Diary of John Adams, volume 3
1776-09-16
Monday September 16. 1776.
A Letter of the 14th. from General Washington, One of the 9th. from General Schuyler, inclosing a copy of one from General Gates, dated the 6th., and one of the 2d, from General Gates with sundry Papers inclosed, were read, and referred to the Board of War.
A Committee of the whole, on a report of the Board of War. Mr. Nelson reported sundry Amendments and Congress adopted the Resolutions with the Amendments. The Resolutions, which may be seen in the Journal, contain the whole Plan of an Army of Eighty Eight Battalions, to be inlisted as soon as possible, to serve during the War.1
432Resolved that tomorrow be assigned for taking into Consideration the Articles of War.
JCC
, 5:762–763. The Board of War's plan for an army of 88 battalions, probably introduced on 9 Sept., had been debated in Congress and in a committee of the whole every day from 10 through 13 Sept. (same, p. 747, 749, 751, 754, 756–757). (JA was absent on his mission to Staten Island, 9–12 Sept.) As amended and adopted it was spread on the Journal of the 16th, and after further amendment next day it was on the 20th ordered to be printed (same, p. 762–763, 768, 807). In its final form it appeared in the Pennsylvania Gazette on 25 Sept. No version has been found in the Reports of the Board of War and Ordnance, PCC, No. 147. In his comments in the entry of 20 Sept. below, JA implies that he had a large part in initiating this plan for a large and permanent army.