SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1776

Sundry letters were laid before Congress, and read. One, of the 23d of September, from James Bowdoin, with a copy of resolutions passed by the general assembly of Massachusetts bay;

One from Governor Livingston, of the 3d October; and One from the Committee of Safety of New Hampshire, dated 24 September.1

Resolved, That the letters from General Washington and General Schuyler, with the papers enclosed, which were read yesterday, be referred to the Board of War:

That the letter from Mr. Bowdoin be referred to the Marine Committee:

That the letter from Governor Livingston be referred to a committee of three, and that the said committee be directed to take into consideration the case of the prisoners in the gaol of Philadelphia.

The members chosen, Mr. [Thomas] Lynch, Mr. [George] Ross, and Mr. [William] Floyd.

Resolved, That the petition of Jacob Sheafe be referred to the commissioners appointed to hear and determine upon the appeal in the case of the Elizabeth:

Resolved, That the Board of War be directed to sell to Joseph Golden, 10 lb. of powder.

Resolved, That R. Peters, Esq. be empowered to prosecute the appeal in the case of the Elizabeth.

Resolved, That five months' pay be advanced to the officers and three month's pay to the men who were taken prisoners in Canada, and sent to these United States by General Carleton.

'The letter from James Bowdoin is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 65, I, folio 113. The resolution was dated September 18th. That from William Livingston is in No. 68, folio 223.

Resolved, That the report of the Board of War, which was brought in the 14 of September, be taken into consideration on Monday next; and

That the Board of War, be directed to bring and lay before Congress, the papers relative to the dispute between the court martial and General Arnold.

Resolved, That the continental agents be directed to deliver to the commissary general, for the use of the army, all the salt in their hands belonging to the Continent.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to 10 o'Clock on Monday.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1776

Resolved, That the sum of 8,000 dollars be advanced to the committee of Lancaster, to defray the expences of enclosing the barracks in that borough with a stockade, and to pay and subsist the guard; the said committee to be accountable.

Congress proceeded to the election of a deputy muster master general for the flying camp, in the room of Jonathan B. Smith; when, the ballots being taken,

William Davies was elected.

A letter, from Brigadier General [James] Moore, of the 19 September, and

A letter from John Hanson, dated St. Croix, 14 August, were laid before Congress, and read:1

Resolved, That it be recommended to the assemblies and conventions of the United States, respectively, to

1 General Moore's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XV, folio 93. That of John Hanson is in No. 78, XI, folio 75.

annex such penalties, by law, to the crime of counterfeiting the bills or notes of the continental loan office, as are or shall be annexed to the crime of counterfeiting the continental currency.

Ordered, That the resolutions for borrowing five millions of dollars, together with the above resolve, be published; and copies thereof sent to each of the United States, and that the respective states be desired to send to the committee of the continental treasury, the names of the commissioners by them appointed in consequence of the said resolutions.1

A petition from James Browne, a prisoner, was laid before Congress, and read, praying for leave to return to Ireland, the place of his nativity:

Resolved, That the prayer of the petition be granted. General Lee having informed Congress of his arrival in Philadelphia, and that he waited their orders:

Ordered, That General Lee be desired to attend in Congress.

Resolved, That a commissary of prisoners of war be appointed in each of the United States:

That the said commissaries be directed to make monthly returns of the state and condition of the prisoners, under their respective care, to the Board of War:

That the said commissaries be appointed by the respective states.

Agreeable to order, General Lee attended; and having given an account of the state of affairs in the southern department, he withdrew.

The Secret Committee having informed Congress, that they had chartered and loaded in Virginia, the Aurora, late the prize ship called the Oxford, for account of the continent:

1 Printed in the Pennsylvania Gazette, 16 October, 1776.

Resolved, That the president write to the governor and council of Virginia, and request them to give all the assistance in their power, in manning and despatching the said ship.

Resolved, That Matthias Hite, a first lieutenant of the eighth Virginia batallion, have a continental commission, in lieu of that which he received from the committee of safety of that statell; and that his commission bear date the 19 February last.

Resolved, That General Lee be directed to repair to the camp on the heights of Harlem, with leave, if he thinks it proper, to visit the posts in New Jersey.

The committee appointed to take into consideration the application of the president of South Carolina, in behalf of General Lee, reported,

That this Congress, having a just opinion of the abilities of General Lee, applied to him to accept a command in their service, which he readily agreed to, provided the Congress would indemnify him against any loss, which he might sustain in consequence thereof, he having, at that time, a considerable sum of money due to him by persons in the kingdom of Great Britain, which he was resolved to draw from thence as soon as possible. That the Congress unanimously concurred in his proposal: That General Lee accordingly entered into their service; that he has since drawn bills upon his agent in England, which bills have been returned protested. That General Lee, having purchased an estate in Virginia, the purchase money for which has been long due, is likely to sustain, by means of the protested bills, many injuries, unless this house prevent the same by an advance of thirty thousand dollars: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the sum of 30,000 dollars be advanced to General Lee, upon his giving bond to the treasurer to account for the same, and taking such steps, in conjunction with Robert Morris, Esq' on behalf of the Congress, as will secure the most effectual transfer of his estate in England, to reimburse the Congress for the advance now made to him.

Resolved, That the committee, who brought in the foregoing report, be directed to prepare a suitable bond.

Congress took into consideration the report of the Board of War of the 4th instant: Whereupon,

Resolved, That Monsieur Pierre François de Bois be commissioned as a major by brevet, and sent to General Mercer, to be employed in such way as he shall think proper:

That Mr. Bartholomew Von Heer's account be referred to the Board of Treasury.

The committee appointed to enquire into the causes of the miscarriages in Canada, brought in a report:

The Committee appointed to enquire into the causes of the Miscarriages in Canada having, pursuant to the directions of Congress, enquired how certain Goods taken from John Bernard and [ ] Wadden' of Montreal were disposed of, Report, That upon examining several Witnesses and papers it appears, that about the middle of the month of March last, The Said Bernard and Wadding sent from Montreal, twenty nine Sleighs, laden with goods to be carried to the Indian Country, contrary to the orders of the Commanding officer, in Canada; that said Sleighs were pursued by order of General Wooster, and seven of them taken and brought back, and the goods contained in them, delivered to the keepers of stores for the use of the Army, and proper receipts taken for the same as follows: viz. one pair of three point half Blankets to Francis Duclos. Three Camp Kettles for the use of the Hospital, to W. V. Wimple Surgeon; one pair two point 1/2 Blankets to John Higgins. 17 Bags of Bread partly damaged, 19 Baggs of flour, 27 Baggs of Corn, one Bagg of peas, 3 Kegs of hogs lard, 11 Kegs Pork and 4 Kegs of Rum, to Henry Benson, Assistant Deputy Commissary. 5 Bales of Goods such as are usually sent in the Indian Trade, one bundle of Indian truck, containing coarse hats, shirts &c, one roll of Pig tail tobacco, 1 Barrel of powder, 1 piece blue Strouds, a parcel of oil cloth Cords, &c. to George Measam Superintendent of Stores.

It further appears by an account exhibited by George Nicholson, that he and Capt. Scott kept for their own use, 1 five Gallon Keg of

1This name is variously spelled: Woodon, Woodin and Wadden. He was a member of the house of Woodon & Bernard.