Head Quarters, April 30, 1776.
(Parole,Sawbridge.) (Countersign,Oliver.)
... GenlGreene's Brigade is to encamp tomorrow at 10a.m.on the ground marked out on Long Island....
[New York] April 30, 1776.
The Qr. Mrs. of the 9th, 11th, 12thregts. are to apply to the Q. M. Genl. for tents & camp utensils this evening to be in readiness to encamp agreeably to general orders to morrow morning—at 4 o'clock thisp.m.Col. Varnum & Col. Hitchcock & Col. Littleare desired to attend at the General's quarters to go over to Long Island & view the encampment marked out. A sergt. & 20 men are to parade at White Hall to morrow at 7 o'clock, to be under the direction of Engineer Smith.
[Long Island] May 4th, 1776.
Captain Spurs is to draw out a party of carpenters to make Bell tents, they are to apply to Col. Miflin for tools, boards & nails to make them of. 300 men for fatigue to morrow. The Quarter Master is to make an estimate of the necessary quantity of boards to floor the tents & apply to the Quarter Master general for them. The Cols. or commanding officers of each regiment is to give an order for the boards, certifying the quantity wanted. A return is to be made of the state of the cartridges now in possession of the troops & the number wanted to make up each man's twenty rounds.
[Col. Little's.]
Officers for fatigue to-morrow, Cap. Gerrish, Lt. Kent, & Lt. Atkinson.
May 5th, 1776.
A fatigue party of 200 men to morrow morning properly officered. No non-commissioned Officer or Soldier is to pass the ferries to New York without permission from some of yeField Officers. Any of the troops attempting to pass over without permission will be confined & tried for disobedience of orders. Any of the fatigue parties that leave their work without liberty, shall do constant fatigue duty for a whole week. As the security of New York greatly dependeth on thispass, when these works are constructing the General hopes the troops will carefully forward the same as fast as possible.
The inhabitants having entered a complaint that their meadow ground was injured by the troops going upon it to gather greens, they are for the future strictly prohibited going on the ground of any inhabitants, unless in the proper passes to & from the encampments & the forts, without orders from some commissioned officer. The General desires the troops not to sully their reputation byany undue liberty in speech or conduct but behave themselves towards the inhabitants with that decency & respect that becomes the character of troops fighting for the preservation of the rights & liberties of America.
The General would have the troops consider that we came here to protect the inhabitants & their property from the ravages of the enemy, but if instead of support & protection, they meet with nothing but insult & outrage, we shall be considered as banditti & treated as oppressors & enemies.
Head QuartersMay 7, 1776.
(Parole,Devonshire.) (Countersign,Cavendish.)
Every regiment encamped in the lines & every regt. in the brigade on Long Island, exclusive of their quarter & rear guards, are to mount a picket every evening at retreat beating at sun set, consisting of one Capt. 2 Subs, 1 drum & 1 fife & 50 rank & file—they are to lay upon their arms, & be ready to turn out at a moments notice.
One Col. one Lt. Col. & one major are to mount every evening at sunset as Field Officers of the picket.
Immediately upon any alarm or order from the Brig. Genl. of the day, the pickets are to form in the front of their respective encampments, & there wait the orders of the Field Officer commanding the pickets, who is instantly to obey the orders of the Brigr. Genl. of the Day.
A Brig. Genl. is to mount every morning at ten o'clock who will receive all reports, visit all the outguards in the day time & report all extraordinary occurrences to the Commander in Chief & the BrigdeMajor of the day is constantly to attend head quarters to receive all orders, & distribute them immediately.
The Col. is to go the grand rounds, & the Lt. Col. & the major the visiting rounds of the Camp.
Brig. Genl. Greene will order the same picket to be mounted by the regiments in his brigade as are mounted in the grand Camp. He will also direct one field officer to mount daily to command them. Gen. Greene will report all extraordinaries to the Commander in Chief.
Col. Prescott or the officer commanding on Nutten's or Governor's Island & the officer commanding at Red Hook, are to report all extraordinaries to the Commander in Chief on any appearance of the enemy. The commanding officer at Red Hook will also dispatch a messenger to Genl. Greene.
The officer commanding the riflemen upon Long Island will constantly report all extraordinaries to Genl. Greene, & the officer commanding upon Staten Island will do the same to the Commander in Chief.
May 8, 1776.
Field officers for the picket, Major Angell, Adjt. for the day from Col. Hitchcock's regiment.
Officers for picket tonight, Cap. Parker, Lt. Jenkins, Lt. Burnham, Ensign Story. Officers for fatigue to-morrow, Cap. Dodge, Lt. Jared Smith & Ensign Proctor.
Long Island, May 10th1776.
The BrigdeMajor is to regulate the duty of the regiments, both officers & soldiers, by their number & not by regiments, some being much larger than others, & to establish a regular roster for the regulation of the same. A subaltern & 11 men are to guard the stores & ferries.
The officer commanding the guard is to receive his orders from Deputy Commissary Brown for the number of sentries necessary for securing the stores, to be relieved daily.
The Cols. or commanding officers of the ninth, eleventh, twelfth Regtsare to draw as many cartridges from the laboratory as will furnish each man 20 rounds; as many to be delivered out as the cartridge boxes will contain, the remainder to be tied up by the captof companies, & every man's name written on his cartridges, that they may be delivered without confusion: All the bad cartridges now in the regiments are to be returned to the Laboratory. The BrigdeMajor will send a party to the QrMrGenlto draw tents for the establishment of the main guard, to consist of a subaltern and 21 men. An orderly sergeant from each regiment willattend at the general's quarters daily; they are to bring their provisions with them.
The commanding officers of the 9th11th& 12thRegtsare to make returns of the guns out of repair & the number wanted to furnish every non commissioned officer & soldier with a gun.
May 10th1776.
A subaltern & 30 men are to parade immediately to fetch over 300 spears from the QrMrGenl'sstore. The officer must pick those that are fit for use. He is also to bring over a grindstone to sharpen the spears on. Col. Hitchcock will send over the arms of his regiment that are out of order, to Mr. John Hillyard, foreman of a shop at the King's Works (so called) where they will be immediately repaired. Any soldier that has his gun damaged by negligence or carelessly injured, shall pay the cost of repairing, the caps& subsare desired to report all such.
May 11th1776.
Field officer for picket tomorrow night Lt. Col. Henshaw, Adjtfrom Col. Hitchcock's regt.
C.S.S.C.D.F.P.Picket12221150Fatigue12221180Main Guard18
Those non commissioned officers & soldiers who have occasion to go over the ferry to New York will apply to Lt. Col. Henshaw for their permits.
A regimental Court Martial will sit today at 12 o'clock at CaptWade's tent to try such prisoners as are contained in the Quarter Guard of the regiment. Cap. Wade, Pres. Lt. Hodgkins, Lt. Parsons, Lt. Knot & EnsnPearson, members.
May 12th, 1776.
The 12thregiment exempt from fatigue tomorrow having to be mustered.
May 14, 1776.
Field officer for picket tomorrow night, Major Collins, adjt. for the day from Col. Hitchcock's Regt.
In Camp Long IslandMay 15, 1776.
The Col. desires hereby to remind the officers & soldiers of this regiment of the Rules & Regulations of the army, & of the general orders issued by the Commander in Chief agreable to them, especially that the Rules & Regulations be often read to the men that no one plead ignorance if he is called to account for the breach of any of them.
The Col. desires & orders that the officers pay particular attention that the Rules & Regulations be read to the men agreable to the resolves of Congress, likewise that the officers of each company, off duty, attend morning & evening to the calling of the roll & if possible that a report be made every day of such as be absent. The Col. is sorry to see so much inattention, of the officers & men to the duties of religious worship, & he desires as we are all engaged in the cause of God & our country, & are dependent on the Divine assistance for protection & success, & as it is a duty incumbent on all as far as possible in a social way to wait upon God in the way of his appointment, to implore pardon & forgiveness of all our sins, & to ask his guidance & direction in the prosecution of our affairs, that neither officers nor soldiers will unnecessarily absent themselves from the stated worship of God at the house of Prayer—or on the Sabbath day.
Commissioned officers for picket tonight Cap. Baker, Lt. Knot & Ensign Woodman. Commissioned officers for fatigue tomorrow, Capt. Parker, Lt. Silvanus Smith & Lt. Lamborn; for main guard Ensign Mitchell.
BrooklinMay 16, 1776.
Col. Varnum's regiment to be off duty tomorrow morning in the forenoon, to parade on the regimental parade at 8 oclock, to be reviewed, & their arms examined. Every man in the regiment, that is well, is to be on parade with arms & accoutrements. Nosoldier is to borrow either arms or accoutrements from a soldier of either of the other regiments, as the true state of the regiment with respect to arms is wanted. Col. Hitchcock's regt. will be reviewed next day after tomorrow. Col. Little's the day after that will be reviewed in the same manner.
No soldier is to mount the picket guard without shoes.
May 16, 1776.
Tomorrow being the day appointed by the Continental Congress to be observed as a day of fasting & prayer & his Excellency Genl. Washington having ordered all duties to be discontinued except the necessary guard until next day after tomorrow, there are no fatigue parties to turn out tomorrow morning & the reviewing of Col. Varnum's regiment is put off until next day after tomorrow, the other regiments are to follow in order as in the morning orders. The general desires that the troops of the 9, 11 & 12 regiments (except those on duty) may be strict to attend the duties of the day in a devout & cleanly manner. Field officers for picket tomorrow night—Adjt. from Col. Varnum's regiment. Detail for Guard & fatigue as usual.
James Holland, a fifer in Cap. Dodge's Company is appointed fife major to this regiment, & is to be obeyed as such.
Comdofficers for picket tonight Lt. Atkinson & Lt. Fiske.
Head Quarters, 17 May 1776.
(Parole,New Castle.) (Countersign,Wilmington.)
Cap. Wolverton's Company of New Jersey is to join General Greene's Brigade. The Cap. is to take his orders from the General respecting his post....
May 17, 1776.
A corporal & 6 men to be sent for a guard to fort Sterling to mount at 9 O'clock. This guard is to be sent every otherday. The corporal to receive his orders from Lt. Randall of the train.
Field officer for picket tomorrow night Lt. Col. Henshaw, Adjt. from Col. Varnum's regiment. Fatigue as usual.
May 19, 1776.
Field officer for picket tomorrow night Major Collins, Adjt. from Col. Varnum's regiment. Detail as yesterday.
May 20, 1776.
Field officer for picket, Major Angell, Adjt. from Col. Hitchcock's regiment.
May 21, 1776.
Field officer for picket tomorrow night, Lt. Col. Crary, Adjt. from Col. Little's regiment.
May 23, 1776.
Field officer for picket to morrow night, Lt. Col. Henshaw, adjutant from Col. Hitchcock's regiment.
Head Quarters, May 25, 1776.
(Parole,Mugford.) (Countersign,Leonard.)
A working party consisting of nine hundred men to be ordered tomorrow morning from the different brigades, & the regiments.
Genl. Heath's{Colos. Leonard's & Bailey's}To go to Powles Hook.Colos. Read's & Baldwin's
Genl. Spencer's{Colos. Parson's & Wylly's—To go to Bayard's Hill.Colos. Huntington's to Red Hook. Arnold's to Fort Sterling.Col. Ward's—50 men with 4 days provisions to cut pickets....The remainder of this regiment's working party—at Fort George.
Lord Stirlings.{Nixon's & Webb'sMcDougall's & Ritzema's.}On Governor's Island every daytill further orders.
May 25, 1776.
Cap. Silas Talbut of Col. Hitchcock's regiment, Capn. Frazier of Capn. (Col.) Wayne's regiment, Lt. Noel Allen of Col. Varnum's regiment & [Lt.] Samuel Huse of Col. Little's regiment are a Committee to inspect the provisions for the troops of this brigade. The commissaries & quartermasters are to apply to them to determine, which is merchantable and which is not. Such as they say are good the quarter masters are to receive and such as they condemn are to be refused.
No non commissioned officer or soldier is to be out of camp after retreat beating, & any that are discovered going out after that time are to be taken up & confined in the main guard, & any that are coming in, that have been out without leave from their officers are to be confined; any sentry that permits them to pass without examination will be punished for disobedience of orders.
Lt. Col. Cornell having reported great negligence among the guards, for the future they will be visited by day & night, by the field officer of the day. Every commissioned & non-commissioned officer that commands guards is to be reported, that has not his guard in good order. No soldier is to be absent from the guard without leave, & not more than 2 commissioned officers nor more than one non commissioned officer at a time. All guards except the picket are to mount at —— o'Clock in the morning. The retreat is to beat half an hour after sunset. At guard mounting in the morning, the field officer of the day is to attend the parade & give to each respective officer a proper detail of his guard.
One man from each detached guard is to be sent to the grand parade to pilot the new guard to the relief of the old ones.
No person is to be admitted to any of the forts where there are cannon or ammunition except a General officer by day, without the leave of the officer commanding the guard, & a general officer after dark is not to be admitted without leave first obtained of the commanding (officer).
The officer commanding guards where there are cannon or ammunition, is to be very watchful & not to suffer by day or night any person to enter the forts unless they have business there, or are known to belong to the army, or are with some officer belonging to the army.
Adjt. from Col. Varnum's.
Head Quarters, May 26, 1776.
(Parole,Hancock.) (Countersign,Trumbull.)
... The working party of Col. Nixon's regiment are to be ordered every day to Long Island, instead of Governor's Island as mentioned in yesterday's orders....
May 26, 1776.
Field officer for picket tomorrow night, Major Collins, Adjt. from Col. Hitchcock's regiment.
May 29, 1776.
A garrison court martial to sit for the trial of prisoners now in the main Guard.
The commanding officer of the Ferry Guard is to permit the Ferry boats to pass until ten O'clock with common passengers, but no soldier is to pass after retreat beating, unless the Col. or commanding officer of the regiment, to which he belongs, certify the necessity. The troops are to be under arms at roll calling, morning & evening. Every soldier detected snapping his lock without orders from his officer, is to be immediately sent prisoner to the main guard, there to be confined two days & nights, & allowed nothing to eat or drink but bread & water.
All officers are desired to be more careful of discovering the countersign to persons that have no right to know it.
Any soldier on guard that discovers the countersign to any of his fellow soldiers, that are not on guard, is to be immediately confined. Every one that gives the countersign, is to give it as softly as possible so that if any person is listening, he may not hear it.
The sentries are not to suffer any person to stand near them, while they are on their posts after retreat beating.
The General wishes that every part of camp duty may be done with as much exactness, as if the enemy was encamped in the neighborhood, for bad habits once contracted are difficult to get over, & doing duty in a slovenly manner, is both disgraceful & dangerous to officers & men.
Field officer for picket tomorrow night, Major Smith, Adjt. from Col. Hitchcock's regiment.
C.S.S.C.D.F.P.Fatigue12131180Guard110020Picket12221149
After Orders, May 31, 1776.
Gen. Washington has written to Genl. Putnam[230]desiring him, in the most pressing form, to give positive orders to all the Cols. to have colors immediately completed for their respective regiments.
June 1st, 1776.
A sergeant & 20 men to parade immediately to clear out Mr. Livingston's Dock filled up by the Picket pealings. No pealings to be thrown into the dock for the future.
Six o'clock this evening the troops to be all under arms to man the works.
Five Cos. of Col. Varnum's Regiment upon the right in fort Box. The other three upon the right of fort Green.
Col. Hitchcock's regt. to man fort Putnam & the redoubt upon the left of it. 5 Cos. in the first & 3 in the Last.
Five Cos. of Col. Little's regiment in Fort Green & 3 in the oblong square.
The independent Co. to be reserved in the rear of fort Green.
June 3d, 1776.
150 men & officers wanted from Cols Varnum's Hitchcock's & Little's regtswith arms blankets & 2 days provisions cooked & ½ a pint of rum a man. To be ready to march at 3 o'clock to morrow morning every man to take his blanket & none to go but such as are decently dressed.
Camp Long Island, June 7, 1776.
Cols. of 9, 11, & 12 regiments to have all the arms in their regiments that need repairing sent to the armorers.
The pikes to be placed in the works in the following order—100 in fort Green, 30 in the works on the right of it, 20 in the oblong redoubt, 50 in fort Putnam & 20 in the works on the left of it. Every regt. to clean the spears once a week at their alarm Post.
The officers at the Ferry guard to stop all arms coming over the Ferry to the island, & report immediately to the Genl. who has them & where they say they are going. 2 sentries to be posted at the church to stop all arms going eastward from the city, the names and place of abode of any person stopped with arms to be taken & reported immediately.
June 9th1776.
Field officer for picket, Lt. Col. Henshaw.
The 9, 11, 12 Regtsto parade tomorrow morning at 6 o'clock on the right of the encampment, every officer & soldier not on duty or unwell to join their respective regiments.
The Fatigue party not to turn out till after yeregiments are paraded.
The officers of the 9th, 11th, 12thare desired to exercise together by regts4 days, & the whole of the officers of the three regiments to exercise together once a week to be exercised by the Col. of the Regt. in turn or by some person appointed by the Col. whose turn it is. The Cols. of the 9, 11, 12, Regtsare desired to make returns of the state of the arms &c., agreably to yesterdays order tomorrow.
Head QuartersJune 10, 1776.
(Parole,Bedford.) (Countersign,Cumberland.)
The Brig. Gens. are requested to make their different Brigades perfectly acquainted with their several alarm posts & to pay particular attention to the men's arms....
June 12, 1776.
A garrison court martial to sit to-day....
The Col. or Commg: officers of the 9, 11, 12 Regtsto certify tothe Deputy Commissary from day to day the necessary supplies for the sick. The Surgeons to report every day the state and wants of the sick. Centries posted at Hospitals & armory not to demand the countersign of passengers unless they attempt to enter those places.
June 13, 1776.
The Camp Cullimen (?) of the 9. 11. 12 regts. to keep the streets clean, remove the filth, cover the vaults every day & dig new ones once a week; they must attend the Hospitals, & give directions for having them kept in good clean order. Cols. are requested to appoint nurses. No soldier to purchase clothing of another without leave, many soldiers stealing and selling clothing.
June 14, 1776.
The 5 Cos. of Col. Waynes regt. on Long Island are to be mustered to-morrow afternoon. A subaltern sergeant & 20 men to be detached from the picket guard every evening to mount guard at Red Hook Barbette battery to rejoin the picket in the morning.
In Camp Long Island, June 17, 1776.
The rank of the Captains in Col. Little's regt. being unsettled, a Court to day is to establish their rank. The members to be from Col. Varnum's & Hitchcock's Regts.
Col. Varnum's Regt. is to take fort Box & the Oblong redoubt for their alarm posts, fort Box 6 cos., oblong redoubt 2 cos. Cap. Woolverton's Independent Co. to join those in the redoubt, & to receive orders from Col. Varnum.
Col. Hitchcock's Regt. to take fort Putnam & the fort or redoubt on the left of it for their alarm posts.
Col. Little's Regt. to take fort Greene for their alarm post.
In case of an attack all these posts are to be defended to the last extremity.
The lines to be manned every morning between day & sunrise & the troops to be exercised at parapet firing.
Camp Long IslandJune 18, 1776.
The picket to be discontinued till further orders, except guard at Red Hook.
300 men with their officers to parade at 8 O'clock tomorrow morning to receive orders from Engineer Smith.
Head QuartersJune 19, 1776.
(Parole,London.) (Countersign,Montgomery.)
A working party of 900 men properly officered to parade tomorrow morning near the artillery park.... Brig. Gen. Greene & Col. Prescott will furnish 150 men each as a working party on Governor's Island. On the present emergency all working parties to work till 6 o'clockp.m.Those who go by water will leave work sooner if wind & tide make it necessary.
June 20, 1776.
Field officer, Lt. Col. Cornell, Adjt. from Col. Little's Regt.
Col. Hitchcock's & Col. Little's regts. to furnish the fatigue party to Governor's Island tomorrow. The remainder furnished by those regts. to be upon the "Abatee" between fort Putnam & the redoubt on the left of it, & the Cap. from fort Putnam to the half moon. Lt. Col. Johnson's 5 Cos. of the 4thbattalion of Pennsylvania Regt. (Wayne's) to furnish the fatigue party for Cobble Hill. Col. Varnum's Regt. to be employed on his alarm post. The Gen. disapproves of the report for the establishment of the rank of the 12thregt. & directs the same court to sit again day after tomorrow to examine the rank of the Caps. & to report how the court conceives they ought to rank, & how it may be most equitably established.
June 21, 1776.
For guard Lt. Burnham, for Red Hook tomorrow night Lt. Collins.
June 21, 1776.
Lt. Huse is requested to oversee the well-digging in fort Greene. 110 men for Governor's Island & 40 for Red Hook.Those that are to go on the Island to be at St. George's Ferry by 8 o'clock. The others to march to Red Hook as soon as they have had their breakfasts.
June 28, 1776.
Picket guard to mount from the 9, 11, 12, Regts. The 9 & 11 Regtsto lie in their alarm posts—the 12thto lie in the oblong redoubt.
Head Quarters, June 29.
... The Commissary Gen. to lodge a fortnights provision on Governor's Island, Powles Hook & in all yedetached posts, Gen. Putnam furnishing him a list of the men.
All soldiers intrusted with the defence of any work will behave with coolness & bravery, & will be careful not to throw away their fire. The Gen. recommends them to load for their first fire with one musket ball & 4 or 8 buckshot according to the size and strength of their pieces. If the enemy are received with such a fire at not more than 20 or 30 yards distance, he has no doubt of their being repulsed.
Brig. Genls. to order Chevaux de Freze & Fascines to close the sally ports of their respective works. 26000 musket cartridges to be sent Col. Prescott on Govr. Isld.
Head Quarters, June 30.
... Upon the signal of the enemy's approach or on any alarm all fatigue parties are to repair to their respective corps ready for instant action. Working parties are not otherwise to be interrupted in finishing the defences....
In Camp Long Island, July 1, 1776.
Cols. or commd. officers of 9th, 11th, 12th, Regts. are desired to make a line round each of the forts & fortifications for the troops to begin a fire on the enemy if they attempt to storm the works & the troops are to be told not to fire sooner than the enemy's arrival at these lines, unless commanded. The line should be about 80 yards from the parapet.
Comg. officers of the guards at Forts Green & Putnam to send a patrolling party to patrol about the ¼ of a mile to prevent a surprise by a partisan party.
The general thanks both officers & soldiers who turned out voluntarily to work upon the Little Cobble hill; such public spirit is laudable & shall not go unrewarded, if the genl. ever has it in his power to make a more suitable acknowledgement.
No officer below the rank of a field officer to lodge out of camp from their Cos. on any pretence, sickness excepted. The General recommends the strictest discipline & daily attention to arms & ammunition. Brigade being sickly the Gen. recommends the strictest attention to the cookery & that broiling & frying meat so destructive to health be prohibited.
A picket of one hundred to go to Red Hook to night by order of a private message from his Excellency.
TuesdayJuly 2d, 1776.
A picket of 50 men in fort Putnam, 25 in fort Box, a sergt. & 12 men at the milldam from the 9th, 11th, 12thRegts. A picket of 20 men at fort Sterling & 25 at Smith's redoubt on Cobble Hill. Upon an alarm Col. Ward's regt. of Jersey militia to form in the rear of Fort Green, the sentries to be placed at the front of the redoubts. Major of Brigade to see to them. Patrols to be kept up from fort Putnam every hour.
July 4, 1776.
Officers of the guards at yedifferent posts to be accountable for everything in the forts but particularly for the rum lodged there for the people in time of action. Any one destroying the tools or taking the liquor without leave will be punished.
Every Regt. to furnish pickets for their alarm posts & to be credited therefor in the detail for duty. The 9th, 11th, 12th, Regts. & the N.J. battalions under Col. Cadmus & Col. Ward to furnish a fatigue party of 250 men tomorrow morning. Garrison Court martial to sit tomorrow, Col. Little president. Caps. earnestly requested to examine the arms and ammunition of their Cos. & have them ready for action at all times.
Camp at Brooklin, July 6, 1776.
The Ferry guard upon a night alarm are to repair to fort Sterling. The ground to be levelled from which Col. Hitchcock's Regt. moved. 233 men for picket from Col. Varnum's, Hitchcock's & Little's Regts. 66 men from the same for guard.
July 8, 1776.
Col. Varnum's Regt. to remove their encampment to Red Hook, & do the duty of that post. Col. Forman's N.J. regt. to camp on the ground lately occupied by Col. Hitchcock's regt.
July 8, 1776.
Col. Forman's Regt. to occupy Col. Varnum's old alarm posts, namely, Fort Box and the Oblong redoubt. Brigade Major to lead the troops to the alarm Post at 7a.m.The guard for the several works to be continued the same as before from the 11th& 12thof the old establishment & the Jersey new levies, that the new levies may have the benefit of the knowledge of the standing troops.
Head Quarters, July 9, 1776.
... The Continental Congress impelled by the dictates of duty, policy and necessity have been pleased to dissolve the connection which subsisted between this country & Gt. Britain, & to declare the colonies of North America, Free & Independent States—the several Brigades are to be drawn up this evening on their respective parades at 6 o'clock when the declaration of Congress, showing the grounds and reasons of the measure is to be read with an audible voice. The Gen. hopes that this importantPointwill serve as a fresh incitement to every officer & soldier to act with courage & fidelity, as knowing that now the Peace & safety of this country depend (under God) solely on the success of our arms, & that he is now in the service of a state possessed of sufficient power to reward his merit & advance him to the highest honor of a free country.
The Brigade Majors are to receive copies of the declaration to bedelivered to the Brigrs. & Cols.
July 9, 1776.
Adjt. for the day to carry the Parole & countersign to the guards at Red Hook, Smith's Barbette, Fort Box, Fort Green & forts Putnam & Sterling, & the ferry guard.
A fatigue tomorrow of 100 men for Smith's Barbette.
July 10, 1776.
Deputy Commissary, Mr. Brown, to issue provisions 3 times a week, Tu. Th. & Saturdays.
Putrid fevers prevailing among the troops, the troops are forbid going into the water only in the mornings and evenings, being dangerous in the heat of the day.
A fatigue party of 150 to be furnished from the 11th& 12th& Col. Forman's Regt. for Smith's Barbette to be continued till it is completed.
July 11, 1776.
Fatigue parties to be turned out to be at work on the Hill by five in the morning.
Camp Long Island, July 16, 1776.
Prisoners sent to the main Guard by the Field officer of the day with or without arms, unless sooner released by him or the Gen. are only to be kept till the mounting of the new guard, unless a crime be delivered to the Cap. of the guard in writing against (the prisoners) by the person that committed them, with his name to it.
Lt. Col. Cornell & Cap. Warner are appointed to oversee the works at Smith's Barbette & complete them. They are to be excused from all other duty. Fatigue parties for the future are to work as long as the Cols. think advisable every cool day. The general wishes the troops to be as industrious as possible, lest the enemy attack (the works) before they are done.
A subaltern's Guard to mount at Rapalyea's mill upon the point every night, to continue till sunrise.
Head Quarters, July 18 1776.
2 guns from fort Cobble Hill on Long Island to be a signal that the enemy have landed on that Island.
July 18, 1776.
Field officer of the day tomorrow, Lt. Col. Henderson, Adjt. from Col. Little's....
Patrolling parties to be sent out every hour to advance as silently as possible & to stop & listen every few rods, to discover spies lurking around the works.
Camp on Long Island, July 19 1776.
The works on Cobble Hill being greatly retarded for want of men to lay turf, few being acquainted with that service, all those in Col. Hitchcock's & Col. Little's Regts. that understand that business, are desired to voluntarily turn out every day, & they shall be excused from all other duty, & allowed ½ a pint of rum a day.
Half the fatigue party to work tomorrow at fort Sterling in widening the ditch. Lt. Col. Cornell will detach the party & give the necessary instructions. Cap. Newell of the Train to mount an artillery guard on Smith's Barbette, on Cobble Hill, of a Sergeant & 6 men.
F. Officer of the day tomorrow Major Parker, Adjt. from Col. Forman's Regt. (New Jersey).
July 22, 1776.
F. Offr. tomorrow, Col. Forman, Adjt. from his regt.
The Cols. or Cg. Offrs. of the 1st, 9th, 11th, 12thRegiments are requested to send in a return of vacancies, with a list of names to fill them, by tomorrow at 9a.m.The 11th, 12th& Col. Forman's Regts. are to parade on the regimental parade tomorrowa.m.instead of going to their alarm posts. Comg. off. of each regt. will receive orders on the spot when & where to march.
The duties being exceedingly heavy on the men, the Genl. thinks proper to lessen the fatigue party ½ & reduce the guard in forts Green & Putnam ⅓, & a Serjt. & 12 men to mount in fort Box, instead of the present guard.
July 24, 1776.
A fatigue party of 40 men & 1 sub. to cut fascines to parade thisp.m.4 days provisions to be provided. Passengers going intothe city not to be stopped at the ferry unless there is reason to suspect them. No one to come out without a proper pass. Fatigue for home duty to be lessened as much as the number detached.
In Camp Long Island, July 28, 1776.
The success of the campaign must depend on the health of the troops; nothing should be neglected that contributes to it. Good Policy as well as humanity claims the attention of every officer to this object; our honor as well as our success depends on it.
The good officer discharges his duty not only in one but in every respect. It is a mistaken notion that the minutiæ of military matters is only an employment for little minds. Such an officer betrays a want of understanding and showeth a person ignorant of the necessary dependence and connection of one thing upon another. What signifies knowledge without power to execute? He who studies the Branches of military knowledge relating to Dispositions, & neglects to preserve the health of his troops will find himself in that disagreeable situation.
The general is pained to discover inattention to the digging and filling vaults for the regts. & to the burial of filth and putrid matter. The general directs camp Columen(?) of the several regts. to dig new vaults, and fill up old ones every 3 days, & that fresh dirt be thrown in every day to the vaults, & that all filth in and about the camp be daily buried. The sickly season coming on, & Putrid fevers prevailing, the Gen. recommends a free use of vegetables & desires the men may keep themselves & clothes clean, & cook their provisions properly; & little injury is to be dreaded. A neglect of these matters at this critical season may be attended with dreadful consequences.
Complaints are made of the troops stealing water mellons. Such practices must be punished. A few unprincipled rascals may ruin the reputation of a whole corps of virtuous men. The General desires the virtuous to complain of every offender that may be detected in invading people's property in an unlawful manner, whatever his station or from whatever part of the country he may come.
Aug. 1, 1776.
All the straw bunks & —— in yedifferent regts. occupied by the well to be collected for the sick of Col. Forman's regt. A sergeant & 8 men to be employed cutting wood for a coal pit for the armorers shop—apply to master armorers for orders.
In Camp Long Island, Aug. 4, 1776.
4 Cos. of Col. Gay's regt. to take fort Sterling for their alarm post & 4—Cobble Hill.
The countersign having spread too generally in the camp, & amongst many that don't belong to the army, the Genl. orders every person to be punished who is base enough to discover it to those who have no right to it.
No person allowed to pass after 10 o'clock with or without the countersign within the limits of the camp or circle of the sentries, except Genl. & Field Officers, Brigade Majors & expresses. This order extends to inhabitants as well as the army.
A fatigue party from Col. Little's, Col. Forman's & Col. Gay's regts. of 200 men, properly officered, to work at Fort Sterling tomorrow. Col. Gay or the comg. officer of his regt. is directed to lead his troops into their alarm posts at 5 o'clock this afternoon. Officers are directed to acquaint themselves with the ground for miles about their camps.
Morning Orders, Aug. 6, 1776.
Commanding Officers of fortifications are requested to pay particular attention to yeprovisions lodged at each alarm post for the support of the troops in case of seige, and also that yewater casks & cisterns are filled & when the water is bad to have it pumped out & fresh water put in.
Aug. 6, 1776.
By a deserter from Sir Peter Parker's fleet we learn that the Hessians, from England, & Clinton's troops from S. Carolina are arrived & that the enemy meditate an attack on this Island & the city of New York. The Genl. wishes to have the troops provided with every thing necessary to give them a proper reception. Caps. are directed to examine the arms of their cos. immediately.
Aug. 8, 1776.
A sub. & 20 men to parade immediately to march to Jamaica. Let the men be decently dressed, & the officers keep them fromoffering insolence or abuse to any person. They are to escort & assist Lt. Skinner & wait there for his directions.
Aug. 9, 1776.
A report from Col. Hand mentions a large number of regulars drawn up at Staten Island Ferry, & boats to embark in. No officer or soldier to stir from his quarters that we may be ready to march at a moment's warning if necessary.
Aug. 16, 1776.
Col. Smith (L.I. militia) to apptan Adjt., Q.M. & SerjtMaj. & Q. Mr. Serjtto his regt., & to have the troops in his regtnot on duty exercised daily in learning the necessary manœuvres and evolutions.
Genls. Nixon and Heard are to furnish a fatigue party from their brigades and to form the necessary lines from fort Box to fort Putnam. The gin shops and houses selling liquor, strictly forbidden to sell to soldiers, excepting near the two ferries.
The inhabitants of houses near the lines are immediately to move out of them, and they are to be appropriated to the use of the troops. The General is determined to have any soldiers punished that may be found disguised with liquor, as no soldier in such a situation can be fit for defense or attack.
The General orders that no sutler in the army shall sell to any soldier more than 1 gill of spirits per day. If the above orders are not adhered to, there shall no more be retailed out at all.
The Colonels of regts. lately come in are immediately to make returns to the Genl. of their number of men & where they are quartered. Col. Hitchcock's and Smith's Regtsare to do duty in Genl. Nixon's brigade—Cols. Van Brunt's and Gay's Regts. to do duty in Genl. Heard's brigade. Captsin the brigades are to be particularly careful that the Rolls are called 3 times a day & that the troops do not stray from quarters.
Head Quarters, Aug. 20, 1776.
... General Sullivan is to take command on Long Island till Gen. Greene's state of health will permit him to resume it. Brig. LdSterling is to take charge of GenlSullivan's division.
[Long Island,] August 20, 1776.
Field Offrof the Day tomorrow, Col. Phipps, (?) Adjtfrom Col. Little's regt.
August 21st, 1776.
Five hundred men to be on fatigue to-morrow to be on the works by 8 o'clock, to leave at 12, & begin at 2 o'clock, & work till half past 6. Nothing can be more disagreeable to the Genl. than to call upon the men to be so constantly on fatigue, but their own salvation, and the safety of the country requires it. He hopes that in 2 or 3 days more the encampment will be so secure that he can release the men from fatigue and give them an opportunity to rest from their labors. Adjt. of the day to attend at the Genls. quarters every morning at 8, and an orderly from each brigade daily. Four men are to be drafted to row the Genlsboat and do no other duty. The Brigade majors, upon receiving orders from Head Quarters are to call at Gen. Sullivan's quarters for his orders, or send adjtsto take them off.
Col. Johnson's and Newcomb's regtsare to consider the woods on the west side of the creek as their alarm post, and repair there in case of an alarm. Gen. Nixon will show the ground this evening at 6 o'clock to the commgofficers of the Regts.
Aug. 23, 1776.
The men not to turn out to their alarm posts this afternoon, (but) to get 2 days' provisions ready, & to be at their alarm posts to-morrow morning by 3 o'clock in order for action.
Cols. Miles & Ransom's (Remsen's of L.I.) regts. to take possession of the Bedford road this night—Col. Ransom's regt. to march at 5 o'clock. Col. Miles' regt. is on the spot. Cols. Little's & Hitchcock's Regtsto possess the Flatbush road & Cols. Johnson's & Martin's to take possession of the road near theriver. All these regts. to be at their posts by 6 o'clock. Upon their arrival the troops now there are to retire to their encampments & get 2 days provisions dressed, & be ready for action. The Gen. will never make a 3rd. requisition to the majors of brigade, to attend for orders.
Long IslandAug. 24 1776.
A return to be made to the Gen. this afternoon at 5 o'clock of all yeLight Horse & companies of troop within the lines. The adjt. of Col. Little's regiment is to attend at Genls. quarters at 7 o'clocka.m.to-morrow.
The Genl. returns his thanks to the brave officers & soldiers who with so much spirit & intrepidity repulsed the enemy & defeated their designs of taking possession of the woods near our lines. He is now convinced that the troops he has the honor to command, will not, in point of bravery, yield to any troops in the universe. The cheerfulness with which they do their duty, & the patience with which they undergo fatigue evince exalted sentiments of freedom, & love of country gives him most satisfactory evidence that when called upon they will prove themselves worthy of that freedom for which they are now contending.
Col. Ramsons (Remsen's) Regt. to mount no guard except quarter guard of 12, but be considered a fatigue party, to which they are to attend from day to day. The Genl. is sorry to find that Regt. flying from their posts, when timid women would have blushed to have betrayed any signs of fear at any thing this regt. discovered at the time of their flight.
Officers are requested to see that their men always keep at least 2 days provisions, ready dressed by them. The Commissary is to deal out one gill of rum per man each day on this Island until further orders. Soldiers are not to be out of their encampment but upon urgent business. Gen. Nixon to take command of the lines next the enemy until further orders, to post his men in the edge of the woods next the enemy. BrigdeMajors to attend punctually at the Genl's. quarters at 10a.m.
Long IslandAug. 25 1776.
The following arrangement to take place on Long Island until further orders—Viz: Col. Mile's 2 battalions, Col. Atlee's, Col. Lutzs, Major Hayes, Col. Lashers and Drake's to be formed intoone brigade under the command of Gen. Ld. Stirling. Col. Hand's, Prescott's, (Late) Nixon's, Varnum's, Hitchcock's, Little's, Smith's, & Ramson's to be under Gen. Nixon. Wylly's, Huntington's, Taylor's, (Tyler's) Silliman's, Chester's, & Gay's under Gen. Parsons; Johnson's, Courtlandt's, Martins, Newcombs & Freeman's (Forman's), under the command of Brig. Gen Hurd.
The General orders that the Brigrs. attend at Head Quarters at 8a.m.to-morrow for directions. BrigdeMajor Box is appointed to act as Adjt. Genl. for this department until further orders.
A Brigr. Genl. of the Day to attend the Grand Parade at Guard mounting at 10a.m., every day afterwards at 8, whose duty it shall be to see that the guards are regularly made up, & properly posted & duly relieved. No firing at the outpoststo be allowedon any pretense, except by permission of the ComgGen. of the day, & none within the lines except by permission. This order not to extend to sentries on guard.
Brigr. for the day Gen. Ld. Stirling.
The Gen. is surprised to find the soldiers strolling about, notwithstanding repeated orders, miles distant from the lines, at a time when the enemy are hourly expected to make an attack. The officers are enjoined to cause the arrest of any soldier who shall be found strolling without the lines unless they can show a written permit from their Cap. or Comg. officer of the regt. or company. All the officers and soldiers are to keep within their quarters, unless ordered on duty.
All troops in this department are desired to wear a green bough or branch of a tree in their hats, till further orders.
Col. Ward's Regt. to be added to Gen. Parson's brigade. All the troops not[231]——
All other troops not mentioned and those which may be sent herewithout a General Officer to command them are to be considered as a part of Lord Stirling's Brigade till further orders.
A return of the several Brigades to be made immediately. Eight hundred (men) properly officered to relieve the troops on Bedford Road to-morrow morning, six field officers to attend with this party. The same number to relieve those on Bush (Flatbush) Road, and an equal number those stationed towards the Narrows. A picket of three hundred men under the command of a Field Officer, six Captains, twelve Subalterns to be posted at the wood on the west side of the Creek every night till further orders.
It is a very scandalous practice unbecoming soldiers whose duty it is to defend the liberty and property of the Inhabitants of the country to make free with and rob them of that property; it is therefore ordered that no person belonging to this army do presume on any pretense whatever to take or make use of any Corn, Poultry or Provision, or anything else without the consent of the owners nor without paying the common price for them; any breach of this order will be severely punished. The Commanding Officer of each Regiment and Company is to see this order communicated to their respective corps and to see it carried into execution....
Brigadier Lord Stirling to command the front of our lines next Hudson's River and to command the reserve within the lines, and when either of the other Brigade Generals have the command of the Advance Lines Lord Stirling is to have command of his post in his absence. Each Brigadier General to assign the Alarm Posts to the several Regiments under their command.
Head-Quarters Long IslandAug. 29, 1776.
As the sick are an encumbrance to the Army, & Troops are expected this afternoon from the flying camp in Jersey, under GenlMercer, who is himself arrived & room & cover is wanted for thetroops, the commanding Officers of Regt's are immediately to have such sick removed. They are to take their Arms & Accoutrements & be conducted by an Officer to the GenlHospital, as a rendezvous & then to cross to-gether under the directions of the Person appointed there, taking general Directions from Dr Morgan. As the above Forces under GenlMercer are expected this afternoon, the General proposes to relieve a proportionate Number of Regiments & make a change in the situation of them.
The Commanding Officers of Regiments are therefore to parade their men with their Arms, Accoutrements, and Knapsacks, at 7oClock, at the Head of their Encampments & there wait for Orders.[232]
[From MS. Order Book of Col. Wm. Douglas.]
Head-Quarters, New York, August 31, 1776.
(Parole,Harlem.) (Countersign,Flushing.)
... Both officers and soldiers are informed that the retreat fromLong-Islandwas made by the unanimous advice of all the General Officers, not from any doubts of the spirit of the troops, but because they found the troops very much fatigued with hard duty, and divided into many detachments, while the enemy had their main body on the Island, and capable of receiving assistance from the shipping. In these circumstances it was thought unsafe to transport the whole of an Army on an Island, or to engage them with a part, and therefore unequal numbers; whereas now our whole Army is collected together, without water intervening, while the enemy can receive little assistance from their ships. Their Army is, and must be, divided into many bodies, and fatigued with keeping up a communication with their ships; whereas ours is connected and can act together. They must effect a landing under so many disadvantages, that if officers and soldiers are vigilant, and alert to prevent surprise, and add spirit when they approach, there is no doubt of our success....
[Force, 5th Series, Vol. I., p. 1248.]