Stephen Moylan, Esq! having resigned his office of quarter master general of the continental army, Resolved, That Brigadier General Mifflin be authorized and requested to resume the said office, and that his rank and pay, as brigadier, be still continued to him:1 That a committee of three four be appointed to confer with Brigadier General Mifflin: The members chosen, Mr. R[ichard] H[enry] Lee, Mr. [Roger] Sherman, Mr. J[ohn] Adams, and Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry. Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to prepare, and bring in a plan, of a military Academy at the army: The members chosen, Mr. [William] Hooper, Mr. [Thomas] Lynch, Mr. [George] Wythe, Mr. [William] Williams and Mr. J[ohn] Adams. The several matters to this day referred, being postponed, Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1776 A letter, of the 30 September, from General Washington, with two papers enclosed, was laid before Congress, and read.2 to request, in obedience to their commands, you will immediately take proper measures to comply with the enclosed resolve, in order that the United States may be fully represented in Congress, and the sentiments of America be the better known upon those interesting subjects that lie before them I shall therefore only once more request your compliance with this requisition of Congress; and have the honour to be, gentlemen, your most obedient and very humble servant." John Hancock to the Assembly of New Hampshire, 2 October, 1776. Force, American Archives, Fifth Series, II, 839. 1"We have obtained Colonel Moylan's resignation, and General Mifflin comes again into the office of Quartermaster General." Elbridge Gerry to Horatio Gates, 27 September, 1776. "This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 152, III, folio 75. Resolved, That William Shepard be promoted to the rank of colonel of the regiment, whereof he is now lieutenant colonel. A letter from Colonel S. Moylan, of the 27, 1776. One from Colonel Wayne, 23d do. One from Brigadier General Mercer, recommending Colonel Humpton to the command of a regiment in the new army, and Captain Dawson to a majority. And a petition from Bartholomew Von Heer, was presented to Congress, and read. Resolved, That the same be referred to the Board of War. A petition from John Bayard, Alexander Henderson and Matthew Irwin, was presented to Congress, and read; Whereupon, Resolved, That the Board of War be directed to sell the petitioners, 1,600 lb. of powder, and 800 lb. of lead, for the use of their privateers, General Lee and Colonel Parry. The committee appointed to confer with Brigadier General Mifflin, reported, that, upon the conference, they find the following supplies will be necessary for the use and comfort of the army, which ought to be procured as soon as may be, viz. 200 waggons, with four horses each; 50 ox teams, with 2 oxen each, for sundry uses; 50 drays, with one horse each, for various small services; 100 strong horses for the artillery, 50 horses, for expresses and commissary uses; 25,000 bushels of Indian corn; 15,000 bushels of oats; 10,000 bushels of rye meal; 10,000 bushels of spelts; 1,800 tons of hay; 50 cutting boxes; 2,000 axes; 2,000 wheel and hand barrows; 8,000 cords of wood; a set of carpenters' tools for each regiment; a waggon master, and one deputy; 20 conductors of waggons on captains' 1The letter from Gates is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 154, I, folio 101. That of Moylan is in No. 78, XV, folio 101. pay, allowing 10 waggons for each conductor; 5 conductors for the artillery; 100 casks of nails and spikes; 10,000 knapsacks; 10,000 camp kettles; two million feet of boards, planks and joists, for barracks, platforms, &c. That a company of 50 blacksmiths should be immediately sent to camp, 12 makers of harness and collars, and 25 wheelwrights. Resolved, That for these various and necessary supplies, 300,000 dollars be furnished to the quarter master general: That one eighth part of a dollar, over and above their soldiers' pay, be allowed to such persons as are necessarily draughted for quarter masters' uses: That as 5,000 tents will be necessary for the spring campaign, they be provided in due time: That it be recommended to the several states, to make legal provision to compel the furnishing of necessary supplies and assistance to the quarter master general of the continental army, on reasonable terms, for the public use. Resolved, That a committee be appointed to consider of a plan for providing carriages for the public service, so as any demand may be speedily complied with, and all oppression of private persons effectually prevented: The members chosen, Mr. [John] Witherspoon, Mr. [James] Smith, and Mr. [Samuel] Huntington. Resolved, That Benjamin Fishbourne be appointed pay master to the second Pensylvania batallion, commanded by Colonel Wood. A memorial from the committee of safety for the commonwealth of Pensylvania was presented to Congress, and read: Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee on the Treasury, who are directed to report thereon as soon as possible. The Committee on the Treasury reported that there is due, To George Measam, on account of sundry articles supplied the army in Canada, 90 47/90ths dollars: Ordered, That the said account be paid. The committee, to whom the resolutions from the convention of New York, were referred, brought in a report; Whereupon, Resolved, That the president be desired to write to General Schuyler, and inform him, that the Congress cannot consent, during the present situation of their affairs, to accept of his resignation, but request, that he continue the command which he now holds; that he be assured, that the aspertions, which his enemies have thrown out against his character, have had no influence upon the minds of the members of this house, who are fully satisfied of his attachment to the cause of freedom, and are willing to bear their testimony of the many services which he has rendered to his country; and that, in order effectually to put calumny to silence, they will, at an early day, appoint a committee of their body, to enquire fully into his conduct, which, they trust, will establish his reputation in the opinion of all good men. Resolved, That the limits prescribed in the parole of John Foxcroft and Francis Dashwood, Esquires, be extended as far as the bounds of Pensylvania, within which they are to confine themselves, till farther orders. The several matters to this day referred, being postponed, Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1776 On application from the council of safety of North Carolina, Resolved, That Michael Holt, a prisoner in the gaol in Philadelphia, be discharged from his imprisonment, that he may return to his family; he taking the oath prescribed by the said council of safety. Resolved, That Mr. J. Mease be directed immediately to purchase one hundred hogsheads of rum, and forward the same to the commissary general, for the use of the army. The Board of War brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon, Resolved, That General Mercer's letter, which was received and read yesterday,|| recommending Colonel Humpton and Captain Dawson for promotion, be referred to the council of safety of Pensylvania: That Captain Persifor Frazer be commissioned as major of Colonel Wayne's Pensylvania batallion, in the room of Major Haussegger, promoted. The committee appointed to repair to the camp, being returned, brought in their report, which was read: The Committee, appointed to enquire into the state of yo Army at N. York and y° best Means of Supplying its Wants, beg Leave, to report; that having left this City ye 21st Ulto, they arrived at yo Camp ye 24th, and after three Days Conference with ye General officers and an Interview with many of y° Staff, they found ye following to be a State of Facts: That the Number of Men of which the Army then consisted, including non Commission officers and 3,649 Men taken from yo flying Camp, was 25,375; of which 16,905 were fit for Duty, 1,543 on Command, and ye Residue Sick or absent. That of the effective Troops, about 4,500 were at different posts on ye Jersey Shore, at and between Fort Constitution and Bergen, y others on yR Heights of Harlem and Kingsbridge. |