[Extract]
The Council met
Philadelphia, Saturday, July 25, 1778.
Present. honble George Bryan, Esq Vice President. Jos. Hart, Esqr. Jacob Arndt, Esqr. Joseph Read,1 Esqr. & Jonathan Hoge, Esqr.
... The Council taking into consideration the report of the proceedings of a Court Martial held at Trenton, May 19th. 1778,2 wherein John Gilfroy, boatswain of the late Ship Montgomery, being found guilty of Mutiny & deserting to the Enemy, was adjudged to be worthy of Death: Ordered, That John Gilfroy, late boatswain, of the Ship Montgomery3 now under sentence of Death for Mutiny & deserting to the Enemy, be pardoned, this being the first conviction of an offence of this kind, in the State fleet.
Ordered, That Commodore Hazlewood4 be authorized to issue a Proclamation offering full pardon to all deserters from the State Fleet, who shall return to their duty & deliver themselves up to him, or some one of the Officers of the said Fleet, on or before the first day of September next.