The Campaign of 1776 around New York and Brooklyn Part 23

Comd officers for picket tonight Lt. Atkinson & Lt. Fiske.

GENERAL ORDERS.

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....

GEN. GREENE'S MORNING ORDERS.

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 other day. 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. Hitchc.o.c.k'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. Hitchc.o.c.k's regiment.

GENERAL ORDERS.

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 } { Colos. Read's & Baldwin's } To go to Powles Hook.

{ Colos. Parson's & Wylly's--To go to Bayard's Genl. Spencer'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's } On Governor's Island { McDougall's & Ritzema's. } every day till further orders.

GEN. GREENE'S ORDERS.

May 25, 1776.

Cap. Silas Talbut of Col. Hitchc.o.c.k'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 pa.s.s 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.

GENERAL ORDERS.

HEAD QUARTERS, May 26, 1776.

(Parole, HANc.o.c.k.) (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....

GEN. GREENE'S ORDERS.

May 26, 1776.

Field officer for picket tomorrow night, Major Collins, Adjt. from Col. Hitchc.o.c.k'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 pa.s.s until ten O'clock with common pa.s.sengers, but no soldier is to pa.s.s 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. Hitchc.o.c.k's regiment.