USA > Connecticut > The public records of the State of Connecticut, from October 1776 to Ferbruary 1778, inclusive > Part 55
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This Assembly taking into consideration an earnest recommenda- tion of Congress to this and the rest of the United States to procure further supplies of cloathing for the comfortable subsistance of the officers and soldiers of the respective battalions, and judging it rea- sonable, just and necessary, that the same should be complied with on the part of this State :
Be it therefore resolved and ordered by the Governor, Council and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of
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the same, That every town in this State, by their selectmen or com- mittee appointed for that purpose, be and they and every of them are directed and required to procure as soon as may be, and within the time herein limited, the several articles of cloathing for the use of the soldiers of the continental army belonging to this State, that is to say : One hunting-shirt or frock, two linen shirts, two pair of linen over- halls, one pair of stockings and two pairs of good well made shoes, for each officer and soldier of the quota of such town as stated by the Governor and Council of Safety in April last, and also half as many blankets ; all the said articles except the blankets to be delivered to either of the purchasing commissaries in the respective counties in this State on or before the first day of June next, taking their receipt for the same, and the blankets to be delivered in like manner by the 20th day of September next. And said commissaries are directed to receive and safe keep said cloathing, subject to the orders of this Assembly or in their recess of the Governor and Council of Safety. And the said Governor and Council of Safety in such recess are authorized to order and send forward as occasion shall require the said cloathing or any part thereof, to and for the use of the soldiery as aforesaid, and to appoint any proper person or persons to dispose and deliver such articles to the officers and soldiers of this State in said army, in such proportion as the general officers of this State com- manding in said army shall direct, and at such reasonable prices as shall be assessed by the cloathier general or his deputy, and be in just proportion to the wages of such officers and soldiers, and the surplus of the cost to be charged to the United States, and to take duplicate receipts for such articles delivered as aforesaid, one of which shall be delivered to the Committee of Pay-Table of this State. And the said towns, or committees by them appointed for procuring the same, are to transmit an account of their doings and the expences of such pur- chases to the General Assembly, which shall be paid out of the treas- ury of this State as shall be stated by said Assembly. And in case said cloathing or any articles thereof cannot be otherwise procured, the committee appointed by such town to procure the same shall apply to any one assistant or justice of the peace within their respective precincts for a warrant, which said authority are hereby impowered to grant, for impressing from any person or persons who can con- veniently spare the same, to be adjudged by said committee, any of the articles aforesaid, which being so impressed, unless the value be agreed by the owner and said committee, shall be apprized by three indifferent persons to be under oath for that purpose, said persons being such as have taken the oath of fidelity to this State : one to be chosen by the owner of such articles, one by said committee, and one by the officer serving said warrant; and in case such owner shall neglect to choose such apprizer the same shall be chosen by said officer ; and the cost arising upon such warrant, being taxed by the authority granting the same, shall be paid by the owner or owners of
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said articles, provided the same be not apprized at a greater sum than had been offered by said committee, and may by them be deducted out of the price of said articles and the remainder be paid to the owner in full satisfaction for the same : otherwise said costs to be paid by said committee and charged in account with said articles and transmitted therewith to said Assembly, and shall be paid as aforesaid. And if any town in this State shall neglect to comply with the foregoing resolve by the time and times and in manner as aforesaid, they and each of them shall be assessed by the General Assembly in such sum as shall be judged just and reasonable.
Whereas in and by a resolve of the Honble Continental Congress of the 22ª November, 1777, it is recommended to the legislatures of the respective States of New Hamshire, Massachusets, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, respectively, to appoint Commissioners to convene at New Haven in Connecticut on the 15th day of instant January, in order to regulate and ascertain the price of labour, man- ufactures and internal produce, and commodities imported from foreign parts, military stores excepted, and also to regulate the charges of innholders &c .: Resolved by this Assembly, that Roger Sherman, William Hillhouse, and Benjamin Huntington, Esqrs, be and they are hereby appointed Commissioners on behalf of this State, to meet the Commissioners of other States at said New Haven as pro- posed, and consult with them on the subject matters of said resolve of Congress, and make report of whatever they may judge fit to be done to this Assembly for approbation, that suitable measures may be pursued thereon.
Resolved by this Assembly, That for the defence and protection of the sea coasts of this State, there be forthwith raised by a voluntary inlistment, to serve untill the first day of January next unless sooner discharged, the several companies to be kept and stationed as follows : viz : Two companies to consist of fifty men each, including for officers one captain, one first lieutenant, one second lieutenant, one lieutenant fire-worker, two serjeants and two corporals, which companies are to do the duty and service of artillery men or matrosses, so much or so far as may be necessary in their station and as the circumstances of the case may be, and when not incompatible with that service to do such other duty of soldiers as shall be reasonably required of them by their officers or commander in the station; which companies are to be stationed at New London, Groton and Stonington, in such manner as his Excellency the Governor and his Council of Safety shall direct. That there be raised one company, to consist of twenty men including one serjeant and one corporal under the command of a lieutenant, to be stationed at Saybrook. That there be raised one company, to consist of twenty-four men including one serjeant and one
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corporal under the command of a lieutenant, to be stationed at New Haven. That there be raised one company, to consist of twenty men including one serjeant and one corporal under the command of a lieutenant, to be stationed at Milford. That there be raised one company, to consist of twenty-four men including one ser- jeant and one corporal under the command of a lieutenant, to be stationed at Fairfield. That there be raised one company, to consist of twenty-four men including one serjeant and one corporal under the command of a lieutenant, to be stationed at Norwalk. That there be raised one company, to consist of twenty-four men including one ser- jeant and one corporal under the command of a lieutenant, to be stationed at Stamford. That there be raised one company, to consist of twenty-four men including one serjeant and one corporal under the command of a lieutenant, to be stationed at Greenwich. And as an encouragement for able-bodied and effective men freely to engage in said service for the term and at either of the places aforementioned, it is resolved and ordered, that the officers and soldiers shall be in- tituled to and have and receive the same pay and allowance as was made to the officers and soldiers in the like service the last year. And as a further encouragement, each non-commission officer and soldier who shall furnish and provide for himself a good and sufficient blanket shall have as a reward twelve shillings and retain the blanket at the end of the service ; and such non-commission officer and soldier who shall provide himself a good fire-arm, bayonet, cartouch box and accontrements, to the acceptance of the chief officer, shall receive as a premium the sum of ten shillings and also the sum of six pence per diem for billeting money from the time of inlistment untill he receive provisions from the State and shall have one months advanced pay on his inlisting. And said officers are carefully and diligently to attend the duty of their respective offices and places in their several posts for the best protection of the respective towns and places where they shall be stationed, and shall be liable to be removed on any special emergencies for the relief of any place on the sea coast of this State, by order of this Assembly or in their recess of the Governor and Council of Safety, when any such place shall be attacked or in danger of being attacked. And it is further resolved, that his Excellency the Governor and Council of Safety be impowered and directed to nomi- nate and appoint the commission officers of the respective companies of artillery men or matrosses herein ordered to be raised for the defence of the sea coasts.
Resolved by this Assembly, That General Andrew Ward be and he is appointed one of the committee for revising the militia laws of this State, in the room of General James Wadsworth excused.
Whereas the listers for the town of Reading for the year 1775 neg- lected to send in to the Assembly the single and fourfold addition for
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said year by the time limited by law, and having now sent in the same the simple addition is £225 15 0, the fourfold is £101 0 0, as appears by the return of the listers for said Reading for the year 1775, now sent in to this Assembly : Resolved by this Assembly, that the Treasurer of this State be and he is hereby ordered and directed to send forth his warrant to collect the sums of the rates arising on said sum in the year 1775, being £326 15 0.
This Assembly do appoint Andrew Adams Esq", to be Judge of the Court of Probate in the district of Litchfield during the absence of the Honble Oliver Wolcott, Esq', out of this State, untill the first day of June next.
Resolved by this Assembly, That Capt. Elisha Lathrop, Capt. Caleb Baldwin, and Colo. Ebenezer Norton, be and they are hereby appointed and added to the gentlemen committee appointed by this Assembly at their session at Hartford in October last to revise the militia laws of this State and prepare a bill &e., and report the same to the then next Assembly.
Whereas the towns of New Milford, New Hartford and Willington, have neglected to return a sum total of the list of the poles and rate- able estate of said towns and the assessments of the traders and trades- men &c., according to law : Therefore it is resolved by this Assembly, that the said towns of New Milford, New Hartford and Willington be doomed by this Assembly for their neglect of returning said list according to law. That the town of New Milford be doomed the sum of £30774. That the town of New Hartford be doomed the sum of £11772. That the town of Willington be doomed the sum of £11315 16 6 ; and that the several sums aforesaid respectively be set to said towns in the grand list for the year 1777; and the Treasurer of this State is hereby authorized and impowered to issue his warrant for collecting the rates and taxes that is or shall hereafter be laid on said list upon the inhabitants of said towns accordingly.
Whereas the public records of the town of Danbury was by the British troops burnt and destroyed, by which means the legal evidence of the titles to the lands of the inhabitants of said Danbury is entirely consumed, and in order that justice may be done to and among said inhabitants :
Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the seleetmen of the town of Danbury shall, within two months after the rising of this Assembly, legally warn all the inhabitants of the town of Danbury that have a right by law to vote in town meeting, to meet at some day and place by them appointed, for the purpose of choosing a committee to survey and lay out all the highways and lands in said
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town to all persons now in possession of any lands in their own right or where there is no question or dispute as to the title of any person ; and said committee chosen by said town for the purpose aforesaid shall make proper surveys of all the highways, and also lands in said town to the several persons now in possession where there is no dis- pute but that he is the proper owner of such lands in possession, and to take all proper methods the circumstances will admit of to come at the knowledge of the right each person hath to his lands, and in such surveys to bound out the lands, mentioning the meets and bound- aries thereof and on whom it is bounded and what quantity it con- tains ; and when said surveys are made and signed by said committee and recorded in the town records of said town and the same being done shall make a full and compleat title of said land to the owner or owners, and that attested copys thereof may be given in evidence in any court of record where the title of any such lands may hereafter be in question.
Resolved by this Assembly, That the county court in and for the county of Hartford that now stands adjourned to the first Tuesday of February next be further adjourned, and the same is hereby further adjourned, to the third Tuesday of said February ; and all persons concerned are to take notice hereof and give their attendance accord- ingly.
Resolved by this Assembly, That all the causes and matters now depending in the superior court in this State in the county of Wind- ham, which stand adjourned to the second Tuesday of January instant. be and the same are hereby ordered to be continued to the stated term of the superior court to be held at Windham on the third Tuesday of March next, to be then and there heard and determined ; and that all parties concerned take notice and give their attendance accordingly.
Resolved by this Assembly, That the families of all the commission and staff officers belonging to the continental army below the rank of brigadier general in this State shall be provided for in the same man- ner and at the same prices as the non-commission officers and soldiers' families are already provided for, upon their depositing money for that purpose in proportion as follows, viz : For a field officer's family £24, for a captain, subaltern or staff officer's family £18 per annum, to be paid quarterly if required ; and that the expence arising there- from over and above the limited prices shall be paid by this State.
This Assembly do appoint General Wadsworth, Colo. Pitkin and Colo. Chester, a committee to receive, examine, adjust and settle, all accounts of the managers of the lead mine at Midletown and others, respecting the improvement of said mine for this State or by order of Assembly, and report make.
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Resolved by this Assembly, That his Excellency the Governor be desired to write Congress on the peculiar situation and circum- stances of the militia officers who were ordered from this State to join Maj' General Putnam at Fishkill in October last, and request pay- ment for the supernumerarys ; and that his Excellency the Governor be further desired to write to General Putnam likewise to make a just and proper representation of the peculiar situation and circumstances of the said militia officers to the Continental Congress.
Resolved by this Assembly, That the officers and soldiers of the militia and levies belonging to the State of Connecticut now in actual service, or that have been in the immediate service of this State in the year 1777, be and they are hereby intituled to the same provision and allowance for their losses, expences &c., in the same manner and under the same regulations as has been heretofore granted and allowed in the premises in all respects to the officers and soldiers of the new levies and militia; and the Committee of the Pay-Table are hereby directed to receive and adjust their accounts and draw orders for the same accordingly.
Resolved by this Assembly, That his Excelleney the Governor be desired as soon as may be to write to Maj' General Gates, or other proper officer of the continental army, requesting that Colo. Nixon's regiment, now ordered to the town of Farmington for winter quarters, be removed and take quarters on the sea coast or western frontiers of this State at or near Horseneck ; advising him a sufficient guard for securing the continental stores and artillery in said Farmington may be had from the militia of this State.
Upon the representation of Majr General Putnam and others, shewing to this Assembly the necessity of having the soldiers, artificers &e. belonging to the continental army, inoculated for the small pox, and praying for liberty to have some of them inoculated in some part of this State under the direction of Doct" Isaac Forster, deputy director general of the hospital in the eastern department &c .: Resolved by this Assembly, that liberty be and the same is hereby granted for the said Doet" Isaac Foster to set up and carry on inoeu- lation of said soldiers, artificers &c., inhabitants of this State or others belonging to either of the battalions raised in this State, untill the 25th day of May next, in such place or places within the town of Woodbury as shall be provided for that purpose by the civil authority and selectmen of said town, who are hereby authorized, impowered and directed, to make suitable provision for that purpose accordingly, agreeable to the directions given by the several statutes of this State providing in case of sickness ; at continental expence, if thereto re- quested by said Doet" Foster or his order; and that the several hos- pitals or places provided for the purpose aforesaid, with the persons
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who may be placed therein, doctors, tenders, and all others concerned in said business, be under the care, oversight and direction of said civil authority and selectmen, agreeable to the directions of the stat- utes aforesaid, who are hereby specially impowered and directed to conform themselves to the same accordingly.
Resolved by this Assembly, That the town of Union be and they are hereby directed to make up and exhibit the lists of the polls and rateable estate of the inhabitants of said town for the year 1778 to the General Assembly of this State in their sessions in October next.
Resolved by this Assembly, That the Committee of Pay-Table be and they are appointed, impowered and directed, to adjust and settle all accounts of moneys received and expended on services done for this State by any person or persons by order of his Excellency the Governor and the Council of Safety, and all accounts of money's received on the Committee of Pay-Table's orders, and to draw upon the Treasurer for any ballance or ballances they shall find due on the same. And it is further resolved, that said Committee of Pay-Table be and they are directed to call upon every person who hath received moneys out of the State treasury by virtue of orders ordered to be drawn by his Excellency the Governor and the Council of Safety, and all moneys received or that shall be received on the orders of said Committee of Pay-Table whose accounts are not yet adjusted, to account with them for the expenditure of such monies and to receive any ballance that they shall find in their hands and pay the same to the Treasurer, taking his receipt for the same, which they shall imme- diately deliver to and lodge in the custody of the Secretary of this State.
Resolved by this Assembly, That the commissary of prisoners of war within this State be directed forthwith to take the most effectual care to secure and confine the prisoners of war subjects to the King of Great Britain or inhabitants of these States now within this State, either in prison ships, prisons or elsewhere, as in his opinion with the advice of his Excellency the Governor and Council of Safety shall be most for the safety of this State, agreeable to the orders he has received from Congress.
Resolved by this Assembly, That his Excellency the Governor be and he is hereby desired, with the advice of the Council of Safety, as speedily as may be, to make every necessary provision of cloathing and refreshments for the officers and soldiers belonging to this State now in captivity in New York or Long Island or elsewhere, and to take the same parental care of those belonging to this State who may hereafter be so unfortunate as to fall under the power of the enemy from time to time as their necessitys may require.
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Resolved by this Assembly, That there be paid to Colo. John Pitkin the sum of thirty shillings, and to Colo. Elizur Talcott the sum of four pounds eighteen shillings, and to William Wells, Esq', the sum of five pounds four shillings, and to Captain Daniel Skinner the sum of three pounds three shillings, L. money, being ££14 15 0, in the whole, for their service in laying out a highway through the towns of Bark- hemsted, New Hartford and Colebrook, on the memorial of Richard Smith and others ; and the Treasurer is directed to pay the same.
Whereas this Assembly at their session in October last appointed Titus Hosmer, Esq', and others a committee to confer with the Revd Corporation of Yale College on sundry important matters respecting the present situation of said college and report make &c., who have not yet conferred and reported, two of which committee are now absent: Therefore, this Assembly do appoint Charles Phelps, Elijah Abel, Esq's, and Maj" Andrew Adams, in addition to the aforesaid committee, with the same powers and authoritys given and committed to them in the premises.
Resolvedby this Assembly, That the supernumerary officers who have been ordered out with the militia and have received no pay, receive their full pay according to their rank during the time they were in service. And, in order to obtain the same, that the several captains or commanding officers of companies make up and deliver unto the colonel or commanding officer of the regiment in which they respectively served a pay-abstract therefor properly certifyed on oath, which said colonel shall make a regimental abstract properly certifyed, which abstract, after being examined and approved by the brigadier general under whom the said colonel or commanding officer served, shall be presented to the Committee of Pay-Table, who are hereby authorized and directed to inspect and adjust the same and draw order on the Treasurer of this State for such sum as they shall find due. And it
is further resolved, that the horses, which were used by the militia who marched to the relief of that part of the continental army com- manded by General Putnam at Peekskill in October last, shall be paid for at the rate of four pence per mile out, in lieu of mileage and ex- pences, and that it be obtained in the same manner as the pay of the supernumerary officers as above resolved.
Whereas the late regiments raised by this State and commanded by Colo. John Ely and Colo. Roger Enos have been ordered out of this State and subjected to long and tedious marches and great ex- pence : Therefore resolved by this Assembly, that the sum of four pounds, money, be paid to each non-commission officer and soldier in said regiments as an additional bounty for their extra expences, and that the Committee of Pay-Table make a full settlement of the pay now due and bounty granted as aforesaid to said regiments for their
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services both in this State, and other States in America ; and that the State Commissary for said regiments adjust and settle the rations due; and that the several captains in said regiments be and are appointed to receive the monies and pay the wages and bounty due to their respective companies, and that they be allowed one and half per cent. for all the monies they shall so receive and pay out as aforesaid ; and that the United States of America be charged in debt for the sums that shall be paid said regiments for wages and rations while in service out of this State.
This Assembly do appoint Capt. John Belden, Esq', to be Major of the sixth regiment of militia in this State, in the room of Jonathan Wells, Esq', resigned.
This Assembly do establish Seth Deming to be Captain of the troop of horse in the fifth regiment of horse in this State.
This Assembly do establish Hawkins Hart to be Lieutenant of the troop of horse in the fifth regiment of light-horse in this state.
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