Second Continental Congress: September 21, 1775

Congress considers several letters, a Committee of Five is created to consider a Memorial from Governor Trumbull, and the Committee of Accounts is active. Samuel Ward praises a petition written by Dr. Zubly and John Adams still holds John Dickinson in low esteem.

Link to date-related documents

Journals of the Continental Congress [Edited]

The recommendation of the Committee of Accounts was approved.

Colonel John Armstrong and Colonel Joseph Fry had equal votes in the Congressional election for Brigadier General. Resolved, That the appointment be deferred.

The Congress then proceeded to consider General Washington’s letters.

Resolved, That General Washington be ordered to issue commissions to majors Box, Scammell, and Brewer, as Brigade Majors.

Resolved, that General Schuyler be empowered to nominate and appoint a proper person to the office of Brigade Major in the army under his command.

Determined the pay of the judge Advocate and clerk for the army in Massachusetts.

That a committee of five be appointed to take into consideration the memorial of the Commissary general, Joseph Trumbull, and report their opinion on the best means of supplying the army with provisions. The following persons were elected: Thomas Willing, Silas Deane, Philip Livingston, Thomas Cushing and Samuel Ward.

Ordered, that a war effort account of James Milligan be referred to the Committee of Accounts and that if upon examination it be accurate then they immediately pay it.

Ordered, That a payment request submitted by the Committee of Berks County be referred back to the Committee of Accounts who are to examine and pay the account.

Ordered, that the President write to General Washington and request him to order Colonel William Thompson immediately to send to the Congress an account of the expenditure paid him in advance on 29th July for the service of a Battalion of Riflemen under his command.

Resolved, That the Congress will tomorrow take consider the state of the trade of North America.

Adjourned till to Morrow 9 o’Clock.

Samuel Ward to Henry Ward

And it is with the greatest Pleasure that I can assure You that the Congress is not only very unanimous but very spirited. Every Measure for the Defense of the Country & pushing our Enemies to a Submission is cheerfully come into and at the same Time that Attention is paid to the Principles of Oeconomy We are determined to spare neither Men nor Money in securing our just Rights & Liberties.

I have enclosed you a Copy of the Petition of the Province of Georgia to the King. That Spirit of Freedom that Vein of Piety that good sense that manly Firmness & Decency void of all that low submissive creeping Address usually contained in Performances of that Sort do great Honor to the Province & particularly to the Gentleman who drew it (Dr. Zubly)….

John Adams’s Diary

In the Evening Mr. Jonathan Dickinson Sergeant of Princeton, made a Visit to the Sec.[Samuel Adams] and me. He says he is no Idolater of his Name Sake. That he was disappointed when he first saw him. Fame had given him an exalted Idea: but he came to New Jersey upon a particular Cause, and made such a flimsy, effeminate, Piece of Work of it, that he sunk at once in his Opinion….

Edited with commentary by Gordon Lloyd.