In Congress, December 19, 1777. : Whereas Sir William Howe, commander in chief of his Britannic majesty's forces, has required, that provisions should be sent in for the subsistence of the American prisoners in his possession ... and has prohibited the circulation of the money struck by the authority of these states ... And whereas large sums of Continental bills of credit have been counterfeited and issued by the agents, emissaries and abettors of Sir William Howe. Resolved, that the accounts of all provisions ... supplied by the public to prisoners ... be liquidated and discharged, previous to the release of any prisoners .