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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 --TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 1779
A report from the commissioners on the accounts of J. Nourse, late paymaster to the Board of War and Ordnance, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.
The commissioners farther report that on a settlement of accounts of Thomas Heslip, one of the commissioners appointed by the executive council of Pensylvania to purchase provisions for the army, in February, 1778, there is due to the said Thomas Heslip the sum of two thousand three hundred and twenty six dollars and 59/90:
Philadelphia March 15th 1779
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Jas Milligan
R. Smith1
[Note 1: 1 This report, dated March 15, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, III, folio 171.]
Ordered, That the said ballance be paid.
Two letters, of 12, from John Pierce, were read:
Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of Treasury.
A letter, of 10 February, from J. Palmer, was read, respecting erecting works for making bay salt:
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Samuel] Holten, Mr. T[homas] Adams [and] Mr. [Frederick] Frelinghuysen.
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A petition from Gideon Olmstead and Artemas White was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee appointed to confer with a committee of the general assembly of Pensylvania.
A memorial from the honble Sr Gérard, minister plenipotentiary of France, was read, respecting the reception of French prisoners received from the enemy:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War, and that they take order thereon.
Another memorial from the said Minister was read, respecting the rate of exchange:
Ordered, To lie on the table for the consideration of the members, and that the committee who conferred with the Minister on that subject be directed to report in writing the result of their conference.
The committee appointed to confer with the Commander in Chief, brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; and thereupon, Congress came to the following resolutions:
Whereas discontent, loss of discipline, and diminution of the strengh of the line, have arisen by employing the continental troops as waggoners; and it will be of public advantage to inlist proper persons for that service during the war:
Resolved, therefore, That the Commander in Chief be authorized and directed to take proper measures for causing to be enlisted such a number of waggoners as he shall judge necessary for the service, to continue therein to the end of the war; that each waggoner voluntarily engaging for that period, shall be entitled, in addition to the present monthly pay, cloathing and subsistence, allowed to waggoners, to the same bounties, in all respects, as are granted to volunteers who shall inlist in the continental
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battalions for the term of the war: that the quarter master [general] shall establish such regulations for the conduct of the said corps of waggoners as shall be judged expedient, and approved of by the Commander in Chief; in which care shall be taken that regular returns be made to the Board of War of the number of waggoners ordered to be raised, as well as of those who shall actually engage in the service: that the same form, as near as may be, shall be pursued in mustering and paying the said corps of waggoners as is practised with respect to the troops of the line: that the quarter master general be authorized to appoint a pay master and muster master for the said corps of waggoners, and transmit their names, and the regulations hereby authorized to be made to the Board of War, to be respectively registered.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Duane, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 33, folio 297.]
War Office, February 5th., 1779.
Present, Mr Peters, Mr Root and Mr Pickering.
The Board having considered a letter from General Greene, of the 18th. ult, referred to them by Congress, relative to the inferior Staff Officers, are entirely of his opinion that they should be exempted from confinement and punishment as common Soldiers, to which they are by some thought liable: and therefore beg leave to report,
Resolved, That all warrant officers on the civil staff of the army, be put on the same footing with commissioned officers, in respect to arrests, trials, and punishments.2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, III, folio 33.]
Whereas the issuing commissaries of provisions are by their appointments attached to particular departments, which, from a change of circumstances, and the position of the army, is become inconvenient:
Resolved, therefore, That all issuing commissaries shall, for the future, attend and perform the duties of their
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office, at such places and with such detachments of the army as shall be directed by the Commander in Chief or commissary general of issues.1
[Note 1: 1 These two paragraphs, in the writing of James Duane, are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 33, folio 305.]
Congress was resolved into a Committee of the Whole to consider farther the report of the committee on the communications of the Minister of France, &c., and after some time the President resumed the chair and Mr. F[rancis] L[ightfoot] Lee reported that the committee have had under their farther consideration the report of the committee to them referred and made some farther progress, but not having come to a conclusion desire leave to sit again.
Resolved, That to morrow at 12 o Clock Congress be resolved into a Committee of the Whole to consider farther the report of the committee on the communications, &c.2
[Note 2: 2 A letter of John Rutledge to the South Carolina delegates, dated February 23, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 72, folio 481, and is endorsed as read on this day.]
Adjourned to 10 oClock.
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