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trality is not less base and criminal than open and avowed hostility, I do further swear and pledge myself, as I hope for eternal salvation, that I will, whenever called upon by the voice of the Continental Congress, or that of the Legislature of this particular Colony under their authority, to take arms and subject myself to military discipline, in defence of the common lights and liberties of America. So help me God.*
JOHN BOURS.
Sworn at Newport, December 25, 1775.
GENERAL ORDEBS.
Head-Quarters, Cambridge, December 26, 1775.
| (Parole, Baltimore.) | (Countersign, Lux.) |
A Court of Inquiry, consisting of Major-General Putnam, President; and Brigadiers-General, Heath, Sullivan, and Greene, members; held by order of his Excellency the General, to examine into the cause of a complaint exhibited by a number of Field-Officers and others in General Sullivan's Brigade, against the Commissary-General, Joseph Trumbull, Esq. The articles in the complaint were:
First. For not delivering out the back allowance of peas, or the value thereof in money, to the officers and men.
Second. For taking in onions at two shillings and eight pence, and delivering them out at four shillings; and,
Third. For taking in potatoes at one shilling and four pence, and delivering them out at two shillings.
The Court, on mature consideration, beg leave to report to his Excellency, that the first article of the charge is groundless; that the second and third articles, are confessed by the Commissary-General, and though the Court are fully satisfied there was not the least design of fraud in Mr. Trumbull, they are unanimously of opinion that the measure was pernicious and injudicious.
The General approves of the proceedings of the above Court of Inquiry.
At a Court of Inquiry, held at Roxbury, to examine into the conduct of Major Parke, Deputy Quartermaster-General, whereof Colonel Jedediah Huntington was President, for "forcibly quartering troops in the house of Major Thompson." The Court were of opinion that Major Parke conducted himself in obedience to his orders, and as the necessity of the case required.
Thomas Trefry, of Captain Glover's Company, in Colonel Glover's Regiment, tried at a General Court-Martial for "desertion," is found guilty, and ordered to pay twenty shillings lawful money, to be appropriated according to the rules and regulations of the Massachusetts Army.
The General approves the proceedings of the Court of Inquiry held on Major Parke, and of the sentence of the General Court-Martial above-mentioned, and orders it to take place accordingly.
Head-Quarters, Cambridge, December 27, 1775.
| (Parole, Annapolis.) | (Countersign, Chare.) |
The Regimental Quartermasters are forthwith to settle with and give receipts to the Commissary-General, or his Deputies. The day they next draw, they are to take the whole of the provision and weekly allowance then due.
The Colonels who have purchased clothing at the Quartermaster-General's store, for the use of their men, are directed to discharge their respective debts out of the moneys they are about to receive in behalf of their respective corps.
The Colonels of the new established regiments, to order their recruiting officers to send all the recruits they have raised to their respective Regiments at Roxbury and Cambridge, by the first day of January next.
Head-Quarters, Cambridge, December 28, 1775.
| (Parole, Jamaica.) | (Countenign, Price.) |
As the time is just at hand when the Massachusetts, New-Hampshire, and Rhode-Island troops (not again in-listed) will be released from their present engagement, the General recommends to them to consider what may be the consequence of their abrupt departure from the lines. Should any accident happen to them before the new Army gets greater strength, they not only fix eternal disgrace upon themselves as soldiers, but inevitable ruin, perhaps, upon their country and families.
It is from no dislike to the conduct of the officers that the General requests the men to stay without them; but, in the first place, because it is unnecessary to burden the Continent with a greater number of officers than are requisite to the men; and in the next, because it retards the forming and the proper government of the new Regiments. Those non-commissioned officers and soldiers, therefore, who have their country's welfare so much at heart as to stay till the last of January, if necessary, may join any Company in any of the new established Regiments they please, provided they do not increase the number of rank and file in such Company to more than seventy-six men, more than which no Company is to exceed. All the officers and soldiers at present of other Regiments, but appointed to or inlisted in Colonel Learned's, Parsons's, Joseph Read's, Huntington's, Ward's, Wyllys's, and Bailey's Regiments, are to join them to-morrow; at which time any officer or soldier, in either of those Regiments which belongeth to other Regiments under the new establishment, are to join. In like manner all the officers and soldiers (under the new establishment) who belong to Colonels Prescott's, Glover's, Patterson's, Sergeant's, Phinney's, Arnold's, Greaton's, and Baldwin's Regiments, are to join on Saturday next, when any officers or soldiers in either of those Regiments, belonging to other Regiments, are also to remove to them. On Sunday, the same change is to take place with respect to Colonels James Read's, Nixon's, Stark's, Whitcomb's, Poor's, Varnum's, Hitchcock's, Little's, Webb's, Bond's, and Hutchinson's Regiments.
It is recommended to the Colonels of each of the above named Regiments, to send officers at the time appointed, to receive and march the men from the Regiments they are inlisted out of, to those they are to join, that it may be effected with more regularity and ease, and the change made with as little confusion as possible.
It is expected of such men as are determined not to continue in the service another campaign, that they will sell their blankets to those who do, and are in want of them. The same thing is also recommended to the Militia.
In appraising the Arms, the General expects that they be numbered and marked in such manner as the owners of them, and the prices, may, at any time, be ascertained upon the delivery of them by the Commissary of the Stores, All Arms, thus appraised, and taken for the use of the publick, must be delivered into the care of the Commissary of the Ordnance Stores, but may be redrawn immediately, if the Colonel will pass his receipt for them, and account for the delivery to his men.
Head-Quarters, Cambridge, December 29, 1775.
| (Parole, Providence.) | (Countersign, Salem.) |
The Commissary-General having estimated the value of the different species of Provisions which constitute a ration under the Continental allowance, and finding it to amount to seven pence half-penny lawful money; the General having seen the said estimate, approves of it, and orders that they be settled with accordingly.
The General was in great hopes that a sufficient sum of money would have been sent from Philadelphia, to have paid the troops for the months of October, November, and December, but is sorry to inform them, that there is no more yet arrived than will allow one month's pay, the advanced pay to the new Army, and blanket money; furnishing, at the same time, the Commissary and Quartermaster-Generals with such sums as are necessary for conducting business. The General has already wrote express to Congress for more money, and hopes speedily to be furnished" with a sufficient sum to pay them in full.
Particular care is to be taken by the Colonels and commanding officers of Corps, not to suffer any Ammunition to
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