July 3 [1775]
Parole -- Lockout -- Countersign -- Sharp --
By his Excellency George Washington Esqr: Commander in
Chief of the Forces of the united Colonies of North
America
Genl Orders --
That the Col: or commanding Officer of each Regiment
forthwith make two Returns of the Numbers of Men in their
res-
pective Regiments, distinquishing those who are sick wounded or
ab-
sent on furlow -- And also the Quantity of Ammunition each
Regiment has. --
After Orders 4 oClock PM --
That Col: Glovers Regiment be ready this Evening with all
their
Accoutrements to march at a Minutes Warning to support Genl.
Folsom of the
New Hampshire Forces in Case his Lines should
be attacked. --
That Col: Prescott's Regiment equip themselves march
this
Evening and take Possession of the Woods leading to
Lechmere's
Point -- And in Case of an Attack there, Col. Glover
is im
mediately to march to their support. --
July 4 --
Parole Abington -- Countersign Bedford --
Genl Orders
1st That exact Returns be made by the proper Officers of all the
Pro
visions, Ordnance, Ordnance Stores, Powder, Lead. Working Tools of all
kinds
Tents, Camp Kettles, & all other Stores under their respective Care
belongin
to the Armies at
Cambridge &
Roxbury. -- The commanding Officer of each
Regiment to make Return of the Number of Blankets wanted to
[comp?]
every man with one at least. --
2d: The Hon: Artemas Ward, Charles Lee,
Philip Schuyler & Israel Put
nam Esqr: are appointed Majr:
Generals of the American Army by the
Hon: Continental Congress, & due obedience is to be paid them
as such
the Contental Congress not having compleated the
Appointments of
the other Officers in sd: Army, nor had sufficent Time to prepare and
forward their Commissions, every Officer is to continue to do duty in
the Rank and Station he at present holds, untill
further Orders --
3d: Thomas Mifflin Esq: is appointed by the General one of
his Aid du
Camps: Joseph Reed Esq: is in like manner appointed Secretary
to the
General & they are to be considered & regarded as such
4.-- The Continental Congress having non taken all the troops of the
several
Colonies which have been raised, or which may hereafter be raised for the
sup
port & Deffence of the Liberties of
America into their Pay & Service They are
now the Troops of the united Provinces of
North America; and it is hoped that
all distinction of Colonies will be laid aside, so that one & the same
spirit
may animate the whole & the only contest be who shall render (on this great
& trying occasion) the most essential Service to the great & common
Cause in
which we are all engaged. --
Headquarters Cambridge 4 July 1775
Gentlemen --
5. It is required & expected that exact Discipline be observed, &
due sub
ordination prevail thro' the whole army, as a
Failure in these
essential Points must necessarily produce extreme Hazard, Disorder &
Confusion, & end in shameful Disappointment & Disgrace --
6.-- The General most earnestly requires & expects a due observance
of the Articles of War established for the Government of the Army
which forbid profane Cursing & Swearing & Drunkeness -- And
in like manner requires & expects of all Officers & Soldiers not en-
gaged in actual Duty a punctual Attendance on divine Service
to implore the Blessings of Heaven upon the Means used for our
Safety & Defence. --
7 All Officers are required & expected to pay diligent Attention to keep
their Men neat & clean, to visit them often at their Quarters &
inculcate upon them the necessity of it as essential to their Health
& Service -- They are particularly to see that they have straw, to lie
on,
if to be had. & to make it known if they are destitute of this Article --
They are also to Care that Necessaries are provided in the Camps
& frequently filled up to prevent being offensive & unhealthy --
Proper notice will be taken of such officers & men as
distin-
quish themselves by a due attention to these necessary duties --
8 The Commanding Officer of each Regiment is to take particular Care
that not more than two men of a Company be absent at a Time
on Furlow unless in very extraordinary Cases. --
9 -- Col. Gardner is to be buried Tomorrow at 3
oClock PM with
the military Honors due to so brave & gallant an Officer who
fought, bled, & died in the Cause of his Country & Mankind: His
own Regiment except the Company at
Malden to attend on this
mournful occasion. The Places of those Companies in the Lines on
Prospect-Hill to be supplied by
Col Glover's Regiment till the
Funeral is over. --
10 -- No Person is to be allowed to go to
Fresh Pond a fishing or
on any other occasion as there my be danger of introducing the
smallpox into the Army --
It is strictly required & commanded that there be no firing of
Can-
non or small Arms from any of the Lines or elsewhere except if in
Cases
of necessary immediate Defence or special order
given for that Purpose
12. All Prisoners taken, Deserters coming in, Persons coming out of
Boston who can give any intelligence, any Captures, of any
kind
from the Enemy are to be immediately reported & bro't up to Head
Quarters at
Cambridge --
13 Capt Griffin is appointed Aid du Camp to General
Lee, & is to
be regarded as such --
14 The Guard for the Security of the Stores at
Watertown is to be en-
creased to 30 Men immediately. --
15 A Serjeant & 6 Men are to be set as a
Guard to the Hospital
and are to apply to Dr Rand --
16. Complaint having been made against John White Quarter
Master
of Col: Nixon's Regiment for misdemeanors in grace of
provisions for more men
than the Regt: contained & for abusive
Behavior, A Court Martial con-
sisting of a Capt & A subalterns is
ordered to be held on said White at 9
o'Clock Tomorrow morning, who are to make due Enquiry, Deter-
mine & Report. --
Headquarters
Cambridge
July 5 -- 1775--
By his Excellency Genl Washington
Parole Bedford. -- Countersign
Cambridge
Genl: Orders --
First -- The Adjutant of each Regiment is required to take special Care
that all general Orders are communicated as well to the private
Men as to the Officers; that there may be no plea of Ignorance
they will be deem'd answerable for all consequences
which may
follow from a neglect of this order. --
Secondly A general Court Martial is order to set To-morrow at 10
oClock A.M. for the Trial of
William Patten charged with leaving
his post while on Guard. -- David Wells & Gideon
Cole for sleeping
on their posts as Centinels - John
Scott for insulting the Centry
& attempting to pass the Guard to
Boston & James Foster for
Theft -- When the Witnesses are to attend, and the parties charged
are to have notice this Day, that they may be prepared for
their Trials. --
Thirdly The General most earnestly recommends & requires of all the
officers that they be exceeding diligent & strict in preventing all
invasion & abuse of private property in their Quarters and else
where. -- He hopes, & indeed flatters himself that every private
soldier will abhor & detest such practices, when he considers that
it is for the Preservation of his own Rights Liberties & Property &
those of his Fellow Countrymen that he is now called into Service --
that it is unmanly & sullys the Dignity of the
great Cause in wch:
we are all engaged to violate that property he is called to protect
and especially that is most cruel & inconsistent thus to add to
the Distresses of those of their Countrymen who are suffering under
the iron Hand of Oppression--
Fourthly -- The General urges again a speedy & exact Return of the
Forces
stores, provisions &c as desired in the order already issued --
And for the future those returns to be made once a Week on Satur-
day Morning regularly. -- The General is much pleased with the
Expedition & Care which some Officers have already shewn in
their obedience to this Order --
Fifthly The Col or commanding Officer of each
Regiment is to direct
an Officer of each Company to call over the Roll at 6 o'Clock
every Morning & to make proper enquiring after the Absentees
N.B. Willm: Patten & David
Wells belong to Capt: Gridley's Company
in Col: Gridley's Regiment -- John Scott
belongs to Capt: Money's
Company in Col -- Regt: Jas: Foster belongs to
Capt But-
lers Company. Col: Nixon's Regiment --
July 6
Parole Cumberland -- Countersign Darby --
Genl: Orders --
1st: A Genl: Court martial is ordered
To-morrow at 10 Clock AM
for the Tryal of John Seymour
John Bachelor & Wm: Curston all
of Col: Gridley's Regiment charged with Desertion & Theft.
At
the same Time they are to hear & determine the Case of Thomas
Dunly a Stroller accused of Theft. Notice to be given the
Prison-
ers To-day --
Gen. Orders --
Head Quarters Cambridge July 5, 1775
Second -- Capt Leonard of Col Woodbridges
Regiment & the remainder
of his Company are ordered to join the Guard at
Watertown.
Third. The Cloathing provided by the
Massachusetts Committee
of Supplies for those men of their Government who lost their
Bunker's Cloathes in the late Action at
Bunker's Hill to be dis-
tributed to the most needy & necessitous Men of each
Regt:
and an Acct: thereof to be kept by the commanding
Officr:
of each Regiment --
July 7 --
Parole Cumberland -- Countersign Exeter --
Genl: Orders. --
1st: It is with inexpressible Concern that the General upon his
first arrival in the Army should find an Officer sentenced
by a general Court Martial to be cashier'd for
Cowardice --
A crime of all others the most infamous in a Soldier the
most injurious to an Army & the last to be forgiven -- inas-
much as it may & often does happen that the Cowardice of
a single Officer proves the Destruction of an whole Army --
the General therefore, tho' with great Concern (&
more especially
as the Transaction happened before he had the command of the
Troops) thinks himself obliged for the Good of the Service to
approve the judgement of the Court Martial with respect to
Capt John Callender who is hereby sentenced to be
cashier'd
Capt: John Callender is accordingly cashierd & dismissed from
all further service in the Continental Army as an Officer. --
The General having made all due enquiries and mature-
ly considered this matter is led to the above determination, not
only from the particular Guilt of Capt: Callendar but the
fatal
consequences of such conduct to the army & to the Cause of
America
He now therefore most earnestly exhorts Officers of all Ranks to
shew
an Example of Bravery & Courage to their Men assuring them
that such as do their duty in the Day of Battle as brave and
good Officers shall be honoured with every mark of
Distinction &
Regard. -- Their Names & Merits made known to the General
Congress & all
America. while on the other hand the most po-
sitively declares that every officer be his Rank what it may,
who shall betray his Country, dishonor the Army & his General by
barely keeping back & shrinking from duty in any Engagement shall
be held up as an infamous Coward & punished as such with the
utmost martial severity, & no Connextions,
Interest or Intercessions
in his behalf will avail to prevent the strict Execution of Justice
2d: Capt Scotts & Capt Skyler's
Companies from
New Hampshire are to
be incorporated or added to Col Sargent's Regiment agreeable
to the
Application made for that purpose --
3dly: No Officer or Soldier posted in the lines or for the
Defence of them
on
Prospect Hill or
Winter Hill or elsewhere are upon any Account
to sleep out of them: Encampment, or leave it at Nights. The Troops
raised in
New Hampshire are particularly required to attend to this
order from their particular Circumstances of Situation --
4th: No soldier belonging to those parts or elsewhere to be
suffer'd to strug-
gle at a Distance from their respective parades on any pretence
without leave from his officer, As an unguarded hour may prove
fatal to the whole Army and to the nobled Cause in which we
Gen. Orders
Head Quarters July 7. 1775
4 -- we are engaged -- The importance of which to every man of common
Understanding must inspire every good officer & soldier with the
no-
blest order & strictest attention lest he should prove the fatal
Instru-
ment of our Ruin. --
5. The Adjutant General is required to make a Return as quick as
possible
of the shops in
Cambridge & the Duty they do --
6. Complaints having been made with respect to the Bread as being sour
& unwholesome, the Quarter Master General is hereby directed to
enquire
into the Matter & report upon it. at the same time to inform the
Bakers that if any more complaints are made & they shall be found
just they will be most severely punished. --
7. The Guards on the Roads leading to
Bunker's Hill are ordered not to
suffer any person to pass them unless an Officer is sent down from
the Lines to order it or they will be severely punished. --
8. The General has great Reason & is highly displeased with the
Negli-
gence & Inattention of those Officers who have placed as
Centries at the
out Posts Men with whose Characters they are not acquainted - He
there-
fore orders that fore the future no Man shall be appointed to the
im-
portant Station who is not a Native of this Country or has a Wife
&
Family in it to who is know ot be attached -- This Order is to be
considered as a standing one, and the Officers are to pay obedience to it
at their peril. --
9 A complaint of the most extraordinary kind having been made to the
General that soldiers enlisted in one Regiment, have been seduced to
re-inlist
into others by Agents employed for that purpose under the specious
promises
of Money or leave of Absence from the Army, a Procedure subversive of all
Order & Disapline, & of the very existence of the Army cannot be
forgiven --
The strickest orders are therefore given against
such practices; and the
General most earnestly declares that if any Agent or Soldier shall
hereafter
be found so offending he will punish them with the utmost severity. --
10. -- A general Court Martial having sat upon William
Patten & reported that
no Evidence appeared against him to support the Charge the General defers
his Decision upon the Matter till further
Consideration -- In the meantime
the Adjutant General is order'd to wait on
Col: Ward by whom the prisoner
was confin'd & learn from him upon whom
complaint & what witnesses
there are to support it.
11. A Regimental Court Martial is ordered to set To-morrow 10 oClock
on Saml Bartlett of the Company, late Capt
Callender's & Col. Gridley's
Regt: confined for abusive Behavior.
--
12. A general Court Martial to set To-morrow 10
oClock AM for
the Trial of Thos: Daniely charged with Stealing, each of the
above
prisoners to have notice today & the witnesses in like manner
order'd
to attend. --
13. In order that all the sick & wounded in the army may be
provided
for & taken care of in the best way & manner possible, It is ordered
that
where any officer or soldier is so ill either by a Wound or otherwise that
the surgeon of the Regiment to which he belongs, finds he cannot
pro-
perly be taken care of in such Regiment, which surgeon shall send
him
to the Camp Hospital to which they belong with a Certificate of the mans
Name the Company & Regiment to which he belongs; and in that Case
the Surgeon of the Hospital shall receive sd: sick
& wounded. & in case such
Hospital shall be too full, the Surgeon of sd:
Hospital shall send such of his
Patients as may be removed with safety, to the Hospital at
Watertown with the
like Certificate as above, on which the Surgeon of
Watertown Hospital is to receive
& take care of him --
After Orders
Head Quarters Cambridge July 7. 1775 --
By his Excellency the General
The Adjutant General is ordered to send four Men to assist
Mr. Cheever one of the Commissaries of the
Massachusetts in
ordering his stores &c
J. Reed Secry --
July 8. --
Parole Essex -- Countersign Falkland
Genl Orders. --
First -- Ordered that the [moin?] guard on no Account be
without
a Drum, which is to beat to Arms on any Alarm & follow-
ed by all th Drums in the Camp, On which every Officer
& Soldier is immediately to repair their Alarm Posts --
Second The commanding Officer of each Regiment or Corps in
Cam-
bridge as soon as the men are paraded after an Alarm is
to send an officer to Head Quarters for Orders
--
Third The commanding Officers at Roxbury,
Prospect Hill,
Winter
Hill &
Sewell's Point to send Expresses in Case of Alarm to
Head Quarters with an Account of the Situation
& Movemt:
of the Enemy -- If they are not provided with an Horse for
that purpose, the Adjutant General to apply to the Commit-
tee of supplies.--
Fourth Col: Gridley of the Artillery or the next in Command
to give
in a Return of his Men, Stores & Ammunition agreeable to
the Order of the 4th Inst: & to distinquish the posts to
wch:
his Men are assign'd in case of alarm -- the same
Direc-
tions are given as to a Return of Men, Ammunition &c to the
commanding Officer of the Regt: late Col:
Gardner's, of Col: Glover's
& Col: Genish's who have omitted complying with the above
order hitherto.--
Fifth The commanding officers at
Winter Hill,
Prospect Hill &
Roxbury are to make particular enquiry into the
Ammu-
nition of the Men in those Lines, & if there is any Deficiency
immediately to report it to the General at Head
Quarters
Sixth A general Court Martial is ordered to set on Monday
next 10 o'Clock A.M. for the Trial of Lieut: Brigham charg-
ed with rescuing a prisoner from lawful custody. The
pri-
soner to have notice To-day --
NB. Lt: Brigham belongs to Capt Woods Compy: Genl: Ward's Regt.
[Entry for July 9 not transcibed. See page image.]