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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, DECEMBER 24, 1781
Mr. [Jonathan] Elmer, a delegate for New Jersey, attended. On a report from the Secretary at War,
War Office 21st December 1781.
Sir,
The method hitherto practiced in the Army of inlisting men to serve as fifers and drummers and paying them additional pay is attended with manifest injury to the service for nothing is more common than to see men employed in that duty who are in every respect fit for soldiers, whilst boys hardly able to bear arms are put into the ranks, and the Commanding officers of Corps have not the power of remedying this evil without violating the engagement of the men enlisted as drummers or fifers.
I therefore wish Congress would be pleased to order, that for the future no recruit should be engaged as drummer or fifer; but that
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the commanding officers of Corps should be authorized to employ such of their men on that duty from time to time as shall be most proper and that the additional pay to such who shall be so employed hereafter shall be appropriated to the repair of their drums and fifes. Also that the number of men employed on that duty in any Corps, shall not exceed the proportion allowed the respective Corps in the establishment.
If Congress should approve of these sentiments I beg to submit to their consideration the propriety of passing the inclosed minutes of a resolve:
Resolved, That in future no recruit shall be inlisted to serve as a drummer or fifer. When such are wanted, they shall be taken from the soldiers of the corps, in such numbers and of such description as the Commander in Chief or the commanding officer of a seperate army shall direct, and be returned back and others drawn out as often as the good of the service shall make necessary.
That all drummers and fifers, after being supplied each with a good drum and fife, shall keep the same in repair by stoppages from his pay, in such manner as the commanding officer of the corps shall order.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 149, I, folio 59; the resolution being on folio 57.]
A letter, from the superintendant of finance, was read, wherein he requests that Congress will be pleased to appoint two auditors as soon as may be convenient.2
[Note 2: 2 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 137, I, folio 253.]
An ordinance respecting the hospital department was read the first time:
Ordered, That Wednesday next be assigned for the second reading of this ordinance.
On a report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [James] Lovell, Mr. [Roger] Sherman, and Mr. [George] Clymer, to whom was referred so much of a report from the Committee of Commerce as relates to the salary of Mr. William Bingham,
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The Committee to whom was referred the Report of the Commercial Committee respecting the salary and expences of Mr Bingham as political Agent of Congress in the French West Indies report the same resolution as was presented by the Commercial Committee, viz:
Resolved, That there be passed to the credit of William Bingham, esq, on the treasury books, the sum of one hundred and ten thousand three hundred and twenty-four livres of Martinique, due to him as the political agent of the United States in the French West Indies, to bear an interest [of six per cent. per annum,] from the 14 day of June last.1
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of James Lovell, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, I, folio 351. The words in brackets were added in Congress.]
Wednesday and Friday employed in the second reading of the ordinance on the hospital department, which, after debate, was referred to a new committee.2
[Note 2: 2 On December 24, was read a letter of 10th from the Governor of New Hampshire. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 64, folio 210.
On December 24, according to the indorsement, was read a letter of December 21 from Richard Peters. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XVIII, folio 473.
Also a letter of December 24 from General Washington. It is in No. 152, X, folio 417.]
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