Thursday 18 Jany. [1776]

The Proceedings read as usual.

A Report was made on Dr. Church. It was opposed and voted out and a Resolve passed that He shall be confined in a more convenient Room and have Liberty to ride out under a Guard.⁽¹⁾ Dr. Smith an Associate to Connolley was brought in Prisoner from Maryland, some of Connolleys Letters written since his Confinement were found on Smith & read & the Prisoner consigned to the Comee. of Safety here. Myself & several of the New Members signed the Engagement, heretofore entered into while I was absent, not to divulge any Thing while under Consideration or any Thing the Congress agrees to keep secret, on Pain of Expulsion.⁽²⁾

The Letters recd. Yesterday concerng. the Storm of Quebec were again read⁽³⁾ and Mr. Antill, Son of the late Hon. Mr. Antill of N Jersey, who brought the Packet, was called in & examined for 2 Hours, he gave a very clear Account of every Circumstance, he was with Gen. Montgy. when he fell. Before this Gentn. came in, Hooper moved in a florid Speech that the Delegates may wear Mourning (a Crape round the left Arm) for One- Month for Montgomery & that Mr. Duche be desired to preach a Sermon, to which Lynch added that a Public Monument be erected to his Memory, the Motions were objected to by Govr. Ward and others on the Ground that no Mourning is ever worn by any Courts on

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such Accounts & that the General is already embalmed in the Heart of every good American and that such Proceeding may cause too much alarm at such a critical Juncture. These reasons had their intended Weight. A Comee. of 5 was chosen to report their Opinion what is best to be done in Respect to the Affairs of Canada.⁽⁴⁾ Mr. Burr Son of the late President of Princeton Colledge behaved well, as they say, in the Affair at Quebec, Our Troops have made a Stand about 3 Miles from that City, Antill recommends Capt. Hazen to command a Regiment of Canadians & says these are between Hawk and Buzzard but will generally join our Side if we send a strong Force there immediately.

Sir,         Philadelphia. Jany. 20t. 1776

On Wednesday Evening Mr. Antill arrived with your Dispatches of the 13t Inst. which were immediately communicated.⁽¹⁾ The Congress sincerely condole with you on the Loss of your amiable Friend, their gallant and much esteemed General. Having conferred with Mr. Antill and duely deliberated on the Situation of our Affairs in that Quarter, they have come to sundry Resolutions, which I have the Honour to inclose, and which you will please to communicate with the utmost Dispatch to General Wooster as far as they relate to the Defence of Canada or are necessary for his Direction.⁽²⁾ The Congress rely with Confidence that he will exert his best Endeavors to keep up the Spirit of his Troops especially when you assure him that every Means will be used with all possible Expedition to succour and support him.

The Batallions from Pennsylvania and New Jersey which were under marching Orders will set forward the Beginning of next Week, and Dispatches are sent to General Washington and to the Colonies of Connecticut and New Hampshire to hasten up Troops from thence. Enclosed are a Number of Commissions for the Batallions to be raised in Canada, which you will cause to be filled up with the Names

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of such as you shall deem most suitable. As General Montgomery to whom it was left to recommend proper persons is now no more, you will endeavor to find out the most accomplished and suitable Men for the Canadian Regiments, and such as have an Influence in that Country and are best attached to our Cause. Jany 21st. The Companies of the Pennsylvania Batallions will begin their March to Morrow to you.
I am with the utmost Respect Sir, Your obedient humble Servant,
John Hancock president

Wednesday 24 January [1776]

I was in Congress. A State of the late Action at Quebec was laid before the House and ordered to be published.⁽¹⁾ 1000 Dollars advanced to Carpenter Wharton the Commissary who goes with the Troops to Albany. A Motion was made by Edwd. Rutledge to appoint a War Office and its Business defined, which was argued and a Comee. of 7 chosen to consider the Plan.⁽²⁾ Most of the Day was spent on a proposal to address the People of America our Constituents deducing the Controversy ab Initio and informing them of our Transactions and of the present State of Affairs, much was said about Independency and the Mode and Propriety of stating our Dependance on the King, a Comee. was appointed to draw the Address.⁽³⁾

W[illiam] Livingston reported an Address to the Canadians which was agreed to with Some Alteration and ordered to be translated into French and printed.

Edwd. Antill (made Lt. Col. to Hazens Regiment) was desired to take £1000 in hard Money with Him to the Gen. in Canada. It was agreed to advance to Mr. Hazen £200 to be deducted from the Amount of his Losses, & to allow something to Him and Antill for their Expences in coming down & going back.

Brig. Prescott being expected in Town to night an Order passed to keep Him under Guard till Tomorrow. Col. De Haas who supplies the Place of Bull in the first Pennsa. Battalion made Return of what Arms are wanting for his Men whereupon it was recommended to the City Comee. to procure all the Arms they can for the Soldiers about to march to Canada. Govr. Ward shewed me a Recommendatory Letter from a Canadian Seigneur, a Captive here, in Favor of the Govrs. Son now a Prisoner in Quebec.

Thursday 25 Jany. [1776]

The Votes of Yesterday read. 4000 Dollars ordered to be sent by the Return of Prescott's Guard, to the Comee. of Safety of our Colony for purchasing Arms for Maxwells Men. Letters were recd. from Lancaster, Gen. Washington and others, some of them committed to a Comee.⁽¹⁾ A Petition was read from Matthias Aspden for Permission to loan a French Vessel with Produce, it was referred to a Comee.⁽²⁾ A Comee. was elected for and reported a Conference with Gen. Prescott & Capt. Chase relative to Prescotts Cruelty to Col. Ethan Allen & others, he pleads the Commands of Carlton his Superior Officer.

The same Comee. enquired of Col. Antill who charges Prescott with great Malevolence & bad Behavior to our People, the Matter is to be further sifted.⁽³⁾ A Comee. was appointed for and reported a Conversation with Col. Hazen about his Parole of not serving agt. the King, this from the Circumstances of it, was thot. void and Hazen reappointed Col. & Edwd. Antill Lt. Col. Of the 2d Battalion of Canadians.

James Mease was chosen a Commissary to the Troops raised and to be raised in Pennsa. for the Continental Service. Gen. Washn. inclosed some late English Newspapers in his Letter and informs of the British Troops meeting a Storm and putting back to Milford Haven. His own Army is much in Want of Money and Powder and other Military Stores. 10,000 Dollars voted on Account, to the Troops in North Carolina. 2 or 3 Ships of War are fitting out there for our Service accordg to Report.⁽⁴⁾ The Comee. of Safety in N Jersey are desired to forward the Captive Officers Baggage from Walpack to Lancaster. A Report from a Comee. was agreed to purporting that Dr. Franklin shall procure from France or elsewhere a Monument to the Value of £300, this Cur[renc]y, for Gen. Montgomery and that Dr. Wm. Smith Provost of the College be desired to compose an Oration in Praise of the Gen. to be delivered in Presence of the Congress.

Sir, ⁽¹⁾        Philadelphia, 31st March, 1777.

In consequence of the foregoing Resolution, you are hereby directed immediately on Receipt of this to Deliver up to the Civil Authority of this State the person mention'd in the said Resolve.⁽²⁾
I am, Sir, Your very hum. Servt,
John Hancock, Prest.

January 1783
May it Please your Excellency

To direct Provisions to be issued to my family (being five Canadian refugees) for the Current month Containing thirty one days inclusive being in the whole one hundred & fifty-five Rations

the 3rd March 1783
Dear Sir

It is with pain that I find myself obliged to trouble General Gates with my letter. The orders that you was so obliging to sign have been presented to Mr. Grey, commissary general he told our boy that they must be signed at Head quarters it is more than I can comprehend it must certainly be a mistake - give me leave Sir to ask your assistance in this.

Tompton Feby 26th 1783
Worthy Sir-

I did myself the honor to speak to you some time since about the Drawing provisions for my family. You thought I had better speak to the Commandr in chief which I did and his Excellency referr'd me to the Secratary at War which has occasioned the lapse of time to the present moment on his return thro this Cantonment he acquainted me he had left directions with the contractors to issue provisions to the Canadian refugees as usual till further orders. I take the Liberty of troubling you on the present occasion and hope you will be good enough to Excuse it- The inclosed draughts for the three months are the forms in which I drew last year. The manner was to have them signed at bottom by the genl officer nearest. They all of Last year passed the Contractors & Controllers Boards. Therefore are agreeably to the present Directions of the Secy at War. Please return them to the bearer after being countersigned who will present them to the Contractors- Perhaps the Contractors may object to that of Jany but it was not intended I should loose it as the mode of Drawing pointed out in the first instnace could not be complied with by me at the time. And the present one could not be adopted till his return from the Eastward- I hope your goodness will pardon this interruption.

xx xx are comeing on to Hd Quarters. They seem to be desirous of being with their Countrymen in this Regiment Genl Hazen does not think to ask them but I take the liberty to suggest & if they were embodied with us this would be of most real use to the public than dispers'd thro' the whole line among men unacquainted with the language xx.

No packet Tuesday but moment expected with the Terms of Peace.