That there is due to major Harduen Merlet, for his pay and rations as captain from the 1st of September, 1775, to the 20th of January, 1776, 161.48 dollars; for his pay and rations as major, from the 20th of January, 1776, to the 15th of February, 1777, 563.20 dollars; the whole amounting to 724. 68 dollars: To Robert Patton, for cutting nine cords of wood for the use of Congress, 9 dollars. Ordered, That the said accounts be paid. Ordered, That the treasurer send 100,000 dollars to Benjamin Harrison, jun. esq. deputy pay-master general in Williamsburg, in Virginia, for the public service in his department; he to be accountable. The several matters to this day referred, being postponed, THURSDAY, March 27, 1777. A letter, of the 23d, from general Washington, was read, wherein he informs Congress, that he has given permission to colonel Palfrey, the paymaster general, to come to Philadelphia to settle his accounts: Ordered, That colonel Palfrey, the pay-master general, be referred for the settlement of his accounts to the commissioners appointed to audit and settle the accounts of the army under the immediate command of general Washington. A letter, of the 23d, from governor Johnson, of Maryland, to the secret committee, was laid before Congress, and read: Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war. Ordered, That Neil M'Arthur, and Alexander M'Kay, two of the NorthCarolina prisoners, who have executed bonds and given approved security for their good behaviour and inoffensive conduct towards the United States, and every of them, be permitted to go to North-Carolina, to solicit the assembly thereof, for permission to remain there in such place, and under such restrictions, as the said assembly shall direct; provided, that the said Neil M'Arthur, and Alexander M'Kay, if refused such permission, shall be under obligation to return to their place of destination in Fredericktown, in Maryland, as soon as may be, or otherwise shall be deemed to have broken their parole. Congress took into consideration the report of the medical committee; and, after debate, Ordered, That it be re-committed. Ordered, That two members be added to the medical committee: The members chosen, Mr. Clark and Mr. Ellery. A petition from Timothy Shalor, of the sloop Lion, was read, praying to be supplied with some rigging and 200 lb. of powder: Ordered, That it be referred to the secret committee, who are directed to supply him with the powder on his paying for the same, and alsowith the other articles if they cannot be purchased at private sale. The several matters to this day referred, being postponed, Adjourned to ten o'clock on Saturday. SATURDAY, March 29, 1777. A letter, of the 19th, from general Lee, at New-York; one, of the 26th, from governor Livingston, of New-Jersey, with sundry papers enclosed; and one, of the 16th, from lieutenant-colonel Antil, were read: Ordered, That the letter from governor Livingston, with the papers enclosed, be referred to the committee for enquiring into the conduct of the British army: that the letter from lieutenant-colonel Antil be referred to the board of treasury. Congress took into consideration the letter from gen. Lee; Whereupon, Resolved, That Congress still judge it improper to send any of their members to confer with general Lee upon the subjects mentioned in his letter. Ordered, That 500 dollars be advanced to the board of war for contingent services; the said board to be accountable. The board of war brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon, Ordered, That 20,000 dollars be paid to Mr. Robert Wood, pay-master of col. James Wood's regiment, raised in the state of Virginia, for the use of the said regiment, the colonel to be accountable, he having requested the supply by his letter of the 23d instant. Resolved, That the marine committee be authorized to advance to every able seaman that enters into the continental service, any sum, not exceeding 40 dollars, and to every ordinary seaman or landsman, any sum, not exceeding 20 dollars; to be deducted from their future prize-money. The committee, to whom the letter from the committee of Lancaster, in Pennsylvania, to the delegates of that state, together with the papers therein enclosed, were referred, brought in a report, which was read and considered: Whereupon, Congress came to the following resolution : Whereas Edmund Minyer, adjutant of the regiment commanded by col. Moses Hazen, stands charged by an inquisition, taken before the coroner of the county of Lancaster, in Pennsylvania, with the murder of Jacob Gross, late of the said county, deceased; Resolved, That the said Edmund Minyer be delivered to the civil authority of Pennsylvania, that he may receive his trial according to law. The board of war brought in a report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon, Resolved, That Mr. Aylett, deputy commissary-general in Virginia, be informed, in answer to his letter of the 14th instant, that the quantity of flour required by the commissary-general, must, by all means, be purchased; that Mr. R. Morris consents, on his part, to transfer to Mr. Aylett, for continental use, a quantity of flour, purchased in Virginia by Mr. Morris and Carter Braxton, esq. to whom Mr. Aylett is desired to apply for a release of his part of the concern: if this cannot be obtained, the like quantity, and as much more as will complete the commissary general's requisition, to be forthwith procured by Mr. Aylett wheresoever the same can be bought in the state of Virginia. That Mr. Aylett be also informed, that Congress approve of the prices offered by him for corn, and that he proceed in the purchase of the quantity wanted by Congress or the commissary-general, at as low prices as the same can be obtained. Ordered, That 200,000 dollars be sent to the deputy pay-master general in the southern department. Ordered, That a copy of Mr. Aylett's letter be sent to the commissarygeneral, and that Mr. Aylett be directed to store the grain and provisions, purchased by him on continental account, until called for by order of Congress, or the commissary-general; and when such requisitions shall be made, the mode of transportation must be left to Mr. Aylett's discretion. Resolved, That the pay of the regimental pay-masters in the army of the United States be raised to 40 dollars per month. Ordered, That the case of John Jolly, and John North, of New-Jersey, prisoners, be referred to the delegates of that state. Resolved, That whenever any prisoners shall be taken by the army, or by any detachment of the army of the United States, or by any body of the militia, the commanding officer shall furnish the board of war with lists of such prisoners, together with the cause and manner of their capture and detention. The several matters to this day referred, being postponed, MONDAY, March 31, 1777. The proceedings of a general court-martial, held at Philadelphia, the 29th of March, 1777, on James Molesworth, accused of being a spy from the enemy, and for endeavoring to inveigle three pilots into their service, to pilot the ships of war to the attack of this city, were laid before Congress, and read; and, it appearing thereby, that the said James Molesworth is found guilty of the crimes laid to his charge, and sentenced to suffer death, Resolved, That Congress approve the sentence aforesaid, and confirm the orders of major-general Gates for the execution of it. A letter, of the 26th, with two papers enclosed, and one, of the 29th, from general Washington; one, of the 11th, from the convention of New-York, with sundry papers enclosed; and one, of the 30th, from colonel Hartley, were read: Ordered, That the letters from general Washington and colonel Hartley be referred to the board of war; that the letter from the convention of New-York, be referred to the delegates of that state. Ordered, That 1258 dollars be paid to Messrs. Willing and Morris, and charged to the account of Esek Hopkins, the same being in full of a bill dated New-Providence, March 14, 1776, drawn by the said Esek Hopkins, in favor of Alexander Frazer, or order, and by him endorsed to Willing and Morris. A letter from George Chardin Nicholson, and one of the 29th, from the chevalier de Celeron, were read: Ordered, That the said George Chardin Nicholson, and the chevalier de Celeron, be referred to major-general Gates, who is empowered to employ them in such manner as he shall judge most for the interest of the United States. Ordered, That 150 dollars be advanced to the chevalier de Celeron, to be deducted out of his future pay. Resolved, That major-general Gates be empowered and directed to take with him, and employ under him in the northern department, brigadier de Roche Fermoy, and such other of the French officers in the service of the United States as he shall think proper. A letter, of the 20th, from William Sever and Thomas Cushing, at Boston, was read. Congress having received advice that the ship Mercury, of Nantz, is arrived at Portsmouth, in New-Hampshire, with a cargo for the United States, consisting of 11,987 fusees, 1000 barrels of powder, 11,000 gun-flints, 48 bales of woollens, 9 bales of handkerchiefs, thread, cottons, and printed linens, 2 cases of shoes, 1 box of buttons and buckles, 1 box of lawns, and 1 case of needles and silk neckcloths; Ordered, That 5000 of the arms be delivered to the order of the council of Massachusetts-Bay, for the purpose of arming the troops raised in that state for the army of the United States; and that the said council order two receipts to be taken from the several colonels, to whom the arms shall be delivered, and transmit one of the said receipts to the commissary of military stores, and the other to the board of war. Ordered, That 15 tons of the powder be delivered to the order of the council of Massachusetts-Bay, to repay the powder advanced by that state, for the use of the continental army and navy, and that the said council transmit to the board of war, a particular account of the powder advanced by their state for the use of the United States, and the persons by whom delivered. Ordered, That the secret committee deliver the remainder of the powder, arms, and flints, to the order of the board of war, and the remainder of the cargo to the clothier-general, or his order. Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on tories and disaffected persons; and, after debate, Ordered, That it be re-committed. The committee of treasury reported, on the letter of James Warren, esq. "That the loss sustained by James Warren, esq. whilst pay-master general, in consequence of his keeping an additional office at Cambridge, at the request of the general, for the convenience of the army, as particularly set forth in the depositions of himself, Isaac Lothrop, esq. and William Winthrop, amounting to 1401.42 dollars, ought to be allowed in the adjustment of his account at the treasury-office :" Ordered, That the said allowance be made. Resolved, That two members be added to the committee for revising and printing the journal. The members chosen, Mr. J. B. Smith and Mr. Brownson. TUESDAY, April 1, 1777. A letter, of the 29th of March, from general Washington; one, of the 21st of the same month, from brigadier Lewis, were read: Ordered, That the letter from brigadier Lewis be referred to the board of war. Resolved, That Ephraim Blaine, esq. be appointed commissary for supplying, with provisions, the troops now in the county of Cumberland, in Pennsylvania, and such as may bereafter march through that county, as well as the artificers and troops, who shall be employed in the magazine and laboratory, to be erected at Carlisle. Congress proceeded to the election of three brigadiers, and, the ballots being taken, the following gentlemen were chosen: Colonel Edward Hand; colonel Charles Scott. Resolved, That the election of the third brigadier-general be postponed till to-morrow. An appeal being lodged from the judgment of the court of admiralty, for the state of Pennsylvania, on the libel John Baldwin vs. Robert Polke, Ordered, That it be referred to the committee for hearing and determining appeals. The committee on the treasury brought in a report, which was read and considered; Whereupon, Ordered, That Messrs. Price & Haywood procure, of general Schuyler and the deputy pay-master general of the northern department, certificates of the specie which they have received, in consequence of an order of Congress, of the 13th of August last, and that the balance which shall appear to be due to them, on adjusting their accounts at the treasury-office, be paid by a bill of exchange, to be drawn by the president on the commissioners of the United States in France, and countersigned by the auditor-general. Ordered, That the managers of the lottery of the United States, send such a number of tickets for sale, as they shall judge necessary, to the paymaster and deputy pay-master general in the northern department. For the better regulating the pay of the army, Resolved, That the pay-master or deputy pay-master general shall pay no money, but by warrants from the commanders in chief in their respective departments, countersigned by their respective secretaries; and that the money be paid only to the person specified in the warrant, or to his order in writing, excepting in cases otherwise provided by Congress. That the regimental abstracts be made up by the regimental pay-masters at the close of every month, and certified by the respective colonels, or commanding officers and brigadiers, who shall carefully examine and compare the same with the weekly returns; after which, they shall be lodged with the pay-master, or deputy pay-master general, until orders are given for the payment. That the regimental pay-masters only shall receive from the pay-master, or deputy pay-masters general, the money due upon abstracts to the officers and soldiers; and the said regimental pay-masters alone shall settle with, and pay, the money due to the officers and soldiers of the regiments to which they respectively belong, either in person or to their order, and take receipts for the same, to be produced as vouchers on the settlement of their respective accounts. That officers and soldiers, who may be prisoners of war, shall be made up in the abstracts of the regiment to which they belong, to the time of their captivity, and authentic returns shall be made, with such abstracts of the names of the officers and soldiers aforesaid, their rank and the company to which they belong, the time of their captivity, and the pay that was then due. And whenever such prisoners are to be exchanged, a pay-roll shall be made out by the pay-master, or deputy pay-master general, for the pay due to them, to the time of their return, and the money shall be sent to them, and paid by the officer appointed to receive them, and their receipts immediately lodged with the pay-master or deputy pay-master general. That whenever any regimental pay-master leaves the service, or is dismissed, he shall make a return to the pay-master or deputy pay-master general, of the names of the commissioned and non-commissioned officers and soldiers of his regiment, who remain unpaid, the sums due to them respectively, and what balance of cash he has remaining; all which shall be lodged with the pay-master, or deputy pay-master general, to be, by him, delivered to the next pay-master of the said regiment, or otherwise disposed of, as the commander in chief of the department may think proper. That no commissioned or non-commissioned officer or soldier, coming from any department where a pay-master or deputy pay-master general is appointed, shall receive, in any other department, the pay that may be due to him, unless he produces a certificate from his colonel or commanding officer, countersigned by the pay-master, or deputy pay-master general of the department to which he belongs, of the sum bona fide due to him, and deliver the same, with a receipt thereon. Resolved, That the pay of the assistant pay-masters, in the northern department, be augmented to 40 dollars a month; and that they be allowed three rations a day. Resolved, That the pay of the secretary to the commander in chief be augmented to 100 dollars a month; and that colonel Harrison, the present seeretary, be allowed that pay from the time of his appointment to that office. The committee on the treasury reported, That a warrant should be issued by the president, on the loan-officer, for the state of Pennsylvania, in favor of Robert Morris, George Clymer and George Walton, esqrs. a committee of Congress, for 215,000 dollars, for which they are to account. That another warrant issue on the same loan-officer, in favor of the secret committee, for 10,000 dollars, for which the said committee shall account. That James Wood, colonel of the 12th regiment of Virginia forces, in continental service, having borrowed of John Campbell, esq. 1,800 dollars for the use of his regiment, as appears by his receipts, and, at the same time, having drawn an order for the said sum, the same ought to be paid and charged to his account. |