USA > Connecticut > The public records of the State of Connecticut, from October 1776 to Ferbruary 1778, inclusive > Part 24
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204
COUNCIL OF SAFETY
[April,
Voted, That Sam1 Gray, Esq', be and he is hereby directed to deliver unto James Whelpley, quarter-master to Col. Bradley's battalion, one hun- dred and twenty-four pairs of men's breeches, for the use of said battalion, and take his receipt; also deliver twelve men's shirts for the use of the offi- cers in said battalion, and to be by them accounted for. Copy given.
Voted, That Sam1 Gray, Esq', be and he is hereby directed to deliver unto Nath1 Durkee jun", quarter-master to Col. Swift's regiment, twelve men's shirts, for the use of the officers in said regiment and to be by them accounted for, and take his, said Durkee's, receipt therefor. Copy given.
Voted, To draw on the Pay-Table of this State, in favour of Dr. Joseph Perkins, for the sum of five pounds for a set of amputating instruments, delivered on board the brig Defence. Order drawn April 4th, 1777.
Voted, To draw on the Pay-Table of this State for the sum of £1 3 8, in favour of Major Elijah Hyde and Mr. Enoch White, administrators on the estate of Mr. Simeon Gray deceas'd, it being for the support of Mr. Sam1 Kirt- land and six Indians of the Six Nations and their waiter whilst at Gray's tavern in Lebanon March 15, 1777. Order drawn April 4th, 1777.
Voted, To draw on the Pay-Table of this State for the sum of £1 4 9, in favour of Thomas Coit of Norwich, for sundry medicines supplied Capt. Lyon's company whilst sick at Norwich. Order drawn April 4th, 1777.
Voted, To direct Col. Elderkin and Mr. Wales to apply to the Hon' James Bowdoin and Council of the Massachusets Bay, to borrow one ton of sulphur for the use of the powder mills in this State, to be replaced as soon as may be; and said Elderkin and Wales to receive the same if obtained.
Voted, That ten sets of the horse harnesses compleat at New Haven be brought to New London and there delivered to Mr. Nath. Shaw jr, and that orders be given on Col. Jonth Fitch for the same accordingly.
Order de to Maj. Hillhouse, April 4th, 1777.
Voted, That orders be given to Capt. Elijah Backus to make another cannon like that he has made for the publick.
Whereas the Honble Congress have ordered three battalions of artillery- men to be raised in the United States for the continental service, to consist of twenty two hundred men in the whole nearly, the proportion whereof is one hundred and seventy men for this State nearly, over and above the bat- talions of musquetry, and a proportion of officers are appointed in said State for said service and to inlist our quota thereof, and application is made to this Board by Lt. Col. Oswald, the chief officer in this State for that depart- ment, praying for the same additional premium of £10 0 0 for each non- commission officer and private who shall inlist into said artillery service as has been granted by the General Assembly and by this Board to the other regiments : This Board, considering it to be necessary that the artillery-men should be furnished as well as the other parts of the army, and that the encouragement ought to be the same, do vote and resolve, that the same premium of ten pounds be granted as aforesaid to our quota of said artillery- men, not exceeding one hundred and seventy; and the Committee of Pay- Table of this State are hereby ordered to pay and deliver to said Lt. Col. Eleazer Oswald the sum aforesaid for the use aforesaid, taking of him suffi- cient securities that the same shall be duly applied and accounted for.
Resolved, That Col. Jedh Elderkin of this State be requested to make all due enquiry at Boston and elsewhere concerning the newest and best model of cannon of eighteen-pounders and under, and of any other dimentions, and
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OF CONNECTICUT.
1777.]
also of the newest and best method of boring them, and in general of every thing relating thereto which may be useful to be known and for the best good of the American cause; and all gentlemen concerned and acquainted are requested to communicate to said Col. Elderkin any knowledge they may have, and to assist him in gaining any intelligence and skill in the premises.
Adjourned till Wednesday next.
AT A MEETING OF THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL OF SAFETY, APRIL 9TH, 1777.
Present : His Honor the Governor. Elipht Dyer, Nath1 Wales jun",
Jz. Huntington, Benj. Huntington, Esqrs.
Wm. Williams, Wm. Hillhouse,
Roger Alden is appointed Adjutant to Col. Bradley's battalion in contin- ·ental service.
Great part of the day taken up in considering low in what manner to compleat immediately the army &c.
Gave an order on Isaac Doolittle & Co. for 400 lb. of powder to be delivered to Brig. Gen1 Silliman or order, for the use of the armed vessells fitting out by him for the defence of this State.
Gave an order on Dr. Sam1 Gray for three dozen officers shirts to be delivered to John Elderkin, quarter-master of Col. Charles Webb's battalion, for the use of the officers of that battalion.
Gave an order on Mr. Andrew Huntington to deliver to Qr. M. Andrew Wheatley of Col. Durkee's regiment as many hats and knapsacks [as] are at present wanted for that battalion.
AT A MEETING OF THIE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL OF SAFETY, APRIL 10TH, 1777.
Present : His Honor the Governor. Elipht Dyer, Wm. Hillhouse,
Jabez Huntington, Nath1 Wales jun", Esqrs.
Wm. Williams, Benj. Huntington, )
This Board referred the account of Elihu Crane to the Pay-Table to allow and draw on the Treasurer for payment, being £15 7 6, for carrying a load of flints left at Durham last winter by a team going with them to Peekskill, and tired in the deep snow &c.
Voted, To draw on the Pay-Table for the sum of four thousand pounds, in favour of Capt. John Deshon, for the purpose of importing salt and neces- sary stores for this State &c., and to be in account.
Voted, To give an order on Capt. Jabez Perkins to deliver one bbl. of molasses to the civil authority and selectmen of Groton, for the use of the continental soldiers under inoculation in Groton, and to render their account.
Order dd to Mr. Thom. Chester, April 10th, 1777.
Major Nathan Gallup is appointed instead of Luke Perkins, Esq', deceased, to assist in apprizing damages done to Mr. Jonth Chester of Groton by building the forts at Groton, by building said forts on his land ; and if any objection arises against Maj. Gallup, then the committee to agree with Capt. Chester on one in his room.
Voted, To draw an order on the Pay-Table in favour of Capt. Jonth Ches- ter for £5 0 0, in part for his land taken for the forts at Groton.
Order dd to Mr. Thos. Chester, inclosed in a letter.
206
COUNCIL OF SAFETY
[April,
Jacob Fox is appointed Second Lieutenant in Capt. John Shumway's company, in the room of Joel Gillet resigned.
Voted, That Sam1 Gray, Esq', be and he is hereby directed to deliver unto Elias Mather, quarter-master to Col. Wm. Douglass's regiment, one hundred and thirty jackets, 124 pair of breeches, three dozen of officers shirts, for the use of said regiment : said officers who receive said shirts to account for the same ; and take said Mather's receipt.
Voted, To give order to Dr. Sam1 Gray, Esq", to deliver Maj. E. Gray and Capt. Nath" Webb four shirts each, and to be accountable.
An order dd to Gen. Dyer April 10th, 1777.
AT A MEETING OF THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL OF SAFETY, APRIL 11TH, 1777 ..
Present : His Honor the Governor. Eliph' Dyer, Wm. Hillhouse,
Jabez Huntington, Nath1 Wales jun", Esq™s.
Wm. Williams, Benj. Huntington,
Capt. Abner Bacon is appointed Captain in Col. Durkee's battalion, in the room of Capt. Nathan Peters resigned.
Great part of this day was spent in deliberating on the best measures for filling up the continental army.
Voted, That Seth Harding, Esq', be and he is hereby appointed Captain and Commander of the ship Oliver Cromwell during the pleasure of the Gen- eral Assembly or this Board.
Voted, That Timothy Parker be and he is hereby appointed First Lieuten- ant of the ship Oliver Cromwell during pleasure.
Voted, That John Chapman be and he is hereby appointed Second Lieu- tenant of the ship Oliver Cromwell during pleasure.
Voted, That John Smith of East Hartford be and he is hereby apppointed Third Lieutenant of the ship Oliver Cromwell during pleasure.
Voted, That Capt. Eliphalet Roberts be and he is hereby appointed Cap- tain of Marines on board the ship Oliver Cromwell during pleasure.
Voted, John Prentice 2ª be and he is hereby appointed First Lieutenant of Marines on board the ship Oliver Cromwell during pleasure.
Voted, That Bela Elderkin be and he is hereby appointed Second Lieu- tenant of Marines on board the Oliver Cromwell during pleasure.
Voted, That Capt. Josiah Burnam be and he is hereby appointed Master of the ship Oliver Cromwell during pleasure.
Capt. Wm. Coit is discharged from the ship Oliver Cromwell on the 14th of April instant.
Inlisting orders went out to Capt. Harding for inlisting men for a new crew for the ship Oliver Cromwell, to serve untill the 14th of October next unless sooner discharged.
AT A MEETING OF THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL OF SAFETY, APRIL 12TH, 1777, SATURDAY.
Present : His Honor the Governor.
Elipht Dyer, Wm. Hillhouse,
Jabez Huntington, Nath Wales jun", Esqrs
Wm. Williams, Benj. Huntington,
207
OF CONNECTICUT.
1777.]
This day was chiefly spent in consulting on the best measures for filling- np the continental army.
Silas Boldget is appointed First Lieutenant in Capt. Walbridge's com- pany in Col. Charles Webb's battalion, instead of John Waterbury 4th, who is removed into Capt. Hoit's company in Col. Bradley's battalion.
A letter was sent to Brig. Gen1 Silliman containing orders to keep the utmost vigilance over the enemy supposed to be collecting in N. York in order to make a push up the North River to destroy our magazines at Dan- bury and other places in those parts, and to raise his brigade for defence if he judges it needful, and to give the earliest intelligence to the Governor and Council of every alarming appearance of danger in his department.
A permit was given to Capt. Isaac Hilliyard to carry 3800 pounds of flax out of this State into the Massachusets Bay, for the inhabitants there, with orders that said permit to be indorsed to prevent fraud.
Voted and resolved, That Col. Latimer, or the commanding officer of the 3ª regiment, do immediately draft and call forth two hundred men of his regiment to take post at New London for the same service and defence assigned to the military companys now there and whose time is nearly ex- pired, and to serve for a term not exceeding one month, and under such commission officers of his regiment as he, said commanding officer, shall assign, and himself to take the chief command of them during the term aforesaid. .
Order dª Maj. Hilhouse to carry.
And on much consideration &c. the following draft for a resolve and proclamation for the purpose of hastening and promoting the raising the continental army, being prepared, is revised, considered &c. and pass'd, viz :
A Resolve and Proclamation.
Whereas notwithstanding the encouragement given by the Honourable Continental Congress, and by the General Assembly of this State, and the generous exertions of the towns and of individuals in said State, in conse- quence of the ACTS and DOINGS of said Assembly and this Board, to raise and furnish our QUOTA of the Continental army: For the great and unspeak- ably important purposes of defending all our property, our lives, and all the privileges, which render life desirable, and secure any of its blessings to POSTERITY.
The said quota or proportion of said army is not yet compleated in this State, and the time swiftly approaches and is almost arrived, when without more vigorous and successful efforts ALL IS LOST; there is therefore no more time to spare; while the great laws of reason, virtne and selfpreservation, call aloud for universal attention to this great object, of far greater import- ance than any other temporal concern. It is therefore once more, most press- ingly and earnestly recommended to all whom it may concern to use every influence and exertion, immediately to fill up the quota of the respective towns, and forthwith to engage in this so greatly important and necessary service, which cannot be longer neglected, without the most imminent haz- ard of ruin and destruction to this State and Continent, and unless the said army be immediately filled, constant rotations of the Militia and Husband men must be called off, which would afford the dismal, certain prospect of being devoured by FAMINE. It is then in every view the duty and interest of all, to exert themselves to promote and encourage this great and good work, and of a sufficient number of able and effective men forthwith to un-
208
COUNCIL OF SAFETY
[April,
dertake for defence of their country, and on the reasonable and generous rewards and encouragements offered them. And they have great reason to rely upon the protection and blessing of GOD ALMIGHTY, and to put their trust in him for success in this our righteous cause, though for our manifold sins He is pleased to suffer us to labour under so many delays and difficul- ties. But the voice and tokens of his providence now seem clearly to point out that longer delay would be fatal and destructive to ourselves and all succeeding generations: And as some are absolutely necessary at home for many great purposes, as well as to afford necessaries for the subsistance of those abroad; it is high time and highly necessary that each should take · their several stations, and that every exertion to which Gon has enabled us, should be made, as we would do our duty to Him and save ourselves and country, and avoid the keenest remorse and anguish for having neglected any means in our power to preserve and transmit to our children, the most precious privileges that ever any people were blessed with.
THEREFORE as a most reasonable, just and necessary measure, in the present situation of our public affairs, it is resolved, recommended and ordered, by this Board, that the commission officers of every company in each town, and field officers residing therein, do immediately, and within one day after receiving this order, or as soon as possible, meet together, and find how many are wanting and deficient in each town of their quota of said army, according to the stating thereof lately made and sent out, and there- upon the commission and field officers within such towns shall immediately divide and class all the men of each company, within the same, into as many equal numbers or classes as there are deficiencies in such towns; in which classing, such officers shall include all persons formed, or to be formed by law, into Alarm companies; and use their best discretion, and such classes shall be entered and enrolled; and all such companies shall be convened by order of the chief officer thereof, and be by said officers &c. called upon, and earnestly invited, freely to inlist into said army; and be also notified of such division and classing, and each of such divisions called upon to turn out, furnish or inlist one able man into some company of our eight battalions. And in case any such division or class shall, by the space of three days, fail or neglect to inlist, or procure one such man to be inlisted as aforesaid; and to give notice thereof to the Captain, or chief officer of the company to which he did belong, it shall be the duty of every such Captain, or chief officer of such company, with the advice of his Subalterns; and he is hereby required, without further order, to draft and detach one suitable and able man from each of said divisions, who shall be joined to the nearest and most convenient company in any of said eight battalions where he may be needed, and equipped and furnished in the same manner as the inlisted soldiers -and march with them for the same services; and to be held therein until the first day of January next. unless sooner discharged - to which discharge he or they shall be entitled by lot, as fast as his or their place can be supplied by voluntary inlistments into the Continental army from the town to which he or they belong, or upon his or their procuring another fit person to take his or their place; and all such detached persons shall have the same wages and rations as the Continental soldiers; and the detaching officer shall give immediate notice of the name of the person so detached, to the Captain of the next Continental company, which may not have its compliment of men, or his next officer to be come at; who will be
209
OF CONNECTICUT.
1777.]
authorized to take such detached person or persons into said company; and every such detached person who shall go into the service, and continue for the term aforesaid, shall be allowed at the end thereof a bounty of THREE POUNDS, and so in proportion for any shorter term, provided he shall volun- tarily engage in said service (before marching) until the said first day of January next; and all such persons shall return the arms, blankets and accoutrements, which may be supplied them, at the end of the service, unless lost without the default of the bearer. And if any persons so detached shall neglect or refuse to march in, and perform said service, they shall be liable to the penalty in manner as provided by a law of this State, passed in December last, and thereupon will not be liable to be taken into such com- pany as aforesaid; and such penalty shall be applied to procure a fit person to inlist into the Continental army, or to take the place of such person so declining and incurring said penalty according to the provision of said law. And all such officers are to make return of their doings, by virtue of this Resolve, to the General Assembly, or in their recess to his Honour the Gov- ernor and Council of Safety.
[GIVEN under my Hand, by and with the Advice and Resolve of said COUNCIL
of SAFETY this 12th day of April, A. D. 1777.
JONATHAN TRUMBULL. ]*
And adjourned to Monday morning next.
AT A MEETING OF THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL OF SAFETY, MONDAY THE 14TH OF APRIL, 1777.
Present : His Honor the Governor. Jabez Huntington, Wm. Hilhouse, ¿
Wm. Williams, Natlı. Wales, Esqrs.
Many things consulted and considered.
The foregoing order, about filling up the army &c., bro't in, were cor- rected with the pen, folded, directed and dispatched to the officers through- out the Colony, by various persons. A work of considerable time and trouble.
There not being a quorum, no material votes were pass'd. Many persons in on various applications, their matters considered &c.
* The words within brackets are cancelled on the printed broadside inserted in the book. Three days later this explanatory proclamation was issued, which is printed from a handbill in the editor's possession :
By the GOVERNOR.
State of Connecticut.
WHEREAS a doubt has arisen, whether those persons who may be detached, agreeable to the resolve and proclamation issued by the Governor and Council of Safety, on the 12th instant, to fill up the eight battalions raising in this State; may after such detachment inlist into the one and an half battalions raising in this State in addition to said eight.
Resolved, That said proclamation did not design, neither doth it intend, to pre- vent any person detached as aforesaid, from inlisting into any of said nine and an half battalions, as they shall chuse, and they have liberty to do the same; non-com- missioned officers are included in the number mentioned in the quota of each town; the commission officers are not.
Given under my hand at Lebanon the 15th day of April, 1777.
JONATHAN TRUMBULL.
14
210
COUNCIL OF SAFETY
[April,
AT A MEETING &C. APRIL 15TH, 1777. TUESDAY.
Present: His Honor the Governor. Elipht Dyer, Wm. Williams,
Jabez Huntington, Nath' Wales jun', Esqrs.
Benj. Huntington,
Voted, That an order be drawn on the Pay-Table for three hundred pounds, in favour of Capt. Nath' Saltonstall, to be in advance for his com- pany, he giving bond for the faithful use of the monies he shall so draw according to law. Order dd to. Lt. Dee, April 15th, 1777.
Voted, To give order to the overseers of the furnace at Salisbury, that after supplying what cannon and shot are ordered to the northward they send the remainder, as well those belonging to Messrs. Porter and Norton as those belonging to the State, to Hartford, New Haven and Fairfield, in such proportion as his Honor the Governor shall direct, and that they send all the pig iron to Hartford.
Allowed an account of Jos. Abel of Lebanon for carrying in Feb. last 1 hd rum and 1 do. molasses from Norwich to Hartford, for the use of the cannon foundery at Salisbury, being £4 2 0, and order drawn
Delivered Col. Williams.
Great part of this day taken up in preparing letters to Congress and our Delegates, in answer to theirs, and about the measures pursuing for filling up our army &c. &c., and to Gen1 Washington &c. And adjourned to Thursday next, 8 o'clock a. m.
AT A MEETING OF THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL OF SAFETY, APRIL 17TH, 1777.
Present : His Honor the Governor. Elipht Dyer, WVm. Hillhouse,
Jabez Huntington, Nath1 Wales jun™, Esq's
Wm. Williams, Benj. Huntington,
Voted, That the men belonging to any town in this State who have inlisted or shall inlist into the continental train shall be considered as part of the quota of men to be raised in such town for the continental service not exceeding one hundred and seventy in the whole.
Voted, To draw an order on Sam1 Gray, Esq', to deliver four linen shirts to Lt. Col. Thos. Dyer, four do. to Capt. Sanford Kingsbury, and 4 do. to Thos. Gray, surgeon's mate in the continental service.
Order da Capt. Kingsbury April 17th, 1777.
Mr. Whiting, one of the managers of the cannon foundery at Salisbury, moves for a settlement of his allowance for future service there if he contin- ues therein, and on consideration of the matter and his allegations &c., it is voted and agreed to allow him at the rate of fifteen shillings per diem for his service as an overseer and manager and for his keeping and seeing all the accounts regularly and well kept and wholly attending to the business thereof: he finding himself a horse to use about the furnace business and his own boarding and fire-wood &c., which terms he accepts and agrees to carry the business as aforesaid.
Voted, To direct the overseers of the furnace to procure and take up the pasture in Salisbury belonging to Mr. Richard Smith, for the use of the teams employed to carry on the furnace. Letter sent April 18th, 1777.
Voted, To send to Mr. Benj. Henshaw to find the cost of building a bridge over Ousatannock in Salisbury, where its wanted for the use of the furnace, and make report to this Board. Letter sent April 18th, 1777.
211
OF CONNECTICUT.
1777.]
A number of commissions for alarm list officers for the whole town of Stonington and various other places were made out and sent forward.
A multitude of queries sent in from different parts about the construc- tion of the proclamation and order for classing and draughting men to fill up the continental army, which took much time to answer.
AT A MEETING OF THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL OF SAFETY, APRIL 17TH, 1777. Present : His Honor the Governor. Elipht Dyer, Wm. Hillhouse,
Jz. Huntington, Nath' Wales jun', Esq's.
Wm. Williams, Benj. Huntington,
Sundry letters were wrote to the overseers of the furnace and others on publick affairs.
Voted, To allow an account of £54 5 0, to Col. Sam1 Abbott for 13 guns by him purchased for the use of Col. Jed. Huntington's battalion, and ordered the Pay-Table to draw for the same.
Order dd to Gen. Huntington April 18th, 1777.
Voted, To draw on Isaac Doolittle and company for six hundred and twenty-five pounds of powder, in favour of the selectmen of Waterbury, and take their receipt. Order dd 10 Mr. Hotchkiss.
Voted, To draw on the Pay-Table for the sum of £8 14 0, in favour of John Alden, for service in conveying 20,000 dollars to Gen' Knox by order of Gen1 Washington, and to keep account thereof as the continent.
Voted, To draw on the Pay-Table, in favour of Dan1 Strong, for £15 16 3, in favour of Daniel Strong, for the ballance due to him for carting a load of cloathing to Skeensborough in August, 1776, the whole expence of the jour- ney being £25 16 3, and Cr. for £10 0 0 received by him out of the treasury leaves the above sum of £15. 16. 3.
Order drawn April 15th, 1777.
Voted, To allow an account of Mr. Roger Alden, for the sum of £6 18 6, for supporting John Beedle and his party on the 14th of Novr, 1776, in bringing a number of tory convicts sent by the governments committee from Stratford, and that an account thereof be kept with that of fifteen pounds six shillings and five pence paid said Beedle. Said sum of £15. 6. 5 is to be seen Book 3ª, page 85 .*
Order de to Gen. Dyer April 18th, 1777.
James Mason, a tory prisoner at Norwich sent hither by the convention of N. York, is permitted to return to said convention at Kingston in the State of N. York and there to submit himself to their direction.
Many matters and questions &c.
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