That a circular letter be written by the Committees of Inspection of the several counties of Pennsylvania, where troops are raised, or raising, to form the Flying Camp, requesting them to send the troops by battalions, or detachments of battalions, or companies, as fast as raised, to the city of Philadelphia, except those raised in the counties of Bucks, Berks, and Northampton, which are to be directed to march, as aforesaid, to New Brunswick in New Jersey: 'That a copy of the foregoing Resolutions be sent to General Washington, and that he be desired to appoint a proper officer to command the Flying Camp, and also direct proper persons to supply the men with rations.

July 4. Resolved, That application be made to the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania, for a supply of flints for the troops at New York and that Delaware government and Maryland, be requested to embody their militia for a Flying Camp, with all possible expedition, and to march them, without delay, to the city of Philadelphia.

'Resolved, That the delegates of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, be a committee to confer with the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania and the Committee of Inspection and Observation for the city and liberties of Philadelphia, and the fieldofficers of the battalions of the said city and liberties, on the best means of defending the Colonies of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and that they be empowered to send expresses where necessary. 'July 5. The Committee of Congress, appointed to confer

reported, that they have had a meeting with the Committees and officers aforesaid, and have agreed to the following Resolutions, viz.:

That all the associated militia of Pennsylvania, (excepting the counties of Westmoreland, Bedford and Northumberland,) who can be furnished with arms and accoutrements, be forthwith requested to march, with the utmost expedition, to Trenton, (except the militia of Northampton county, who are to march directly for New Brunswick,) in New Jersey; and that the said militia continue in service, until the Flying Camp of ten thousand men, can be collected to relieve them, unless they shall be sooner discharged by Congress:

That the militia march by companies to the place of rendezvous:

That the said militia be taken into the Continental pay, and receive the same pay, allowance and rations, as the Continental troops, from the time they begin their march until they return to their respective homes:

That those of the three battalions of the Pennsylvania troops. now remaining in the Province, be ordered to march immediately for New Brunswick, in New Jersey:

'That the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania provide as many tents as they can for said militia :

" That the Commitee of Inspection and Observation, in the several counties, furnish a good kettle to every six men, and give all the assistance in their power, that the said militia be well armed and equipped, and march with the greatest expedition :

"That the Committees of Inspection and Observation for the several counties of Pennsylvania, be desired to order such troops as they may raise for the Flying Camp, to be marched to Trenton; the Resolve of Congress passed yesterday, notwithstanding; whereupon,

'Resolved, That the Congress highly approve the foregoing Resolutions, and recommend it to the good people of Pennsylvania, to carry the same into execution with the same laudable readiness which they have hitherto manifested in supporting the injured rights of their country.

Resolved, That Colonel Hazlet, of the battalion of Delaware government, be ordered to station one company at Lewistown, and to march the remaining seven to Wilmington, and there remain until farther orders of this Congress:"

'That General Washington be empowered, if he shall judge it advisable, to order three of the fullest regiments stationed in Massachusetts Bay, to be immediately marched to Ticonderoga; and that an equal number of the militia of that State, be taken into pay, and embodied for its defence, if the government of Massachusetts Bay judge it necessary:

That the Post-Master-General be directed immediately to have Expresses established between this city and New York, and that General Washington be desired to send off despatches to Congress, every day.*

'July 8. That the Commanding officer of the military association of Philadelphia, be directed not to order Captain Peters out of the city, as his service and attendance is necessary in the War-Office.

That General Washington be vested with discretionary power to call to his assistance at New York, such of the Continental regiments in the Massachusetts Bay, as have not already received orders to march to Ticonderoga; and that the General Court of that State be requested to supply their places with militia, if they think it expedient:

That the Commissary-General have full power to supply both armies, that upon the Lakes as well as that at New York; and also to appoint and employ such persons under him, and to remove any Deputy-Commissary, as he shall judge proper and expedient; it being absolutely necessary, that the supply of both armies should be under one direction. †

*On the subject of Expresses, see pp. 170, 171.

† In respect to the department of Commissary, see p. 256, and others there referred to.

'Resolved, That General Washington be empowered to appoint suitable places of rendezvous for the new battalions raising for Canada, and communicate the same to the Assemblies of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut and New York; also to issue his orders for supplying the men with rations, tents, a month's pay advance, and other necessaries.

'July 14. Resolved, That a letter be written to the Commanding officer in New Jersey, to march such of the militia, and Flying Camp, to New Brunswick or other places in New Jersey, as he may judge necessary, and most conducive to the public service; provided that this does not interfere with any prior directions of General Washington:

That the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania be requested, immediately, to order to the several places of their destination, all the British officers, prisoners in this city; their wives not to be desired to go until the weather is more suitable:

That the Commanding officer in Pennsylvania be desired to issue fresh orders, and exert himself to forward the immediate march of the militia to New Jersey: the service requiring their being immediately embodied, as appears by the advices received by express from General Washington.

'July 15. Resolved, That a committee, to consist of a member from Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, be appointed to consider the propriety and means of augmenting the Flying Camp:

July 16. Resolved, That General Washington be desired to lodge powder with such persons as he may think proper, for the use of such parts of the State of New York, as he may apprehend exposed to danger, and that the Commanding officer in New Jersey do the same in that Colony:

That three Commissioners be appointed by Congress, to repair, as soon as may be, to New York, there to audit the accounts* of the Commissary General, the Quarter-Master General, and the Director-General of the Hospital, and all other accounts of the army; the said Commissioners to take an oath for the faithful execution of their trust:

'That three Commissioners be appointed, for the like purposes, in the Northern army:

'That General Washington be informed that the bounty granted by the Resolution of Congress of the 26th of June, was intended as a general regulation, and to extend to all such men now in the Continental service, and all others, who will enlist for the term of three years, to be computed from and after the expiration of the term of their present enlistment. †

* In relation to an appointment for that object, see again letters, Jan. 24, May 5, July 11, pp. 160, 224, 259.

† See the General's query, second note, p. 266.

'Resolved, That General Washington be desired to call to his assistance, at New York, two thousand of the men who have marched into New Jersey to form the Flying Camp; and that the Convention of New Jersey be requested immediately to supply their places with an equal number of the militia of that State : that letters be written to the States of Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut and New Jersey, setting forth the situation of our affairs in the New York Department, and pressing them immediately to comply with the requisition of Congress of the 3d of June:

That the situation of our army at New York be pointed out to the State of Connecticut; and that it be earnestly recommended to that State, immediately to send all the militia thereof, which can be spared, into New York, to reinforce the army there, and continue in service until the proportions requested of the several States shall arrive:

'July 17. Resolved, That General Washington, in refusing to receive a letter said to be sent from Lord Howe, addressed to "George Washington, Esq.," acted with a dignity becoming his station; and, therefore, this Congress do highly approve the same; and do direct, that no letter or message be received, on any occasion whatsoever, from the enemy, by the Commander-in-Chief, or others, the Commanders of the American army, but such as shall be directed to them in the characters they respectively sustain :

'That Colonel Smallwood, from Maryland, be ordered to repair, as soon as possible, with the troops under his command, to New York, and put himself under the command of the General:

That the General be informed, that these troops are to be considered as part of the two thousand, which he was empowered to call to his assistance from the Flying Camp, by the Resolution passed yesterday:

'That it be earnestly recommended to the Convention of New Jersey, to cause all the stock on the sea-coast, which they shall apprehend to be in danger of falling into the hands of the enemy, to be immediately removed, and driven back into the country, to a place of security.

'July 19. Resolved, That a letter be written to General Schuyler, requesting him to recommend, in the strongest terms, harmony between the officers and troops of the different States; to discountenance and suppress all Provincial reflections and ungenerous jealousies of every kind, and to promote, by every possible means, discipline, order, and zeal in the public service.

'Resolved, That it be earnestly recommended to the Convention of Pennsylvania, to hasten, with all possible expedition, the march of the associators into New Jersey, agreeable to a former request of Congress.

'Resolved, That the delegates of Maryland be directed to inform

the Commanding officer of the Maryland troops, that Congress expect he will immediately march with his troops to New York.

July 20. Resolved, That Colonel Hazlet be ordered to march immediately with his battalion, to Philadelphia, and there wait the further orders of Congress.

'The committee appointed [July 15, p. 271] to devise ways and means for increasing the Flying Camp, brought in their Report, which was taken into consideration; whereupon,

'Resolved, That Brigadier-General Lewis be directed to order two battalions of Continental troops, in Virginia, to march with all possible despatch to the Flying Camp, in New Jersey, under the command of Brigadier-General Mercer; and that, if the Governor and Privy-Council of Virginia shall have reason to apprehend an invasion of the State, and shall call to its defence an equal number of minute-men or militia, the same, while in service, shall be on the pay and support of the Continent:

That the Convention of Pennsylvania be requested to augment their quota for the Flying Camp, with four battalions of militia, and the Convention of New Jersey to raise for the said Flying Camp, three battalions of militia, in addition to those formerly desired by Congress, and to send the same, with all possible despatch, to the said Flying Camp. And, that these several battalions be officered, paid and provided, as directed by the former Resolutions [June 3, p. 233] for forming the Flying Camp.

'July 23. On the

*

Report from the Board of War, the Congress came to the following Resolutions :

'That General Washington be informed, that Congress have such an entire confidence in his judgment, that they will give him no particular directions about the disposition of the troops, but desire that he will dispose of those at New York, the Flying Camp and Ticonderoga, as to him shall appear most conducive to the public good: †

That the Congress approve of General Washington's having lent to the Convention of New York, the sum of money mentioned in his letter of the 19th instant:

'That Mons. St. Martin be appointed an engineer, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, and that he be directed to repair to New York, and put himself under the command of General Washington:

Resolved, That in order to hasten the march of the troops, the several Committees of Lancaster, York, Cumberland, Berks and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania, be empowered to muster the troops that shall march from their respective counties, and to draw for one month's pay.

The ten thousand 'formerly desired,' June 3, p. 233, and these nine battalions, together, exceeded sixteen thousand seven hundred.

† See expressions of obligation and fidelity on the receipt of this Resolve, July 27, pp. 265, 266.