Second Continental Congress: June 29, 1775

Congress receives letters and speeches from The Chiefs of the Stockbridge Indians. Roger Sherman informs Jonathan Trumbull of the recent military appointments and that “the Salvation of the Colonies under Divine Providence depends upon their united and Vigorous application to Arms; that is the only conciliatory Plan.”

Link to date-related documents.

Journals of the Continental Congress [Edited]

A number of Letters and speeches from the Chiefs of the Stockbridge Indians to the Congress, also a copy of a Message from the Stockbridge Indians to the Canada Indians and their answer, were laid before the Congress and read.

The Congress resumed, and then postponed, consideration of the rules of Articles of War.

Adjourned till tomorrow 9 o’Clock

Roger Sherman to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr.

A resolve was passed to request your Honor on behalf of the Colony to Supply General Schuyler with such sums of Money, and Quantities of Ammunition as he may apply for, and can be furnished by the Colony…. I am most of all concerned about a Supply of Gun Powder our Colony have taken Such an Active part, that I should not think it strange if Some Attack should be made upon it, and it won’t be safe to be destitute of Ammunition. I am afraid that our stores are two much exhausted already….

I don’t know whether your Honor has been informed who are appointed General Officers in the Continental Army. All Officers below the rank of a Brigadier are left to the appointment of the Several Colonies but their Commissions to be signed by the President of this Congress. The Congress have appointed four Major Generals viz, Artemus Ward, Charles Lee, Philip Schuyler and Israel Putnam; and Eight Brigadiers viz Colonel Pomroy, Colonel Montgomery of New York, General Wooster, Colonel Heath, Colonel Spencer, Colonel Thomas of Massachusetts, Major Sullivan of New Hampshire, Mr Green Rhode Island. They were Elected by Ballot in the order above….

The Congress sits from 9 in the Morning to 4 or 5 and sometimes 6 in the Afternoon. I have not been absent when the Congress were on Business So much as ten Minutes during the Session. The controversy between Great Britain and the Colonies has been carried to greater extremity than I expected but I have now no expectation that the Ministry will relax their Measures unless they are convinced that they cannot carry them into Execution. The Salvation of the Colonies under Divine Providence depends upon their united and Vigorous application to Arms, that is the only conciliatory Plan that appears to me likely to prove Successful, or at least without which no other will have any effect.

Edited with commentary by Gordon Lloyd.