Second Continental Congress: July 27, 1775

Congress debates the Report of the Committee on establishing an Army hospital and agrees to a detailed administrative structure and specific pay scales.  “Benjamin Church was unanimously elected as director of, and chief physician in, the hospital” and the delegates agree that “the appointment of the four surgeons and the Apothecary be left to Doctor Church.”

Link to date-related documents.

Journals of the Continental Congress [Edited]

The Congress debated the report of the committee on establishing an Army hospital, and agreed on several items.

That for the establishment of an hospital for an army, consisting of 20,000 men, the following officers and other attendants be appointed with the following allowance or pay, viz.

Resolved, “That the sum of twenty five thousand dollars be paid by the continental treasurers” to various people for “the purpose of importing gunpowder for the continental armies, and that they be allowed out of the same five per cent for their trouble and expenses therein, that they keep all their proceedings as much as possible a secret from every other person but the Congress and an the general of the continental forces for the time being.”  

One Director general and chief physician, Four surgeons, per diem each, one and one third of a dollar, One apothecary, Twenty [surgeons] mates, One clerk, Two storekeepers, One nurse to every 10 sick, Laborers occasionally.

The duty of the above officers: viz.

Director to furnish medicines, Bedding and all other necessaries, to pay for the same, superintend the whole, and make his report to, and receive orders from the commander in chief.

Surgeons, apothecary and mates, To visit and attend the sick, and the mates to obey the orders of the physicians, surgeons and apothecary. Matron. To superintend the nurses, bedding, &c. Nurses. To attend the sick, and obey the matron’s orders. Clerk. To keep accounts for the director and store keepers. Store keeper. To receive and deliver the bedding and other necessaries by order of the director.

Benjamin Church was unanimously elected as director of, and chief physician in, the hospital.

Resolved, That the appointment of the four surgeons and the Apothecary be left to Doctor Church.

That the Mates be appointed by the Surgeons;

That the number do not exceed twenty; and

That the number be not kept in constant pay, unless the sick and wounded should be so numerous as to require the attendance of twenty, and to be diminished as circumstances will admit; for Wch purpose, the pay is fixed by the day, that they may only receive pay for actual service.

That one Clerk, two storekeepers, and one nurse to every 10 sick, be appointed by the Director.

On motion made, Resolved, That the paymaster give bond, with two sureties, in the sum of fifty thousand dollars, for the faithful performance of his office.

That the bond be made payable to the same persons, as the bonds of the continental treasurers are payable to.

Resolved, “That the sum of twenty five thousand dollars be paid by the continental treasurers” to various people for “the purpose of importing gunpowder for the continental armies, and that they be allowed out of the same five per cent for their trouble and expenses therein, that they keep all their proceedings as much as possible a secret from every other person but the Congress and an the general of the continental forces for the time being.”  

James Warren, unanimously elected pay master general.

Resolved, That the pay master in the New York department give bond to the same persons as above directed, with two sureties, in the sum of twenty five thousand dollars, for the faithful performance of his Office.

Adjourned till to Morrow at 8 o’Clock.

Edited with commentary by Gordon Lloyd.