SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1778

A letter, of this date, from I. Melcher, was read.1 Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War, who are directed to enquire into the state of the barrack master's department, the number of deputies employed and the places where, and report thereon.

A report, from Governor Livingston was laid before Congress and read, wherein he informs, that in pursuance of the resolution of Congress of the 19 February he has removed Gifford Dally, deputy quarter master at Morristown, in that State, for "misbehaviour and neglect of duty," and appointed in his place Benjamin Lindsey, Esq. during the will and pleasure of Congress, or such his superior officer as is or may be authorized to remove him; that he has reduced the number of assistants employed by Joseph Dewees, deputy commissary in the same place, from four to three;2

Ordered, That the said report be referred to a committee of three;

The members chosen, Mr. [Gouverneur] Morris, Mr. [Francis] Dana, and Mr. [William] Ellery.

The Committee on the Treasury brought in a report: Whereupon,

Ordered, That 100,000 dollars to be paid to Dr. Thomas Bond, Jun. to be by him delivered to Dr. Jonathan Potts, deputy director general, for the use of the hospitals of the middle district; the said Dr. J. Potts to be accountable:

That 20,000 dollars be advanced to the Committee of Commerce, to enable them to discharge four bills drawn

1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XV, folio 337. This report, dated May 9, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 68, folio 357.

on them by Abraham Livingston, Esq. continental agent at Charleston, dated the 18, 19, 20 and 21 of March, for that sum.1

Resolved, That the invoice of articles to be imported from France, together with the list of medicines, approved by Congress, be signed by the Committee of Commerce, and transmitted to the commissioners of the United States at Paris, who are authorized and directed to apply to the house of Roderique Hortalez & Co. for such of the said articles as they shall not have previously purchased or contracted for.

Ordered, That copies of the invoices be delivered to Mons. de Francy, agent for Roderique Hortalez & Co. together with a copy of the foregoing resolution.

Resolved, That the articles to be shipped by the house of Roderique Hortalez & Co. be not insured, but that notice be given to the Commissioners in France, that they may endeavour to obtain convoy for the protection thereof.

Resolved, That a copy of Governor Livingston's letter of the 27 April, respecting the horses purchased for the use of the continental army, at the request of the committee of Congress in camp, be transmitted to the quarter master general; and that he be ordered immediately to pay for such horses and settle the accounts with the persons employed to make the purchases, agreeably to the terms upon which the governor engaged.

Resolved, That the Committee for Foreign Affairs report such alterations in, or additions to, the instructions and commissions given to the commissioners at the courts of Berlin, Vienna, and Tuscany, as they may think expedient.

Resolved, That Colonel Ethan Allen be entitled to all the benefits and privileges of a lieutenant colonel in the

1 This report, dated May 15, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 289.

service of the United States during the time of his late captivity.

A number of intercepted letters were laid before Congress:

Ordered, That they be referred to a committee of three, and that the said committee be empowered to take such steps, and pursue such measures as they judge necessary for the interest of the United States:

Members chosen, Mr. R[ichard] H[enry] Lee, Mr. [James] Lovell, and Mr. [John] Witherspoon. Adjourned to 9 o'Clock on Monday.

MONDAY, MAY 18, 1778

A petition from sundry inhabitants of the county of Bedford, in the State of Pensylvania, was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.

A letter and petition from David Laird, were laid before Congress.1

Ordered, That they be referred to the Board of War. A letter, of this day, from William Turnbull, was read: Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of Treasury. A letter, of the 15, from William Bowley, was read: Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Commerce.

A letter, of the 16, from the Board of War, was read:' Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three: The members chosen, Mr. [Charles] Carroll, Mr. J[onathan] B[ayard] Smith, and Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris. A letter, of 26 April, from Governor Caswell, ||of North Carolina, was read, informing that the two houses of 1 This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, IV, folio 154. 'This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, II, folio 33.

assembly of that State have unanimously acceded to the confederation.

A petition from Jacob Gerhard Deriks was read, praying to be "honoured with a colonel's commission.

Ordered, To lie on the table.

A letter, of the 11, from Thomas Smith, of Bedford county, to James Smith, Esq. delegate from Pensylvania, was laid before Congress, and read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War, and that they be authorized, in conjunction with General Washington, to take such measures for affording present relief to the western frontiers as can be adopted, consistent with the present state of the main army.

The committee lately sent to camp, laid before Congress a plan for regulating the army:

Ordered, That to morrow be assigned for taking the same into consideration.

A letter, of 26 March, from the board of war of the State of Massachusetts bay, with an extract of a letter of 30, from Mr. Gardoqui & Sons, at Bilboa, were read: 2

Ordered, That the same be referred to a committee of three:

The members chosen, Mr. G[ouverneur] Morris, Mr. [Charles] Carroll, and Mr. [Elbridge] Gerry.

3

A petition from sundry German officers, in the service of the United States of America, was read; Whereupon, Resolved, That the Rev. Mr. Henry Miller be appointed a chaplain to the Germans in the main army; and that he be allowed the pay and privileges of a brigade chaplain, without being confined to any particular brigade.

This petition is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, II, folio 285; the letter of Smith is in No. 78, XX, folio 213.

'This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 65, I, folio 292.

'This petition, dated May 6, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 42, V, folio 69.

YORK TOWN, May 18, 1778. The Commissioners of Claims at the Treasury Office, having liquidated and rendered to the Auditor General, the undermentioned account, he begs leave to report the same to Congress for allowance.

There is due to Major William West, his pay from the 13th July, 1777, to the 28th of April, 1778, inclusive, being 9 months and 15 days, at 50 Dollars per month, 475 Dollars.1

Adjourned to 9 o'Clock ||to Morrow.||

TUESDAY, MAY 19, 1778.

A letter, of 18th, from the executive council of Pensylvania, enclosing a copy of a letter of the 14, from Samuel Hunter, lieutenant, of the county of Northumberland, was read:2

Ordered, That it be referred to the Board of War.

AT A BOARD OF WAR May 18th, 1778

Agreed to report to Congress That Mons! Noirman Laneuville be appointed a Major by Brevet in the Armies of the United States, and that his Commission be dated the 30th day of October last, and he be ordered to act under his Brother, Mons! Laneuville, Inspector General in the Northern Department in such Employment in the Line of his Office as he shall think proper, with the Approbation of the Commander in Chief of the Department.

Postponed

The Board of War, to whom the petition from Major de Bois was referred, report as their opinion, "that the resignation of Major de Bois be accepted, agreeable to his petition, and that a sum of money, the quantum of which to be settled by the Board of Treasury, should be allowed him to bear his expences back to France:"

This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, II, folio 291. It is endorsed: "Read, and postponed 30th, after having been recommitted and returned in the original state. Motion for Board of War to enquire."

2 These papers are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 69, I, folio 513.