Whereas, a number of horses have been taken from the enemy by our soldiers, and a difficulty arises whose property the horses in justice ought to be therefore, Resolved, that it be, and it is hereby recommended, to the honorable Congress, to take such order respecting the same, as to them, in their wisdom, shall seem meet. [Whereas, his excelleney General Washington, by his secretary Mr. Reed, has sent to this committee fifteen persons, taken at Long Island, this committee apprehending, that by their commission, they have no power to dispose of said persons: therefore, Resolved, that the above fifteen persons be immediately sent to the honorable the Congress, at Watertown, and that Mr. Richard Devens and Col. Orne, be a committee to go to the Congress with this resolve.] JULY 12, 1775. [Whereas, frequent complaints have been made to this committee, that many of the arms returned from the armorers have not been sufficiently repaired, which error may have arisen from ignorant or careless persons being employed as armorers, or for want of a master workman or superintendent in each shop, therefore, Resolved, that Benjamin Guillam, an armorer in the shop belonging to Gideon Frost, be, and he hereby is directed, to work as a master armorer in said shop, and to superintend the other armorers in that shop, whose duty it shall be to receive into said shop such arms as may, at any time, be sent there, by any of the colonels in that part of the American army belonging to this colony, in order to be repaired; to see that such arms are properly repaired; to deliver the same, when so repaired, to the persons from whom they were received; to see that no persons employed in said shop, as armorers, are either ignorant of said business, or careless, or idle; and if any such should be employed in the shop, said Guillam shall, without delay, inform this committee thereof; and that he suffer no more than eight armorers, including himself, to be employed at any one time, in said shop.] JULY 13, 1775. [Mr. Benjamin Guillam, an armorer, had an order on the committee of supplies for two hundred pounds of iron, and what files and old brass he has occasion for, for himself and others that work in his shop.] [Mr. Monroe recommended Seth Johnston, of Old Rutland, and Enoch Putnam, of Granby, as proper persons for armorers.] [Thomas Organ was this day commissioned to take the care of the colony horses, and from time to time to attend to such orders as he shall receive from this committee.] [His excellency General Washington having this day ordered, to the direction of this committee, ten prisoners taken some time past, at Machias, on board an armed cutter, the committee, apprehending from their commission of the 8th instant, that they are altogether restricted from acting as a committee but only in the recess of Congress, except in conformity to certain special resolves of Congress, or for making provision for the poor of Boston and Charlestown, and guarding against the small pox; as mentioned in said commission, have Resolved, that the said prisoners be sent to Congress for their orders, and that Doct. Church be directed to attend Congress with this resolve.] [Whereas, Lieut. Ely Stiles has represented to this committee, that he has been at considerable expense in conducting the prisoners from Machias to head quarters, and desires to be repaid, but this matter not being within the powers with which this committee is vested, they beg leave to recommend the consideration of this case to the honorable Congress.] [Whereas, some evil minded persons, taking advantage of the confusion occasioned by the battles of Lexington and Charlestown, have plundered and carried off, into several parts of this and the neighboring colonies, sundry goods and household furniture belonging to some of the unhappy sufferers of Boston and Charlestown: therefore, Resolved, that it be recommended to the honorable Congress, that the several selectmen and committees of correspondence in the several towns and districts within this colony, be directed and ordered, and also the town officers in the neighboring colonies be, and they hereby are severally and earnestly requested, to inspect their several towns. and districts, and if they observe any such goods or household furniture, such officers are directed or desired to send all such effects to the office of Mr. Joseph Pierce Palmer, quarter master general, in Cambridge, for the benefit of the true and rightful proprietors, or that the Congress may take such other measures as in their wisdom may seem meet.] JULY 14, 1775. [Whereas, Mr. Seth Brown, who lately had the care of the artillery horses, at Cambridge, resigned that employment: upon which this committee recommended to the committee of supplies to appoint Mr. Thomas Organ to the care of said horses, instead of said Brown, but said committee of supplies having signified to this committee that such appointment was not within their commission, but was, as they appre hended, within ours, and accordingly returned said recommendation, with their reply upon the back thereof: and whereas, the public safety requires that said horses should be taken proper care of, and always kept in readiness for use upon the shortest notice, therefore, Resolved, that although said appointment is not within, but contrary to the commission of this committee, yet apprehending that it is absolutely necessary for the public service, that an hostler should be appointed for that employment, and no other mode of appointment appearing, in this time of the recess of Congress, this committee do, for the reasons assigned, appoint said Organ to the care of said horses, for the purpose aforesaid, until further orders.] JULY 15, 1775. [Ordered, That Mr. Sanger put as much hay into the general's barns, in this town, as they will receive, any order to the contrary notwithstanding.] [Complaint having been made to this committee by the honorable General Ward, and other officers in the army, that several men are dangerously sick, and their lives would be greatly hazarded, except immediate application of medicine be made to them, and that the surgeons of some of the regiments had applied, but could not obtain any; a sub-committee was therefore chosen to visit the hospital, and to see the surgeons, and, upon inquiry, found that there were no such medicines as are immediately wanted: therefore, Resolved, that as the lives of some part of the army are in great danger, for want of medicines, notwithstanding the commission of the committee of safety does not admit of direction in this matter, that Mr. Commissary Craigie be desired to procure, at the expense of the colony, such medicines as may be immediately and absolutely necessary; in consequence of which, the following order was given Mr. Commissary Craigie: SIR-You are hereby desired immediately to supply the store under your care, with such medicines as are absolutely necessary for the present relief of the sick in the army.]1 (1.) Although the sessions of the committee continued after the fifteenth day of July, 1775, the journal is not preserved to a later date. |