Sr., Philada. Septr. 25th. 1776.

Mr. Gerry delivered me a letter yo. sent by Major Cox1; I have been a long time anxious to know the state of Gun Powder manufacture in our Government and have wrote repeatedly withot. being able to get any satisfactory information. We have had great success in making saltpetre, but without great Care it will be all spoilt in making into Gunpowder. There have been some great instances here of miserable trash trun’d out for Gunpowder, which occasioned the Congress to appoint a committee to enquire into the defect and procure a remedy. . . .

. . . I am exceeding glad to find you turning yr. attention to this very important Manufacture. I hope you will not only make improvements in 295yr. own Works but communicate Knowledge to the other Powder makers and do what lays in yr Power to promote the manufacture of good Powder for it must be a most cruel Vexation in the day of decision for Liberty or Slavery to have the Scale turn against us meerly thro’ the defect of our own Powder. This matter has lain as a Burthen on my mind and has caused me to apply great attention to this manufacture. . . .

Congress have passed some resolves to prevent the bad manufacture of Powder and also the importation of bad Powder, (for much Powder which has been imported from abroad has proved exceed bad) and have recommended inspectors to be appointed to prove all Powder. This matter should be carefully attended to. Majr. Cox will describe to you the machine by which we made most of our Experiments. You will excuse the freedom I take in addressing you thus freely when you consider the real importance of the subject. I wish the Inhabitants of the United States were more intent upon providing and manufacturing the Means of defence, than making Governments witht. providing for the means of their Support. Wishing you Success in yr. noble Efforts to promote that best Good of yr Country, its defence from powerful enemies, I part your most hble. Servt.,

R T Paine

Original not located; reprinted from Edmund C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress (Washington, 1921–1936), 2:101 , which misinterprets the endorsement as: “Mr. Paine to S. P. Eve [?] on Gun powder.” Ellipses appear as in the transcription.

1.

Lemuel Cox (1736–1806) assisted in the building of the Andover powder mill and claimed to have “invented a machine for granulating the powder whereby one man could granulate five hundredweight in one day at the same time saving the labor of fifty men.” Cox later became known as a bridge builder for his work on the bridge from Boston to Charlestown in 1786 and the bridge in Waterford, Ireland, in 1795 (Walter Kendall Watkins, Lemuel Cox: Bridge Builder and Inventor, 1736–1806 [Malden, Mass., 1907], 6).

Wednesday, September 25, 1776

The committee appointed to devise ways and means for providing cloathing, and other necessaries, for the army, brought in their report, which was taken into consideration; Whereupon,

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Resolved, That it be recommended to the general assemblies and conventions of the United States, to forward to head quarters, the cloathing, blankets and necessaries, which they may have provided in consequence of the resolution of Congress of the 19th of June last, drawing on the president for the cost and conveyance thereof; in which it is hoped the utmost diligence and expedition will be used, that those who expose themselves to danger in defending and protecting their fellow citizens, may suffer as little as possible from inclement seasons:

That a committee of Congress, consisting of one delegate from each state, be appointed, with authority to employ proper persons to purchase, in their respective states, a sufficient number of blankets and woollens fit for soldiers’ cloaths, and that they take the most effectual and speedy methods for getting such woollens made up, and distributed among the regular continental army, in such proportion as will best promote the public service: And that they also purchase all other necessary cloathing for the soldiers, in such proportion, as they judge, upon the best information, will be wanted; And that the said committee be authorized to draw on the president of Congress, for the sums necessary to execute this business; they to be accountable for the amount of their draughts and disbursements:

That Mr. Mease be directed to send immediately to General Gates, all the white shirts, shoes and stockings, he now has in his possession, and which are unappropriated, for the use of the northern army; and that he use the utmost diligence in buying, collecting and getting made, immediately, as many more of those articles as possible, making weekly reports to Congress of what he obtains:

That General Schuyler or the commanding officer at Albany, be desired to employ proper persons, immediately, to make up into soldier’s cloaths, the woollens mentioned in General Schuyler’s letter of the 29 of August last, and transmit the same, without delay, to the general commanding the northern army, for the use of such of the troops in that army, as have inlisted for three years, or will inlist during the war.

Resolved, That the commissaries and quarter master general, and deputy quarter masters general and their assistants, in the several departments, be directed to apply to Mr. Mease for such articles of cloathing, camp equipage, and other utensils, which they may want to purchase in the state of Pensylvania for the use of the army.

Congress then proceeded to the appointment of the committee, when the following gentlemen were chosen, viz.

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Mr. Bartlett, Mr. Paine, Mr. Ellery, Mr. Williams, Mr. Floyd, Mr. Stockton, Mr. Ross,1 Mr. M’Kean, Mr. Paca, Mr. Wythe, Mr. Hewes, Mr. Middleton, and Mr. Hall.

Printed in Journals of the Continental Congress, 5:820–822 .

1.

George Ross (1730–1779) practiced law in Lancaster, Penna., beginning in 1750. He was a member of the colonial assembly (1768–1776) and of the Continental Congress (1774–1777). In April 1779 he was appointed judge of the court of admiralty for Pennsylvania and served until his death in July of that year ( DAB ).