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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, FEBRUARY 1, 1780
A letter, of 31 January, from the Board of War, was read, enclosing two letters from Mr. Holker:2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of' the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 51.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of three: The members chosen, Mr. [Nicholas] Van Dyke, Mr. [Abraham] Clark, and Mr. [Ezra] L'Hommedieu.
A letter, of this day, from Jonas Fay, Moses Robinson, and Stephen R. Bradley was read, enclosing a paper endorsed "appointment of agents for Vermont."3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 40, I, folio 313.]
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The Board of Admiralty sent in a report for establishing packets; and the Board of War sent in a report for apportioning the quotas of men to be raised by the several States
Admiralty Office Feby. 1, 1780.
The Board pursuant to a motion referred to them for establishing regular packets between these United States and the Kingdom of France beg leave to Report the following plan.
That three Packet Boats be established by the Board of Admiralty to sail from hence for Nantes in the Kingdom of France as soon as may be after the first Tuesday in the months of April June August October December and February annually during said establishment.
That the mails be made up in the Post office in Philadelphia on said days and that the Post Master General fix the Postage of all private letters carried by said Packet boats.
That the said Packet Boats sail from Nantes aforesaid for Delaware or Chesapeake Bays as soon as may be after the first Thursday in the months of June, August, October, December, February, and April Annually on which days the mails are to be made up in France.
That the Minister Plenipotentiary of these United States at the Court of France appoint some suitable person for that purpose and for fixing and receiving the postage of private letters there.
That the Captains of Said Packet boats follow such directions as the Board of Admiralty shall give them from time to time, the said Board conforming themselves in their directions as nearly as possible to the foregoing Resolutions.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 37, folio 179.]
At a Board Of War, Jany 31. 1780
Present Col Pickering, M(r). Peters, Col Grayson
The want of certain information of the strength of each State in the Union, induced the Board to request Congress to settle the relative proportion of any given number of Troops to be drawn from the States, by which they might adjust the quotas necessary for the next campaign. Congress having been pleased to direct the Board in the first instance to make such adjustment, they have been obliged to recur to the first apportionment of the 88 Battalions, as the least exceptionable, only excluding Georgia on account of her
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particular circumstances. By this rule the Board have fixed the quotas of the several States as follows, viz.
They have added to this account, the Artillery and Cavalry that when the men belonging to those Corps are credited to the States in which they were raised (agreeably to the Resolution of Congress) the deductions thereby made from their quotas of Infantry might not reduce the latter in the whole below 24,000 rank and file. From this number, sickness and desertions will probably take off one fifth
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part by the middle of the campaign; so that the operating force of Infantry for the main army, that in Carolina, and on the frontiers will not then exceed 19,200 rank and file.
In making this estimate, they have rejected all those men returned in the abstract of the muster rolls of October, whose times of service will expire between that day and the first of July precding, (when the Campaign may be considered as commencing) being only
If 79 battalions (as Georgia is excluded) were to be completed to their full complement, agreeably to the establishment of May 1778 the number of troops would amount to 43,687 including the sergeants and music with the rank and file.
The Regimented Artificers in the departments of the Qr Master Genl and Commy Genl. of Military Stores will amount to about 500 men which when credited to the States, will be a deduction of so many from the military force before stated. Another deduction will be made by drafting from the Line three companies of sappers and miners which with the servants of the Engineers and Officers of the sappers and miners will amount to 220 men.
If the whole number of Sergeants in the 79 battalions and 10 independent Corps be added to the 24,000 rank and file the amount will be26, 581 from which if one fifth for sickness and desertions be deducted5.316 there will remain21,265 men armed with muskets and bayonets--a force small enough they conceive for any decisive operations the next campaign.
In regard to Officers' Servants, it is to be regretted that thereby such a deduction from the strength of the army should be made, but it is Gen1. Washington's opinion, as well as our own, that officers must be furnished with servants from the line, their appointments being insufficient to procure them in any other way. When a stricter discipline is introduced perhaps the number withdrawn from action may be lessened thereby. For carrying this plan into execution the Board beg leave to report the following Resolutions
That for the ensuing campaign, the States be respectively required to furnish by drafts or otherwise on or before the first day of April next their respective deficiencies of the number of 35,211 Passed men which Congress deem necessary for the service of the present year. The quotas of the several States to be fixed in the following manner--viz: (as mentioned in the first page)
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That all the men whose times of service do not expire before the last day of September next, be counted towards the quotas of the States to which they respectively belong, whether they compose the Battalions in the line of the Several States--those of the additional Corps including the guards, the artillery and horse--or the regimented artificers in the Departments of the Qr Master Gen1 or Commy. Genl. of Military Stores who being credited to the States respectively should be provided for, deemed and treated in the same manner with the men in the several State lines. And it is recommended to the several States to make like provision for the Officers and men of the Artillery, Horse, additional Battalions including the guards and regimented Artificers, as may be made in pursuance of any resolution of Congress for the Officers and men of their respective Battalions, with such exceptions respecting the regimented artificers, as have been made by Congress in their Acts concerning them.
That the Commander in Chief be directed forthwith to transmit to the several States accurate returns of the Troops now in service, belonging, or credited to their respective quotas, to the intent that immediate measures be taken by the Govmts. of the States, to bring the men to be raised, into the field with certainty and expedition.
The Board have adjusted the quotas without regard to any particular number of Regts. into which the troops of each State may finally be divided--for tho' the formation of Regiments into equal numbers would be attended with many advantages, yet if any precise number of Regts and their strength were fixed for each State, the credit to be given for their men in the artillery, horse and extra Corps would immediately produce considerable inequalities
The other points relative to the Army, referred at the same tune to the Board, they will report upon without delay1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 88.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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