the Subalterns in the Army be furnished with Muskets and Bayonets at the Expence of the States, and that all able bodied Fifers and Drummers be obliged to do duty as Soldiers and be furnished with Arms.
That no Officer having leave of absence from the Army take with him a Soldier as a Servant.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, I, folio 325.]
The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday.
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