Wednesday, July 19, 1775

Resolved, That a Committee of three be appointed to report the method of establishing an hospital.1

The committee chosen, Mr. Lewis,2 Mr. Paine, and Mr. Middleton.3

Printed in the Journals of the Continental Congress, 2:191.

1.

The committee reported back to Congress on July 24, and their report was considered on July 27. Congress agreed to establish a hospital for the army with 1 director general and chief physician, 4 surgeons, 1 apothecary, 20 surgeons’ mates, 1 clerk, 2 storekeepers, 1 nurse to every 10 sick, and occasional laborers (Journals of the Continental Congress, 2:209–210).

2.

Francis Lewis (1713–1803), a native of Llandaff, Wales, immigrated to America in 1735. He was in mercantile business in New York and Philadelphia and was a contractor for the British Army until his retirement in 1765. He represented New York in the Continental Congress (1775–1777) and was a signer of the Declaration of Independence ( DAB ).

3.

Henry Middleton (1717–1784), a South Carolina planter, was active in provincial affairs as member (and sometime speaker) of the House of Commons, a justice of the peace, and member of the King’s Provincial Council from 1755 to 1770. He was a member of the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1775 and president of that body from Oct. 22, 1774, to May 10, 1775. After his service in Philadelphia, Middleton returned to South Carolina politics as member of the council of safety, a member of the transitional government, and a state senator. He was the father of Arthur Middleton (1742–1787) ( DAB ).

Watertown July 21st. 1775 Dear Sr.,

I left your hospitable house on monday last all the family in good health & Spirits, for particular circumstances I refer you to the inclosed letters. I thank you for yr. three letters, especially the last. You seem anxious to have a particular accot. of the capitulation with Gage. You have, (no doubt) since you wrote seen the accot. published by Mr. Alleyn who was then Town clerk pro. tempo. The business was not transacted by writing (on the side of Gage) & in the published accot. many material Things are not mentioned.1

It was stipulated that the inhabitants, upon condition of their delivering up their arms, should have liberty to remove out of town with all their effects. 77It was our general expectation, that, as soon as the inhabitants had complied, they were at liberty to remove; & accordingly they packed up their effects; & after having sent the constables thro’ all the wards to see whether the inhabitants had complyed, a report was made to the general with which he was satisfied. We then began to remove, many goods were put on board vessells, before engaged for that purpose. We were then told that we must not go without passes, & the goods were relanded. Passes were ordered to be printed, people began again to remove wth. all their effects, according to the very letter of the printed pass, but the merchandize was turn’d back on pretence that merchandize was not effects. The officer that signed the passes was then ordered to under-write on them merchantdize excepted, in consequence of this, a remnant of new lining purchased to mend a garment, a pr. of shoes not worn, & every new thing purchased by any person for their own necessary use, was torn out of their trunks, called merchandize, & turned back. After this, more provision than would last one day, became merchandize, & was Stopped, So that many persons who had provisions in plenty, (by being so suddenly drove from their habitations, & having no money by them) were reduced to this sad dilemma, either to bed beg for bread, or famish. After this soap became merchandize, & was stopped, & finally every thing became merchand. even our persons, & there became a total end to passes & so it remains to this day.

Lest it should be sd. that it is possible Gage in the profundity of his ignorance did not know that all a mans effects included his merchand. I have only this to say. When he had compleated the bargain with the committee of the town, who waited upon him to negotiate this affair, he told them, that he should be glad if they would not remove their West-India goods, because they would be wanted in Boston & they might have the money for them.

The poor of the town of Boston, & such as inclined to remain there, Gage promised to protect & feed. They are now pinched for provisions, & he presses the congress hard, by his tools the S——t-men, to provide for them, & promises to land them at Salem, if he can have a safe pass & repass warranted for his men & vessells. Upon this condition he promises, by them, that the remainder of the inhabitants with their effects shall have leave to come out of the town. Secretary Flucker is the medium between Gage and the S——tmen.

One important matter I have forgot to mention, namely, after the capitulation was finished between Gage & the Town, he asked it as a favour, 78that the town would write to the president of the Provincial congress, desiring him to obtain leave of them (for any persons who were desirous) to remove into Boston with their effects, & added he knew of but one who wanted to remove, & voluntarily undertook to send the whole capitulation & letter & did really send them to the president aforesd., which is a good presumptive evidence of his consenting to the whole.

I am obliged to you for the notice you have taken of me in your letters to Colo. W——n & others. I shall be in the way if any thing falls, but cannot solicit. My service for the public for four years past, expence of time, and money, cannot be forgotten by a greatfull people who have so frequently spoken of them, & thanked me for them, in conjunction with my brethren of the Comttee. If I am found capable to sustain any office of small Income I doubt not but I shall have it, if not ’tis not fit I should especially if any better qualified person presents. I would not be so selfish as to injure my country in this critical time by depriving them of a better servant than myself.

If my effects in Boston should be restored to me I shall be better pleased with a dependance upon my own Industry & a retired life then to live upon the public.

The paper will inform you of the honours confer’d upon you & our other delegates. I wish you & them Joy. I think you all deserving. Please to present my compliments to them. I have read Dr. Smith’s sermon & think it a pritty one. I very much like both yr. address & declaration. I admire the plan of adhereing to the Charter. If there be a breach let it be on the side of the Crown then we shall then stand fair in the view of the world and vindicated (from the necessity of the thing) in taking the whole government upon ourselves. We have, to use the great Statesman ADAMS’S2 expression, put our enemy in the wrong, let us keep him there & we shall do well. I wish wisdom from above, to you all, in your arduous task. May you hold out to the end in the cause of God & yr. country, & you will establish yr. fame here and happiness hereafter which is the wish of all good men especially of yr. affectionate brother,

Jos: Greenleaf

P.S. My son Thos. has but a trifling employment here. If he could find business in the printing way at Philadelphia for the present I should be glad. I should be obliged to you if you would make inquiry. Tomy is an adept in that business. Yrs. &c., J:G.

RC ; addressed: “For Robt. Treat Paine Esqr. at Philadelphia”; endorsed.

1.

The capitulation, or agreement, by Gen. Thomas Gage was the result of an Apr. 28 meeting with a committee from the board of selectmen. In it, “General Gage gives liberty to the inhabitants to remove out of town with their effects; and desires that such inhabitants as intend to remove, would give their names to the selectmen, and signify whether they mean to convey out their effects by land or water, in order that passes maybe prepared.” The text was not published until the June 26 issue of the Boston Gazette.

Henry Alline, Jr. (1736–1804) was a Boston retailer then acting as town clerk, pro tem. He was later register of deeds from 1791 to 1796 (Thwing Index).

2.

Probably Samuel Adams.