Report of the Committee

v2:1390

Report concerning BERNARD & WADDING' S Goods: brought in OCTOBER 7, 1776.

The Committee appointed to inquire into the causes of the miscarriages in Canada having, pursuant to the directions of Congress, inquired how certain goods, taken from John Bernard and— Wadding, 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 & 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 and half blankets to Francis Duclos; three camp-kettles, for the use of the Hospital, to W˙ V˙ Wimple, Surgeon; one pair two-point and half blankets to John Higgins; seventeen bags of bread, partly damaged, nineteen bags of flour, twenty-seven bags of corn, one bag of peas, three kegs of hog' s lard, eleven kegs of pork, and four kegs of rum, to Henry Benson, Assistant Deputy Commissary; five 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 pigtail tobacco, one barrel of powder, one piece of blue strouds, a parcel of oilcloth, cords, &c˙, to George Measam, Superintendent of Stores.

It further appears, by an account exhibited by George Nicholson, that he and Captain Scott kept for their own use one five-gallon keg of red wine, one keg of New-England rum, four pounds chocolate, and three pounds of loaf sugar. That said Nicholson delivered five camp-kettles to Colonel Hazen, three ditto to Dr˙ Lynn, for the General Hospital, and three ditto for the Red Hospital at St˙ Fays; one bale of tobacco to the friend Indians at different times, by order of General Wooster. The said Nicholson further says that the aforesaid articles are the whole of the goods that were taken from said Bernard & Wadden as aforesaid.

That said Measam delivered to the Commissioners in Canada an invoice of the goods contained in the several packages received by him.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Committee that the settlement of the accounts respecting the disposition of said goods with the several persons who received the same as aforesaid, ought to be referred to the Commissioners appointed to settle accounts in the Northern Department, and that the receipts and other papers relating thereto be transmitted to them.

v2:1391

MONTREAL, March 21, 1776.— Received of Major Nicholson, by order of General Wooster, one pair of three-point and half blankets.

FRANCIS DUCLOS.

MONTREAL, March 21, 1776.— Received of Major Nicholson three copper camp-kettles, taken from Mr˙ Woodin, and is for the use of the Continental Hospital, by order of General Wooster.

W˙ V˙ WIMPLE, Sen˙, Surgeon to General Hospital.

MARCH 22.-Received of Major Nicholson, by order of the General, one pair of two-point and half blankets and knife, the property of Wooden & Bernard.

JNO˙ HIGGINS.

MONTREAL, March 24, 1776.— Received of Major George Nicholson eighty-one fusees for the use of the Continental Army: fusees taken from the Tories of Montreal by order of the General.

JOHN SHEPHERD, Conductor of Artillery.

Received, MONTREAL, 25th March, 1776, of Major George Nicholson, Aid-de-Camp to General Wooster, seventeen bags of bread, partly damaged, nineteen bags flour, twenty-seven bags corn, one bag peas, three kegs hog' s lard, eleven kegs pork, and four kegs rum, for the use of the Continental troops.

Henry Benson, A˙D˙C.

March 24, 1776.— Received of Major George Nicholson, for the use of the Congress, five bales of goods such as are usually sent in the Indian trade, and one bundle of Indian truck, containing coarse hats, shirts, &c˙, one roll pigtail tobacco, likewise one barrel powder, seized by Major Nicholson, and claimed by Messrs˙ Woodin & Bernard, merchants of Montreal, also one piece of blue stroud, parcel of oilcloth, cords, &c.

Geo˙ MEASAM, Superintendent Stores.