A Letter from Governour [Jonathan] Trumbull was read, indosing a Letter from Colonel [Benedict] Arnold, and three Resolves of the Continental Congress; all which were committed to the Committee who were appointed to prepare instructions to the Committees that are to repair to Ticonderoga.
The Report of the Committee on the expediency of establishing a number of armed Vessels was considered, and, after a very long debate, the further consideration of it was referred to Friday next, at eleven o'clock, A.M.
The Committee who were appointed to prepare instructions to the gentlemen chosen by this Congress to repair to Ticonderoga, reported. The Report was read and accepted, and is as follows, viz.
To Walter Spooner, Jedediah Foster, and James Sullivan, Esquires.
You are directed to proceed, as soon as may be, to the posts of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, by the road through the new settlements called the New Hampshire Grants; that you carefully observe the quality of the said road, and judge of the feasibleness of transporting provisions by the said road to the waters of Lake Champlain; that you take with you copies of the commission and instructions of the Committee of Safety to Colonel Benedict Arnold, and inform yourselves as fully as you shall be able, in what manner the said Colonel Arnold has executed his said commission and instructions.
That you make and give to the said Arnold, and any men whom he shall, by virtue of the said commission and instructions, retain in the service of this Colony, such orders as to you shall seem meet, provided always that you do not authorize the said Arnold to engage and retain in the pay of this Colony, as soldiers, a greater number than that specified in his said commission and instructions, and provided that the said Arnold, and the men whom he has retained, are free, and willing to remain at one or both of the said posts, under the command of such chief officer as is or shall be appointed by the Government of Connecticut; and in case you shall order such number of men to be continued at or near the said posts, in the pay of this Colony, as you shall judge it necessary there should be, that you appoint a Committee of one or more persons, in the pay of this Colony, to provide supplies for such men, and a Commissary to deal out such supplies to them; which Committee and Commissary you are to appoint in writing under your hands.
And you are to determine and order respecting the said Arnold's continuing in the commission and pay of this Colony, as to you shall appear most for the general service and safety, after having made yourselves fully acquainted with the spirit, capacity and conduct of the said Arnold.
And in case you shall judge it proper to discharge the said Arnold, that you direct him to return to this Colony, and render his account of the disposition of the money, ammunition, and other things, which he received at his setting out upon his expedition, and also of the charges he has incurred, and debts which he has contracted in behalf of this Colony, by virtue of the commission and instructions aforesaid.
And in case you shall find any men at the said posts properly retained and engaged there in the service of this Colony, that you cause them and their arms to be mustered, and that to such as shall pass muster, you pay, out of the moneys which you shall receive from our Receiver-General for that purpose, this same advance pay as is, by order of Congress, paid to such men as are retained and mustered to serve within this Colony; and in case you shall not find any men at the said posts, properly engaged and retained in the service of the Colony, or that the number which you shall find so retained shall be much short of the number which said Arnold was empowered to enlist, that then you, if you shall judge that the effectual security of said posts shall require it, and if you shall also find a proper person in those parts fit and suitable for the command of four hundred men, or such less number, as together with such men as you shall find ordered and posted there by any other Colony or Colonies, and shall also find that soldiers can be raised in those parts so seasonably, as that thereby the effectual maintenance of the said posts may be served or promoted; you are to appoint meet persons to be officers and commanders for such a number of men as you shall order to be enlisted, and give the necessary orders for raising, enlisting, and maintaining them, for such term as you shall judge necessary for defence of said posts, and also appoint some sufficient and faithful man as Muster-Master and Paymaster of such men, and leave sufficient moneys in his hands for that purpose, taking proper receipts and his security that the money so left shall be applied to that use.
And you are to take a careful survey of the ordnance stores and ordnance at those posts, together with all other articles necessary for the maintenance thereof, and report the state thereof to this Congress.
And if you shall find it necessary to purchase powder for the men who shall be retained there on the part of this Colony, that you procure the same, and so much as you shall judge needful, in the best and most expeditious way you can, on the credit of this Colony.
And in general, you are fully empowered to do every thing in behalf of this Colony for the effectual securing and maintaining those posts, which you shall judge necessary equal to the importance of the same.
You are further directed, when you shall have transacted what you are, by the foregoing instructions, authorized to do and transact at the posts aforesaid, by the very first opportunity to advise the General American Congress thereof, as also of your opinion of the necessity and importance of maintaining the said posts for the general defence of these Colonies; and when you shall have made yourselves fully acquainted with the state and condition of the said posts, and dispositions and establishments which you shall find are made for maintaining of them, if you shall judge that any further provisions are necessary for securing and maintaining them, you are directed, fully and respectfully, to signify your thoughts thereon to the General Congress. You are also directed to advise the General Convention of the Colony of New York, and the Governour of the Colony of Connecticut, respectively, of what you shall order and transact by virtue of the said instructions.
