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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 --MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 1780
A letter, of 3d, from General Washington; and one, of the same date, from the committee at headquarters, were read.
A letter, of this day, from Lieutenant Colonel J. G. Deriks, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War. A letter, of this day, from G. Bond was read.2
[Note 2: 2 Washington's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, IX, folio 69; the letter from the Committee at Headquarters is in No. 39, I, folio 211, and is transcribed in Committee Book, 1780, Proceedings of the Committee appointed the 13th April, 1780, folio 43; Diriks's letter is in No. 78, VII, folio 297; that of Bond is in No. 78, IV, folio 1.]
A letter, of 6th, from Mr. R. Izard was read:3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), IV, 21.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr [Thomas] McKean, Mr. [James] Lovell and Mr. [James] Madison.
A representation of Lieutenant de Beaulieu was read:4
[Note 4: 4 This representation, undated, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 43, folio 25.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.
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A petition of Mons Lotbinier was read:1
[Note 1: 1 This petition, undated, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIV, folio 367.]
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Frederick A.] Muhlenberg, Mr. [Timothy] Matlack and Mr. [James] Lovell.
A petition of Captain H. Mitchell was read:2
[Note 2: 2 This petition, dated July 27, 1780, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, V, folio 197.]
Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Admiralty.
A letter, of this day, from T. Pickering was read, notifying his acceptance of the office of quartermaster general.3
[Note 3: 3 This letter is in The Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 192, folio 17.]
A report from the Board of Admiralty was read; Whereupon,
Resolved, That any officer who, by virtue of his commission or warrant, hath served, or hereafter shall serve, on board any ship of war of 20 guns and upwards, belonging to the navy of these states, and shall thereafter serve in the same rank on board any other vessel of war of inferior force, such officer shall receive the same pay as he was entitled to when serving in a ship of 20 guns and upwards; any resolution to the contrary notwithstanding.4
[Note 4: 4 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 37, folio 285.]
The Board of Admiralty, to whom was referred the letter of 28 July, from Gov. Lee, of Maryland, report,
That the Trumbull, Deane, Confederacy and Saratoga, are the only ships that are or will be ready for sea this season; that these ships, by an act of Congress of the 26th of July last, are put under the direction of Gen. Washington, to be employed in co-operating with the fleet of his Most Christian majesty, commanded by Admiral the Chevalier de Ternay, and therefore it is at present impracticable to comply with the request of the governor and council of the State of Maryland:5
[Note 5: 5 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 37, folio 287.]
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Resolved, That Congress agree to the said report.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That on the application of Charles Lee, secretary to the Board of Treasury, a warrant issue on the treasurer in his favour, for ten thousand dollars, on account of his salary.
That on the application of the Board of War, a warrant issue on the treasurer, in favour of Joseph Carleton, paymaster to the said Board, for three thousand and nine hundred and sixty dollars, to enable the said Board to reimburse what shall appear to be due to Lieutenant Colonel Ternant, for his expences at Havannah; and for which the said Joseph Carleton is to be accountable.
That on the application of Chaloner and White, agents for Jeremiah Wadsworth, late commissary general of purchases, a warrant issue on the treasurer, in their favour, on account of Jeremiah Wadsworth aforesaid, for seventy seven thousand dollars, to enable the said commissary general to make payment in part for a certain quantity of flour that appears to have been borrowed for the public service in September last, and for which no satisfaction hath been made; and for which the said Jeremiah Wadsworth is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 469.]
Ordered, That Peter Hysler be referred to the department of the quarter master general, for the settlement of his account set forth in his memorial.2
[Note 2: 2 "Reconsidered, 8th, and struck out, and a new order made."--Thomson's marginal note.]
The Board of Treasury, to whom was referred the memorial of Peter Hysler, brought in a report.
Ordered, That the memorial be re-committed to the Board of Treasury.
The Board of Treasury, to whom was referred the memorial of Alexander Benstead, paymaster to the 10th Pensylvania regiment, brought in a report; Whereupon,
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That the said memorial with other papers on the same subject have been submitted to the consideration of the auditors of the main army who have examined into the loss therein set forth of one thousand nine hundred and eighty seven dollars, and have reported that it is the opinion of the Officers, who should be best acquainted with the matter, that the said Alexander Benstead was actually robbed of the sum aforesaid by Enoch Wright Adjutant to the same regiment. That Colo. Hubley of the same regiment and Colo. North of the ninth Pennsylvania Regiment have attested that they believe that the said Alexander Benstead was robbed of the sum aforesaid in the manner set forth in said memorial.
Resolved, That the memorialist be allowed to debit the United States with the sum of one thousand nine hundred and eighty seven dollars; and that he receive credit for the same on the settlement of his accounts.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, IV, folio 463.]
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the letter of the 10 July, from General Washington; Whereupon,
The Committee to whom was referred Genl Washington's letter of the 18th [10th] Of July last, on the subject of an exchange of prisoners with the enemy and a provision for rendering easy and comfortable the situation of those of our troops who are in captivity. And also such part of Brigadier General Moultrie's letter of 30 June as relates to the situation of the troops who are prisoners in Charles Town, beg leave to report, That they concur in opinion with Gen(1) Washington that a general exchange of officers and privates however strongly urged by motives of humanity, would at this juncture be highly impolitic, as in case of offensive operations against the enemy, the advantages that would result to them, by a reinforcement of their army for defence in consequence of a general exchange, would be vastly superior to those which these United States could possibly derive from it, by affording them a permanent augmentation, and by rendering every private they might thus gain, equal on the lowest scale of calculation, to two to be acquired by us. But this Committee are of opinion that these objections do not militate at least so forcibly, against an exchange confined to officers only; and that the
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idea of such an exchange is favored both by policy and humanity, and if founded on the double basis of equality of Rank and of Composition, might, with a due attention to the order of Captivity, safely be rendered as extensive in its execution as the respective numbers of prisoners of war, and the Convention officers on parole at New York (Generals Phillips and Riedesel and their families excepted) will admit.
With respect to a suitable provision for the Troops of the United States who are prisoners of war at New York and Charlestown, the Committee are of opinion, that provision should be made for the subsistance of the officers, and to enable them to procure necessary cloathing: for making good the deficiency of the short rations allowed by the enemy to the privates: for a supply of medicines and proper diet for the sick, and for cloathing the privates in such manner as to keep them from suffering. That for these purposes a resident Commissary of prisoners in each of those places ought to be appointed on the part of these United States, to be allowed of by the enemy--thro' which Commissary the Officers and privates in captivity might derive the above mentioned supplies. That the Committee are of opinion, that except in such instances wherein a supply of Provisions may be necessary, specie should be remitted to such Commissaries respectively, to be raised by the sale of public Bills of Exchange, but they are further of opinion that an estimate for such supplies should be made and reported by the Board of War, with whom all returns of the Troops as well prisoners as others are officially lodged, and to whom the furnishing such supplies, and the means of furnishing the same should be committed and that General Washington should be directed to take the necessary steps for securing.
Upon the whole the Committee beg leave to recommend to Congress the following Resolutions, to wit:
Resolved, That it is at present inexpedient to extend the exchange of prisoners with the enemy to privates, but That General Washington be and he is hereby authorized to effectuate an exchange of officers, either on the footing of equal rank, or on composition, or both, as the cases may respectively require, confining the exchange on that of composition for officers only, and having due regard to the
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order of captivity; such exchange to be rendered as extensive as possible in its execution, so as not only to include, on the part of the enemy, prisoners of war, but also the officers of the Convention troops, now on parole at New York Generals Phillips and Riedesel and their respective families excepted.
Ordered, That the Board of War form and report an estimate of supplies for the subsistance and cloathing of the officers belonging to the armies of the United States, or who were taken in their service and remain prisoners of war, either at New York or Charlestown South Carolina, or elsewhere in these United States, and for making good to the privates, prisoners in those places, the deficiency of the short rations allowed to them by the enemy, and providing them with necessary cloathing; and also of the contingent charges that may be occasioned by sickness among the prisoners; and that they report the ways and means by which the above mentioned supplies may be best furnished.
Ordered, That General Washington take the necessary steps for establishing a resident commissary of prisoners at New York, and Major General Gates another in South Carolina or Georgia, to have the care of the prisoners in those places, according to the usage and custom of war.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of John Morin Scott, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 291.]
The committee on the state of South Carolina and Georgia brought in a farther report, which was taken into consideration; and thereupon,
Resolved, That the sum of balance remainder of 1,430,239 8/9 the quota of ten millions of dollars, required of the commonwealth of Virginia by the act of Congress of the 19 May, 1780, be appropriated to the pay and subsistance of the continental army in the southern department, and that the executive of Virginia be requested to send on the same
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when collected, to Major General Gates, to be applied for the purposes aforesaid, as he shall direct.
That Bills of exchange to the amount of 100,000 Dollars drawn on -- be sent to Maryland, Virginia and No. Carolina in the Postponed. following proportions, 35,000 Dollars to Maryland, 35,000 Dollars to Virginia and 30,000 Dollars to No. Carolina, to be disposed of in order to raise an immediate supply of money for the southern army.
Congress having been informed, that many persons in Virginia and North Carolina in the southern department, from Virginia to Georgia, inclusive, have shewn a willingness to serve as volunteer horsemen, finding their own horses and accoutrements, in the southern department during the during the present campaign; and being also fully convinced of the necessity of having a body of horse in the field to serve in that department:
Resolved, That it be recommended to the executive of Virginia and North Carolina the said states, respectively, to encourage and promote the raising corps of volunteer horsemen, not exceeding 500 in the whole, submitting to Major General Gates the number that shall be raised in each state, and that they be authorized to give the following assurances on behalf of Congress:
That officers and privates, so serving as volunteer horsemen in the southern department, during the present campaign, shall be intitled to the same pay and rations as officers and privates of the continental light dragoons, with an addition of one-sixth of a dollar in specie, or other money equivalent, per day, for the use of their horses; such pay, rations, and allowance, to commence from the time of their arrival at head quarters, or joining any detachment of the southern army, by order of Major General Gates; provided that such horsemen shall engage to serve during the campaign, or at least for the term of four months, after they shall join the army, or a detachment thereof, unless sooner discharged.
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That, if any horses belonging to such volunteers shall be killed or unavoidably lost, while in actual service, Congress will credit the State to which the owners of such horses belonged for the value; provided, that such horses shall have been properly valued, on oath, agreeably to the laws of the said states, as in cases of horses impressed, and that the valuation do not exceed one hundred dollars in specie for one horse.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Joseph Jones, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, II, folio 400. It is indorsed by Thomson: "Delivered Aug. 7, 1780; first and last paragraphs passed Aug. 7, 1780; 2d postponed:"]
Ordered, That the remainder of the report be postponed.
On motion of Mr. [Timothy] Matlack, seconded by Mr. [Roger] Sherman,
Ordered, That the Medical Committee report as soon as may be, the state of the military hospitals within the State of Pensylvania, specifying particularly the number of physicians, surgeons, mates, matrons and attendants residing in Pensylvania, and the places they are employed in, and also the number of the sick.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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