hold the Amunition But the Boxes Covered with Snow and exposed to any Storm that might approach when I ariv'd here to take the Command. I should have wrote you sooner, but it has drawn all my attention to put the Fort in a situation of defence. Since I came to the post I have sent you a Return of the Stores at this post Both in the Commissary and Quartermaster Departments. I am with the Greatest Esteem your Excelencies most Obedient ALEX'R MITCHELL, Capt Comdt.* RETURN OF STORES ON HAND IN THE COMMISSARY DEPARTMENT AT WYOMING, 1781. Return of stores on hand in the Com'y Department, at the post of Wyoming, 25th May, 1781. 65 Barrels of Flour, 13,9751b, Nett Weight. 4 Barrels of salt shad, Containing 400. 3,489b of Dryd Beef, which has been Condem'd. 10 Bushels of Potatoes. 1:0lb Bisquet. 1 Hogshead, 5 Barrels, and 9 Kegs of Salt. 5 Barrels of Whiskey, Containing 152 Gallons. 2 Barrels of Sof Soap. 160lb Candles. Directed, THOMAS HAMILTON. To Captain Mitchell. Sir, BOARD OF WAR TO PRES. REED, 1781. War office, May 25, 1781. The Board have the Honour to enclose a Resolution of Congress on the Subject of the Convention Troops. We have concluded to send them to Rutland, in Massachusetts Bay, as the Theater of the War will most probably be in the Southern States. We have to request your Excellency & the Honble Council to give every Assistance in your Power to Col. James Wood, who is appointed to superintend the removal of these Troops, especially as to Guards, Forage & Provisions. We think six hundred Militia necessary for guarding * See Vol. VIII., page 716. the Prisoners, & we request you will be pleased to order this Number properly officered to assemble at York Town as soon as possible, to take charge of the Prisoners thro' the State of Pennsilvania. Orders to the County Waggon Masters will also be necessary to have in Readiness from thirty to fifty Waggons, that Col. Wood may be furnished on the earliest Notice from him with such Number as may be requisite. The Route of the Troops will be thro' York Town by Anderson's Ferry to Reading, from thence by Way of Allen Town & Bethlehem to Easton. We shall request the Executive of Jersey to order Militia to receive the Prisoners on their arrival in that State. Five Days Provisions at each Post for three thousand Men will be necessary, & we hope you will be pleased to give Orders for this Quantity to be in Readiness, viz., fifteen thousand Pounds Weight of Beef & the like Quantity of Flour at each Post. The Provisions furnished these Troops will be accounted for in Part of the Quota called for by Congress from your State, as will also any Quantity of Forage consumed by Col. Woods orders by the Horses attending the Troops. We have the Honour to be with great Respect, your very obed Servants, RICHARD PETERS, By order.* Directed, On public service. His Excellency The President & The Honble Council of Pennsilvania. (War Office.) OFFICERS IN THE PENNSYLVANIA REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY. RESOLUTION OF CONGRESS, 1781. The Officers in the Pennsylvania Regiment of Artillery, Claim the Promotions in said Regiment, by the following Resolves of Congress, and Articles of Confederation; which Articles were Ratified previous to the Vacancies happening in the Regiment. In Congress, Sept 16th, 1776. Resolved, That the appointment of all Officers and filling up Vacancies (except Gen' Officers) be left to the Government of the several States. * See Col. Rec., Vol. XII., p. 735. Nov 24th, 1778. Whereas it will be for the benefit of the service that some Rule of promotion be established. Therefore Resolved, That in all future promotions Officers Rise Regimentally to the Rank of Captain, and thence in the line of the State to the Rank of Colonel. October 34, 1780. Resolved, That the several states furnish the following Quotas, viz. Pennsylvania Six Regiments of Infantry, One of Artillery, One of Cavalry and One of Artificers. That the States shall select from the Line of the Army a proper number of Officers to Command the several Regiments to them respectively assigned, taking notice that no new appointment is to be made of a higher Rank than that of Lieut. Col. Commandant. That the Regiments of Cavalry & Artillery & Artificers as they now stand be considered as belonging to the States respectively to which they are or may be assigned, which States shall compleat them to the full complement, supply them with necessaries and in every respect treat them as if originally raised therein. May 25th, 1781. Resolved, That Promotions in the Cavalry and Artillery be Regimental to the Rank of Commanding Officer, inclusive. CONFEDERATION. ARTICLE 24. Each State retains its sovereignty, freedom and independance, & every power, jurisdiction and right which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States in Congress assembled. ART. 7th. When land-forces are raised by any State for the common defence, all Officers of, or under the rank of Colonel, shall be appointed by the Legislature of each State respectively, by whom such forces shall be raised, or in such manner as such State shall direct, and all Vacancies shall be filled up by the State which first made the appointment. ART. 9th The United States in Congress assembled. shall also have the sole and exclusive power of appointing all officers of the land forces in the service of the United States, excepting regi- . mental Officers the Legislature of each State shall appoint the Regimental Officers. ART. 13th And the Articles of this confederation shall be inviolably observed by every State, and the Union shall be perpetual; nor shall any alteration at any time hereafter be made in any of them; unless such alteration be agreed to in a Congress of the United States, and be afterwards confirmed by the legislatures of every State. Sir, HON. WM. ATLEE TO PRES. REED, 1781. Lancaster the 25th, May, 1781. This will be handed to you by Capt. Hambright our Barrack Master, by whose care and industry the Barracks here, are placed in pretty good order, and I am confident he has gone the cheapest way to work in executing the business, having employed the Prisoners themselves in doing several parts of the work, his knowledge of the Farmers, & influence with them has been a means of our having supplies of wood & other necessarys hitherto, but they now begin to look for their pay, which obliges him to undertake this Journey in hopes Council will furnish him with Cash not only to discharge those Debts & the Moneys due to Carpenters & other workmen but to procure supplies in future. We have had some disputes between the Light Horse who are stationed here & the Militia Guards, one of the Dragoons in attempting to force his way into the Guard House at the Barracks was the other day killed by the Centry on duty there, & as they seem to speak of revenge, the Inhabitants seem apprehensive of some further mischief. I have no doubt but their officers will do every thing in their power to keep them in order, & am persuaded the Militia will be watchful, but should a party of those people attack the Guard in the night (which was apprehended & beleived to have been their intention a few nights since,) the Prisoners would probably take that opportunity to force their way from the Barracks, & the consequences would be bad. This consideration has induced me to order the Blockhouses at the four Corners of the Stockade to be put in order, so that the whole of the militia, ordered for Guards as well those on as those off duty, may live in them, & not be scattered thro' the Town by Billets, they will then be ready at their Posts in case of any alarm & will have a better eye on the conduct of the Prisoners. A fall from my Horse which hurt my Leg badly has detained me from York Court, but I intend, (tho contrary to the advice of my Physician) to set off for Carlisle, lest I should be charged with neglect of duty. Directed, I am Dear Sir, with great esteem your most obedt. Servt. WILL. ATLEE. His Excellency Joseph Reed, Esquire, President of the State of Pennsylvania, Dear Sir, WM. HENRY TO PRES. REED, 1781. Lancaster, May, the 26th, 1781. It is paying me a greater Compliment than my poor abilitys have any Clame to, to ask my opinion on the present intricate state of our affairs. I will however give it without further apology. The principal Reasons why our paper Money is in so little Repute with the people seems to be the following. Government has not Specie to circulate with the Paper, nor can they at any Time exchange a considerable part of it for Specie. The natural Basis of all paper Credit is Specie, and the value we put on paper is in proportion to the Quantity of Specie it will purchase. Therefore some Method should be taken to procure at least part of the Revenue in Specie, this is not impracticable-Why cannot Tavern Licences, Marriage Licences, and Licences for distilling Grain be paid in Specie. The petitioner has one whole Year to provide the Money and his private Interest will stimulate him to it; It is true as the Laws now stand no Man is obliged to take a Licence for Distilling Grain, but would it not be good policy to enact such a Law and thereby oblige the owners of Stills above a certain Size, to have them registerd in the Counties where they live, this would enable Government to form an Estimation of the Amount of this part of the Revenue, which I am persuaded they cannot at present. Under the late Government the Excise on Spirituous Liquors was said to be worth £6000 Annum. If Licences aforesaid were raised 50 Ct. this would bring in a handsome Revenue without distressing the Subjects & would be attended with good Consequences to the people at large in preventing a number of Dram Shops being kept which at present are a Nuisance, and would be ample Security to any Gentleman at home or abroad for the payment of a sum of Money to answer the present Exigencies of Government. Might not all Fines and Forfeitures in Courts of Justice be paid in Specie and the Dutys on foreign Imports might be paid in specie or Merchandize suitable for the Support of the Army. The Government have put paper into the hands of people and ought to receive from them again in Taxes though not at a depreciated Value. To prevent this, the Taxes ought to be laid in Specie made payable in Wheat at a certain Value in proportion to the Distance from the Market, or the Value in paper to be ascertained by Council weekly and to prevent Fraud in Collectors &c., they ought to give printed Receits to the people and deliver in to the Commissiouers of the Tax an Account of all Monies by them received and the Time when, which would enable the Commissioners often to detect the Collectors, and the same Method would be of use in Collecting Militia Fines and prevent numerous abuses which have happened. Collectors of Taxes and Militia Monies ought to be pun |
