Alexander Hamilton Papers

Continental Congress Report on the Garrisoning of Frontier Posts by Continental Troops, 12 May 1783

Continental Congress
Report on the Garrisoning
of Frontier Posts by Continental Troops

[Philadelphia] May 12, 1783

The same Committee1 submit the following report on the letter of the 3d. instant from the Commander in Chief:2

That the Commander in Chief be directed whenever the posts within the United states shall be evacuated pursuant to the articles of peace to place within the same, composed of the troops under his command [who have inlisted for three years &]3 whose times of service may not then have expired, such garrisons as he may judge necessary; till Congress shall determine on the further arrangements proper to be made relatively to that object; and that he take such measures for transporting to the said posts artillery stores and provisions, as he may judge expedient, for which purpose the Superintendant of Finance is directed to afford all the assistance in his department which circumstances will permit.

ADf, Papers of the Continental Congress, National Archives. According to the Journals, another copy of this report, in the writing of Oliver Ellsworth and Elias Boudinot, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress (JCC description begins Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (Washington, 1904–1937). description ends , XXIV, 338, note 1). The report printed in the Journals differs in minor particulars from the draft by H.

1The committee, with the substitution of Samuel Osgood for Samuel Holten, was the one which presented the “Report on Peace Arrangements for the Department of Foreign Affairs” on May 8, 1783.

2Washington’s letter, in which he asked for an explanation of the intentions of Congress respecting posts in the United States occupied by British troops, is printed in GW description begins John C. Fitzpatrick, The Writings of George Washington (Washington, 1931–1944). description ends , XXVI, 398–400.

3The bracketed words are not in the writing of H.

Index Entries