| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1777
A letter, of the 30 October, from E. Hancock, deputy pay master general in the eastern department, with his monthly account:
One, of the first November, from B. Harrison, deputy pay master general in Virginia, with his monthly account;
A letter, of the 11, from General Sullivan, were read.2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 160, folio 89.]
Ordered, That the two former be referred to the Board of Treasury.
Ordered, That the letters from Fort Pitt be referred to the committee on Mr. ∥Vice president∥ Bryan's letter of the 14.
Page 939 | Page image
Ordered, That the return of ordnance, &c. taken from the enemy, which was enclosed ill General Gates's letter of the 10th, and the letter from the council of safety of New York, be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. R[ichard] H[enry] Lee, Mr. [William] Duer, and Mr. [Francis] Dana.
Ordered, That the letter of General Gates, with the other papers enclosed, be referred to the Board of War.
Congress being informed that there is a quantity of leather on the way to this town from North Carolina; which may be purchased;
Ordered, That the Board of War purchase the same, and take measures to have it made into shoes for the use of the army.
Congress having received information, through various channels, that the American soldiers and other inhabitants of the United States of America, whom the fortune of war hath made prisoners to the British army under command of General Howe, are now imprisoned in Philadelphia, and treated with such shocking inhumanity that numbers expire in the prison yard for want of food; and whereas, such treatment of the American prisoners is not only inconsistent with the practice of civilized nations, but totally the reverse of that humane treatment which the British prisoners have uniformly received in these united states:
Resolved, That General Washington be desired to make strict enquiry into the truth of this information, and to report to Congress, as soon as possible, the result of his enquiries.
The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That David Poe be appointed quarter master for the town of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, in
Page 940 | Page image
the room of, and for the purpose for which Jared Hopkins, who declines acting, was appointed.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated the 19th, and in the writing of Richard Peters, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, 1, folio 387.]
Resolved, That the resolution passed the 2d [1] of October last, for sitting twice a day, be repealed, and that, after this day, the Congress sit but once a day; that they meet at ten o'clock precisely. The bell to ring at ¾ after 9, and continue to ring ¼ of an hour.
The Committee of the Treasury brought in a report, which was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant issue on the Treasurer in favour of the Board of War, for 300,000 dollars, to be by them forwarded to William Palfrey, Esqr. pay master general, who is to be accountable:
Ordered, That there be advanced to the president 1,000 dollars, to pay expresses and other contingent expences, for which he is to be accountable; and that an authenticated copy of this resolution shall be a sufficient voucher to the treasurer for the payment of this sum:
Ordered, That a duplicate warrant in favour of Jonathan Trumbull, Junr Esqr. deputy pay master general of the northern department, issue on the loan office Massachusetts bay, for 200,000 dollars, to serve in case a warrant for the like sum, in favour of Mr. Trumbull, dated 16 October last, in consequence of an order of Congress of the same day, on the office aforesaid, should not be received by him.
Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee that the Pay of Jonathan Trumbull junr., Esqr., Pay Master General of the Northern Department, ought to be [augmented ∥to one hundred and twenty five Dollars pr Mo.]
Page 941 | Page image
To take place from the time of the Augmentation of the Pay of Mr. Palfrey, Paymaster-General.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, I, folio 485. The words in brackets were added by Henry Laurens. The erased lines are in the writing of Roger Sherman. See under November 22, post.]
Adjourned to 4 o'Clock.
Four o'Clock, p.m.
The Medical Committee brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the cloathier general be directed to deliver to the director general of the military hospitals, the deputy directors general, or their assistants, for the use of the sick and wounded of the several departments, a proportionable share of the blankets, shirts, shoes, and stockings, he shall, from time to time, procure for the supply of the army:
That the director general of the hospitals be authorized to cause stoves to be erected in the different hospitals, in case he shall think such a measure will conduce to make up for the present scarcity of blankets and cloathing, or to the greater comfort of the sick; and that the waggons annexed to the hospital department be employed, as much as possible, in the transportation of fuel for the respective hospitals.
A letter, of the 6, from General Mifflin to Colonel R[ichard] H[enry] Lee, on the subject of the quarter master general, was laid before Congress, and read:
Ordered, That the same be referred to the new Board of War, so soon as they meet, and that they be directed to report a plan of conducting the business of the quarter master general.
The committee to whom the letter from the vice president of Pensylvania, and the letters from Fort Pitt, were
Page 942 | Page image
referred brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; and, after debate,
Resolved, That the farther consideration thereof be postponed till to Morrow.
∥The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,∥
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
PREVIOUS SECTION .. NEXT SECTION .. NAVIGATOR
| PREVIOUS | NEXT | NEW SEARCH |