On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, uniforms for Continental Navy officers were adopted by the Marine Committee of the Continental Congress. Captains were required to “wear blue coats with red lapels with a standing collar and flat yellow buttons, blue breeches, and a red waistcoat” acquired at their own expense. Uniforms were not prescribed for enlisted sailors but they usually wore knee breeches or pantaloons tied at the knee so as not to interfere with work aboard ship, along with a shirt and short-waisted jacket. At any rate, the Congress provided no funding for uniforms ,so in fact, both officers and enlisted seamen wore a wide range of clothing.

Sources: https://usniarchives.squarespace.com/revolutionary-war-era; https://www.facebook.com/pugetsoundnavymuseum/posts/on-september-5-1776-the-first-uniforms-for-continental-navy-officers-were-adopte/1387874036672016/

Also on this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress adopted this response to the oral offer of peace negotiations that Lord Richard Howe, the British Naval Commander, had provided to captured Maj. Gen. John Sullivan to convey to the Congress:

Resolved, That General Sullivan be requested to inform Lord Howe, that this Congress, being the representatives of the free and independent states of America, cannot, with propriety, send any of its members to confer with his lordship in their private characters; but that, ever desirous of establishing peace on reasonable terms, they will send a committee of their body to know whether he has any authority to treat with persons authorized by Con gress for that purpose, in behalf of America, and what that authority is, and to hear such propositions as he shall think fit to make respecting the same:!

That the president be desired to write to General Washington, and acquaint him that it is the opinion of Congress, that no proposals for making peace between Great Britain and the United States of America ought to be received or attended to, unless the same be made in writing, and addressed to the representatives of the said states in Congress, or persons authorized by them: And, if application be made to him by any of the commanders of the British forces on that subject, that he inform them that these United States, who entered into the war only for the defence of their lives and liberties, will cheerfully agree to peace on reasonable terms, whenever such shall be proposed to them in manner aforesaid.

Ordered, That a copy of the first of the two foregoing resolutions be delivered to General Sullivan, and that he be directed immediately to repair to Lord Howe.

Source: https://archive.org/details/us_congress_continental/lljc005/page/737/mode/2up