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wounded and taken prisoner at Princeton, 3d January last, for nine weeks and two days, at two dollars a week, 20.51 dollars:

Ordered, That the said account be paid.

The board of treasury reported,

That a warrant should be drawn on Michael Hillegas, esq. continental treasurer, for 500,000 dollars, to be paid to John Gibson, esq. auditor-general, for which he is to account:

That Mr. Govett, the assistant auditor, hath exhibited his account to them against the United States, in which he charges his salary from 29th of July to 14th December, 1776, four months and seventeen days, at £ 200 per annum, amounting to 202.56 dollars, of which he hath received 200 dollars; and that there was due to him on the 14th of December, 2.56 dollars; that he prays a farther allowance from that time; and the board are of opinion, he should receive three dollars a day, which, to the 29th of April last, being 135 days, at three dollars a day, amounts to 405 dollars; the whole amounting to 407.56 dollars.

Ordered, That the said warrant be drawn, and that the above balance of 407.56 dollars, be paid to Mr. Govett.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

SATURDAY, June 7, 1777.

Ordered, That 400 dollars be paid to captain John Hunter, and charged to the account of W. Palfrey esq. pay-master general, the same being in full of a bill in his favor, drawn by the said W. Palfrey, dated at Morristown, 21st May, 1777.

A letter, of the 13th May, from W. Aylett, at Smithfield; one, of this. day, from Archibald M'Donald; one, of the 2d, from Henry Fisher and W. Perry, with a muster-roll of the independent company raised at Lewis, and a petition from George Hawk, keeper of a ferry on Delaware, opposite to Easton, were read:

Ordered, That the letter from A. M'Donald be referred to the board of treasury; that the letter from H. Fisher and W. Perry, with the musterroll, be referred to the board of war; and that the petition from George Hawk be referred to the quarter-master general, who is directed to settle with the petitioner, or report particularly on his petition.

Ordered, That 1160 dollars be advanced to captain James Lees, for the use of his company of artillery; he to be accountable:

That 14,160 dollars be advanced to colonel John Hawkins Stone, of the 1st battalion of Maryland forces, for the use of his battalion; he to be accountable:

The board of war brought in a report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

Resolved, That the clothier-general furnish each non-commissioned officer and soldier inlisted in the army of the United States, to serve three years, or during the war, with the articles of clothing enumerated by a resolution of Congress, of the 8th October last, or other clothing of equal value, notwithstanding the same cost more than 20 dollars.

Whereas, complaint has been made, that many of the regimental paymasters absent themselves from the army, by which the public service greatly suffers,

Resolved, That the commander in chief, and the commanders in the separate departments, be directed to take the most effectual means for compelling all regimental pay-masters to attend punctually to the duties of their office, and that such as are negligent, be punished and displaced; and that they be respectively empowered to appoint others of ability, diligence and integrity, in the room of such as are displaced.

Ordered, That 1000 dollars be advanced to captain John Steel, one of the four captains named by general Armstrong, by authority of general Washington, for the use of his company; he to be accountable.

A petition from Jacob Green and others, was read, praying a new hearing on the appeal brought against the judgment in the libel Job Pierce, against the brig Phoenix:

Ordered, That it be referred to the committee on appeals.

A petition from Charles Harrison and Peter Campbell, was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war.

Congress resumed the consideration of the report on the commissary's department; and, sundry amendments being made,

Resolved, That it be re-committed.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,
Adjourned to ten o'clock on Monday.

MONDAY, June 9, 1777.

A letter, of the 5th, from general Washington, at Middlebrook, enclosing a letter of the same date from brigadier-general Knox; also, one of the 8th, from the same, and one, of the 7th, from Joseph Reed, esq. wherein he informs, that "the situation of his private affairs, which are much altered since his acquiescence in general Washington's recommendation, the want of time to qualify himself for that line of service, which he intended and has proposed to him, and a diffidence of discharging it with approbation, oblige him to decline the appointment, which the Congress have been pleased to make of him as a brigadier-general, for which honor done him, he begs leave to express his grateful acknowledgments." Also a letter, of the 7th, from governor Livingston, with a return of the battalion raised in New-Jersey, for the service of the United States, were read:

Ordered, That the letters from gen. Washington, with the papers enclosed, and the letter from governor Livingston, be referred to the board of war. Resolved, That Mr. Ďuer be added to the committee of intelligence. An application from Richard Derby, jun. esq. chairman of the committee of correspondence, inspection and safety, at Salem, in Massachusetts-Bay, in behalf of Peter Pickman Frye, was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the board of war.

A letter, of the 6th, from general Washington to R. Morris, esq. enclosing one to Appolos Morris, was read; Whereupon,

Resolved, That general Arnold be directed to put major Appolos Morris under immediate arrest and confinement, until the farther order of Congress. Ordered, That the letter, of the 6th, from general Washington to R. Morris, esq. with the letter enclosed, be referred to the board of war.

A petition from Francis Armstrong, was read, praying an order to the clerks of Messrs. Richard Dallam, Mease & Caldwell, or any others, who may have the books ascertaining the sums paid for the battalion commanded by colonel Potter, to give him, the petitioner, a duplicate of the said account from the beginning:

Ordered, That the prayer of the petition be granted.

A letter, of the 6th, from governor Johnson, enclosing a petition from George Handy, and others, and a protest from William Pool, was read: Ordered, That it be referred to the marine committee.

A petition from Hughey Con, was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the board of treasury.

Ordered, That a warrant for 50,000 dollars be drawn on the commissioners of the loan-office for the state of Pennsylvania, in favor of Matthew Irwin, deputy commissary general, and charged to the account of Joseph Trumbull, commissary-general, who is to be accountable.

VOL. II.

20

In consequence of an adjustment by the commissioners of accounts, the auditor-general reports,

That there is due to major Nicola, two months' pay of six companies for the guard of this city, being for May and June, 7488.60 dollars.

To John Byrn, late a soldier in captain Morgan's company of riflemen, for a rifle belonging to him which was lost at the attack on Quebec, 16.60 dollars: To James Leard, for half ferriage of seventy-two men over the Susquehanna, 2.36 dollars:

To major Vaughan, captain Hazard, and others, their expenses as officers of the guard to military stores, from Sinnepuxent to Philadelphia, 228.30 dollars:

To Monsieur Lotbinier, a Canadian chaplain, for his pay and rations, from 10th March to 10th June, being three months, at 41.30 dollars a month, 124 dollars:

To the commissioners of claims, for a pair of Venetian blinds, for the use of their office, 32 dollars:

To Susannah M'Nut, for sundry meals supplied the militia on their march to camp, 3.45 dollars:

To Seth Duncan, for do. 19.39 dollars:

To Joseph Hutchinson, for do. 2.36 dollars.

Ordered, That the said accounts be paid.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.

TUESDAY, June 10, 1777.

A letter, of the 6th, from Joseph Trumbull, commissary-general; and one, of this day, from major-general Arnold, were read:

Resolved, That general Arnold be, and he is hereby directed to repair immediately to Trenton, and there conduct himself agreeably to the orders of the commander in chief.

Resolved, That it be earnestly recommended to the president and council of the state of Delaware, to give orders to the militia of that state, to hold themselves in readines to march at a moment's warning, and to take measures to call forth into actual service 1500 militia as soon as possible; and that they order the said militia to rendezvous at or near Wilmington, or

Chester.

A petition from William Fields and Matthias Sappenfield, and another from Thomas Rutherford, and sixteen others, prisoners from North-Carolina, were read:

Ordered, That they be referred to the board of war.

A motion being made that the commissary-general, and all other persons entrusted with public money, give bond and security for the faithful performance of their duty, and well and truly to account for the money that shall come into their hands respectively,

Resolved, That it be referred to a committee of three:

The members chosen, Mr. Gerry, Mr. Burke and Mr. Marchant.

• The committee to whom was re-committed the report on the commissary's department, brought in the same amended, which being read, was agreed to as follows:

Resolved, I. That for supplying the army of the United States with provisions, one commissary-general and four deputy commissaries-general of purchases, and one commissary-general and three deputy commissariesgeneral of issues, be appointed by Congress.

II. That each of the said commissaries and deputy commissaries be authorized to appoint for himself one clerk.

III. That the deputy commissaries-general have authority to appoint as many assistant commissaries to act under them as may from time to time be necessary, and the same to displace at pleasure, making returns thereof to the commissaries-general respectively, who shall have full power to limit their numbers, to displace such as they shall think disqualified for the trust, and direct their respective deputy commissaries-general to appoint others in their stead: that special care be taken by the officers empowered as aforesaid, to appoint none but persons of probity, capacity, vigilance, and attachment to the United States, and the cause they are engaged in; and to make returns to the board of war, the commander in chief, and the commander of the respective departments, of the assistant-commissaries by them respectively appointed, their several places of abode, the time of their appointment and dismission, and the post, place, magazine or district to which they are severally assigned; and that the deputy commissaries-general of purchases and issues in the same district make similar returns to each other.

IV. That the commissary-general of purchases shall superintend the deputy commissaries-general of purchases, and assign to each a separate district, who shall constantly reside therein, and not make any purchases beyond the limits thereof; and every purchaser employed therein shall also have a certain district assigned him by the respective deputy commissarygeneral, in which he shall reside, and beyond the limits of which he shall not be permitted to make any purchases, unless by special order of his superior, directing the quantity and quality of provisions so to be purchased beyond his limits, and informing such purchaser of the prices given by the stationed purchaser in the district to which he may be sent.

V. That the commissary-general of purchases shall direct the deputy commissaries-general in their respective districts, to inform themselves and assistants, as nearly as may be, of the prices for which the articles, which they are to procure, may be purchased, and that neither they nor any of the said assistants employed under their direction, exceed such prices; and if any deputy commissary-general of purchases shall neglect his duty, or be guilty of any fraud or misconduct in his office, the commissary-general may suspend him, and shall immediately certify the same to Congress, with the reasons for such suspension, and appoint a person to act in his stead, with all the powers of a deputy commissary-general, until the sense of Congress shall be known thereon.

VI. That the present commissary-general, by himself or his deputies, deliver unto the commissary-general of issues, or his deputies or assistants, all and every kind of provisions and other public stores in the commissarygeneral's department, that now are, or at the time when such delivery shall be made, may be, in any of the posts, places, magazines and store-houses belonging to the United States, taking duplicate receipts for the same, one set whereof, together with a general return of all stores so delivered, to be sent to the board of treasury, that the commissary-general of issues may be charged therewith.

VII. That it shall be the duty of the commissary-general of purchases, with the assistance of the deputy commissaries-general and assistant commissaries of purchases, to purchase all provisions and other necessaries allowed, or which may hereafter be allowed by Congress to the troops of the United States, and deliver the same to the commissary-general of issues, or his deputies or assistants, in such quantities, and at such places or magazines as the commander in chief, or the commander in the respective department shall direct.

VIII. That the commissary-general of issues shall direct the respective deputy commissaries-general, to station one of their assistants at every fort, post, place or magazine where provisions are or may be stored.

IX. That the commissary-general of purchases shall furnish each of the deputy commissaries-general and assistants, with a book, in which is to be entered every purchase by them respectively made: and that all the accounts may be kept in the same form, he shall cause the pages of such book to be divided into ten columns, in the first of which shall be entered the year, month and day in which any purchase is made; in the second, the names of the persons from whom ; in the third, in what place; in the fourth, the species and quantity of provisions, and if live-stock, the number, colour and natural marks; in the fifth, the artificial marks and number; in the sixth, the prices; in the seventh, the amount of the purchase money; in the eighth, ninth and tenth, the weight of the meat, hides and tallow of the livestock as hereafter directed: and the commissary-general of issues shall furnish each of the issuing-deputy commissaries-general and assistants with a similar book, in which shall be entered all provisions received by them from the purchasers respectively, the first column to contain the time of receiving such provisions; the second, the name of the purchaser; and in each of the other columns, the entries before directed.

X. That each purchaser shall enter, in different pages of the said book, each species of provisions by him purchased, and, at the end of every month, shall foot and transfer the said entries to a general account, specifying the quantity, amount, and average cost of each article, and shall also, in the course of the next succeeding month, send a copy of such account to the respective deputy commissaries general, who shall thereupon make out a monthly return of all the provisions purchased in his district, specifying the quantity, amount, and average cost of each species, as before directed, together with a copy of each purchaser's accounts, to the board of war and commissary-general of purchases, within the time limited as aforesaid.

XI. That the purchasing commissaries shall deliver live stock and other provisions required by the commissary, or several deputy commissaries-general of issues, at such place as they shall respectively direct.

XII. That the deputy commissary-general of purchases in each district shall specially appoint one or more assistants to purchase live stock, who shall cause to be branded on the horns of all cattle by them purchased, the number and initial letters of their names respectively; and shall also have power to employ drovers, and a person at each place, to which they may respectively be directed to send cattle, to receive, kill, and deliver the same, as hereafter directed.

XIII. That each drove of live stock, or quantity of provisions or other stores, that may be sent to any post, place, or magazine, by any purchaser, shall be accompanied with duplicate invoices, taken from the entries directed to be made in the books of the purchasing commissaries, one of which, together with the live stock or other stores, shall be delivered at such post, place, or magazine, to the person appointed to receive live stock, or to the issuing commissaries respectively, who, on the other hand, shall give his receipt for the articles received, to be transmitted to the purchaser by the person delivering the said articles; provided, that, if any live stock, under the care of the drover, shall be wanted at any other post than that to which they were ordered, the purchaser's deputy at such post may detain them, taking a copy of the invoice, as far as it respects the live stock detained, and giving his receipt for the same on the back of the said invoice, specifying their marks and numbers, and the person to whom the residue may be delivered, shall give his receipt therefor on the same invoice, and detain the other for his use as aforesaid.

..XIV. That each drove of live stock shall be killed under the direction of the purchaser's deputy receiving the same, who shall weigh and deliver the meat to the commissary of issues of the respective posts, together with dupli

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