Friday, February 23, 1776

Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to contract for the making of muskets and bayonets for the use of the United Colonies, and to consider of further ways and means of promoting and encouraging the manufacture of fire arms in all parts of the United Colonies.

The members chosen, Mr. Paine, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Huntington, Mr. Lee,1 and Mr. L Morris. . . .

Resolved, That it be recommended to the several assemblies, conventions, councils, or committees of safety, and committees of correspondence and inspection in the United Colonies, to exert themselves, in devising further ways and means of promoting and encouraging the 164manufacture of salt petre, and of introducing that manufacture into private families.

That it be recommended to the several assemblies and conventions in the United Colonies, that they immediately establish public works in each and every county, in their respective colonies, at the expence of such colonies, for the manufacture of salt petre, and appoint committees of their own members immediately to set up such manufactures:

That it be recommended to the assemblies, conventions, or councils, or committees of safety, of every colony, forthwith to erect powder mills in their respective colonies, and appoint committees to build such mills, and procure persons well skilled in the manufacture of powder, at the expence of such colonies:

That a committee of this Congress, to consist of one member from each colony, be appointed to consider of further ways and means of promoting and encouraging the manufactures of salt petre, sulphur and powder in these colonies, and to correspond with the several assemblies and conventions, and councils or committees of safety in the several colonies, that this Congress may be, from time to time, truly informed of the progress made in these manufactures in all the colonies.

The members chosen, Mr. Bartlett,3 Mr. Paine, Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Huntington, Mr. L Morris, Mr. Sergeant,4 Mr. Humphreys, Mr. Read,5 Mr. Paca, Mr. Braxton,6 Mr. Hewes, Mr. E Rutledge, and Mr. Bullock.7

Ordered, That the above resolutions respecting salt petre, &c. be published.

Printed in Journals of the Continental Congress, 4:169, 170–171.

1.

Probably Richard Henry Lee.

2.

Printed in the Pennsylvania Gazette, Mar. 6, 1776, with a notice from the committee:

IN pursuance of the above Resolve, the said Committee here notify all persons who are disposed to contract for the making Muskets and Bayonets, that they make known their proposal as soon as possible to them at Philadelphia, or to the Assemblies, Conventions, or Committees of Safety in the Colonies where they live, in order to be transmitted to the said Committee. R. T. PAINE, per Order.

3.

Josiah Bartlett (1729–1795) trained as a physician but left his practice in 1765 to enter politics. He served in the New Hampshire provincial congress, 1774–1776, and was elected to the Executive Council in 1776. Beginning in September 1775 Bartlett represented New Hampshire in the Continental Congress as a strong voice for independence. He was among the signers of the Declaration. After the war Bartlett served on the state’s superior court (1782–1790) and as chief executive, later governor (1790–1794) ( ANB ).

4.

Jonathan Dickinson Sergeant (1746–1793) graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1762 and was admitted to the bar in 1767. He was an active member of the New Jersey Provincial Con­165gress, 1774–1776, and represented that state in the Continental Congress (Feb. 14–June 22, 1776, and Nov. 30, 1776–Sept. 6, 1777). He resigned to become attorney general of Pennsylvania ( DAB ).

5.

George Read (1733–1798) was attorney general for lower Delaware from 1763 until 1774 when he went to the Continental Congress, where he served until 1777. A moderate Whig, he voted against independence but did sign the Declaration which he afterwards supported. He returned to state politics, was influential in Delaware becoming the first to ratify the U.S. Constitution, and served as federal senator from 1789 to 1793. For the last five years of his life Read was chief justice of Delaware ( DAB ).

6.

Carter Braxton (1736–1797), a Virginia landowner and public official, took his seat in Congress on Feb. 23, 1776. He served only until August but supported independence and signed the Declaration. Braxton returned to Virginia, where he resumed his political life as a member of the new House of Delegates despite facing heavy wartime financial losses ( ANB ).

7.

Archibald Bulloch (1730–1777) was a lawyer from Georgia, where he served as speaker of the assembly in the early 1770s and later as president of the provincial congress. Bulloch served in the Second Continental Congress, the first in which Georgia was represented. On Feb 11, 1776, Bulloch was elected as president and commander in chief of Georgia, under the “Rules and Regulations,” a preliminary constitution that went into effect on May 1 ( ANB ).

Taunton Feb: 26. 1776 Dear Brother,

We are rejoicing at receiving a letter from you dated 29 Jan:1 hope long before this time you are Convinc’d that we are not so tardy as we appear’d to be when you wrote. Really we have not been able to send to Providence since the week after we sent letters dated about 20th Jan: if you have receiv’d that packet you see I strove to be very good and sent quaintity to compensate for the difficiencys in quallity. I’ve lost all the little faculty I once had of letter writing, but in such absence as yours I judge a simple narration of what and how we do will be an ease to your anxious breast. I think to continue as I set out in my last.

The fifth inst. Mr. Greenleaf left your hospitable roof had some post office business to attend at Watertown and he writes me shall set out next week for Brookfield. I wish he may be successful in his plan to serve his country and get bread for his family. If he don’t meet with great disapointments we think of carrying our family there, but at present every thing is so uncertain I dare not look forward, nor have any depandance upon any sheme however promising soever the present aspect. We are amiss with a talk of attacking Boston before the first of April. The prospect causes us poor females many palpatations. We look forward to the spring with dread but endeavour to enjoy the present security depending upon 166protection from harm from him who governs all events. My faith is very strong that somthing diffiret from the prsent prospect will turn up. I read accounts from England very carefully and rejoice at increasing divisions among them. But this is all out of my plan. I’ll return to naration.

Last sunday seven’ht Mrs. Leonard sent me word that Naby was ill. Sister sent me to her. I found her so and on fryday brought her to your house and sent for the docto. She is now much better but not able to write. There is a bad cankor fever at Rainham that proves mortal, which allarm’d the family but she is suffering her old disorder. It has been a very health time but the sudden changes in the weather, tis fear’d will bring on fevers. We have had many snow storms but it turns to rain and south winds so that half the time our roads are like breaking up of winter then a suden frost chills all nature, thus the winter has spent only a few days sleding at christmas consequently colds have been a universal complaint. Sister Paine has had her share but is better tho; her health not so good as I cou’d wish the children are well, and under very good regulation and I think forward in learning. I long for your return that you may see and rejoice in them. I don’t know enough of military affairs to send you an account of the new commissions only that Coll: George Williams is cheif Coll: & Zeph. Leonard Esqr. Lieut. Coll: in the militia. Mr. Barnum is going with the consent of his people, down to the Army a chaplain for a year. I han’t heard who is to supply his place here, but tis talk’d that Mr. Read of Titicut’s son2 has engag’d. In my last I desir’d the favour of you to bring a peice of linnin for Tommy but by a mistake directed for a finer cloth than I desire fine enough to wear well is sufficient and shall be glad of less if a whole peice will be too great a burden. We are greatly oppress’d by the extravagant price and scarcety of every sort of cloathing and material to make them.

Naby & Eunice send their duty to you are longing for your return. We want a further description of the country and people through which you journey’d. I imagine you were highly gratified. I’ve wore out my pen and tir’d my eyes and almost fill’d my paper so conclude wishing you every needed Blessing. Your oblig’d Friend & Sister

Abigail Greenleaf

RC ; endorsed.

1.

Not located.

167 2.

Solomon Reed (1719–1785), a 1739 graduate of Harvard, was minister of the Third Parish of Middleboro (now the North Titicut Congregational Church) ( Sibley’s Harvard Graduates , 10:398–400). Three of his sons eventually became ministers. This reference is probably to either John (1751–1831), a 1772 Yale graduate, or his brother Solomon (1753–1808), a 1775 graduate of the same college (Dexter, Yale Biographies, 3:453–455, 585–586).