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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 --THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 1781
The Board of Admiralty delivered in a report, which was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum, Mr. [William] Sharpe, Mr. [James] Duane.
The committee on the letter, of 24 February, from E. Forman;
The committee on General Washington's letter, of 20 December, 1780; and
The Committee to whom Genl Washington's letter of the 20th of December was referred beg leave to report the following resolutions--
Resolved, That Battallion promotions in the Infantry, to the rank of Commanding Officer inclusive, where such Battallion is annexed to any State, shall be in the Line of such State;
That in Regiments of Infantry not annexed to particular States, promotions to the rank of Commanding Officer inclusive, be Regimental;
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That Regimental promotions in the Artillery to the rank of Commanding Officer inclusive, shall be in the Line of Artillery at large;
That Regimental promotions in the Cavalry to the rank of Commanding Officer inclusive, shall be in the Line of Cavalry at large.
With respect to promoting Battallion Officers to the rank of Brigadiers, your Committee beg leave to report as their opinion, That such promotions if confined to States that furnish one or more Brigades, will exclude the smaller States, and of course destroy all pretensions to promotions by officers of such States, whatever may be their pretensions arising from seniority. That permitting them to take place among the States in rotation will be no less injurious. And that promotions from the eldest Battallion Officers in the Army, will not only be injurious to officers belonging to the larger States, but will have a tendency to place troops coming from one extreme of the Continent under the command of a Brigadier coming from another, who cannot be so well acquainted with the temper and disposition of the Troops as an officer taken from among themselves.
To prevent these inconveniences, your Committee have thought proper to confine the promotion of Brigadiers to certain districts, in each of which, Brigadiers when wanting shall be made from the Senior Battallion Officer of that district, without regard to any particular State. And they beg leave to submit the following Resolution, viz.
Resolved, That so far as respects the promotions of Battallion Officers to the rank of Brigadiers, the States of New Hampshire and Massachusetts be considered as making four Brigades
Rhode Island and Connecticut two Brigades
New York, New Jersey and Hazen's Regiment two Brigades
Pennsylvania two Brigades
Delaware and Maryland, two Brigades
Virginia and North Carolina four Brigades
South Carolina and Georgia one Brigade
Resolved, That whenever a Brigadier shall be wanting for the Troops of either of those districts, he shall be made from the senior Battallion Officer, without regarding the State to which he belongs;
Resolved, That in the Cavalry and Artillery, Brigadiers shall be made from the eldest Regimental Officers in those Corps respectively;
Resolved, That Major Generals shall be made from the eldest Brigadiers in the army, whether belonging to the Infantry, Cavalry or Artillery;
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Resolved, That all Brigadiers hereafter made, shall take relative rank agreeable to the date of their last Battallion Commissions;
Resolved, That Tench Tilghman receive the commission of Lieutenant Colonel to take rank from theday of
Resolved, That Doctor McHenry receive the commission of Major to take rank from theday of
Resolved, That officers not annexed to any Line, serving in the family of the Commander in Chief, and those serving as Aids de Camp with other general officers, retain the same rank they now hold, and shall be entitled to promotion when they become the eldest officers of that Rank in the Line of the Army.
Resolved That officers reduced by the late arrangement, may at any time previous to the first day of Jany next, exchange commissions with officers of the same State, and of the same rank in the army under the direction, and with the approbation of the Commander in Chief
Resolved, That Volunteers serving one campaign, may with the approbation of the Commander in Chief, receive Brevet Commissions in the lowest grade of subalterns, not to receive pay till placed in command, and shall not be entitled to half pay for life, till annexed to some Line.
All officers not connected with Corps, and now entitled to rank in the army by this arrangement, shall be considered as reduced and receive half pay, so long as they reside within the United States, or owe allegiance to the same.
Resolved, That the Commander in Chief may employ such reduced officers as he shall think proper in the military staff, or in the Inspectors Department, who are constantly to attend their duty in the army.
Resolved, That all officers who are Hostages, and are liable to be called for by the enemy, and are not continued in the Line of any State shall be entitled to their full pay until redeemed, and to half pay for life afterwards in the same manner as officers of equal rank reduced by the late arrangement; and that it be recommended to the respective States, in the Line of which they were at the time of their becoming Hostages, to make good to them their depreciation, and also to pay them such sums as are, or may become due to them, and charge the same to the United States.
Resolved, That Col. Dayton of the Jersey Line be promoted to the rank of Brigadier in the army of the United States.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of John Sullivan, is in thePapers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 337.]
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The committee on Major General Greene's letter; delivered in their respective reports.
The United States in Congress assembled were resolved into a Committee of the Whole, and after some time the President resumed the chair, and Mr. [John] Mathews reported that the committee have had under consideration the letter and papers to them referred, but not having come to a conclusion desire leave to sit again:
IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
On the subject of finance.
Papers read.--The letter of T. Pickering, quartermaster general, March 3, 1781, on the subject of salary and certificates, payable in specie or other money equivalent.
Resolution, August 23, 1780, respecting issuing certificates.
" Sept. 25, Explainingequivalent.
" " 26, Reconsidered.
" Nov. 22, Recommitted.1
[Note 1: 1 This memorandum of proceedings was entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, No. 8.]
Ordered, That to Morrow Congress be resolved into a Committee of the Whole, to consider farther the letter from T. Pickering, quartermaster general, and other papers on finance.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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