Petitions from Captain Daniel Morgan

v2:1394

Thursday, October 10, 1776.

A Petition from Captain Daniel Morgan, and one from Captain Smith, Lieutenant Steel, and Lieutenant Nichols, late returned from Canada, were read:

Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of Treasury, who are directed to liquidate and settle the accounts enclosed in the said Petitions, and to pay or allow for such arms as were lost or taken by the enemy in the assault on Quebeck.

A Petition from Frederick Seegar was read, praying for leave to resign his office of Quartermaster to the German Battalion:

Resolved, That leave be granted.

A Petition of John Melchior Neff, and one from Paul Fooks, were read, and referred to the Board of War.

The Marine Committee having recommended Captain Whipple, of the Ship Columbus, to the command of the Providence Frigate, at Rhode-Island,

Resolved, That he be promoted accordingly.

The Committee further reported, that they have had under consideration the rank of the Captains of the Navy, and agreed to a Report, which was read: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the rank of the Captains be as follows:

1˙ James Nicholson, of the Virginia, of— 28 guns.
2˙ John Manly,— Hancock,— 32
3˙ Hector M' Neil,— Boston,— 24
4˙ Dudley Saltonstall,— Trumbull,— 28
5˙ Nicholas Biddle,— Randolph,— 32
6˙ Thomas Thompson,— Raleigh,— 32
7˙ John Barry,— Effingham,— 28
8˙ Thomas Reed,— Washington,— 32
9˙ Thomas Grennall,— Congress,— 28
10˙ Charles Alexander,— Delaware,— 24
11˙ Lambert Wickes,— Reprisal,— 16
12˙ Abraham Whipple,— Providence,— 28
13˙ John Hopkins,— Warren,— 32
14˙ John Hodge,— Montgomery,— 24
15˙ William Hallock,— Lexington,— 16
16˙ Hoysted Hacker,— Hamden.
17˙ Isaiah Robinson,— Andrew Dona,— 14
18˙ John Paul Jones,— Providence,— 12
19˙ James Josiah.
20˙ Elisha Hinman,— Alfred,— 28
21˙ Joseph Olney,— Cabot,— 16
22˙ James Robinson,— Sachem,— 10
23˙ John Young,— Independence,— 10
24˙ Elisha Warner,— Fly.
Lieutenant Baldwin,— Wasp,— 8
Lieutenant Albertson,— Musquito,— 4

v2:1395

Resolved, That the Marine Committee be empowered to settle the rank of the Lieutenants of the Navy.

Resolved, That a Committee of three be appointed to prepare the form of an Oath to be taken by the officers of the Army and Navy:

The Members chosen, Mr˙ Wythe, Mr˙ Stone, and Mr˙ Paine.

The Board of War brought in a Report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,

Resolved, That General Schuyler be directed to take such steps as are necessary for procuring a sufficient number of as large vessels as the navigation of the Lakes will admit of, for the service of the States the next campaign, that the command of the Lakes may be effectually secured:

That William Patten be appointed third Lieutenant in Colonel Hand' s Regiment, in the place of Lieutenant Clark, resigned:

That the Regimental Paymasters in the Army of the United States, have the rank of First Lieutenants, and receive rations as Captains:

That General Washington be directed to negotiate with General Howe an exchange of the officers returned from Canada, and that they have a preference to those taken on New-York Island and Long-Island:

That General Washington be directed, if he shall judge it necessary, to sink the new Ships mentioned in his Letter of the 5th instant.

Resolved, That the further consideration of the Report be postponed.

The Committee to whom was referred the case of William Faulkner, brought in a Report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,

Resolved, That William Faulkner, a prisoner confined at Reading, be permitted to return to his family in Tryon County, upon giving his parole.

The Committee appointed to devise a plan for providing Carriages, &c˙, brought in a Report, which was taken into consideration: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the Quartermasters in every department be ordered to avoid pressing Horses and Carriages, as much as possible; and when it is necessary, that they be directed to go to the country houses for that purpose, and discharge, as soon as the service will admit, such Horses and Carriages so impressed; and that no violence whatever be done to any persons, their Horses or Carriages, who go to the camp of their own accord, to sell provisions, or other necessaries of any kind.

An application from the Council of Safety of Pennsylvania was laid before Congress, and read, desiring that a Committee of Congress may be appointed to confer with a Committee of their body on the expediency of having Troops stationed near the City of Philadelphia, for the defence of Pennsylvania:

Ordered, That the Board of War confer with the Committee of the Council of Safety on the subject proposed.

A Petition of William Mackay was read, praying for leave to return home:

Ordered, That the prayer of the Petition be granted.

Resolved, That the following promotions and appointments be made in the Virginia Battalions, viz:

William Crawford, Colonel of the Seventh; commission to be dated the 14th of August:

Josiah Parker, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Fifth; commission to be dated the 13th of August:

Thomas Elliott, Colonel of the Fourth; commission to be dated the 3d of September:

James Hendricks, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Sixth; commission to be dated the 13th of August:

John Markham, Major of the Second; commission to be dated the 13th of August:

John Seayres, Major of the Fourth; commission to be dated the 13th of August:

George Johnston, Major of the Fifth; commission to be dated the 13th of August:

Richard Parker, Jr˙, Major of the Sixth; commission to be dated the 13th of August:

William Taliaferro, Major of the Third; commission to be dated the 13th of August:

v2:1396

John Taylor, Captain in the First; commission to be dated the 29th of April:

John Chilton, Captain in the Third; commission to be dated the 29th of April:

John Blackwell, First Lieutenant in do˙; commission to be dated the 29th of April:

Joseph Blackwell, Second Lieutenant in do˙; commission to be dated the 29th of April:

John Ashby, Captain in the Third; commission to be dated the 18th of March:

William Neilson, First Lieutenant; commission to be dated the 18th of March:

Isham Keith, Second do˙; commission to be dated the 18th of March:

Nathaniel Ashby, Ensign in the Third; commission to be dated the 18th of March:

Charles Read, an Ensign, in the room of Robert Dade,

Resolved, That Commissions be made out to all the officers of the Regiments in the service of the United States, who have been appointed in the places of others resigning and promoted, and bear dates the days on which the resignations and promotions were respectively made.

A Memorial from George Measam was presented to Congress, and read:

Ordered, To lie on the table.

Resolved, That three Members be added to the Committee of Clothing, in the room of those who are absent:

The Members chosen, Mr˙ Witherspoon, Mr˙ Stone, and Mr˙ Penn.

Congress took into consideration the Report of the Board of War of the 19th of September: Whereupon,

Resolved, That the inhabitants, of Canada captivated by the United States, and not taken in arms, be released and sent home, except St˙ Luke la Corn and Mons˙ Rouville, the elder, upon this condition, that they sign a parole not to take up arms against the United States, nor give intelligence to the enemies of these States:

That a register be kept of their names.

Ordered, That the Board of War deliver Gunpowder for proving Cannon made for the United States, upon application to them for that purpose.

The Committee of Treasury reported, that there is due,

To Joseph Donaldson, for supplies to recruits to General Lee' s Guard, and provisions to Captain Crier' s Company, and a guard with powder to Virginia, 20 60-90ths Dollars:

To William Faulkner, a prisoner, sent by General Schuyler to Reading, for his allowance from the 9th of April to the 7th of October, inclusive, 26 weeks, at 2 Dollars, 52 Dollars:

To Captain Hazlewood, Captain Greenway, and Mr˙ Bedford, a balance of 267 10-90tbs Dollars, their whole account of charge for preparing six sail of fire-ships at New-York, and their expenses going to, in, and coming from, New-York to Philadelphia, being 392 10-90ths Dollars; of which they have received from S˙ Moylan, Esq˙, Quartermaster General, 125 Dollars; the remainder is 267 10-90ths Dollars:

Ordered, That the said Accounts be paid.

Resolved, That to-morrow be assigned for appointing the Commissaries of Clothing and Deputy Commissary of Stores.

The several matters to this day referred being postponed,

Adjourned to ten o' clock to-morrow.