The public records of the State of Connecticut, from October 1776 to Ferbruary 1778, inclusive, Part 8

Author: Connecticut; Council of Safety (Conn.); Connecticut. General Assembly; Providence (R.I.). Convention (1776-1777); Springfield (Mass.). Convention (1777); Hartford (Conn.). Convention. (1779); Philadelphia. Convention (1780); Boston. Convention (1780); Hartford (Conn.). Convention (1780); Morgan, Forrest, 1852-; Labaree, Leonard Woods, 1897-; Hoadly, Charles J. (Charles Jeremy), 1828-1900
Publication date: 1894-<1997 >
Publisher: Hartford : Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co.
Number of Pages: 674

USA > Connecticut > The public records of the State of Connecticut, from October 1776 to Ferbruary 1778, inclusive > Part 8

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

And that all embargoes when laid by the Governor and Council, as aforesaid, or by the General Assembly, may be rendered effectual,

Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That upon the publishing of a proclamation for an embargo regularly laid every per- son whatsoever and all masters of ships or other vessels lying within this State shall forthwith land and stop all and every embargoed arti- cle or thing as they then have on board such ships or vessels or loaded in or upon any cart, carriage, waggon, pack-horse, or otherwise for transportation, or that may be driving on the foot, contrary to such proclamation, or give a true invoice and account thereof to some naval office, assistant or justice of the peace, and also become bound with two sufficient sureties to the Treasurer of this State in the penal sum of five times the value of such embargoed articles or things which they are about transporting and carrying out as aforesaid, with a condition to said bond importing that if said embargoed articles or things shall be landed or sold in some place in this State for the use of the inhabitants thereof, then the said bond to be void, but on fail- ure thereof to be and remain in full force. And if any person or per- sons shall refuse and neglect to conform himself to this act, it shall be lawfull for any assistant or justice of the peace, and they are here- by ordered in such case, ex officio or on complaint or information, to issue forth a warrant to a proper officer to seize and secure such em- bargoed articles or things untill such person or persons shall conform to this act and also pay all costs occasioned by said refusal or neglect; said costs to be taxed and allowed by such assistant or justice.

And be it further enacted, That if any person or persons shall transgress this act, by carrying or driving out of this State any em- bargoed article or thing contrary to said proclamation, he or they shall forfeit double the value thereof, to be recovered by bill, plaint or information, in any court proper to try the same; one half to him or them who shall prosecute the same to effect if prosecuted by a com- mon informer, and the other half to the public treasury of this State; but if prosecuted by any public informing officer then the whole of said forfeiture to belong to said public treasury. And all informing officers are hereby directed to prosecute all breaches of this act.

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And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the for- mer aet entituled An aet to enable the Governor to lay an embargo and for rendering the same effectual when laid, be and the same is hereby repealed.

An Act in Addition to an Act entituled An Act to prevent Engrossers and for the better Supply of our Troops in the Army &c.

Whereas by said act it is provided that the Governor is impowered by and with the advice of his Committee of Safety, on complaint or information to issue forth his warrant to seize all such articles as are necessary for the use of the army &c., as by said act may appear : And whereas it may be attended with great inconveniency for the remote parts of the Colony to apply to the Governor for his warrant, whereby the good intent and design of said act may in a great measure be frustrated,

Be it therefore enacted by the Governor, Council and Representa- tives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That on any complaint made against any such engrosser or monopo- lizer of such articles as in said act is mentioned, only so far as it relates to cloathing, butter and cheese, to any one assistant or two justices of the peace, such assistant or two justices are impowered to issue forth his or their warrant to seize the same and thereon proceed with and dispose of the said engrossed articles in the same manner as is by said act impowering the Governor &c. provided. And that the commissaries appointed in the various parts of this Colony for collecting such articles of eloathing &c. for the use of the army either of them are hereby specially directed to make information against all such persons as they shall find buying up and engrossing the articles aforesaid contrary to the true intent and meaning of said act.

An Act to prevent Engrossers and Monopolizers of the Article of Salt.

Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the civil authority and selectmen of the several towns in this State be and they are hereby enabled, directed and impowered, upon application to them made by any of the inhabitants of this State, to cause a warrant to be issued out, signed by proper authority and directed to some proper officer, to cause the stores &c. of any engrosser or monopolizer of said article within their respective towns to be opened and to seize the same and distribute it out among the inhabitants of this State who may stand in need thereof and shall apply therefor, at the price by law affixed, according as the necessities of the people may require, and when sold and disposed of as aforesaid shall render their account of the avails thereof to the respective owner or owners of said salt.

Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That four battalions properly officered be forthwith raised by voluntary inlist- VOL. XVI .- 5

PUBLIC RECORDS

[November,

ment, to supply and join the continental army now near New York, untill the fifteenth day of March next unless sooner discharged; and that each non-commissioned officer and soldier who shall so inlist shall be entituled to the same wages and supplys as is now established in the continental army, and shall also receive a premium of forty shillings, provided he furnish himself with cloathing, arms and accou- trements, and also a blanket and knapsack fit for said service; and that if such non-commission officer and soldier shall fail to provide himself with a good gun and bayonet, the same shall be supplyed by the selectmen of the town to which he belongs in the same way and agreeable to the act made for raising and supplying the new levies in June last, for the finding of which said gun and bayonet a deduction of six shillings shall be made from the aforesd premium.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the aet of this Assembly past in October last for adding the sum of twenty shillings per month to the wages of the non-commissioned officers and soldiers in the eight battalions now to be raised in this State for continental service more than the wages proposed by the Honble Continental Congress. and also for supplying the same with blankets annually, so far as it relates to any addition of wages to the non- commission officers and soldiers above what is allowed by Congress, be and the same is hereby repealed and made void.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all non- commissioned officers and soldiers who do not ineline to inlist during the continuance of the present war and shall inlist to serve for the term of three years unless sooner discharged by Congress, shall be entituled to and receive all such bounty and pay as are allowed to those who inlist during the continuance of the present war, except the one hundred acres of land which is to be granted to those only who inlist without limitation of time ; and each recruiting officer is required to provide two distinet inlisting rolls, one for such to sign who inlist during the continuance of the war, and the other for such as shall inlist for three years if not sooner discharged by Congress.

This Assembly do appoint the following officers to the following offices in the four battalions ordered by this Assembly to be raised for continental service untill the 15th day of March next, and are arranged as follows, riz. :

This Assembly do appoint Samuel Whiting Colonel, Samuel Canfield Lieutenant Colonel, Stephen St. John Major' of the First Battalion.

This Assembly do appoint Shubael Griswold Captain, Jonath" Mason First Lieutenant, Theodore Catlin Second Lieutenant, Jesse Buell Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Dan Towner Captain, Amos Northrup?

I Nehemiah Beardsley was appointed Major, rice St. John resigned.

2 Northrop refused, and Daniel St. John was appointed in his place. Timothy Ruggles was appointed 2d Lieutenant, rice Smith.

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1776.]

First Lieutenant, Charles Smith Second Lieutenant, Hugh Cone Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Amos Chapell Captain, Benja. Brown- son First Lieutenant, Morgan Noble Second Lieutenant, Stephen Dodge Ensign. 1

This Assembly do appoint Eliphalet Thorp Captain, George Burr First Lieutenant, Gamaliel Taylor Second Lieutenant, Seth Bradley 2 Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Jesse Bell Captain, Gershom Morehouse First Lieutenant, Sylvanus Marshall Second Lieutenant, Isaac Howe jun" Ensign.3

This Assembly do appoint Daniel Hiccock Captain, Henry Fair- man First Lieutenant, William Peechley Second Lieutenant, Daniel Sanford Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Samuel Cumstock Captain, Nathaniel Blackman First Lieutenant, Eli Reeds Second Lieutenant, Uriah Raymond Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint David Hinman Captain, David Bebee First Lieutenant, John Givens Second Lieutenant, Enoch Parsons Ensign.

Second Battalion.

This Assembly do appoint Thaddeus Cook Colonel, Epaphras Sheldon Lieutenant Colonel, Edward Russell Major, of the Second Battalion.

This Assembly do appoint John Watson Captain, Samuel Mills® First Lieutenant, Russell Hunt Second Lieutenant, Zach" Watson Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Asa Bray Captain, Silas Holcomb First Lieutenant, Amasa Hichcock Second Lieutenant, Nathaniel Churchill Ensign.'

This Assembly do appoint Augustus Collins Captain, Isaac Sher- man Kimberly First Lieutenant, Dan Johnson jun" Second Lieutenant, Thomas Powers" Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Benjamin Richards Captain, Isaac Brown- son j' First Lieutenant, William Law Second Lieutenant, Benjamin Fen j' Ensign.

' Noble resigned, Dodge was promoted in his place, and David Whittlesey appointed Ensign. Enos Hawley was appointed 1st Lieutenant.

2 Bradley resigned, and Jehiel Thorp was appointed Ensign in his place. Burr refused, and Samuel Taylor was appointed 1st Lieutenant; Nathaniel Reynolds 2d Lieutenant, rice Gamaliel Taylor.

3 Jesse Meade was appointed Ensign vice Howe resigned.

4 Isaac Hilliard was appointed 2d Lieutenant, rice Peechiley (or Pixlee, as he spelled it), resigned.

5 John Hanford was appointed 2d Lieutenant, rice Reed, Nathaniel Raymond Ensign. rice Uriah Raymond.

6 Michael Mills was appointed 1st Lieutenant, cice Samuel Mills.

" Hitchcock resigned, and Nathaniel Churchill was appointed 1st Lieutenant, Joel Higley 2d Lieutenant, rice Churchill promoted; Gideon Roberts Ensign, rice Higley promoted.

Dan Collins was appointed Ensign, vice Powers refused.

9 Fenn was promoted 2d Lieutenant in the 6th company, rice James Smith pro- moted. John Mansfield was appointed Ensign, rice Fenn promoted.

PUBLIC RECORDS

[November,

This Assembly do appoint Samuel Osborn Captain, Jared Robin- son First Lieutenant, Joseph Loveland Second Lieutenant, Edward Mulford Ensign.1

This Assembly do appoint James Robinson Captain, Benja. Hine First Lieutenant, James Smith Second Lieutenant,2 Charles Burret Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Asaph Hall Captain, Warham Gibbs First Lieutenant, Jacob Hinsdale Second Lieutenant, Daniel Kingsbury Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Elijah Smith Captain, John Tredway First Lieutenant, Joshua Brainerd jr Second Lieutenant, Robert Brad- ford Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Roger Enos Colonel, Samuel Gale3 Lieutenant Colonel, Amos Wilcox Major of the Third Battalion.

This Assembly do appoint Roger Ryley Captain, Elijah Blackman First Lieutenant, Joseph Kellogg Second Lieutenant,4 John Johnson Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Edward Griswold Captain, Samuel Jones First Lieutenant, Alexander Kenny Second Lieutenant, Nathaniel Root Ensign.5

This Assembly do appoint Elijah Wright Captain, Isaac Goodrich First Lieutenant, Solomon Phelps j' Second Lieutenant,6 Josiah Brown Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Phineas Lovejoy Captain, Samuel Felt ju. First Lieutenant, Abner Granger Second Lieutenant, John Russell Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint William Orcut j' Captain, Samuel Tudor7 First Lieutenant, Joshua Wills Second Lieutenant, Medad Hunt Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Peter Curtiss Captain, Daniel Marsh jr First Lieutenant, John McMurran Second Lieutenant, Abner Loomis Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Josiah Hammond Captain, John Hough First Lieutenant, Amos Avery Second Lieutenant, Gamaliel Ripley Ensign.

1 Mulford resigned, and Asael Harrison was appointed Ensign.

2 Hine was promoted Captain, rice Robinson resigned; Smith promoted 1st Lieu- tenant, rice Hine; Benj. Town promoted 2d Lieutenant.

3 Benadam Gallup was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel, rice Gale resigned.

4 Riley resigned, and Blackman was promoted in his place; Kellogg promoted 1st Lieutenant, and Amos Wetmore appointed 2d Lieutenant, rice Kellogg.

5 Jones resigned, and Zadock Howe was appointed 1st Lieutenant in his place. Nathaniel Root was appointed 2d Lieutenant, rice Keeny resigned, and Ephraim Taylor Ensign, vice Root promoted.

6 Goodrich resigned; Phelps was promoted 1st Lieutenant; Thomas Stevens was appointed 2d Lieutenant.

" Benjamin Ellis of Stafford was appointed 1st Lieutenant, rice Tudor resigned.

8 Hammond and Hough refusing, Sanford Kingsbury of Windham was appointed Captain; Avery was promoted 1st Lieutenant, Ripley promoted 2d Lieutenant, Andrew Durkee appointed Ensign.

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1776.]

This Assembly do appoint Amasiah Wright Captain, Squire Hill First Lieutenant, Caleb Stanley jun" Second Lieutenant, Ephraim Kingsbury Ensign.1

Fourth Battalion.

This Assembly do appoint John Ely Colonel, Samuel McClallen Lieutenant Colonel, Benjamin Clark Major, of the Fourth Battalion. :

This Assembly do appoint Ephraim Carpenter Captain, Ephraim Lyon First Lieutenant, Thomas Bingham Second Lieutenant,2 Timo- thy Bibbins Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Jonathan Calkins Captain, John Ray- mond jun. First Lieutenant, Robert Stanton jun. Second Lieutenant, Benja. Atwell jun.3 Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Jabez Wright jun.4 Captain, Nehemiah Smith First Lieutenant, David Breed Second Lieutenant, Joseph Gale Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Ebenezer Holbrook Captain, Benjamin Crarys First Lieutenant, Mark Evans Second Lieutenant, John Willie 3d Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Jeremiah Halsey Captain, Sanford Bil- lings First Lieutenant, Andrew Frink 6 Second Lieutenant, Nath11 Cheeseborough jr Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Abner Lord Captain, Dan Platt First Lieutenant, Abner Griffen Second Lieutenant, Jonathan Lay jun. Ensign.7

This Assembly do appoint Oliver Grant Captain, Isaac Geer First Lieutenant, Joseph Hylyards Second Lieutenant, Job Sewyard Ensign.

This Assembly do appoint Payne Converse jun. Captain, David Perry First Lieutenant, Asa Lyon Second Lieutenant, Ebenezer Bing- hamº Ensign.

Resolved by this Assembly, That the Commissions of the officers appointed by this Assembly in the four battalions now ordered to be raised untill the fifteenth of March next shall bear date the second day of December, 1776.

1 Kingsbury was promoted 1st Lieutenant, Daniel Eldridge appointed 2d Licu- tenant, Ephraim Cushman Ensign, rice Hill and Stanly resigned, and Kingsbury promoted

2 Andrew Waterman was appointed Captain, rice Carpenter resigned. Daniel Able, jr., was appointed 1st Lieutenant, rice Lyon resigned; Joseph Loomis 2d Lieu- tenant, rice Bingham resigned.

3 Henry Williams was appointed Ensign, rice Atwell resigned.

4 Ebenezer Lathrop was appointed Captain, rice Wight (or Wright) resigned. Hezekiah Tracy was appointed Ensign, rice Gale resigned.

5 1 ] Grosvenor was appointed 1st Lieutenant, rice Crary resigned; Ebene- zer Harris 2d Lieutenant, vice Eams resigned. Eams, not Evans, is the name in the original bill.

6 Amos Stanton was appointed 2d Lieutenant, rice Frink resigned. Joseph Deni- son 3d was appointed Ensign, rice Cheseborough captivated or slain.

Justus Buck Captain, Elijah Scovill 1st Lieutenant, Job Kelsey 2d Lieutenant, Daniel Kirtland Ensign, were appointed instead of those named in the text.

8 George Nettleton was appointed 2d Lieutenant, vice Hilyard resigned.

9 Joel Webb was appointed Ensign, rice Bingham resigned.

The authority for these changes is found in Rer War, v, docs. 46-79.

PUBLIC RECORDS

[November,

Resolved by this Assembly, That if his Excellency General Wash- ington or the commander of the continental army near New York should judge it necessary for the safety of the United States that the troops or any part of them belonging to this Colony should remain in the service longer than the term of their late inlistments in order to compleat the new army, or other extraordinary emergency, then and in such case the said troops or any part of them are by this Assembly earnestly requested for the sake of their country and all its inestimable rights, themselves and all posterity, to comply with such requisition, for such short reasonable time as said general shall request; and said troops shall be reasonably considered and allowed for such continuance beyond their term. And his Honor the Governor is desired to write said general, and in the most pressing manner to recommend to said troops a compliance with this request.

Resolved by this Assembly, That the Pay-Table be and they are hereby directed and authorized to take proper bond with surety of the several captains of companies appointed in the four battalions now to be raised until the fifteenth of March next, and then to draw orders in their favour upon the Treasurer for amount of the premiums ordered to be given to the non-commissioned officers and soldiers that may engage in said service.

Resolved by this Assembly, That his Honor the Governor and Council of Safety be and they are hereby authorized and directed to appoint all the Staff Officers of the four regiments now ordered to be raised within this State to supply and join the continental army near New York till the 15th day of March next: and also to fill up all vacancies which may be occasioned in the several offices in said regi- ments by refusal or otherwise during the recess of the General Assembly.

I of do hereby acknowledge myself inlisted a soldier in a regiment now raising by the State of Connecticut to be under the command of Esq', subject to the orders and reg- ulations of said regiment and entituled to their privileges untill the 15th day of March 1777, unless sooner discharged by proper authority. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this

A.D. 1776. day of

In the Lower House : The above draught was read and approved of and ordered to be transmitted to the Honble Upper House.

Attest : BENJA. HUNTINGTON, Clerk. Concurrª in the Upper House. Test : GEORGE WYLLYS Secret' y.

Resolved by this Assembly, That his Honor the Governor and the Council of Safety be and they are hereby impowered to give order for the supplying of any town or towns in this State who shall apply for

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1776.]

the same with such quantity of powder imported into and belonging to this State as they, his Honor and Council aforesaid, shall judge con- sistent and equal.

Whereas this Assembly at their session in October, 1776, resolved that suitable provision be made for furnishing the eight battalions then voted to be raised for continental service with cloathing and other necessarys not provided by the Congress on the best terms that they can be procured and delivered to them at prime cost and charges : Resolved by this Assembly, that the aforesaid resolve be and the same is hereby repealed and made void, so far only as respects the additional charges arising on such necessary articles.

Whereas the soldiers raised in this State and now in the continen- tal army are many of them in want of blankets, and in danger of being greatly distressed unless some provision be made for that purpose,

Resolved by this Assembly, That the selectmen of each of the respective towns in this State be and they are hereby impowered and directed, at the cost of this State, to procure and collect in each of their respective towns such a proportion of blankets as shall amount to the number of one blanket to the sum of five hundred pounds in the general list of such respective town in the year 1775, to be imme- diately sent to the army for the use of the soldiers there in such man- ner as this Assembly shall direct.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That in case a sufficient number of blankets cannot be otherwise obtained, it shall be the duty of such selectmen at their discretion to apply to an assist- ant or justice of the peace, who are hereby impowered and directed, to issue a proper warrant to impress such a number of blankets from the inhabitants of such town as shall be necessary to make the afore- said proportion for such town; to be apprized by two indifferent men upon oath and the respective owners paid accordingly.

Resolved by this Assembly, That a further embargo be immediately laid in addition to that already laid by this Assembly the session in October last upon the exportation, driving or carrying out of this State by land or water the following articles, viz: oats, wool, flax, bar iron, beef, fat cattle, sheep, swine, butter or cheese, excepting only as is excepted in the aforementioned resolve; and his Honor the Governor be and he is hereby desired to issue a proclamation accordingly.

Resolved by this Assembly, That an embargo be forthwith laid upon the exportation by land or water of all West India goods, viz : rum, sugar and molasses, brought into this State, and also all New England rum, in addition to and under the same regulations and ex- ceptions mentioned in the embargo already made; and that his Honor the Governor be desired to issne a proclamation accordingly.

PUBLIC RECORDS

[November,

Whereas the General Assembly of this State have laid an embargo on sundry articles particularly specifyed, without limitation of time of its continuance,

Resolved by this Assembly, That his Honor the Governor and Committee of Safety be and they are hereby authorized and impowered to discontinue and determine said embargo, in part or in whole, as to them may appear expedient or necessary during the recess of the General Assembly.

Whereas it is represented to this Assembly that some persons in this State have large quantities of wheat and flour in their possession which they retain and refuse to sell, which is wanted for public service,

Resolved by this Assembly, That Capt. Jeremiah Wadsworth be directed and impowered and he is hereby impowered, to seize and take any quantity of wheat or flour that is wanted for the public service from any person or persons that have refused or shall refuse to sell the same, except necessary stores for the use of their families, and when so seized or taken to pay the owner or owners thereof six shil- lings per bushel for wheat and eighteen shillings per hundred weight for flour, that whenever the same is needed for the army, on desire of the commissary-general to take the same for the use of the army and pay therefor, the said Wadsworth to take care and deliver the same accordingly ; and said Wadsworth is hereby further impowered and directed in case of refusal as aforesaid, to command and take with him proper and sufficient assistance for that purpose and to break open any shop or store in order for taking and seizing the same for the purpose aforesaid: Provided the powers herein given to said Wadsworth shall not continue any longer than till the sitting of this Assembly in May next.

Whereas the General Assembly at their present sessions have resolved and directed that the selectmen of the respective towns in this State shall procure and collect in each of their respective towns such proportion of blankets as shall amount to the number of one blanket to the sum of five hundred pounds in the general list of such respective town in the year 1775, to be immediately sent to the army for the use of the soldiers there, but that no method is provided in said resolve for sending said blankets to the army: Wherefore, resolved by this Assembly, that his Honor the Governor with his Committee of Safety be impowered and desired to forward to the army any quantity of said blankets so fast as they shall be procured in such manner as to them shall seem best.

Whereas the General Assembly of this State have ordered and directed a number of firearms to be made and procured within and for the use of this State: for the tryal of the strength and certainty thereof,

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1776.]

Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That before any gun is purchased for this State it shall be loaded and fired with four inches of good powder and two suitable balls properly wadded and rammed down, and afterwards twice loaded with a suffi- cient charge of powder and ball and fired at mark ; and if upon such tryal and proof it shall be found that said guns are sufficiently strong, certain and direct, then the same may be purchased, and not otherwise, for the use of this State.

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