WHEREAS the several acts of assembly heretofore passed for supplying at certain prices, the troops of this commonwealth, with the necessary articles therein specified, have from fraud, neglect, or other causes, been rendered ineffectual; for remedy whereof, Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That the governour, with the advice of the council may, and he is hereby empowered and required to appoint an agent for the troops of this commonwealth in continental service, to attend and continue with the said troops for supplying them with such necessary articles as shall be furnished by virtue of this, or any other act of assembly, and receiving from them the money for which the same shall be sold; who shall be accountable to the board of trade for all goods or effects committed to his charge; shall give bond, with sufficient security, in such penalty as shall be required by the governour and council, for the faithful execution of his office, and shall be entitled to receive a salary of fifteen hundred pounds per annum, and also allowed to draw such rations and forage as are, or may be allowed a major in the continental army. And be it farther enacted, That the board of war shall, and they are hereby required, from time to time, to make out schedules or lists of all such articles as, according to the said former acts of assembly, they shall judge necessary for the comfortable accomondation of all the officers, soldiers, and sailors, of this commonwealth, either on the continental or state establishment, distinguishing the articles or portion thereof allotted to the troops in the different departments, or at the different posts, and deliver copies to the board of trade, who, having previously laid the requisition before the governour and council, shall, and they are hereby required, as soon as possible, to cause the same to be purchased or procured, and so soon as any, or the whole of such articles shall have been procured, they shall, together with an invoice, and the prices at which they are to be sold, cause such of them as are intended for the officers, soldiers, or sailors, within this commonwealth, to be delivered to the respective agents appointed by the said board of trade for transacting the business of the state in that department, who shall give receipts and be accountable to the board of trade for the same, and shall retail and deliver them at the said prices to the said officers, soldiers, and sailors, according to the direction of the board of war; and the said board of trade shall send forward, either by land or water, as they, with the board of war, shall judge best, such portions of the said goods as shall be allotted to the troops at distant posts, whether within or without the commonwealth; and with every parcel of goods to be so forwarded, shall send some confidential person to deliver the same, together with an exact invoice, and the prices at which they are to be sold, either to the agent for this commonwealth in the continental army, or to the agent at the post to which they shall be respectively ordered, and as the nature of the case may require, who shall take such agents receipt for the same, to be returned to, and lodged with the board of trade. And where any such goods shall be delivered to the agent for this commonwealth in the continental army, a copy or duplicate of the invoice and prices shall also be delivered to such of the brigadier generals of the Virginia line as shall be present, or to the next commanding officer of the brigades; and where any such goods shall be delivered to the agent in any other department, a copy or duplicate of the invoice and prices shall be delivered to the commanding officer at the post to which they are ordered.
The said agent in the continental army, as well as the agents in the other departments, shall once a year, and oftener if required, settle with the board of trade a fair account of all the goods respectively committed to their charge, and produce vouchers for their proper application and disposition, and their necessary disbursements therein, whereupon the said board may, and they are hereby required to certify the settlement of such accounts to the publick auditors; that the balance due thereon may be paid to, or received from the treasurer in the same manner as in other publick accounts. And if any such agent shall fail to make up his account within thirty days after the year shall be expired, or having rendered his account, shall neglect or refuse to pay to the treasurer the balance which shall be due from him thereon, it shall and may be lawful for the treasurer to give such defaulter ten days previous notice, and thereupon to have judgment entered in the general court for the whole penalty of his bond, and upon such judgment, to proceed to execution as in other cases for publick debts. All charges accruing from the execution of this act, shall be defrayed by the publick upon the like settlements and certificates from the board of trade to the auditors. And that the board of war may be more regularly and fully informed of the wants of the officers and soldiers, they are hereby directed and required to correspond, from time to time, with the continental board of war, and the general or commanding officers at the several posts where the troops of this commonwealth may be stationed, concerning the clothing and other supplies necessary for their accomodation. All letters respecting such correspondence and regular reports of their proceedings from the said boards of war and trade, shall be laid before the governour and council, from time to time, for their advice and instruction therein.