That there be one adjutant General, and his pay one hundred and twenty-five dollars per month.

That there be one Commissary general of stores and provisions, and that his pay be eighty dollars per month. That there be one quarter master general for the grand army, and a deputy, under him, for the separate army. That the pay of the quarter master general be eighty dollars per month, and that of the deputy forty dollars per month.

That there be a pay master general, and a deputy under him, for the army in a separate department; that the pay, for himself, be one hundred dollars per month, and for the deputy pay master, under him, fifty dollars per month. That there be one chief engineer at the grand army, and that his pay be sixty dollars per month.

That two Assistants be employed under him; that the pay of each of them be twenty dollars per month.

That there be a chief Engineer for the army, in a separate department, and two assistants under him; that the pay of the chief engineer be sixty dollars per month, and the pay of the assistants each, twenty dollars per month.

That there be three aid de camps and that their pay be thirty-three dollars per month each.

That there be a secretary to the general; and his pay sixty-six dollars per month.

That there be a secretary to the Major general, acting in a separate department; and that his pay be thirty-three dollars per month.

That there be a commissary of the musters, and that his pay forty' dollars per month.2

'Originally twenty dollars.

2 The resolutions passed this day were printed in the Pennsylvania Packet, 11 December, 1775.

John Adams thus commented on the pay: "The pay which has been voted to

A Letter from the Convention of New York, recd by express, was laid before the Congress and read, which being taken into consideration,

Resolved, That the provincial convention of New York, be desired immediately to apply to Governor Trumbull to order the Connecticut troops, now stationed at Greenwich, Stamford, and parts adjacent, to march towards New York, and that part of them occupy such posts upon that Island as the s provincial Convention shall judge best adapted to prevent the communication between the town and country from being cut off, the remainder of the troops to be employed in securing the navigation of Hudson's river by erecting Batteries at such places as the s Convention shall judge most proper to answer that purpose.

Resolved, that this Congress will to Morrow again resolve itself into a committee of the whole to take into their further consideration the state of America.

Adjourned till to Morrow at 9 o'clock.

all the officers, which the Continental Congress intends to choose, is so large, that I fear our people will think it extravagant and be uneasy. Mr. Adams, Mr. Paine, and myself, used our utmost endeavors to reduce it, but in vain.

"Those ideas of equality, which are so agreeable to us natives of New England, are very disagreeable to many gentlemen in the other colonies. They had a great opinion of the high importance of a continental general, and were determined to place him in an elevated point of light. They think the Massachusetts establishment too high for the privates, and too low for the officers, and they would have their own way." John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 18 June, 1775. Works, IX, 358. See also his letter to Joseph Hawley of November 25, in the same volume.

SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 1775

The Congress met according to adjournment.

The committee appointed to draught a commission to the general, reported the same, which, being read by paragraphs and debated, was agreed to and is as follows:

IN CONGRESS

The delegates of the United Colonies of New Hampshire, Massachusetts bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania, the Counties of New-Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina: To George Washington, Esq.

WE, reposing special trust and confidence in your patriotism, valor, conduct, and fidelity, do, by these presents, constitute and appoint you to be General and Commander in chief, of the army of the United Colonies, and of all the forces now raised, or to be raised, by them, and of all others who shall voluntarily offer their service, and join the said Army for the Defence of American liberty, and for repelling every hostile invasion thereof: And you are hereby vested with full power and authority to act as you shall think for the good and welfare of the service.

And we do hereby strictly charge and require all Officers and Soldiers, under your command, to be obedient to your orders, and diligent in the exercise of their several duties.

And we do also enjoin and require you, to be careful in executing the great trust reposed in you, by causing strict discipline and order to be observed in the army, and that the soldiers be duly exercised, and provided with all convenient necessaries.

And you are to regulate your conduct in every respect by the rules and discipline of war, (as herewith given you,) and punctually to observe and follow such orders and directions, from time to time, as you shall receive from this, or a future Congress of these United Colonies, or committee of Congress.

This commission to continue in force, until revoked by this, or a future Congress.

By order of the Congress.'

Dated, Philad June 17, 1775.

The original is in the Library of Congress. It was printed in the Pennsylvania Packet, 11 December, 1775, together with the Congress pledge and list of officers of

Ordered, That the same be fairly transcribed, to be signed by the president, and attested by the secretary, and delivered to the General.

Resolved unanimously upon the question, Whereas, the delegates of all the colonies, from Nova-Scotia to Georgia, in Congress assembled, have unanimously chosen George Washington, Esq. to be General and commander in chief, of such forces as are, or shall be, raised for the maintenance and preservation of American liberty; this Congress doth now declare, that they will maintain and assist him, and adhere to him, the said George Washington, Esq, with their lives and fortunes in the same cause.

The Congress then proceeded to the choice of the Officers in the army by ballot: when

Artemus Ward, Esq. was chosen first major-general and second in command.

Horatio Gates, Esq. was unanimously chosen adjutant general.

Resolved, That Horatio Gates, now chosen adjutant general, shall have the rank of a Brigadier general.

Charles Lee, Esq. was unanimously chosen second Major general to be third in command.

Resolved, that this congress will on Monday resolve itself into a committee of the whole to take into consideration the state of America.

Adjourned till Monday next at 9 o'clock.

MONDAY, JUNE 19, 1775

The Congress met according to adjournment.

The president laid before the Congress sundry letters this day. At the Washington Headquarters, Morristown, New Jersey is a paper which purports to be this commission, or its earliest form. It was found in a shoemaker's shop by David Ames Wells, and he gave it to George Washington Childs, from whom it passed to Ferdinand J. Dreer, who presented it to the Headquarters. It is of doubtful value.

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from the conventions of Massachusetts bay and New York, which were read.

Upon motion Ordered, That Mr. [Patrick] Henry, Mr. [Thomas] Lynch, and Mr. J[ohn] Adams, be a committee to wait upon Gen' Lee, and to inform him of his appointment, and request his answer, whether he will accept the command.

Committee returned and reported, that they had waited on Gen' Lee, and informed him of his appointment, and that he gave for answer: That he expressed a high sense of the honour done him and assured them he was ready to render America all services in his power, but desired as the situation of his affairs was peculiar, to have an opportu nity of had the highest sense of the honor conferred upon him by the Congress; that no effort in his power shall be wanting to serve the American cause.-But before he entered upon the service he desired a conference with a committee to consist of one delegate from each of the associated colonies, to whom he desired to explain some particulars respecting his private fortune.

Where upon M [John] Sullivan, M: S[amuel] Adams, M: [Stephen] Hopkins, M. [Eliphalet] Dyer, M P[hilip] Livingston, M W [illiam] Livingston, M [George] Ross, M'. [Cæsar] Rodney, M'. [Thomas] Johnson, M. [Patrick] Henry, M [Richard] Caswell and Mr. [Thomas] Lynch were appointed a committee to confer with Gen! Lee.

The committee returned and reported that they had conferred with Gen! Lee, who had communicated to them an estimate of the Estate he risqued by this service; Whereupon,

Resolved, That these colonies will indemnify General Lee for any loss of property which he may sustain by entering into their service, and that the same be done by