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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, MAY 21, 1781
A letter, of 22, and one, of 27 April, from Major General Greene, were read, with sundry papers enclosed:1
[Note 1: 1 The letter of the 22nd April is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 155, II, folio 39; that of the 27th on folio 47.]
Ordered, That they be referred to a committee of three:
The members, Mr. [Joseph] Jones, Mr. [Daniel of St. Thomas] Jenifer, Mr. [John] Mathews.
A letter, of 11 March, from W. Carmichael,2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, (Wharton), IV, 279.]
A letter; of 17th, from General Washington; and
One, of 17th, from R. Morris, enclosing a plan of a bank, were read:
Ordered, That Wednesday next be assigned for considering the enclosed plan.
A letter, of this day, from J. Pierce, paymaster general, was read, requesting permission to repair to head quarters:3
[Note 3: 3 Washington's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, X, folio 107; it is printed in the Writings of Washington (Ford) IX, 250. Morris's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, I, folios 15--27; Pierce's is in No. 165, folio 633.]
Ordered, That leave be granted.
The report of the committee of the week was read; Whereupon,
The Committee for the week Report.
Referred to the Treasury to take order.
Referred to the Board of War to take order.
Referred to the Board of War to take order.
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Ordered, to lie on the table till Congress determine with regard to making up Depreciation to officers not of the line of the army.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Samuel Johnston, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 32, folio 435.]
Ordered, That a letter of 19, from J. Hiltzheimer be referred to the Board of Treasury to take order;2
[Note 2: 2 Hiltzheimer's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 325.]
That the letter, of 20, from Major Epaps Bull; and
The letter, of 20, from Major D. S. Franks; be referred to the Board of War to take order;3
[Note 3: 3 Bull's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, IV, folio 175; Franks's is in No. 78, IX, folio 481.]
That a petition from Andrew Brown lie on the table.
Ordered, That a committee of the week be appointed:
The members, Mr. [Samuel John] Atlee, Mr. [Samuel] Livermore, Mr. [Nicholas] Eveleigh.
The committee to whom was referred the letter from Major General Gates, delivered in a report, which was read.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Treasury Office, May 19th 1781.
The Board having considered the letter from John Pierce Paymaster general dated the 17th instant, referred to them by Congress the 18th. beg leave to report,
That the new bills of Massachusetts and New Jersey will not answer the purpose of paying the troops to the southward under the command of the Marquis de la Fayette, whereupon the following order is submitted.
Ordered, That John Pierce, paymaster general, pay to the several detachments of troops now under the command of Major General the Marquis de la Fayette to the southward four months' pay, amounting to thirty-four thousand three hundred and three dollars of the new emissions out of the warrant drawn in his favour on the commissioner of the loan office for the State of Virginia, dated the 15 instant for 237,279 dollars like emissions; and that Colonel Benjamin Tupper of the Massachusetts line pay to the said paymaster general
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twenty-one thousand dollars of the new emission of the State of Massachusetts now in his hands received for the purpose of paying the troops aforesaid, for which sum the said J. Pierce shall pass his receipt to Colonel Tupper and transmit the money to head quarters for the purpose of paying the troops there;1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 317.]
Treasury Office, May 19th, 1781.
The Board beg leave to lay before Congress a Letter from Col. Pickering Qr. Master General, dated at New Bergh the 14th Instant setting forth the necessity of an immediate supply of money for that department.
That upon the application of Mr. N[icholas] Eveleigh, one of the delegates for the State of South Carolina, a warrant issue in his favour on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, for six hundred dollars of the new emission, for which the said State of South Carolina is to be accountable;2
[Note 2: 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 315.]
That the letter, of 14, from Colonel Pickering, quartermaster general, be referred to the Board of Treasury to report.3
[Note 3: 3 Pickering's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 321.]
The report of the committee ∥consisting of Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Varnum and Mr. Atleel∥ on the letter, of 18, from Major General Gates, was taken into consideration; Whereupon,
The Committee to whom was referred General Gates' letter, beg leave to report, that the resolutions of the fifth of October last did not necessarily infer a suspension of command in the line of the Army at large; and as the situation of the Southern Department has prevented the Court of Inquiry from being held in pursuance of said resolutions, and as such Court cannot probably soon [be] convened, Congress may think fit to resolve, that General Gates take command, as General Washington shall direct, till such inquiry be made.4
[Note 4: 4 This report, in the writing of James Mitchell Varnum, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, II, folio 399.]
Resolved, That the resolutions of the 5th of October last, "directing a court of enquiry to be held on the conduct of
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Major General Gates, as commander of the southern army; and directing the Commander in Chief to appoint an officer to command the southern army in the room of General Gates, until such enquiry be made"; did not operate as a suspension of General Gates from his command in the line of the army at large, as a major general; and, as from the situation of affairs in the southern department, such court of enquiry cannot be speedily held, that Major General Gates be informed, that he is at liberty to repair to head quarters, and take such command as the Commander in Chief shall direct.1
[Note 1: 1 A copy of this resolution, in Charles Thomson's writing, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, II, folio 401.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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