U.S. Continental Congress. Thomson, Charles to George Washington re: reply to Washington's report to Congress (copy)

Sir,
Your letter of the 10th. Instant with the enclosed papers being only received was laid before Congress and immediately taken into Consideration.
In answer to the several matters therein contained I am to inform you, that the congress appointed a Committee to enquire what quantity of light sail cloth sheeting & ozanaburgs or ticklenburgs could be obtained in this town for the purpose of making tents, & in this business, the committee are now closely employed.
It is agreed that tow cloth will be most proper for hunting shirts, & of this the Congress are informed a sufficient quantity may be obtained in Rhode island & Connecticut. It is expected you will give orders for purchasing there the quantity necessary
Agreeable to your recommendation they have appointed Joseph Trumbull Esqr. Commissary Genl. of stores & provisions for the army of the united Colonies.
The appointment of a quarter master general Commissary of Musters and a commissary of Artillery is left to you, the congress not being sufficiently acquainted with persons properly qualified for their offices.
They have ordered a company of <?>tropes to be raised in this city & put forward Genl. [2] Thomas, they have appointed first Brigadier General in the room of Mr Pomroy who did not ail under the commission sent him and have ordered General Thomas' Commission to bear date the same day Genl Pomroy' did.
They have empowered you, if you think fit to appoint three Brigade Majors of such persons as you chuse to honour with that command and to commission these accordingly.
They have appointed a Committee to [inserted: consider &] report [struck: the]the establishing an Hospital & appointing a director. As soon as they have brought in their report and the congress have come to any resolution on that subject you will be made acquainted with it.
Letters are sent with a recommendation to the Colonies of New Hampshire, Massachussetts bay Rhode Island & Connecticut to compleat the deficiencies in the regiments belonging to their respective colonies, which you shall retain in the continental Army.
And it is earnestly recommended to Rhode-island to send forward to you three hundred & sixty men lately voted by their general assembly and to Connecticut to send forward fourteen hundred men lately voted by the general assembly of that Colony.
Upon intelligence that Mr. Sir William Johnson is [3] endeavouring to instigate the Indians to acts of Hostility the Congress have impowered General Schuyler to dispose of and employ all the troops in the New York department in such manner as he may think best for the protection & defence of these colonies, the tribes of Indians in friendship and amity with us and most effectually to promote the general Interest, still pursuing, if in his power, the former order from this congress & subject to the future orders of the commander in chief."
As the Congress are not fully acquainted with the number of the Enemy you have to oppose and the extent of your operations, they reposing confidence in your prudence have resolved that such a body of troops be kept up in the Massachussetts bay as you shall think necessary, provided they do not exceed twenty two thousand."
In a letter from Lord Dartmouth to Govr. Martin dated White hall May 3d. 1775 after recommending to him to embody such of the men in four Counties (which Govr Martin had represented as favourable to the views of administration) as are able to bear arms, in the following paragraph
"I confess to you, Sir, that this appears to me to be a matter of so much importance that I cannot too earnestly recommend it to your attention, & that no time may be lost, in case of absolute necessity I have received his Majestys commands to write to General Gage to apprize him of this favourable circumstance & to instruct him that he do, upon application from you, send some able & discreet Officer to you in order to concert the means of [4] carrying 10 essential a Service into effect & if necessary to lead the people forth against any rebellious attempts to disturb the public peace."
Whether the five vessels, you mention to have sailed from Boston on the 11. Inst, are gone on this service time must manifest.
The Bills ordered to be struck by the Congress are in great forwardness; as soon as a sufficient quantity worth sending is completed, it will be sent to you
I have the pleasure to inform you that the Congress have received a letter from the provincial Convention of Georgia dated 8th Instant, informing that all the parishes I that Colony except two, which it is supposed do not contain a score of freeholders inhabitants, met by their delegates in convention in the 4th instant; that those parishes that upon former occasions seemed reluctant, have manifested a laudable zeal on this occasion, that several gentlemen in Savannah, that have hitherto been <?> or declared against Amoine; now speak of the proceedings of Parliament as illegal & oppressive; that the convention had applied to the Governor to appoint a day of fasting & prayer, with which request the Governor informed them he would comply; that they have chosen five delegates to represent their Colony in this Congress vis John Houston, Archd. Bulloch Esqr The revd Doctr Zubly, Lyman Hall and Noble Wimberly Jones Esqr.; & lastly that they have resolved shortly to adhere to the Continental Association & are heartily disposed zealously to enter into every measure that the Congress may deem necessary for the safety of America."
[docket]
To General Washington
Coppy. A Letter
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