town. This shows the propriety of yesterday’s orders, and the absolute necessity of paying the strictest obedience thereto.

All officers and others possessed of any of the Continental horses, are to return them immediately to the Quartermaster-General in Cambridge.

The General Court-Martial, of which Colonel Hutchinson was President, is dissolved.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, March 15, 1776.

The Regiments and Companies of Artillery, mentioned in yesterday’s orders, are not to march before sunrise to-morrow morning, when everything belonging to them is to be ready to move off. The men are not to put their packs in the carts; their provisions being carried for them, the General expects the whole to carry their own packs. Any officer or soldier who is known to commit any waste or destruction to any of the barracks, or barrack utensils, upon their removing, will be punished with the utmost severity. The Quartermaster-General to order his Assistants to see every article taken proper care of when the troops march.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, March 16, 1776.

As the weather is so bad and the roads so miry, the Regiments and Companies of Artillery, ordered to march this morning, are to halt until to-morrow evening.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, March 17, 1776.

The Regiments under marching orders, to march to-morrow morning, at sunrise.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, March 18, 1776.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, March 19, 1776.

Brigade-Major Henly being ordered to attend General Heath, Brigade-Major Cary is to take the duty of both those Brigades until further orders, and is therefore upon no account to foe absent from Cambridge.

All officers, soldiers, and others, are positively forbid going into the town of Boston without a pass, or being sent expressly upon duty. As soon as the Selectmen report the town to be cleansed from infection, liberty will be given to those who have business there to go in. The inhabitants belonging to the town may be permitted to return to their habitations, proper persons being appointed at the Neck and at Charlestown-Ferry to grant them passes.

Cambridge, March 15, 1776.

Marching Orders for Colonel CHARLES WEBB, commanding the Nineteenth Regiment of Foot.

SIR: You are to proceed with the Regiment under your command to Norwich, in Connecticut, according to the route annexed. In case of extreme bad weather, or other unforeseen accidents, you are obliged to halt a day or more between this place and Norwich, you will acquaint Brigadier-General Heath, who is appointed to the command of the Brigade now under marching orders, and receive and follow his directions. You will immediately apply to Com-lniSsary-General Trumhull and to Quartermaster-General Colonel Mifflin, for an order for carriages and provisions for your; march to Norwich. Upon your arrival there, Brigadier-General Heath has his Excellency the Comman-der-in-Chief’s directions for the further disposal of the Brigade.

His Excellency expects you will preserve good order, and exact discipline upon your march, carefully preventing all pillaging, marauding, and every kind of ill-usage or insult to the inhabitants of the country. As the motions of the enemy and the advanced season of the year make it of the utmost consequence that not a moment should be lost that can possibly be made use of upon your march, the General, depending upon your zeal, experience, and good conduct, is satisfied that on your part no vigilance will be wanting.

Given at Head-Quarters, Cambridge, this 15th of March, 1776

HORATIO GATES, Adjutant-General.

Route.—From Roxbury to Mann’s, twenty-two miles; to Providence, nineteen miles; to Green’s, twenty miles; to Burnham’s, twenty miles; to Norwich, twelve miles—ninety-three miles.

ORDERS TO CAPTAIN BALDWIN.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, March 16, 1776.

SIR: You are hereby ordered to proceed immediately to the City of New-York, where, being arrived, you are to receive and follow such orders and directions as shall be given you by the officer commanding the Continental Forces there. I am, sir, your most obedient servant.

To Jeduthan Baldwin, Esq., Assistant-Engineer.

INSTRUCTIONS AND ORDERS FOR BRIGADIER-GENERAL HEATH.

Cambridge, March 19, 1776.

As you are forthwith to take upon you the commad of the Brigade now upon their march to Norwich, in Connecticut, consisting of the Fifth, Sixteenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-fourth, and Twenty-fifth Regiments, you will, without delay, proceed to Norwich, where you will confer with the persons appointed to provide vessels for the transportation of the troops to New-York. Despatch and secrecy are necessary in embarking and sailing with this Brigade from thence to their place of destination; in doing which, you must be entirely governed by the information you will receive at Norwich, and such intelligence of the motions of the enemy’s ships-of-war and armed vessels as you will be able to procure at Norwich and from the mouth of that river. As you have your own coast aboard, there will be, in transporting the troops by water, no risk, unless the enemy’s ships are in possession of the mouth of the river previous to your arrival there. In that case, you will disembark the troops, and march the Brigade by land to New-York.

Perceiving that several of the carts carried from hence some tables, and other articles of household furniture, you are strictly enjoined to ease the carriages of all such trumpery, and positively not to suffer the march of the Brigade to be retarded by any unnecessary luggage being put in the baggage carts.

By the order of march, delivered to the commanding officers of the several divisions of the Brigade now upon their march to Norwich, it is forcibly recommended to them to exert their utmost diligence and authority to prevent all pillaging and marauding, and every species of abuse or ill-treatment of the inhabitants of the country. This order you will continue to enforce, and command to be strictly observed.

Upon your arrival with the Brigade at New-York, you will wait upon the commanding General there, and receive and obey such orders and instructions as he shall think necessary to give; but you are not, upon any account, to go before your Brigade into that city, nor be at any time absent from them more than ten miles; taking particular care to acquaint the Colonels commanding the divisions where you lay of nights, that they may know where to send, upon any emergency, for your orders and directions. If, when you arrive at New-York, there is no General of superior rank, nor any senior officers to yourself, you will take the command of the Army there, and with all possible diligence proceed in executing Major-General Lee’s plan for fortifying that post, and the intrenched camp proposed.

Given at Head-Quarters in Cambridge, this 19th day of March, 1776.

GENERAL HOWE’S RETREAT FROM BOSTON.

Cambridge, March’ 21, 1776.

Last Sabbath (the 17th instant) the British Army in Boston, under General Howe, consisting of upwards of seven thousand men, after suffering an ignominious blockade for many months past, disgracefully quitted all their strong holds in Boston and Charlestown, fled from before the Army of

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