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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 --THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1778
A letter, of the 9, from General Washington, enclosing a letter of the 9th, to him, from General H. Clinton, informing, that the Earl of Carlisle, Mr. Eden, and Governor Johnstone, three of the commissioners for restoring peace between Great Britain and America, are arrived at Philadelphia, and requesting a passport for Dr. Ferguson, their secretary, with a letter from them to Congress, together with a copy of General Washington's answer thereto, were read:
Ordered, That the same be referred to the committee on the letter of the 7th, from General Washington.
A letter, of 22 January, from W. Lee, at Paris, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
A letter, of 31 May, from General Sullivan, enclosing a resolution passed the 30th of the said month, by the assembly of Rhode Island, &c. was read:2
[Note 2: 2 The letter of Washington is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, VI, folio 87; that of Clinton is on folio 91; Washington's reply is on folio 93; that of Sullivan is in No. 160, folio 129, and the resolution is on folio 133. The letter of Lee is printed in Wharton, II, p. 476.]
Ordered, That so much of the said letter as relates to the enemy's attempt on Tiverton, be published, and that the letter with the enclosed resolution, be referred to the Board of War.
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The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report; Whereupon,
Ordered, That 200,000 dollars be advanced to Ephraim Blaine, deputy commissary general of purchases, and at his desire, paid to James White, in consequence of a letter of credit of William Buchanan, late commissary general of purchases, who is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 353.]
The Board of War report, that Major Thomas Mullens, late an aid de camp to Major General Conway, is an old officer in the French service; that he served the last campaign in the main army, and for his bravery and good conduct, at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, was honored with particular marks of approbation by the commander in chief, in general orders; that he means to accompany General Conway to France, but has not the means of defraying his expences thither; Whereupon,
Resolved, That Major Thomas Mullens, who served with honour the last campaign, have a brevet commission of lieutenant colonel in the armies of the United States.
Ordered, That so much of the said report as relates to an advance for Lieutenant Colonel Mullen's expences to France, be referred to the Board of Treasury.
Colonel Spencer, commanding the brigade late Brigadier Conway's, having recommended the Rev. William Rogers to be chaplain to that brigade, Congress proceeded to an election, and, the ballots being taken, the Rev. Mr. William Rogers was elected chaplain to the brigade late commanded by Brigadier Conway.2
[Note 2: 2 A memorial from the officers of late Conway's brigade, dated March 21, 1778, and asking for the appointment of Rogers is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIX, folio 231. A letter of Rogers, dated June 11, is on folio 237.]
Ordered, That the application of Mr. Rogers, for pay, as brigade chaplain, from July last, be referred to the committee at camp.
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The Board of War, to whom were referred the letters from the late commissioners at Fort Pitt, dated 27 April, the letters from the commissioners of Indian affairs, convened at Albany the 15 April, and sundry letters from Major General Schuyler, relative to the temper and disposition of the Six Nations, report,
That from the information contained in the above papers, and from other information received through a variety of channels, it appears that the cruelties lately exercised by the savages on the frontiers of New York, Pensylvania and Virginia, are the commencement of an Indian war, which threatens, with extensive devastation, the frontiers of these United States:
That the nations concerned in carrying on the same, are the Senecas, Cayugas, Mingoes, and Wiandots in general, a majority of the Onondagas, and a few of the Ottawas, Chippawas, Shawanese, and Delawares, acting contrary to the voice of their nations, amounting, in the whole, to about 1,600 warriors, exclusive of several tories and other emissaries from the posts occupied by the enemy in the Indian country:
That from the presence of Mr. Butler and Mr. Magee, two of the British agents for Indian affairs, amongst the Indians, and from a variety of other circumstances, it appears incontestibly that this cruel war has been industriously instigated, and is still prosecuting with unrelenting perseverance, by principal officers in the service of the king of Great Britain, particularly by Colonel Hamilton, commanding officer of the garrison of Detroit:
That the frequent attempts which have been made to conciliate the minds of the hostile tribes, and even the threats which have been made use of by the commissioners convened at Albany in April last, have produced no good effect; but, on the contrary, have confirmed the
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savages in an opinion industriously inculcated on them by the enemy, that the forbearance of these states proceeds from their inability to revenge the outrages committed against them:
That the Delawares, Oneidas, Tuscaroras, and other friendly Indians, are collecting themselves in bodies, in order to guard against the impending storm; and call loudly for assistance against enemies, whom they have rendered implacable by a warm and steady attachment to the cause of these states:
That from the papers referred to the Board, it appears to be the design of the enemy to take post this year at Oswego with a view, probably, of prosecuting the plan commenced by the French in the year 1753.
That from the account given by Captain White Eyes, a Delaware chief, to the commissioners of Indian affairs lately convened at Fort Pitt, the fortress of Detroit was, during the last winter, in the same defenceless situation it has been in for some years past:
These circumstances, collected from the various papers referred to them, the Board have deemed it expedient to recapitulate, and after an attentive consideration, concur in opinion with the commissioners lately convened at Fort Pitt and at Albany, that a defensive war would not only prove an inadequate security against the inroads of the Indians, but would, in a short time, be much more expensive than a vigorous attempt to compel them to sue for peace: Whereupon,
Resolved, That an expedition be immediately undertaken, whose object shall be, to reduce, if practicable, the garrison of Detroit, and to compel to terms of peace such of the Indian nations now in arms against these states as lie on, or contiguous to, the route betwixt Fort Pitt and Detroit:
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That three thousand men be engaged in the service of these states, for the purpose above mentioned:
That Patrick Lockhart, Esqr. be appointed to procure provisions, pack-horses, and other necessaries for the army destined for the above mentioned operations:
That the governor and council of the State of Virginia be requested, on the application of the Board of War, or of Brigadier M'Intosh, to call forth such a body of theft militia, (not exceeding 2,500 men,) as shall be judged necessary to complete the number of men appropriated for this service:
That the sum of nine hundred and thirty two thousand seven hundred and forty three and one third dollars be advanced from the treasury, to the order of the Board of War, to be by them applied towards the defraying the expences of the expedition above mentioned:
That the Board of War be directed to co-operate with Brigadier M'Intosh in every measure necessary for executing the intention of Congress; and to give such instructions to Brigadier M'Intosh and to the principal officers employed on this service, as shall, to them, appear best adapted to answer the end of this expedition.
And, whereas, the success of the expedition against Detroit may be facilitated, and the hostile tribes of Indians sooner reduced to terms of peace, by another expedition from the Mohawk river to the Seneca country, in order to chastise that insolent and revengeful nation, and to dispossess the enemy from Oswego, should they have taken possession of that post; therefore,
Resolved, That Major General Gates, or the officer commanding the troops on the east side of Hudson's river, and in the northern department, be directed to take the most expeditious measures for carrying the war into the Senecas' country, in order to reduce to terms of peace,
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such of the Six Nations as are hostile, and to dispossess the emeny from Oswego in case they should have taken possession of that post:
That the commissioners of Indian affairs in the northern department, or any of them who may be at Albany, be directed to co-operate with Major General Gates and the officer appointed to command on this expedition, in the execution of this measure:
That the Board of War give notice, from time to time, to Major General Gates and the officer commanding the expedition against the Senecas, of the progress of the preparations making at Fort Pitt, and of the time when the troops from that quarter will set out on their march, in order that the two armies may, as far as is practicable, act in concert:
As the success of all Military Operations depends as much on the Character of the Officers employed in conducting them, as it does on the Troops engaged for their Execution, the Board with great Deference, submit to the Consideration of Congress, whether it might not be proper to appoint Major Gen1. Mifflin, and Brigr. Genl. Stark, the principal Officers to conduct the last proposed Expedition and for this purpose,
That Major General Mifflin be ordered forthwith to repair to Fish Kill, in the State of New York, there to follow such Orders as he shall receive from Major General Gates.
That Major General Gates be directed to appoint [a] suitable officer to conduct the expedition into the Seneca country.1
[Note 1: 1 This was a substitute for the preceding paragraph.]
The Board subjoin for the Information of Congress an Estimate of the Expence attending the proposed Expedition to the Westward, from a Comparison of which with the Defensive Plan of Operations in that Quarter only, it will appear that the present additional Expence will be about £97,990 equal to Dollars 261,306--a Sum inferior to what will be saved even in the next succeeding Year in the Defence of of the Frontiers of Virginia and Pennsylvania, should the proposed
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Operations succeed; but should offensive Operations not be adopted it will be found necessary this Campaign to encrease and strengthen the Posts on the western Frontiers; A Measure which would cost infinitely more even at present than an Offensive War.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated June 10, in the writing of William Duer, is in the Papers of he Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio 81.]
The committee to whom was referred the claim of Joseph Carson for a number of leather breeches furnished the army, brought in a report: Whereupon,
Resolved, That the said Joseph Carson be allowed the sum of sixteen dollars for each pair of leather breeches with which he furnished the army; and that the cloathier general do settle and adjust the accounts of the said Joseph Carson, and pay him what shall appear to be due agreeable to the above estimate.2
[Note 2: 2 This report, in the writing of John Banister, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 545.]
A motion was made, that General Washington be directed to order an enquiry to be made into the conduct of Major General Mifflin, late quarter master general, and the other officers who acted under him in that department; and if it shall appear that the extraordinary deficiencies thereof, and the consequent distresses of the army, were chargeable to the misconduct of the said quarter master general or any of the said officers, that a court martial be forthwith held on the delinquents:
On a motion, that the consideration thereof be postponed; Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry required the yeas and nays;
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So it passed in the negative.
A motion was then made, and agreed, to strike out the word "forthwith;"
On the question that the motion as amended pass into a resolution, resolved in the affirmative.
A petition [from] sundry inhabitants of the town of York, in behalf of a certain John King, who is under sentence of death for desertion, was read;1
[Note 1: 1 This petition, dated June 11, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, VIII, folio 463.]
Ordered, That the execution of the said John King be suspended to Tuesday next.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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