That Regimental promotions in the Artillery to the rank of Commanding Officer inclusive, shall be in the Line of Artillery at large; That Regimental promotions in the Cavalry to the rank of Commanding Officer inclusive, shall be in the Line of Cavalry at large. With respect to promoting Battallion Officers to the rank of Brigadiers, your Committee beg leave to report as their opinion, That such promotions if confined to States that furnish one or more Brigades, will exclude the smaller States, and of course destroy all pretensions to promotions by officers of such States, whatever may be their pretensions arising from seniority. That permitting them to take place among the States in rotation will be no less injurious. And that promotions from the eldest Battallion Officers in the Army, will not only be injurious to officers belonging to the larger States, but will have a tendency to place troops coming from one extreme of the Continent under the command of a Brigadier coming from another, who cannot be so well acquainted with the temper and disposition of the Troops as an officer taken from among themselves. To prevent these inconveniences, your Committee have thought proper to confine the promotion of Brigadiers to certain districts, in each of which, Brigadiers when wanting shall be made from the Senior Battallion Officer of that district, without regard to any particular State. And they beg leave to submit the following Resolution, viz. Resolved, That so far as respects the promotions of Battallion Officers to the rank of Brigadiers, the States of New Hampshire and Massachusetts be considered as making four Brigades Rhode Island and Connecticut two Brigades New York, New Jersey and Hazen's Regiment two Brigades Delaware and Maryland, two Brigades Virginia and North Carolina four Brigades South Carolina and Georgia one Brigade Resolved, That whenever a Brigadier shall be wanting for the Troops of either of those districts, he shall be made from the senior Battallion Officer, without regarding the State to which he belongs; Resolved, That in the Cavalry and Artillery, Brigadiers shall be made from the eldest Regimental Officers in those Corps respectively; Resolved, That Major Generals shall be made from the eldest Brigadiers in the army, whether belonging to the Infantry, Cavalry or Artillery; Resolved, That all Brigadiers hereafter made, shall take relative rank agreeable to the date of their last Battallion Commissions; Resolved, That Tench Tilghman receive the commission of Lieutenant Colonel to take rank from the day of Resolved, That Doctor McHenry receive the commission of Major to take rank from the day of Resolved, That officers not annexed to any Line, serving in the family of the Commander in Chief, and those serving as Aids de Camp with other general officers, retain the same rank they now hold, and shall be entitled to promotion when they become the eldest officers of that Rank in the Line of the Army. Resolved That officers reduced by the late arrangement, may at any time previous to the first day of Jany next, exchange commissions with officers of the same State, and of the same rank in the army-under the direction, and with the approbation of the Commander-in-Chief Resolved, That Volunteers serving one campaign, may with the approbation of the Commander in Chief, receive Brevet Commissions in the lowest grade of subalterns, not to receive pay till placed in command, and shall not be entitled to half pay for life, till annexed to some Line. All officers not connected with Corps, and now entitled to rank in the army by this arrangement, shall be considered as reduced and receive half pay, so long as they reside within the United States, or owe allegiance to the same. Resolved, That the Commander in Chief may employ such reduced officers as he shall think proper in the military staff, or in the Inspectors Department, who are constantly to attend their duty in the army. Resolved, That all officers who are Hostages, and are liable to be called for by the enemy, and are not continued in the Line of any State shall be entitled to their full pay until redeemed, and to half pay for life afterwards in the same manner as officers of equal rank reduced by the late arrangement; and that it be recommended to the respective States, in the Line of which they were at the time of their becoming Hostages, to make good to them their depreciation, and also to pay them such sums as are, or may become due to them, and charge the same to the United States. Resolved, That Col. Dayton of the Jersey Line be promoted to the rank of Brigadier in the army of the United States.1 1 This report, in the writing of John Sullivan, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, VI, folio 337. The committee on Major General Greene's letter; delivered in their respective reports. The United States in Congress assembled were resolved into a Committee of the Whole, and after some time the President resumed the chair, and Mr. [John] Mathews reported that the committee have had under consideration the letter and papers to them referred, but not having come to a conclusion desire leave to sit again: IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE On the subject of finance. Papers read. The letter of T. Pickering, quartermaster general, March 3, 1781, on the subject of salary and certificates, payable in specie or other money equivalent. Resolution, August 23, 1780, respecting issuing certificates. Ordered, That to Morrow Congress be resolved into a Committee of the Whole, to consider farther the letter from T. Pickering, quartermaster general, and other papers on finance. Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow. FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 1781 2 A memorial of Charles Phile was read; Whereupon, Resolved, That the order, of the 6, to the Board of Admiralty, to give orders for discharging from confinement, John 1 This memorandum of proceedings was entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, No. 8. 2 This memorial, dated March 8, 1781, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 41, VIII, folio 168. Goodwin and others therein mentioned, on certain conditions, be and hereby is repealed. On motion of Mr. Sullivan [John] Mathews, seconded by Mr. Mathews [Richard] Howly: Resolved, That the resolution of the 7th, respecting a compensation for the staff of the army, be reconsidered and recommitted. The report of the committee on General Washington's letter, of 20th, was read: Ordered, That it be re-committed, and that the committee consult the Commander in Chief on the subject. The report of the committee on Major General Greene's letter was taken into consideration, and thereupon the following resolutions were passed: The United States in Congress assembled, considering it as a tribute due to distinguished merit to give a public approbation of the conduct of Brigadier General Morgan, and of the officers and men under his command, on the 17th day of January last; when with eighty cavalry, and two hundred and thirty-seven infantry of the troops of the United States, and five hundred and fifty-three militia from the States of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, he obtained a complete and important victory over a select and well appointed detachment of more than eleven hundred British troops, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton; do therefore resolve, That the thanks of the United States in Congress assembled, be given to Brigadier General Morgan, and the officers and men under his command, for their fortitude and good conduct, displayed in the action at the Cowpens, in the State of South Carolina, on the 17th of January last: That a Medal of Gold be presented to Brig Gen' Morgan representing on one side the action aforesaid particularising his numbers, the numbers of the enemy, the numbers of killed, wounded and 1 prisoners and his trophies with the inscription patria virtutis [undecipherable], and on the other side his bust with his name and thisinseription: Ipse-agmen the figure of the General on horseback leading on his troops in pursuit of the flying enemy, with this motto in the Exergue Fortus Fortuna-Juvat Virtus Unita Valet. That a medal of gold be presented to Brigadier General Morgan, and a medal of silver to Lieutenant Colonel W. Washington, of the cavalry, and one of silver to Lieutenant Colonel Howard, of the infantry of the United States; severally with emblems and mottos descriptive of the conduct of those officers respectively on that memorable day: That a sword be presented to Colonel Pickens, of the militia, in testimony of his spirited decisive and magnanimous conduct in the action before mentioned: Recommitted. Resolved, that a sword be presented to Lieutenant Colonel Howard of the infantry, and one also to Lieutenant Colonel Washington of the Cavalry of the federal-army each, that their names may be-transmitted honourably to posterity renowned for-publie virtue-and as testimonies of the high sense entertained by Congress of their martial accomplishments. That Major Edward Giles, aid-de-camp of Brigadier General Morgan, have the brevet commission of a major; and that Baron de Glasbeech, who served with Brigadier General Morgan as a volunteer, have the brevet commission of captain in the army of the United States; in consideration of their merit and services. Ordered, That the commanding officer in the southern department, communicate these resolutions in general orders. Resolved that a-gold-medal be presented to Lieutenant Colonel William Howard of the infantry of the army of the United States representing on one side the charge ordered and conducted by him in that critical moment when the enemy were thrown into disorder with this inseription 1 1 This report, in the writing of a clerk, except the last paragraph, which is in the writing of Thomas Burke, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, IV, olio 169. On folio 173, in Burke's writing, is the following: |