the author. The General will, upon any vacancies that may happen, receive recommendations, and give them proper consideration; but the Congress, alone, are competent to the appointment.

An exact return of the strength of each regiment is to be given in as soon as possible, distinguishing the number of Militia, and such of the old regiments as have joined for a month only, from the established men of the regiment.

This being the day of the commencement of the new establishment, the General pardons all the offences of the old, and commands all prisoners (except prisoners of war) to be immediately released.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, January 3, 1776.

That every officer may be perfectly well acquainted with the establishment of the present Army, in order that they may be governed by it, and make the returns agreeable thereto, the General informs them, that each regiment is to consist of a Colonel, a Lieutenant-Colonel, a Major, eight companies, an Adjutant, a Quartermaster, a Surgeon, and a Surgeon's Mate; whether a Chaplain will be allowed to each regiment, or one to two regiments, is yet to be determined. Each company is to consist of a Captain, a First and Second Lieutenant, an Ensign, four Sergeants, four Corporals, a Drummer and Fifer, and seventy-six Privates, and no more, under any pretence or plea whatsoever.

As the weekly returns winch are ordered to be given in every Saturday, are very irregularly made, oftentimes not before Monday, the General desires, that the commanding officer of every corps will be exact in delivering them to the respective Brigade Major, every Saturday, at orderly time, who is to be answerable to the Adjutant-General for any neglect, or breach of this order. For the last time, it is strongly recommended to those officers, to examine the returns thoroughly before they sign and deliver them to the Major of Brigade, whether pay-rolls, muster-rolls, weekly returns, or returns of any other kind, that are demanded, as negligences will not be overlooked, and false returns punished with the utmost severity.

The General is apprehensive, that more men are absent upon furlough than are allowed by the General Orders; if so, he desires the Colonels and commanding officers of such regiments to rectify the mistake without loss of time; and, for a due regulation of this matter, in future, no soldier is to be absent without leave in writing, signed by the commanding officer of the regiment he belongs to, and a register thereof made in the Regimental Book; which furlough is to be delivered to the said commanding officer, so soon as he returns, and, if it should appear that any soldier has overstayed his time, without just reason, a note thereof is to be made in said book, and a furlough denied him, upon a future application, besides suffering such punishment as may, by a Regimental Court-Martial, be inflicted.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, January 3, 1776.

The Continental Rules and Articles, (as lately amended,) for the better government of the troops of the thirteen United Colonies, are now to take place; all trials are, therefore, to be under those articles. And, in compliance with the first, all officers are to subscribe them; each Colonel, or commanding officer of a regiment or corps, is to send to the Adjutant-General for a set for each company, and one for himself and officers to subscribe, which last is to be returned in, when the commissions are given out. These articles are to be read to the men, by an officer of a company, at least once a week. This to be considered as a standing order.

The Commissary of Stores is immediately to make a general return of all the stores under his care, here and at Roxbury; in doing which, he is to be very exact. An account of the arms is wanted, without delay. It was with no small degree of surprise that the General, yesterday, saw, after the repeated orders that had been given for having the tents (so soon as the barracks were fit to be entered) returned to the Quartermaster General, several of them standing uninhabited, and in a disgraceful, ruinous situation; and, moreover, hears, that others serve only for bedding. The officers who have suffered this neglect are informed that this is the last admonition that will be given on this head.

It is expected, that the commanding officers of regiments will be exceedingly attentive to the training, exercising, and disciplining their men, bringing them, as soon as possible, acquainted with the different evolutions and manœuvres necessary to be practised. And, as nothing reflects more disgrace upon an officer, or is more pernicious and dangerous in itself, than suffering arms tote in bad order, the General assures the officers and men that he will never overlook or pardon a neglect of this kind. There are many practices in regular service highly worthy of imitation, but none more essential than this, and keeping soldiers always clean and neat. The first is absolutely necessary for self-preservation; the other for health and appearance: for, if a soldier cannot be induced to take pride in his person he will soon become a sloven, and indifferent to every thing else. Whilst we have men; therefore, who, in every respect, are superior to mercenary troops, that are fighting for two pence or three pence a day, why cannot we, in appearance, also, be superior to them, when we fight for life, liberty, property, and our country?

The companies now stationed in Cambridge, belonging to Colonel Prescott's Regiment, are to march immediately, and join their respective regiments, at Sewall's Point.

The companies now stationed at Sewall's Point, under the command of Major Wesson, are, forthwith, to march, and take post at Fort No. 1

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, January 4, 1776.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO JOSEPH REED.

Cambridge, January 4, 1776.

DEAR SIR: We are, at length, favoured with a sight of His Majesty's most gracious speech, breathing sentiments of tenderness and compassion for his deluded American subjects. The echo is not yet come to hand, but we know what it must be; and, as Lord North said, (and we ought to have believed and acted accordingly,) we now know the ultimatum of British justice. The speech I send you. A volume of them was sent out by the Boston gentry, and, farcical enough, we gave great joy to them, without knowing or intending it;* for, on that day, the day which gave being to the new Army, but before the proclamation came to hand, we had hoisted the Union flag, in compli-

* PHILADELPHIA, January 15, 1776.—By authentick advices (torn the camp, at Cambridge, of the 3d and 4th instant, we learn, that the bay and harbour of Boston yet continue open, that a man-of-war is so stationed as to command the entrance of Salem, Beverly, and Marblehead harbours; that five hundred fresh troops had arrived from Ireland; two regiments had gone to Halifax; two regiments had pushed into the river St. Lawrence, in hopes of getting up to Quebeck, which was very doubtful. That the two regiments arrived at Boston were the Fifty-Fifth and Seventeenth; that Admiral Shuldham was also arrived. An intelligent person got out of Boston on the 3d instant, who informed General Washington that a fleet, consisting of nine transports, concontaining three hundred and sixty men, were ready to sail under convoy of the Scarborough and Fowey, men-of-war, with two bomb-vessels and some flat-bottomed boats; their avowed destination in Boston was to Newport, but it was generally supposed to be Long-Island of Virginia, That a number of other transports are taking in water, and they are baking large quantities of biscuit in Boston, some gay for the use of the shipping who are to lie in Nantasket Road on account of the ice, while others believe a more important movement is in agitation. This person also informs, that they have not the least idea in Boston of attacking our lines, but will be very thankful to be permitted to remain quiet; That before General Burgoyne's departure it was circulated through the Army, in order to keep the soldiery quiet under their distresses, that the disputes would soon be settled, and that he was going to England for that purpose. That they had intelligence at Boston of four vessals having sailed from Hispaniola for this Continent some time ago, laden with arms and ammunition. Our advices conclude with the following anecdote: That upon the King's speech arriving at Boston, a great number of them were r printed, and sent out to our lines on the 2d of January, which being also the day of forming the new Army, the great Union flag wag hoisted on Prospect-Hill in compliment to the United Colonies. This happening soon after the speeches were delivered at Roxbury, but before they were received at Cambridge, the Boston gentry supposed it to be a token of the deep impression the speech had made, and a signal of submission. That they were much disappoint, ed at finding several days elapse without some formal measure leading to a surrender, with which they had begun to flatter themselves. When these accounts came away the Army were all in barracks, in good health and spirits. That five thousand Militia had taken the places of those soldiers who would not stay beyond their time of service; that they were good troops, and the whole Army impatient for an opportunity of action