and for arrears of cloathing and other articles, be made in the first instance to the Board of War.

Resolved, That all applications for resignations be made to the Commander in Chief, or to the officer commanding in a seperate department.

On motion of the Medical Committee:

Ordered, That a warrant issue on John Hopkins, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Virginia, in favor of Thomas Bond, Jun!, purveyor of the hospital, for five thousand dollars of the new emission, to be by him put into the hands of Nathan Brownson, deputy purveyor, to pay three months' salary and wages due to the officers and others employed in the hospital established for the southern army and to procure supplies for said hospital, for which sum the said purveyor is to be accountable.

The Board of War, to whom was referred the letter, of March 28th, from Peter Deveaux, delivered in a report; Whereupon,

SIR

WAR OFFICE April 9, 1781

The Board have considered the Memorial of Major Devoux referred to them by Congress, and beg leave to observe, that by the Act of Congress of the 8th day of January 1780, pay was allowed for all horses killed in action, and by their Act of the 29th day of November last, pay is allowed for horses w unded in Action, provided they are delivered to the Q. Master. By the Major's certificate it does not appear to the Board, his cases come under either of the aforementioned resolutions, as it is expressly said, he lost him on a retreat. As to that part of his Memorial that respects his pay, the Board can only say the Major appears to them, to have been serving in no other capacity than that of a volunteer, and while they applaud his zeal they cannot report any pay due to him, as they are convinced Major General Gates had two aids regularly appointed at the same time; nevertheless should Congress be of opinion, that a gratuity ought to be made him, in that case, it may be proper to resolve

Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Harwood Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office

for the State of Maryland Pensylvania, in favor of Peter Deveaux, for three hundred and sixty dollars in bills of the new emission in full for his services in the southern army.1

A motion was made by Mr. [Jesse] Root, seconded by Mr. [Oliver] Wolcott:

Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury.]2 Ordered, That Mr. [Oliver] Wolcott have leave of absence. The committee to whom were referred the letter, of March 1, from General Washington, and the memorial of Colonel Hazen; and

The committee on the letter, of 30 March, from Colonel Pickering, delivered in their reports.3

Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.

SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 1781

A report from the Board of War on the letters, of 21, 24, 27 March, from Colonel Pickering, was read:

SIR

WAR OFFICE April 6, 1781.

We have the honor to lay before Congress the enclosed papers for their consideration on the subject of the proposed Alterations in the Systems of the Provision Departments. The whole matter is so clearly stated in these papers, that it is unnecessary for us to enlarge thereupon.

Should Congress be of opinion that the Duties of the Quarter Master General are so great as not to admit of any further burthen the whole being thrown upon him, we conceive that it will very little interfere with the business of his department if it was directed

That the Deputy or Assistant Quarter Masters at any fixed Posts shall without any additional Salary do the duty of Commissaries of Prisoners whenever there is a Necessity therefor by the arrival of Prisoners at their Posts.

1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 397.

2 The portion in brackets was entered in the Journal by George Bond.

* A letter of April 7 from the Board of War, relative to the transportation of General Lafayette's detachment, was read, as the indorsement indicates. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 148, I, folio 353.

That in all business relating to Prisoners they shall take the Direction of the Commissary General of Prisoners to whom and to the Board of War monthly returns of all prisoners under their care shall be duly transmitted. That all Commissaries of Prisoners at any fixed posts be and they are hereby discharged.

That in future the office of Assistant Quarter Master General be abolished and the Quarter Master General shall himself examine or direct his deputy at the place where Congress shall sit to receive and examine all Estimates and applications for Monies required for the use of the Department, previous to their being laid before the Board of War for their Approbation and report to Congress.

P. S. Should Congress be of opinion that the Commissary General of Purchases is unnecessary and do not choose to adopt the plan on the extensive scale it may be proper to Resolve

That the Office of Commissary General of Purchases be abolished and the duties prescribed in the Regulations for that Department devolve on and be executed by the Commissary General of Issues.1 Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three: The members, Mr. [Theodorick] Bland, Mr. [Artemas] Ward, Mr. [Isaac] Motte.

The committee ||consisting of Mr. Varnum, Mr. Houston, and Mr. Mathews, to whom was referred the motion of Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum, delivered in a report; Whereupon,

The United States in Congress assembled, having taken into consideration the report of the Board of Admiralty of the 28 March last, respecting the conduct of John Paul Jones, Esq. captain in the navy, do

Resolve, That the thanks of the United States in Congress assembled, be given to Captain John Paul Jones, for the zeal, prudence, and intrepidity, with which he hath supported the honor of the American flag; for his bold and successful enterprizes to redeem from captivity the citizens of these states, who had fallen under the power of the enemy; and in general for the good conduct and eminent services by which he has added lustre to his character and to the American arms.

That the thanks of the United States in Congress assembled, be also given to the officers and men who have faithfully This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, VI, folio 409.

served under him from time to time, for their steady affection to the cause of their country and the bravery and perseverance they have manifested therein.

That a medal of Gold emblematical of the victory obtained over the British ship of war the Serapis be presented to Captain John Paul Jones, and that the Board of Admiralty take order therein.1

On motion of Mr. [Abraham] Clark, seconded by Mr. [John] Sullivan,

Resolved, That the commissioners of the continental loan offices in the several states be, and they are hereby, directed to exchange with the treasurers of their respective States, all such bills of credit of the old emissions as now are or may come into their hands, by the sale of bills of exchange or on loan for bills of credit of the new emissions issued in the same State, in order that the said bills of the old emissions may be drawn out of circulation as soon as possible. A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon, WAR OFFICE March 29, 1781

SIR

The Board have considered the reference of the Memorial of Major Tudor and deem his account just. There are great numbers of officers in his situation having old recruiting accounts and advances made by them to settle. If Congress deem it proper that these accounts should be paid at this time they will direct it to be done, but probably the best method will be, as the finances will not admit of payment of the whole, to direct the Auditor of the army to settle the accounts according to the Table of Depretiation and give certificates of such settlements which will entitle the Officers possessing them to payment when the public are enabled to make it. If this should be agreeable to the opinion of Congress, it will be proper to resolve,

Ordered, That the auditors of the army settle all accounts for monies heretofore advanced by officers out of their private funds for their regiments or companies, and which are now

This report, in the writing of William Churchill Houston, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 36, I, folio 155. The last paragraph is marked "negatived." At the end of the report is written by some one not on the committee: "God send it to be true."

due agreeable to the scale of depreciation established by the Treasury Board, and give certificates in specie of the sums due, that the officers entitled thereto may receive the same when the state of the public finances will admit of payment thereof: provided that no charges be allowed by the said auditors, but for such pay or articles as the soldiers were entitled to receive by resolutions of Congress, and which were not supplied by the United States, or the State to which they respectively belonged.1

A motion was made by Mr. [Samuel] Adams, seconded by Mr. [Theodorick] Bland,

That the Board of Admiralty be directed to enquire into and report to Congress, the cause of the detention of the prize-money due to the seamen in the service of the United States in Europe and America.

On the question to agree to this, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [Samuel] Adams,

So it was resolved in the affirmative.

A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Where

upon,

1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 1.