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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, OCTOBER 21, 1780
A letter, of 10, from Governor Jefferson was read; Whereupon,
Resolved, That the reasons assigned by his excellency Governor Jefferson for inviting Oconostota and a few other principal warriors of the Cherokee nation to visit Congress and the Commander in Chief and army are wise and prudent, and that Governor Jefferson's letter with the papers enclosed, be referred to the Board of War, who are directed to take
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order for the accommodation of the said chiefs on their arrival.1
[Note 1: 1 This resolution was also entered in the manuscript Secret (Domestic) Journal.]
A memorial from Mr. J[ohn] Sullivan was read, accompanied with sundry papers:2
[Note 2: 2 This memorial, dated October 21, 1780, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, IX, folio 125.]
Ordered, That the same be referred to the Board of Treasury.
Ordered, That the letter, of the 17, from E. Blaine, commissary general of purchases, be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [John] Henry, Mr. [John] Mathews and Mr. [Abraham] Clark.
Ordered, That the letter, of 29 September, from Colonel Pickering Q. M. G. be referred to a committee of three:
The members chosen, Mr. [Jared] Ingersol, Mr. [Theoderick] Bland and Mr [Ezekiel] Cornell.
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That the letters from the Chevalier du Buysson, desiring leave to return to Europe, be referred to the Commander in Chief to act thereupon as he shall think proper.3
[Note 3: 3 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 613.]
Congress took into consideration the report of the Board of Admiralty on Mr. Duer's account for spars; after debate,
Ordered, That it be re-committed to report specially.
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee on General Washington's letter, of 11th, when a motion was made by Mr. [James] Duane, seconded by Mr. [John] Sullivan, to add to the report the following resolution:
That the officers who shall continue in the service to the end of the war, shall also be entitled to half pay during life, to commence from the time of their reduction. On which the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [John] Sullivan,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
The report being amended to read as follows:
That the several regiments of infantry, requested from the respective states, by a resolution of the 3d instant be augmented, and consist of one colonel, one lieutenant colonel and one major, where the full colonels are continued: or one lieutenant colonel commandant and two majors, where the colonels are not continued; 9 captains, 22 subalterns, 1 surgeon, I surgeon's mate, 1 serjeant major, 1 quartermaster serjeant, 45 serjeants, 1 drum major, 1 fife major, 10 drums, 10 fifes, 612 rank and file:
That there be one captain and two subalterns to each company, and that the four supernumerary subalterns shall each have the rank of lieutenant, one of which is to reside in the State to which he belongs, to inlist and forward on recruits; one drum and one fife from each regiment to attend the recruiting officer; the other three supernumerary officers to
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do the duty of paymaster, quartermaster and adjutant, in their respective regiments.
That the regiments of artillery be augmented to ten companies each.
That, instead of four regiments of cavalry, there be four legionary corps, consisting of four troops of mounted dragoons and two of dismounted dragoons, each consisting of sixty privates, with the same number of commissioned and non-commissioned officers to each troop as at present.
That there be two partizan corps, consisting of three troops of mounted and three of dismounted dragoons, of fifty each, one of which corps to be commanded by Colonel Armand, and the other by Major Lee, and officered by appointment of the Commander in Chief, with the approbation of Congress: and that the Commander in Chief be authorised to direct a mode for compleating, recruiting and supplying the said corps.
That the whole of the troops be inlisted during the war, and join their respective corps by the first day of January next.
That the Commander in Chief and commanding officer in the southern department, direct the officers of each state to meet and agree upon the officers for the regiments to be raised by their respective states, from those who incline to continue in service; and where it cannot be done by agreement, to determine the same by lot be determined by seniority, and make return of those who are to remain, which is to be transmitted to Congress, together with the names of the officers reduced, who are to be allowed half pay for seven years, one half to be paid in a year after the conclusion of a peace and the other half in two years after their reduction life.
[That the officers who shall continue in the service to the end of the war, shall also be entitled to half pay during life, to commence from the time of their reduction.]
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It is also recommended to the Respective States to appoint and arange from their reduced officers a Sufficient number to Command the following number of Regiments viz
Those officers to Draw only half pay unless Called upon by Congress to Take Command in which Case they are to receive the same pay and Rations as other officers of Equal Rank. 1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the writing of John Sullivan and is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folios 305, 3072, except the paragraph in brackets, which is in James Duane's writing, and is in folio 3071.]
On the question to agree to the whole as amended, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Samuel] Huntington,
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So it was resolved in the affirmative.
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, That John Bradford, continental agent at Boston, deliver to the quartermaster general, or his order, all the duck in his hands suitable for tents, the property of the United States, to be made up into tents for the army, reserving only so much thereof, as in the opinion of the Board of Admiralty is necessary for the immediate supply of the navy.
That the Board of Admiralty forthwith give the necessary information to the said agent, that whatsoever is not appropriated to the use of the navy, may be delivered over to the quartermaster general without delay.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, IV, folio 609.]
A letter, of 4, from W. Rickman, was read; Whereupon,2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XIX, folio 319.]
Ordered, That Dr. Rickman be informed, that pursuant to his former request, he is left out in the new arrangement of the hospital department.
That the letter be referred to the Board of Treasury, and that the Board take the proper steps to have his accounts finally adjusted.
The Committee of Estimates and Ways and Means delivered in a report.
On motion of Mr. [John] Mathews, seconded by Mr. [John] Sullivan,
Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to draught a letter to the states, representing fully the present situation of our affairs and urging in the strongest terms the necessity of their contributing effectual aid and support, in order to extricate these United States from impending danger, to baffle the designs of the enemy and conduct the war to a happy issue:
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The members chosen, Mr. [John Morin] Scott, Mr. [John] Mathews, Mr. [John] Henry, Mr. [John] Sullivan and Mr. [Jared] Ingersol.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday next.
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