Complex sentence: In 1776, he was made surveyor general of the Continental Post Office, and in 1782 he succeeded Richard Bache as the United States Postmaster General, serving as such until 1789.
Split into simpler sentences: In 1776, he was appointed as surveyor general of the Continental Post Office. In 1782 he succeeded Richard Bache as the United States Postmaster General, serving until 1789.