On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress adopted the Resolution introduced by Benjamin Franklin that

Whereas, the government of Great Britain hath prohibited the exportation of arms and ammunition to any of the plantations, and endeavoured to prevent other nations from supplying us:

Resolved, That for the better furnishing these colonies – with the necessary means of defending their rights, every vessel importing Gun powder, Salt petre, Sulphur, provided they bring with the sulphur four times as much salt petre, brass field-pieces, or good muskets fitted with Bayonets, within nine Months from the date of this resolution, shall be permitted to load and export the produce of these colonies, to the value of such powder and stores afores”, the non-exportation agreement notwithstanding; and it is recommended to the committees of the several provinces to inspect the military stores so imported, and to estimate a generous price for the same, according to their goodness, and permit the importer of such powder and other military stores aforesaid, to export the value thereof and no more, in produce of any kind.

Ordered, That a copy of the above be delivered to the delegates of the Colony of Pensylvania, who are desired to request the committee of this city to forward the same in hand bills to the West Indies and such places as they think proper, taking care that it be not published in the news papers

Source: Journals of the Continental Congress, accessed at https://archive.org/details/us_congress_continental/lljc002/page/183/mode/2up; https://250andcounting.com/2025/07/15/july-15-1775-breakin-the-law-with-impunity/

On this day in Cambridge, the Massachusetts Committee of Safety

Resolved, that as the lives of some part of the army are in great danger, for want of medicines, . . . Mr. Commissary [Andrew] Craigie be desired to procure, at the expense of the colony, such medicines as may be immediately and absolutely necessary; in conseciuence of which, the following order was given Mr. Commissary Craigie :

Sir : — You are hereby desired immediately to supply the store under your care, with such medicines as are absolutely necessary for the present relief of the sick in the army.

Craigie would later become Apothecary General of the Continental Army and serve for the duration of the War.

Sources: Journals of each Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, accessed at https://archive.org/details/journalsofeachprma00mass/page/596/mode/2up; https://www.founderoftheday.com/founder-of-the-day/craigie