The Congress took into consideration the Report of the Committee on a War-Office:

Whereupon, Resolved, That a Committee of Congress be appointed, by the name of a Board of War and Ordnance, to consist of five Members.

That a Secretary and one or more Clerks be appointed by Congress, with competent salaries, to assist the said Board in executing the business of their department.

That it be the duty of the said Board to obtain and keep an alphabetical and accurate Register of the names of all Officers of the Land forces in the service of the United Colonies, with their rank and the dates of their respective Commissions; and also regular accounts of the state and disposition of the Troops in the respective Colonies; for which purpose, the Generals and Officers commanding in the different Departments and Posts are to cause regular Returns to be made in the said War-Office.

That they shall obtain and keep exact accounts of all the Artillery, Arms, Ammunition, and warlike Stores belonging to the United Colonies, and of the manner in which, and the places where the same shall from time to time be lodged and employed; and that they shall have the immediate care of all such Artillery, Arms, Ammunition, and warlike Stores, as shall not be employed in actual service, for preserving whereof they shall have power to hire proper Magazines at the publick expense.

That they shall have the care of forwarding all despatches from Congress to the Colonies and Armies, and all moneys to be transmitted for the publick service by order of Congress; and of providing suitable escorts and guards for the safe conveyance of such despatches and moneys when it shall appear to them to be necessary.

That they shall superintend the raising, fitting out, and despatching, all such Land forces as may be ordered for the service of the United Colonies.

That they shall have the care and direction of all Prisoners of War, agreeable to the orders and regulations of Congress. That they shall keep and preserve in the said office, in regular order, all original Letters and Papers which shall come into the said office by order of Congress, or otherwise, and shall also cause all drafts of Letters and Despatches to be made or transcribed in books to be set apart for that purpose; and shall cause fair entries, in like manner, to be made and Registers preserved, of all other business which shall be transacted in the said office.

That before the Secretary or any Clerk of the War-Office shall enter on his office, they shall respectively take and subscribe the following Oath, a certificate whereof shall be filed in the said office:

“I, A B, do solemnly swear that I will not, directly or indirectly, divulge any matter or thing which shall come to my knowledge as Secretary of the Board of War and Ordnance (or Clerk of the Board of War and Ordnance) established by Congress, without the leave of the said Board of War and Ordnance, and that I will faithfully execute my said office, according to the best of my skill and judgment, so help me God.”

That the said Board of War be authorized to hire suitable apartments, and provide books, papers, and other necessaries, at the Continental expense, for carrying on the business of the said office.

The Committee to whom the several Letters from the Commissioners in Canada and Major-General Schuyler, with the papers enclosed therein, were referred, brought in their Report; which was read.

The Commissioners to Canada also brought in a Report in writing, which was read.

Resolved, That the said two Reports be referred to the Committee of the whole Congress.

The Congress then resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into consideration the Reports to them referred; and after some time spent thereon, the President resumed the chair, and Mr. Harrison reported that the Committee have made some progress in the matters referred to them, but, not having finished, directed him to move for leave to sit again.*

Resolved, That this Congress will, to-morrow, again resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole, to take into their further consideration the Reports referred to them.

Adjourned to ten o’clock, to-morrow.

Thursday, june 13, 1776.

A Letter from Mr. McKean, dated two o’clock this morning, and a Letter from the Committee of Lewistown, of the 11th, were laid before Congress.

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to forward one ton of Gunpowder, and a proportionable quantity of Lead, if to be got, to the Committee of Safety of the Counties on Delaware, for the use of the Militia in that Government.

That it be recommended to the Assembly of Pennsylvania immediately to order a Battalion of the Provincial Riflemen to march to the assistance of the Militia in Delaware Government.

That it be recommended to the Assembly, or Committee of Safety of Delaware Government, to cause all the disaffected in their Colony to be disarmed, and the arms to be disposed of agreeable to a former Resolution of Congress.

That the Commanding Officer of the Rifle Battalion of Associators in this City be requested to order a Company of the said Battalion to escort the Powder sent to the Delaware Government, until they shall reach the Provincial Battalion of Riflemen ordered to march to the assistance of the Delaware Militia.

A Letter from James McLene, Chairman of the Committee of Shippensburgh, enclosing certain Resolutions respecting some Powder they have stopped, which was sent by Mr. L. Morris to George Morgan, Esq., at Pittsburgh, was laid before Congress, and read.

Resolved, That the President return an answer, and inform the Committee that the Powder was sent to G. Morgan, Esq., by order of Congress, and request them to use their endeavours to have the same forwarded with all safety and despatch to Mr. Morgan, at Pittsburgh.

A Letter of the 11th, from the Convention of New-York, was also read, and referred to the Committee appointed the 6th.

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to stop the exportation of any salted Provisions which they may have ordered to be made at New-York.

Resolved, That the Secret Committee be directed to deliver one hundred pounds of Powder to the order of the Committee appointed to contract for the casting of Cannon.

* Resolutions agreed to by the Committee of the Whole, JUNE 12, 1776, relating to CANADA, and military operations in that quarter.

That no Troops employed in Canada be disbanded there. That all soldiers in Canada, whose time shall expire, and who will not reinlist, or who shall be ordered to be disbanded, shall be sent under officers to Ticonderoga, or such other post on the Lakes as the General shall direct, where they shall be mustered, and the Arms, Accoutrements, Blankets, and utensils, which they may have belonging to the publick, shall be there delivered up and deposited in the publick store.

Resolved, That General Washington be directed to send into Canada such small brass or iron Field-pieces as he can spare.

That the Cannon Committee be directed to procure a number of brass or iron Field-pieces, to be made or purchased immediately.

That a proper assortment of Medicines be sent into Canada.

That General Washington be directed to order an inquiry to be made into the causes of the miscarriages in Canada, and into the conduct of the officers heretofore employed in that Department; and that the said inquiry be made at such places and times as in General Washington’s judgment will best conduce to obtain satisfaction thereon; and that the result of the said inquiry, together with the testimonies upon the subject, be transmitted to Congress.

That the Quartermaster-General be directed to provide and forward such Tents, Clothing, and Utensils, as are wanted for the Army in Canada, subject to the direction of the Commander-in-Chief.

That General Washington be permitted to employ the Indians that he may take into the service of the United Colonies, pursuant to a Resolution of Congress of the    , in any place where he judges they will be most useful; and that he be authorized to offer the Indians a reward of     dollars for every commission officer, and      dollars for every private soldier of the King’s troops that they shall take prisoners in the Indian country, or on the frontiers of these Colonies.

That Mr. J. Mease be directed to purchase and forward to the Quartermaster-General in New-York as much Cloth suitable for Tents as he can procure.

That a bounty of      dollars be given to every Non-Commissioned Officer and Soldier who will inlist to serve during the war.

That it be recommended to the Convention of New-York to pass an Ordinance empowering General Washington to impress Carriages, and to secure ships and small craft upon Hudson’s and the East Rivers, when necessary for the service.

That the Pennsylvania Battalion of Riflemen be completed to their original establishment.

That the Companies of Riflemen from Virginia and Maryland be regimented, and the Regiment completed to the same number with that from Pennsylvania.