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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, FEBRUARY 13, 1779.
Resolved, That the President inform the Minister Plenipotentiary of his most Christian Majesty, that Congress will take the subject of his memorials of the 9th instant into immediate consideration, and that if he wishes to communicate any thing farther to them, Congress will receive the same from him in a private audience.
Resolved, That all private audiences given to foreign ministers, be held in a committee of the whole House.
A letter, of this day, from Colonel Hartley, was read, desiring leave to resign his commission;1 Whereupon,
[Note 1: 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XI, folio 409.]
Resolved, That the reasons offered by Colonel Hartley for resigning his commission are satisfactory, and therefore that his resignation be accepted.
Resolved, That Congress have a high sense of Colonel Hartley's merit and services.
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
Resolved, That a warrant for 94,000 dollars be drawn on the treasurer of the United States, in favor of the pay master of the Board of War and Ordnance, to be paid, from time to time, by order from that Board, to Colonel Armand, for the purpose of recruiting his corps, which shall not exceed the complement of a regiment, he to be accountable for the sums he shall so receive:
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That Brigadier General Pulaski be authorized, as casualties happen, to recruit men to keep up the infantry in his corps to its original establishment, and that a warrant for 50,000 dollars be drawn in favor of the pay-master of the Board of War, to be paid to Brigadier General Pulaski, or his order, from time to time, for the purpose before mentioned, and to re-inlist during the war the men of his corps, whose times are about expiring; he to be accountable for the sums he shall, from time to time, receive.
Resolved, That all the men, inhabitants of these states, who shall be recruited in the corps of General Pulaski, and Colonel Armand, in any of the United States, shall be credited to the quota of the State in which they shall be inlisted, they not being inhabitants of any other of the United States.
Resolved, That Colonel Armand and Brigadier General Pulaski, make returns to the Board of War of the recruits they shall inlist; and in such returns the places of nativity and settlement, and the State wherein they were inlisted shall be particularly mentioned; and the Board are hereby directed to transmit to the respective states, the names and numbers of such persons, inhabitants thereof, as shall be so inlisted.1
[Note 1: 1 This report (present Root, Lee, Pickering, and Peters) is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, III, folio 55. The Board added: "Col. Armand's corps was never determined in its numbers, unless General Washington's orders herewith sent shall be looked upon as deciding this point.
"General Pulaski's corps was chiefly enlisted for one year, and their times of course now about expiring."]
The commissioners of accounts report:
That there is due to Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Hay for accoutrements furnished his company when he was captain in the 6th, now the 7 Pensylvania regiment, by Mease and Caldwell, in 1776, which were by them charged
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in their general account against the regiment, for the use of his company, and whic4h he omitted charging in his account current at the general settlement made with the commissioners of claims, in May, 1777, which he had a right to do, no stoppages being ever directed to be made for accoutrements, two hundred and forty dollars and 83/90ths.
That there is due to the Rev. Mr. Louis Lotbinier, his pay and subsistence as chaplain to Colonel J. Livingston's regiment from the 11th January, to 10 February, 1779, inclusive, 60 dollars.
That there is due to Captain Robert Campbell, a ballance of pay as lieutenant during his captivity, from 22 August to the 1st of December, 1777, 65 81/90 dollars:
Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.
The Board of War to whom was referred the letter of 3 February, from Mons. Géard de St. Elme, having reported specially thereon, Congress took into consideration the said report; and, thereupon, came to the following resolution:
At a Board of War, February 12th, 1779.
Present, Mr Lee, Mr Root, Mr Peters, and Colonel Pickering.
The Board having considered Monsieur Girard de St Elme's letter of the 3rd inst., referred to them by Congress, and conversed with him on the Subject of it; beg leave to observe:
That he enjoyed in France the Commission of Lieutenant of Cavalry; that before his embarkation for America he received from Mr de Sarfine the Commission of Captain; that on his passage he was taken and carried to London, from whence he went to Bordeaux, where he again embarked for America, taking with him Arms, accoutrements and clothing for supplying the troops of the United States, to the amount of 30,000 livres: but being chased by a British Frigate, and in danger of being taken, the captain ordered the whole to be thrown overboard to Secure the vessel and residue of her Cargo from condemnation. That they were now obliged to steer for the Cape, whither the Frigate accompanied them. That from the Cape he came to these States, and
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the last campaign served as a volunteer in the corps of Count Pulaski; Congress having been pleased to grant him the brevet of Lieutenant, to serve him in case of being made a prisoner. That he went with that corps to Egg Harbour, where in the Skirmish with the enemy he behaved with bravery, and had his horse killed with a bayonet. That he has served altogether at his own expence; nor asks now for any pecuniary compensation. That at length finding it impracticable, upon the reformation of the American Army, to obtain a post wherein he could serve with utility to the States and honor to himself, he proposes to return to France; but prays for such testimony of his deserts as Congress shall think him entitled to; he wishes to be gratified with the brevet rank of Major.
The Board have stated these facts for the information of Congress, and beg leave to Report.
That Mons. Gérard de St. Elme, having manifested great zeal, and encountered many difficulties to distinguish himself in the service of these states; having also made a campaign here, and behaved with bravery, and being now about to return to France:
Resolved, That he be appointed to the rank of major by brevet, as a testimony of the approbation of Congress of his zeal and services.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, III, folio 46.]
Congress was resolved into a Committee of the Whole, and after some time, the President resumed the chair and Mr. F[rancis] L[ightfoot] Lee reported that the committee have had under consideration the report of the committee to whom was referred the report of the Committee on Appeals, January 19th, but not having come to a conclusion, desire leave to sit again.
Resolved, That on Monday next Congress be resolved into a committee of the whole to consider farther the report of the committee, to whom was referred the report of the Committee on Appeals.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday.
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