In Council of Safety, July 24th, 1776.—P. M. David Rittenhouse, Owen Biddle, James Cannon, Frederick Kuhl, PRESENT: Edward Bartholomew, A letter from the Committee of Berks County was laid before the Board, and the same being Considered, and it being therein Represented to this Board that some Misrepresentation of the intention of Congress has arisen amongst the Associators of this State and the Officers who were appointed to form the Flying Camp, with respect to the March and Arangement of the Associators & militia, who were to compose the said Camp, and in order that it may be better understood, it is Resolved, That all the Militia who may be furnished and equip'd agreeable to the Resolve of Congress, do march to such Place as they have been respectively ordered by Congress; and that the persons who have been appointed Captains in the Flying Camp, & have not Inlisted 25 Men for that service, do return them to their respective Corps of Associators to which they formerly belonged and Continue with them. The appointment of the Officers for the Flying Camp still to continue, and the men already enlisted to be considered as bound by their enlistment, and to be continued in service when the Militia may be permitted to return, and subject to the further orders of the Convention or of this Board; And it is further Recommended that those Companies which have been raised to form the Flying Camp, which already consists of 25 Privates and upwards, do Immediately proceed to Trenton or Brumswick, as heretofore directed. Resolved, That this Board will allow the Officers who were appointed to command the Flying Camp, all such reasonable expences as have accrued in the recruiting Service. The Following Letter was wrote to the Committee of Berks County, & sign'd by the Chairman: "Gent'n: "Your Letter of 22nd Inst., to the Hon'ble B. Franklin, Esq'r, Presid't of the Convention, was referred by the Hon. Convention to the Council of Safety. They must acknowledge the Laudable Zeal with which your Committee has, at all times, carried into execution the recommendation of such powers as acted under the People; But particularly your ready & chearfull Obedience to the Ordinance of Convention for disarming of non-Associators. "The embarrassments you Labor under in Consequence of Resolves of Congress & others, which, from the confused state of the times, appeared somewhat Contradictory, appears to us excusable. In order to render the intentions of Congress more Plain & Com- "By order of the Council of Safety." In Council of Safety, July 25th, 1776. PRESENT: DAVID RITTENHOUSE, Chairman. Timothy Matlack, Sam'l Morris, Sen'r, Jos. Blewer, Owen Biddle, Frederick Kuhl, James Cannon, John Moore. Mr. Bartholomew & Mr. Moore took & Subscribed the Qualification directed by Convention. Moved & agreed, That Jacob S. Howell be appointed Secretary to this Board, untill further order be taken herein. Henry Keppele appeared, and took and subscribed the Qualification directed by Convention. A Resolve of Convention was read, which is as follows: "In Convention for the State of Pennsylvania, "On Motion, "Resolved, That the two Companies of Fifty men each, now raising by the Committee of Westmoreland for the defence of the Frontiers, be considered as Militia in actual Service from the time of their Inlistment to the 5th day of August next; "And also that it be referred to the Council of Safety to consider whether they will keep the same in pay untill the 15 day of Sept'r next, Provided the Officers, or any of them, should not be sooner appointed in, or any of the men before that time enter into the Continental Battalion now to be raised in Bedford & Westmoreland Counties. "Extract from the Minutes. 'The above being Considered, "JOHN MORRIS, Sec'y." Resolved, That the said two Companies be Continued in pay untill the 15 Sept'r next, and that application be made to Congress to defray the expence thereof. Mr.Wharton appeared & took & subscribed the Qualification directed by Convention. In Council of Safety, July 26th, 1776. PRESENT: DAVID RITTENHOUSE, Chairman. Sam'l Morris, Sen'r, Fred. Kuhl, Timothy Matlack, Jos. Blewer, James Cannon, Hon. Keppele, j'r, Tho's Wharton, j'r. Mr. Rittenhouse & Mr. Morris were appointed to wait on Mr. Sam'l Howell & Mr. Sam'l Morris, J'r, to know whether they will serve in this Council, who report that they both decline serving for the Present. A Petition was presented from Charles Lawrence, Wm. Watkin, & Rob. Tatnall, Capt'n of Guard Boats stationed at Darby Creek, setting forth the Inconvenience of taking their Provisions from the Fort, & praying that Mr. Sketchly Morton may be appointed to supply them in future. Ordered, That Mr. Sketchly Morton do supply the said Boats with Provisions untill further orders. Two orders were drawn on Michael Hillegas, Esq'r, in favour of Benja. Davis, one for £79 15 0 for Colours, Drums, &ca., supplied Col. Mile's Battalion, the other for £80 11 9 for Colours, Drums, &c., supplied Col. Atlee's Battalion. An order was drawn on M. Hillegas, Esq'r, in favour of John Messersmith, for £12 10. On a Petition from John Peal, Boatswain of the Ranger, setting forth that he was in Confinement, & prays to be released & removed to another Boat, Ordered, That a Court Martial be held on the said Peal, and Court of enquiry on the officer who confined him, as soon as Possi ble, & report the sentence to this board. By order of the Board, Mr. Robert Towers was directed to deliver Colo. Robert Lewis 50 Muskets & Bayonets. In Consequence of an application made by Daniel King, to have Capt. Loxley returned to this City, the following letter was wrote by to Gen. Roberdeau & signed by the Chairman: "Sir: "As you are not unacquainted with the Resolutions of the late Committee of Safety, to have a number of Brass Field Peices cast, and the necessity which gave rise to it, It will be needless to enlarge thereon, but as the board have not had the success they wish in their attempt to cast Iron Cannon, it becomes more necessary for this Board to Promote & forward the said Intention to the utmost of their Power, but the absence of Capt. Loxley with his Artillery Company, who has the Chief Management & Superinten dance of the foundary, has occasioned almost the entire Stopage of that Important business. The Council of Safety have therefore to request you to return Capt. Loxley to the Canon Foundary, as he will be likely to serve his Country more effectually in that station than any other; a day's delay in this business may be attended with the most Serious Consequences; we do therefore hope it will be done as soon as Possible." By order of the Board, Rob't Towers was order'd to deliver to Col. Porter 7 Muskets, taking his receipt. Resolved, That John Maxwell Nesbitt, Esq'r, be appointed Treas'r to this Board, & that he enter into Bond with two reputable Freeholders for £5,000, for the faithfull discharge of his Office. By order of the Board, an order was drawn on John M. Nesbitt, Esq'r, Treas'r, in favour of Marshall Edwards, for £2 5 0. By order of the Board an order was drawn on J. M. Nesbitt, Esq'r, Treas'r, in fav'r of Edw'd Bartholomew, for £500, towards Haversacks, &ca., purchased for the use of the Militia, & directed the same to be charged to his acco't. By order of the Board, Rob't Towers was ordered to deliver Col. Clement Biddle, D. Q. M. G. or his assistants here, 2 Tons Lead, & 2 Tons of Powder, made into Cartridges, for the use of the army under Gen. Mercer, to be charged to Congress. By order of the Board, an order was drawn on J. M. Nesbitt, Esq'r, Treas'r, in fav'r of Col. Geo. Ross, for £63 1 6, being for arms Purchased for the use of his Batalion, to be charged to his acco't. By order of the Board, R. Towers was ordered to deliver Peter Dehaven, &ca., 100 cwt of Brass, for the use of the Gun Factory. By order of the Board, an order was drawn on J. M. Nesbitt, Esq'r, Treas'r, in favor of Peter Dehaven, & Co., for £500, for the use of the Gun Factory. By order of the Board, an order was drawn Michael Hillegas, Esq'r, Treas'r of the Province, in fav'r of John Nesbitt, Esq'r, 'Treas'r to this Board, for £10,000, to be charged to Mr. Nesbitt's acco't. VOL. X.-42. By order of the Board, Robert Towers was ordered to deliver Col. Tho's Smith, & the other Members of Convention for Bedford County, 500 lb. of Powder & Ton Lead, for the use of the Associator, to be deliver'd to the Committee of Inspection of said County & by them distributed. By order of the Board, Robert Towers was order'd to deliver Major Swoop 40 Muskets, for the use of the 1st Battalion of York County, & 8 for the use of the 3rd Battalion of said County. Mr. Wharton, Mr. Morris & Mr. Keppele, being a Committee to examine the acco't of Jos. Fox, Esq'r, Do Report, that they have inspected said acco't & Vouchers, & find the same right. In Council of Safety, July 29th, 1776, A. M. By order of the Board, Rob't Tower was directed to deliver Major Bell 20 stand of Arms, for the use of Col. Montgomery's Battalion. Mr. John Weitzel appeared, & took & Subscribed the Qualification directed by Convention. On Motion, Resolved, That the resolve of the 15th Instant July, of the late Committee of Safety, "recommending to the Committee of Inspection & Observation of this City, & the several County Committees of this Province, to nominate & appoint a proper Number of Judicious Persons residing in the said City & Counties Respectively, to distribute to distress'd Families, whose Husbands are now in actual Service, the Allowance they may think Reasonable, And that the said Committees be empowered to draw as they shall see occasion, on this Board, for the necessary Sums of Money, to be by them Lodged in the Hands of the persons so nominated, to be applied as above directed. The said Committees to return accounts to this board of the Expenditure of the same, Be and hereby agreed to & Confirmed. Ordered, That Messrs. Peter Dehaven, & Co. do, in future, superintend the Contract made by Jos. Fox, Esq'r, with John Nicholson, for Arms By order of the Board, Capt. Wm. Richards was directed to deliver Mr. John Coburn two New Cables & as much small riging as he may want for sinking the Piers, for fixing a Boom at Fort Island. |