opinion no advance for pay can be made to persons acting under the present quarter master general, untill the Act of Congress above mentioned, requiring returns of their names stations and employments with certificates of taking the oaths enjoined are fully complied with.1

Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.

SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1781

A letter, of March 19th, from Brigadier General Moultrie; and

A memorial from sundry officers, prisoners at Charlestown, were read: 2

Ordered, That they be referred to a committee of three: The Members, Mr. [John] Mathews, Mr. [Samuel John] Atlee, Mr. [George] Walton.

A letter, of 24, from E. Forman, one of the commissioners of the Board of Treasury, was read, requesting a decision on the report of the committee on the charges brought by the treasurer of loans against the commissioners of the Board of Treasury, and communicating his desire to leave the Board, and that Congress will be pleased to signify their acceptance of this his resignation: 3

Ordered, That Wednesday next be assigned for the consideration of the report above mentioned.

A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,

1 This report, in the writing of Abraham Clark, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 19, V, folio 471. It was delivered this day and recommitted on May 4. It is in the list of postponed reports in No. 31, folio 372.

A letter, of 24, from James Smith was read, according to the indorsement, and referred to the Board of Treasury. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, XXI, folio 61.

A letter from Captain William Goold was read, according to the indorsement, and referred to the Board of Treasury; it is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 265.

2 Moultrie's letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 158, folio 481; the memorial from the officers, signed by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, is on folio 485. This letter is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 78, IX, folio 473.

TREASURY OFFICE, April 28th 1781.

Upon the recommitment of the report of the 26th inst. on the application of the Hon'ble W Few, a Delegate for the State of Georgia, the Board of Treasury beg leave to report,

Ordered, That a warrant issue on Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan office for the State of Pensylvania, in favour of Mr. [William] Few, a delegate for the State of Georgia, for two hundred and sixty-six dollars new emissions, for which the said State of Georgia is to be accountable.1

The committee appointed to confer with the executive of the State of Pensylvania, relative to expediting the march of the Pensylvania line, delivered in a report; Whereupon,

The Committee appointed to confer with the Executive of the State of Pennsylvania relative to expediting the march of the Pennsylvania line, report, That there is wanting eleven thousand six hundred and forty dollars of the new Emission, to enable the Paymaster Gen! to pay up the said line as promised, and to enable them to march immediately, which sum the Executive of the said State has agreed to furnish the Pay Master Gen! with, to be credited to the said State of Pennsylvania by Congress.

Ordered, That a warrant issue on the president and supreme executive council of the Commonwealth of Pensylvania, in favour of John Pierce, paymaster general, for thirteen thousand seven hundred and forty dollars new emission, for expediting a detachment of the Pensylvania line to the southward, for which sum the said paymaster general is to be accountable, and that the same be placed to the credit of the said Commonwealth.2

A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon, AT A BOARD OF WAR April 26, 1781

Present Mr. Peters

Col. Grayson

The Board taking into consideration a letter from Major Aquilla Giles herewith transmitted,

1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 136, V, folio 259.

2 The first paragraph of this report is in the writing of Theodorick Bland; the second

is in Charles Thomson's hand, the amount having been increased by 2,100 dollars. It is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 20, II, folio 127.

Agreed to report to Congress,

That the Board of War be empowered and directed to grant a warrant on the Paymaster General for three months Pay on account.1 WAR OFFICE April 27. 1781

SIR

The Board do themselves the honor to submit to Congress the application of L Col. Jameson of Colonel Sheldon's regiment of dragoons requesting to be reimbursed his expences while on command in this city.

The Board beg leave to inform Congress that Col. Jameson was sent here in November last by order of Col. Sheldon to procure arms accoutrements and cloaths for that regiment and has been ever since on that business.

Should Congress be of opinion that Colonel Jameson should be reimbursed his expences to the first of March last at which time the allowance of three dollars a day for expences on command was taken away-they will be pleased to resolve

That the Board of War draw a Warrant on the Paymaster General for three hundred and thirty nine dollars of the new emission in favour of L Col. Jameson to reimburse him his expences from the tenth day of November last till the first day of March.

That the said Board draw a Warrant on the Paymaster General in favour of L Col. Jameson for three months pay and subsistance the resolve of the 4th January last notwithstanding.'

Present Mr Peters

Colo. Grayson

AT A BOARD OF WAR April 28, 1781

The Board having taken into consideration a letter of the 26th instant from Lieutenant Colonel Barber of the Artillery, herewith transmitted,

Beg leave to report,

That a Warrant issue on the Paymaster General in favour of Lt. Colonel Barber of the 1st Jersey Regiment for two hundred and forty Dollars in bills of the new emissions, equal to three months pay and subsistance, the resolution of the 4th January last notwithstanding.

Ordered, That the Board of War take order for the payment of three months' pay to Major A. Giles, and also for

1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 23. 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 37.

3 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 49.

the payment of three months' pay and subsistance to Lieutenant Colonel Barber, and also to Lieutenant Colonel Jameson, the resolution of 4 January last notwithstanding;

That the Board of War draw a warrant on the paymaster general for three hundred and thirty-nine dollars of the new emission, in favour of Lieutenant Colonel Jameson, to reimburse him his expences from the tenth day of November last till the first day of March last.

A report of the Board of War, respecting the resolution of the 16 instant, was read:

SIR

WAR OFFICE April 24. 1781

It is insisted upon by some of the Officers that the resolution of the 16th instant directing the Warrants issued by the Board on Officers accounts settled by Mr Howell to be recalled, only relates to those parts of the accounts which contain the pay which being thrown upon the States renders any continental settlement unnecessary. But as for other accounts the resolution of the 27 of March still remains in force and they therefore demand their Warrants for back rations &c. There seems on examination to be a want of precision in the resolution and therefore we beg to know the sense of Congress on the subject and that they will be pleased to direct us whether we shall or shall not grant warrants on the Paymaster General for the amount of the Officers demands exclusive of pay.1

Ordered, That it be referred to a committee of three: The members, Mr. [James Mitchell] Varnum, Mr. [John] Sullivan, Mr. [Artemas] Ward.

A report of the Board of War on the petition of Elijah Weed, was read:

Present Mr Peters

Col Grayson

AT A BOARD OF WAR April 26, 1781

The Board have been honored with a reference from Congress of the Memorial of Elijah Weed Keeper of the State Prison, on which they beg leave to report,

That the pay of the Keeper of the State Prison in Philadelphia be fixed at one hundred dollars per month in bills of the new emission.

1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 5.

That the pay of an Assistant be fifty dollars p month in bills of the new emission and the pay of a Turnkey be forty dollars p month in the same bills.1

Ordered, That it be re-committed.

A report of the Board of War on the memorial of the officers of Colonel Baldwin's regiment of artificers, was read; Whereupon,

Present Mr Peters

Colo Grayson

AT A BOARD OF WAR April 28, 1781

The Board have been honored with a reference from Congress on the memorial of the Officers of Colonel Baldwin's regt of artificers Beg leave to report,

Resolved, That it be recommended to the states to which they respectively belong to make up the depreciation of their pay according to the real value of their wages at the time of their establishment to the Officers and men now or late of the regiment of artificers commanded by Colonel Baldwin.

That the Officers of that regiment be informed in answer to their memorial of the 20th instant, that the circumstances of the public will admit of no farther measures, than that specified in the foregoing resolution, with respect to that regiment."

A report from the Board of Treasury, on the accounts of Alexander McCasky, and another on the accounts of William Paulding, were read:

Question to agree thereto passed in the negative.

A report of the Board of Treasury, on the account of Doctor F. Allison, was read:

Ordered, That it be re-committed.

A letter, of 29 January, from O. Pollock, was read:

On motion of Mr. [George] Walton,

Ordered, That the Board of Treasury take order for the payment of the balances reported to be due to the auditor general and to the inspectors of the press.

1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 53. 2 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 147, V, folio 45.