Whereas the honourable the Continental Congress did, on the 28th day of October, instant, resolve “that Captain Duncan Campbell and Lieutenant Symes, and the men who came with them in the Transport Rebecca & Francis, be confined in such Jails in this Colony as the Committee of Safety of said Colony think proper, and that the said Captain Campbell and Lieutenant Symes be allowed, for their subsistence, one and one–third Dollar each per week, and the men one Dollar per week each, to be paid out of the Continental Treasury;” and the Committee of Safety having taken the said Resolve into consideration on this day, have determined that the said Duncan Campbell, Lieutenant Symes, and the men who came with them as aforesaid, be committed to the Jail of the City and County of Philadelphia, there to be confined until this Board shall further determine therein: These are therefore to require you to receive into your custody and strictly confine in the said Jail the aforesaid Captain Duncan Campbell and Lieutenant Symes, and them safely keep, without pen, ink, and paper, apart from the rest of your prisoners; and that you permit no person whatever to speak to them, or either of them, but in the presence of some Member of this Committee, or some other person authorized by a Member of this Committee in writing. And hereof you are not to fail at your peril.

By order of the Committee:

ROBERT MORRIS, Vice-President.

To the Keeper of the Common Jail of the City and County of Philadelphia.

Tuesday, October 31, 1775.

At a meeting of the Committee of Safety: Present—

Alexander Wilcocks, John Cadwallader, Daniel Roberdeau, James Mease, Owen Biddle, George Clymer, John Nixon, Thomas Wharton, Jun.

Wednesday, November 1, 1775.

At a meeting of the Committee of Safety: Present—

Robert Morris, Bernard Dougherty, Daniel Roberdeau, James Mease, John Nixon, George Clymer, John Cadwallader, Samuel Miles, Owen Biddle.

Resolved, That Colonel Cadwallader and Mr. Clymer be a Committee to draw up a Memorial to Congress respecting the case of Lieutenant Symes, who prays for permission to go to the Camp of General Washington, and wait there for an exchange of Prisoners.

Thursday, November 2, 1775.

At a meeting of the Committee of Safety: Present—

Robert Morris, George Clymer, James Mease, Owen Biddle, Samuel Morris, Junior, Andrew Allen, Samuel Miles, John Montgomery, Samuel Howell, Daniel Roberdeau, Bernard Dougherty, James Biddle, Alexander Wilcocks, John Cadwallader.

Robert Morris, Esq., acquaints this Board that he made application to the Assembly for the Barracks being put in proper order for the reception of the Troops now raising, and that, in consequence thereof, the House has given orders to the Barrackmaster to see the same done immediately and to obey such orders as this Committee may issue to him, from time to time, as Barrackmaster.

By order of the Board, an Order was drawn on Michael Hillegas, Esq., in favour of Mr. John Maxwell Nesbitt, Paymaster to the Fleet, for five hundred Pounds.

Upon report of Mr. Samuel Morris, Jun., that the inside of the Fort on Fort–Island is an improper place for erecting a Shed for defending the people from the inclemency of the weather; therefore,

Resolved, That Mr. Robert White and Mr. Samuel Morris, Junior, repair any Buildings that may be on the Island, and erect such others as may be found necessary; and that they employ a sufficient nurnber of hands to throw up a Bank and build a small Pier at the upper end of Fort–Island, for the purpose of sending with more speed any succours that there may be occasion for at the Island from the main.

The four following Soldiers, taken prisoners with Captain Campbell, now in the Jail of this County, were ordered by this Board to be removed to the Work–House, viz: Edward Mulloy, Robert Colebrook, John O’Neill, and Joseph Taylor.

The Board informed the Jailer and the Work–House Keeper of the City and County of Philadelphia, that Captain Campbell and Lieutenant Symes were allowed by the Continental Congress one Dollar and one–third of a Dollar per week for their subsistence, and one Dollar per week for the Soldiers taken with Captain Campbell; and that no greater sum will be allowed them.

Doctor Duffield reports his having been down to Province–Island, and examined the Pest–House, and finds it in good order, and provided with Beds and other necessaries sufficient for the accommodation of forty sick men.

Agreeably to a Resolve of yesterday, Colonel Cadwallader and Mr. Clymer drew up the following Memorial; which was approved of, and signed by the Vice–President:

To the Honourable the Continental Congress:

The Memorial of the Committee of Safety for the Province of Pennsylvania, showeth: That this Committee having carried into execution the sentence passed by Congress against Captain Campbell, Lieutenant Symes, and the several Soldiers under their command, by putting them into confinement in the Jail and Work–House of this City, they now beg leave to offer to Congress, at the instance and request of Lieutenant Symes, the reasons on which he grounds his pretensions to be considered and treated as a prisoner of war; that he came from England to Boston in the capacity of an Army Surgeon, and afterwards was commissioned as an officer in the Regiment of Royal Highland Emigrants; that being ordered on board the Transport Rebecca & Francis, placed under the absolute direction of Captain Campbell, whom he had never seen or heard of, he was ignorant of the nature of the service he was sent on, and of the instructions jointly issued by General Gage to him and Captain Campbell, until some days after he was at sea. This Committee, having examined into these circumstances, have reason to believe they are consistent with truth.

Philadelphia, November 1, 1775.

Friday, November 3, 1775.

At a meeting of the Committee of Safety: Present—

Robert Morris, Andrew Allen, Samuel Howell, John Montgomery, James Mease, George Ross, John Nixon, Daniel Roberdeau, Samuel Miles, George Clymer, Samuel Morris, Jun., Thomas Wharton, Jun., Bernard Dougherty, James Biddle.

Resolved, That Mr. Miles and Mr. Dougherty deliver to Joseph Fox, Esq., Barrackmaster, the following Order of Assembly for repairing the Barracks and providing necessaries for quartering the Troops, viz:

“In Assembly, November 1, 1775.

“Upon motion, Ordered, That the Barrackmaster do forthwith put the Barracks near this City in proper repair for receiving the Troops now raising in this Province; and that the said Barrackmaster do in future receive and comply with such orders from the Committee of Safety as they may find necessary to issue for quartering the Troops in the said Barracks.

“CHARLES MOORE, Clerk of Assembly.’’

That they inquire when the Barracks will be in readiness for the reception of the Troops; likewise, what number of Firelocks are made for this County.

Resolved, as the opinion of this Board, That it is necessary to take some further measures for the defence of this City than are already provided.

That Mr. Wharton, Mr. Clymer, Mr. Howell, and Mr. Nixon, be a Committee to inquire and to report to this Board if a Ship can be immediately bought, fit for a Provincial Ship–of–War, or how soon and at what price such a Ship can be built.

Mr. Samuel Morris, Jun., and Mr. Robert White are directed to provide Logs and Plank to build a third tier of Chevaux–de–Frise.

Upon application of Captain Proctor, the following Order was delivered him: