of three Battalions, upon the Continental establishment, would amount to for one year, and to give Continental rank to the Officers of the three Regiments raised in June, and of the Regiment of Artillery raised in November, from the dates of their respective Commissions, or at least from the 4th day of November, when they resolved to allow that Colony three Battalions: And whereas the Delegates from that Colony in Congress have represented the peculiar circumstances and heavy expenses of that Colony, and that the Troops raised in it were inlisted for three years, upon a different establish­ment of pay, and under different articles of war, so as to render it inconvenient to place them, in all respects, upon the Continental establishment: Therefore,

Resolved, That the Battalion of Artillery, and the two Battalions of Foot, raised in South-Carolina, and kept up in that Colony for the defence of the same, be considered as Continental forces, and allowed the same pay, rations, and disbursements, as other forces on the Continental establish­ment.

That the two Battalions under the command of Colonels Gadsden and Moultrie, be allowed all the advantages of the Continental establishment, from the 4th day of November last, and the Regiment of Artillery from the time when the same was ordered to be raised by the Provincial Congress, or the Convention of South-Carolina.

That the two Battalions of Riflemen, raised in and for the defence of the said Colony, be considered as Continen­tal Troops from the 25th day of March last, and be entitled to all the advantages of the same.

That all the above-mentioned Troops be liable to the Articles for the government of the forces in the said Colony.

That the said forces be continued on the Continental es­tablishment until the expiration of their inlistment, unless they shall be sooner disbanded by Congress.

That not more than one-third of the effective men of the above-mentioned forces be ordered out of the said Colony, without the express order of Congress, or the consent of the President of that Colony.

Resolved, That Mr. Heyward and Mr. Hall be added to the Committee for providing Medicines.

Resolved, That Mr. Rodgers be appointed a Member of the Marine Committee.

Resolved, That a Commissioner be appointed to settle in Canada the debts due on Certificates given by Officers to the Canadians for Carriages and other services, and to set­tle the Accounts for such goods as may have been seized, through necessity, for the use of the Army; that it be given in instruction to him to attend particularly to the case of Mr. Bernard; and that, in settling the certified debts, he state carefully the names of all those who have given Cer­tificates, the nature of the service, and the time when performed, and return the whole, when settled and stated, to the Committee of the Treasury, to be by them examined and discharged.

That Thursday next be assigned for electing said Com­missioner.

Resolved, That no man in these Colonies, charged with being a Tory, or unfriendly to the cause of American liberty, be injured in his person or property, or in any manner what­ever disturbed, unless the proceeding against him be founded on an order of this Congress, or the Assembly, Convention, Council or Committee of Safety of the Colony, or Commit­tee of Inspection and Observation of the District wherein he resides: Provided, That this Resolution shall not prevent the apprehending any person found in the commission of some act destructive of American liberty, or justly suspected of a design to commit such act and intending to escape, arid bringing such person before proper authority for examination and trial.

Information being given that some of the Officers who were Prisoners at Lebanon, in the Colony of Pennsylvania, have, in violation of the parole by them given and subscribed, made their escape,

Resolved, That it be referred to the Board of War and Ordnance to consider what steps are necessary to be taken on the occasion.

The several matters to this day referred, being postponed, Adjourned to ten o’clock, to-morrow.

Wednesday, June 19, 1776.

A Letter from the Convention of New-Jersey of the 18th, enclosing an Ordinance for raising three thousand three hun­dred Militia for the defence of New-York, together with their proceedings in apprehending William Franklin, Esq., late Governour of that Colony, was laid before Congress, and read. Whereupon,

Resolved, That it be recommended to the Convention of New-Jersey to proceed on the examination of Mr. Franklin, and if, upon such examination, they shall be of opinion that he should be confined, to report such opinion to this Con­gress, and then the Congress will direct the place of his confinement, they concurring in sentiment with the Conven­tion of New-Jersey, that it would be improper to confine him in that Colony.

The Board of War and Ordnance, to whom sundry Let­ters and papers were referred, particularly one from General Washington of the 16th, brought in their Report, which was taken into consideration. Whereupon,

Resolved, That the Commissions granted by Brigadier-General Sullivan to sundry Officers in Canada, mentioned in General Washington’s Letter, be approved and confirmed, provided General Gates and the General Officers in Canada, on consultation, shall think the measure will conduce to the publick service.

That 300,000 Dollars be sent to the Paymaster-General at New-York, for the use of the Army.

The Committee of Claims reported that there is due—

To John Jervis, for Horse-hire, Ferriages, &c, the sum of 33 10–90 Dollars;

To John Bruce, the sum of 13 36–90 Dollars, being the balance of his Bill for Cartouch-boxes;

To Joseph Feinauer, the sum of 17 3–90 Dollars, the ba­lance of his Bill for tin Cartouch-boxes;

To Sacheveral Wood, the sum of 187 26–90 Dollars, for victualling Prisoners confined in Jail by order of Congress;

To George Reinheart, for the carriage of Powder, Arms, and Bullets, the sum of 20 48–90 Dollars;

To Thomas Harvey, for cash paid by him for Guards of Powder-Wagons, and also his bills for Ferriages, the hire of a Wagon, &c., the sum of 27 20–90 Dollars, and that the same ought to be paid to Samuel Hillegas, Esq.;

To Mary Thomas, for nursing and boarding two of Cap­tain Benezet’s men in the Small-Pox, the sum of 12 Dol­lars.

Ordered, That the said Accounts be paid..

number or state of the sick, so as to be a judge of the propriety of grant­ing or refusing what they might demand. And such a door was once opened to them of extracting every kind of expensive store from the General Hospital, that had I not wholly shut that door against them, it is impossible to form any idea to what an amazing extent the expenses of the General Hospital would amount; but the Commissary-General has often informed me, that had it not been stopped, the expenses of the sick would equal that of all the well soldiers of the whole Army.

Without orders, I have always allowed them every supply of medical articles which they drew for, and which it was in my power to procure. Happily for the service, on the surrender of Boston to the American arms I was put in possession of a large stock of medicine and Hospital furniture, bedding and blankets; and by the dint of unwearied application conveyed them to New-York at no great charge to the publick. From this store I have already ordered near forty regimental chests, and sup­plied the wants of the Hospital; but I have to lament that this stock is now unassorted, and that I am in great want of capital medicines. This want must daily increase in my present situation.

The time is critical; very illy can my presence from the Army be dis­pensed with. I have the General’s positive orders to return within a few days, and my own inclination, as well as sense of duty, concur to hasten my return. But bound to remain in one place, without assistants to collect medical and Hospital stores and chirurgical instruments, (which is more difficult from the great scarcity,) I am compelled to solicit an immediate supply from Congress; and likewise that, in case of action, old linen, &c, may be furnished with speed, in addition to what I have been able of myself to collect.

Not to be too troublesome, or to take up too much of the precious time of this honourable House, I will only add, that all the weight of taking care of the sick and wounded naturally falls on the Hospital Surgeons and Mates, and that the Regimental Surgeons and Mates are compara­tively of little use till they are placed in some subordination; and as their pay is increased, the Mates of the Hospitals appear very desirous to remove into regiments till a better regulation takes place; and, that I con­ceive that to answer the purposes of a General Hospital, without greatly increasing the expense, if not now, yet hereafter, some small stoppages must be made somehow on the men’s pay; and that to conduct all these matters to a happy issue, the Congress will think it highly expedient to appoint a Committee to confer with me, and to whom I can make the affairs of my department known, for the sake of a complete regulation of it; which is humbly submitted to the consideration of this honourable House.

June 18, 1776.