Delegates to Congress
. Letters of delegates to Congress, 1774-1789, Volume 3, January 1 1776-May 15 1776
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Richard Smith's Diary
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Wednesday 3d. I was on the Comee. of Claims. Sundry Accots. were there adjusted as Capt. Motts, the Signers of the first 3 Millions of Dollars whose Accot. came to £437-2-8 1/2 Pennsa. Cur. and some others. In Congress the Report on the State of New York was considered. Col. Nat Heard of the Minute Men at Woodbridge & Col. Warterbury of Connecticut are ordered to take each a large Body of their Men & meet at a Day agreed on, in Queens County Long Island, & there disarm the Tories & secure the Ringleaders who it is said are provided with Arms & Ammunition from the Asia Man of War,(1) & other Parts of the Report agreed to as was a Report from the Secret Comee. implying that a large Quantity of Produce shall be exported for a Supply of Sail Cloth, other Cloth, Blankets, Needles, Military Stores & other Necessaries to fit out our Fleet and Army. A Report recommendg. to send%
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out Produce to the Amount of 160,000 Dollars for the Importation of Gold and Silver, was rejected after thoro Discussion. Mr. Alexander from Maryland took his Seat. Reports of Accounts from the Comee. of Claims confirmed. A Letter was recieved from Mr. Hanson Chairman of a Comee. in Maryland with Conolly & Cameron Two Prisoners-Smith made his Escape.(2) The Comee. of Safety here were desired to secure & take the Examination of these Criminals & a Letter was directed to be sent to the Comee. of Frederick County to search a certain Saddle for Conollys Instructions. Intelligence of this Saddle had been recd. from Gen. Washn. from whom a Letter was now recd. inclosg. a Copy of Gen. Howe's Answer to our Generals spirited Requisition about Allen. (3) An Answer was made up & sealed to Ld. Stirling inclosing Copies of the necessary Papers. Application was made from the Comee. Of Philada. asking Advice Whether to secure Ld. Drummond and Andrew Elliot now in Philada. Some Members gave them good political Characters & they remained unhurt.(4) 4 Colonels were ballotted for to command the 4 Battalions now raising in Pennsa. These Officers were chosen as the Delegates of that Province recommended viz 1. Arthur St. Clair who ranks next to Col. Bull, 2. John Shee, 3. Anthony Wayne, 4. Robert Magaw. They had been ballotted for with 4 others in the Comee. of Safety & had the highest Votes.
Note: MS (DLC).
1 Congress took this action in response to a request for assistance from the New York Provincial Congress conveyed in a letter to the New York delegates dated December 21, 1775. See Am. Archivcs, 4th ser. 4:435; and Bernard Mason, The Road to Independence: The Revolutionary Movement in New York, 1773-1777 (Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 1967), pp. 197-98.
2 For the Frederick County Committee's letter to Hancock of December 30, 1775, see Am. Archives, 4th ser. 4:479-80.
3 For Washington's letter to Hancock of December 25, 1775, and enclosures, see PCC, item 152, 1 :373-80; and Am. Archives, 4th ser. 4:453-54.
4 0n this point, see Lord Drummond's Notes, January 3-9? 1776, note 1; and Am. Archives, 4th ser. 4:509.