Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 3
We received the five Thousand Pounds sent by David Gillespie from Congress as also the rough draft of a receipt but have unfortunately mislaid it. Therefore send the inclosed which hope will be agreeable.
The bearer Melchor Salady1 is very ingeneous about Cannon & wod. be of great service to us. He is engaged in the army & provided he could get a discharge wod. undertake to finish our Guns in a proper manner. We will esteem it a favour if he can be spared us. We are with much respect Your obedient Servants
“Upon representation made by Daniel and Samuel Hughes, that Melchior Salady, a private soldier in Captain Farmer’s company and Colonel Miles’s batallion, would be very serviceable to them in executing their contract for making cannon for Congress,” Congress resolved that Salady be discharged from service conditionally upon his employment by the Hughes brothers (Journals of the Continental Congress, 6:1008–1009).
Resolved that the cannon committee be directed to inquire what quantity of cannon are on board the prize that arrived yesterday in the port of Philadelphia, and if they are fit for field artillery to take measures to have them mounted on proper carriages & sent to general Washington.1
Extract from the Minutes,
The ship Sam, commanded by Capt. Samuel Richardson, was captured by the Continental sloop Independence, commanded by Capt. John Young, on the passage from Barbados to Liverpool. In addition to specie, ivory, and iron onboard, there were also four guns (Philadelphia Packet, Nov. 26, 1776).
An appeal having been lodged against the sentence passed in the court of admiralty for the state of Virginia, on the libel, “Levin Joynes, qui tam vs. the sloop Vulcan:”1
Resolved, That the hearing and determining the said appeal, be referred to Mr. Wythe, Mr. Paine, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Hooper, and Mr. Chase.
A plan of an artillery yard being laid before Congress,
That an artillery yard, with proper Cover to exercise under in bad weather be immediately erected at
That a Master or Director of such Yard be appointed:
That proper persons be employed well skilled in the management of Artillery:
That they be impowered to enlist into the continental service as many able bodied men as shall be willing to inlist into the artillery service:
That the men be constantly exercised at the guns in the Artillery Yard as bombardiers and gunners:
That the most expert be from time to time draughted and sent to the army:
That no man be promoted to any office in the Artillery service until he has given proofs and specimens of his Abilities in the said Yard:
That Novices on their first inlistment to learn the Artillery service shall be allowed Soldiers pay:
That so soon as the Master shall report to the Board of War that any of the said Novices are qualified for the respective duties of Matrosses, Gunners or Bombardiers, they shall thereupon be advanced to the pay of such Characters respectively.2
Resolved, That it be referred to a committe of three:
The members chosen, Mr. R H Lee, Mr. Paine, Mr. Pendleton and Mr. Middleton.
Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to consider and report a proper method for establishing and training a cavalry in this continent:
The members chosen, Mr. R H Lee, Mr. Paine, Mr. Middleton, Mr. Nelson,3 and Mr. Floyd.
Journals of the Continental Congress, 6:985–988, 992
There appears to have been no follow up on this case. See Naval Documents of the American Revolution, 7:42, for the condemnation.
This report is in the handwriting of Charles Thomson, with amendments (including the last two paragraphs) by Richard Henry Lee.
Thomas Nelson (1738–1789) was a member of the Continental Congress from Virginia (1775–1777 and 1779) and signed the Declaration of Independence. From 1777 to 1781 he commanded the Virginia States forces but retired because of ill health following the campaign against Cornwallis. In 1781 Nelson was governor of Virginia (
DAB
).