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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, MAY 31, 1781
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
Treasury Office, May 30th, 1781.
Upon the recommitment of the report of the Board dated the 24th instant in favor of the Paymaster General the following order is submitted:
Ordered, That a warrant issue on John Pierce, paymaster general, in favour of Cha Pettit, assistant quartermaster general, on account of Colonel T. Pickering, quartermaster general, for twenty-one thousand two hundred and fifty-three dollars and one third of a dollar in the new emission issued by the eastern states, and which, by the representation of the paymaster general, is now at head quarters for the purpose of paying the troops to the southward under the command of Major General the Marquis de la Fayette, for which sum the said Colonel T. Pickering, quartermaster general, is to be accountable; and in order to replace the said sum that a warrant issue on John Hopkins, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Virginia, in favour of the paymaster general, for 21253 30/90 dollars new emission, for the purpose of paying four months' pay to the Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire lines, the corps of artillery, sappers and miners now to the southward as aforesaid, agreeably to the estimate of the said paymaster general, for which sum he is to be accountable.
Upon the Memorial of Benjamin Armitage referred by Congress the Board beg leave to report
That the Memorialist did obtain a Warrant for specie Value payable in the new Bills, as he sets forth which the Board believe is unpaid, but as they cannot undertake to say, what additional Compensation shall be paid to the Memorialist, or alter the value of the new Bills compared with Specie, they cannot report thereon, otherwise than to request, that they may be instructed at what rate to compare the said Bills with Coin.
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The Board beg leave further to report,
That on the application of the honorable the delegates for the State of Virginia, upon an estimate furnished by George Nicholson for David Ross, agent for the said State, a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, in favor of the said George Nicholson, for ten thousand dollars of the new emission, for the purpose of paying for the repairs of arms and other purposes in the said estimate set forth, the said State of Virginia to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 347.]
This to have preference to all others not specially directed in payment.
The committee, ∥consisting of Mr. Varnum, Mr. Atlee, Mr. Bland,∥ to whom was re-committed their report on the motion of Mr. [Theodorick] Bland; and who were directed to confer with the Board of War, delivered in a report; Whereupon, it was resolved as follows:
Whereas the British King Regardless of the rights of mankind and of the United States in particular, continues the ravages of War with relentless fury, and whereas the enemy's force is principally operating in the States of Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia and whereas the deficiencies of the Continental regular lines make it necessary to call forth a respectable body of Militia until those lines be compleated it is therefore earnestly recommended to the State of Pennsylvania immediately to raise, arm, accoutre and equip for the field two thousand, one-brigade of infantry-consisting of four battalions of Infantry, each battalion to consist of nine companies of sixty four rank and file each; also a company of Artillery consisting of thirty two matrosses, and a Corps of horse consisting of sixty four troopers, each Corps to be officered as near as may be to similar Corps in the Continental Army according to the establishment of the third and 21st of October A. D. 1780. It is also earnestly recommended to the State of Delaware to immediately raise, arm, equip and accoutre for the field one battalion of Infantry, consisting of nine Companies of sixty four rank
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and file each, and a Corps of Horse consisting of thirty two troopers to be officered in manner aforesaid, and it is also earnestly recommended to the said states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland to cause the said troops as soon as raised, armed, accoutred, and equipped as aforesaid to be marched by detachments or otherwise to such parts of the states of Maryland or Virginia place or places as the Commander in Chief shall direct, to remain in service for and during the space of three months from the times of their respectively rendezvousing in either of the states last mentioned, and be subject to the orders of the said Commander in Chief; it is also earnestly recommended to the State of Maryland, immediately to raise, arm, equip, accoutre for the field, three 2 battalions of Infantry consisting of nine Companies of sixty four rank and file each, and a Corps of Cavalry, 64 troopers, to be officered in the manner aforesaid and rendezvous at such place as the Commander in Chief shall direct so as the more effectually to cover the said State of Maryland from the invasions of the enemy, and to act in conjunction with the Army in Virginia when consistent with their first mentioned object if found necessary, these troops to continue in service three months from their times of rendezvous respectively. Be it ordained by the United States in Congress Assembled that the troops aforesaid shall receive the same pay, rations and subsistence as troops of the Army of the United States.
Your Committee not having gone thro' the Report on the papers committed to them beg leave to sit again.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Mitchell Varnum, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 31, folio 271. The final paragraph is in the writing of Theodorick Bland.]
Whereas the British king, regardless of the rights of mankind, and of the United States in particular, continues the ravages of war with relentless fury; and whereas the enemy's force is principally operating in the states of Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia; and whereas the deficiency of the continental regular lines, and it is found makes it absolutely necessary to call forth a respectable body of militia, as an aid to the regular troops now employed till those lines be
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compleated; it is therefore earnestly recommended to the State of Pennsylvania, immediately to raise, arm, accoutre and equip for the field, four battalions of infantry, each battalion to consist of nine companies of sixty-four rank and file each: also a company of artillery, consisting of thirty-two matrosses; and a corps of horse, consisting of sixty-four troopers; each corps to be officered as near as may be to similar corps in the continental army, according to the establishment of the 3d and 21st of October, 1780. It is also earnestly recommended to the State of Delaware, to immediately raise, arm, equip and accoutre for the field, one battalion of infantry, consisting of nine companies of sixty-four rank and file each; and a corps of horse, consisting of thirty-two troopers; to be officered in the manner aforesaid. It is also earnestly recommended to the State of Maryland, immediately to raise, arm, equip and accoutre for the field, two battalions of infantry, consisting of nine companies of sixty-four rank and file each; and a corps of cavalry of sixty-four troopers; to be officered in the manner aforesaid. And it is farther recommended to the States of Pensylvania, Delaware and Maryland, to cause the said troops, as soon as raised, armed, accoutred and equipped, as aforesaid, to be marched by detachments or otherwise, to such place or places as the Commander in Chief shall direct, to remain in service for and during the space of three months, from the time of their respectively rendezvousing at the place or places directed, unless sooner discharged by Congress or the Commander in Chief, and to be subject to the orders of the said Commander in Chief. And be it ordained by the United States in Congress assembled, that the troops aforesaid shall receive the same pay, rations and subsistance, as the troops of the army of the United States.
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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