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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 --TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1781
On a report of the Board of War to whom was referred a memorial of F. Bremar:
War Office November 20th 1781.
The Board having taken into consideration the memorial of T. Bremar Esq. late deputy Commissary of musters in the Southern Department, referred to them from Congress and beg leave to observe that the case of this gentleman is in every particular similar to that of Lieut. Colonel Massey late Muster Master of that Army, who has received three months' effective pay by the resolution of the 28th. September last, and as the Board conceive that the services and misfortunes of the memorialist entitle him to the same distinctions, that have been shown to Colonel Massey they beg leave to recommend the following resolution:
Ordered, That the Board of War draw a warrant on the paymaster general in favour of F. Bremar, Esquire, late deputy muster master to the southern army for three months' pay on account, for which sum he is to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, II, folio 453.]
On a report of the Board of War, on an application of Lieutenant Jenkins:
At a Board Of War November 16th, 1781.
Present, Mr Peters
General Cornell
Lieutenant Jenkins hath applied to the Board agreeable to his orders of which the enclosed is a copy and hath presented the enclosed copy of a petition to the Assembly of Connecticut the prayer whereof he alledges was not complied with.
It appears reasonable to the Board that the State of Connecticut should settle the depreciation of those officers and soldiers pay as they are part of that State's quota at this time, and incorporated in one of their Regiments; unless that State acknowledges them the Board are at a loss to know on what principles they are accounted as part of their quota having never been at any expence in recruiting or paying their bounties. It is needless to say more than that they are soldiers and inhabitants of the United States and the only reason that induces the Board to think the State of Connecticut ought to
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make good their depreciation, is their being in the service of that State.
If Congress should be of opinion that the depreciation ought to be settled by Connecticut they will please to resolve--
That it be recommended to the State of Connecticut to settle the depreciation of the pay of those officers and soldiers of the Independent Companies raised at Wioming who are now in service, and incorporated in the Regiments of that State on the same principles adopted by them for the officers and soldiers of their Line.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, II, folio 457.]
Resolved, That the two independent companies raised by Captains Durkee and Ransom, be considered as part of the quota of troops of the State of Connecticut, in whose regiments they are incorporated; provided the said State settle with them for the depreciation on their pay; and that it be recommended to the said State of Connecticut, to settle the depreciation of their pay upon the same principles adopted by them for the officers and soldiers of their line.
On a report of a committee, consisting of Mr. [Ezekiel] Cornell, Mr. [Edmund] Randolph, and Mr. [Daniel] Carroll, to whom was referred a letter of 17 November, from [the] superintendant of finance:
The Committee to whom was referred the letter from the Agent of Marine of the 17th. of November 1781 respecting the institution of Courts of Inquiry report as follows:
That by the resolution of the 7th. of February 1781, constituting the Secretaryship of Marine, the Secretary derives no power to institute a Court of Inquiry, either from special words, or from the reference to the resolution of the 28th of October 1779, establishing a Board of Admiralty since that Board derived their authority on this subject from a resolution of the 8th. of February 1780.
That the Agent of Marine is not authorized to exercise the powers of the Board of Admiralty in this respect as they were not delegated to him by special words, nor was there a general transfer of the powers of that Board to the Agent of Marine, Whereupon:
Resolved, That the powers vested by the resolutions of the 8 of February, 1780, in the Board of Admiralty and navy
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board respectively, in case of the loss of any ship or vessel of war in the service of the United States, be vested in the secretary of marine; or until he be appointed and enter upon the execution of his office, in the agent of marine; except that neither the secretary nor agent of marine shall be authorised to sit in any court of enquiry.
Resolved, That it shall be the duty of the secretary or agent of marine, to transmit to the United States in Congress assembled, the proceedings of any court of inquiry holden under the said resolution with his own proceedings in consequence thereof as well as those of courts-martial previous to the execution of any capital sentence which may be awarded.
Resolved, That the powers and duties hereby assigned to the secretary or agent of marine, be assigned to the superintendant of finance, to be exercised by him until such secretary or agent of marine shall be appointed1.
[Note 1: 1 This report, in the writing of Edmund Randolph, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, folio 339.]
Resolved, That the Board of War cause to be delivered to the order of the delegates of North Carolina, with all possible dispatch, one thousand muskets of those lately taken from the enemy in Virginia, which together with the order given for the like number by the Board on General Knox, when received, is to be considered as the completion of the resolution of the 26th. of April last, so far as respects the said State.
Resolved That the Board of War cause to be delivered with the said muskets, two thousand cartridge boxes, six thousand gun flints, two thousand pounds gun powder, twenty thousand cartridges, one thousand pound of musket ball from the military stores taken from the enemy in Virginia, and charge the same to the said State.2
[Note 2: 2 These resolutions, in the writing of Benjamin Hawkins, are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 235. They were presented on this day, as the indorsement shows, and referred to the Board of War.]
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At a Board of War November 16th. 1781.
Present, Mr Peters
General Cornell
The Board have considered the motion made by General Varnum and referred to them by Congress and report the following resolutions:
Resolved, That from and after the first day of January next no more General Officers be retained in the field than shall be absolutely necessary for the command of the troops in service.
Resolved, That the Commander in Chief do from time to time as occasion may require make known to the Secretary at War the number of General Officers that he shall deem necessary to be in the field in the main and separate armies, and different parts of the United States and that upon the receipt thereof the Secretary at War shall issue his orders to such General Officers as he shall think proper to remain in or take the field for the purpose of completing the said number.
Resolved, That all General Officers not in the field agreeable to the aforegoing resolutions shall be considered to be on the half pay establishment liable to be called into the field by the Secretary at War, whenever his services shall be necessary, unless such officer shall choose to remain on the half pay establishment, in which case it shall be at the election of the officer provided he make it at the time he first enters upon the half pay establishment and certifies the same to the Secretary at War.
Provided also that whenever any officer takes the field in obedience to orders from the Secretary at War, he shall receive every allowance and emolument that officers in actual service are entitled to during the time of his continuance in actual command.
Resolved, That the Commander in Chief be and he is hereby requested to conform himself as near as circumstances will permit, in pointing out the number of General Officers necessary to be in the field from time to time to the following proportion to wit, That the command of a Brigadier General consist of three Regiments when complete otherwise of eighteen hundred rank and file, and that a Major General be retained for every two Brigadiers exclusive of separate Departments.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, II, folio 479. It is indorsed: "November 20, 1781, postponed."
On this day, according to the indorsement, a letter dated July 30, from Rawleigh Colston, dated Cape François July 39, 1781, was referred to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, VI, folio 47.
Also a letter of October 25th from General Greene was read and referred to the Board of War. It is in No. 155, II, folio 361.]
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