Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-03
llNoroN,s QUAINT oRpHRs
"a General at CambridGe-An Inter
csting Relic.
Prom TIE Ne,o Yorh rriJume.

ACCuiVe oI the W at department OF Nc
placed IN some public library. II is the
book containing the general orders given
by Gen. Washington at his headquarters
in Cambridge from July II TO Sept. 25,
l575 The leaves, loosely stitched to-
getEer, are much stained. The first page
is a good deal torn, there being no cover.
Otherwise this interesting relic is pretty
well preserved. 1t is now the property Of
Charles b. Penfeld, INTO whose hands it
came through the family OF his great
grandfather, Samuel BaboOck, who was
one of the officers at headquarters. The
orders are for the greater part in his hand
writing. The first order bears date Of
July Il, 11I5, exactly two weeks after
Washington assumed command of the
army besieglng Boston. by HIS Excel
lency Gen. Washington, ESQ.," as one
reads on the second line Of the first page,
''Boston' was made the parole on that
day. The c0untereign is illegible. On
July % the order of the day shows
plainly the condition the army was in.
II reads:
CAS- the Continental Army have uuior-
tunately no Uniform Il consequently many
lncOnvenIences must arise from not being
able to distinguish the Commissioned
Officers from the Non Commissioned OBI
GERS * the Non Comm sslOned Officers
from the Soldiers II is desired that some
bages of distinction may be Immediately
procured, for instance the Field Officers
may have Red or Pink coulouTd COckades
in their Hats The Capt. Yellow or Buh g.
the Subalterns Green they are TO furnish
themselves accordingly the Serrts May
be Distinguished by an apaulette or
strips of Red Cloath seWed on their right
shoulder the Corpl. by one Of Green
"fhe people employed TO make spears
are desired by the Genl 10 make four
boz. Immediately thirteen feet In length
and the wood part Good deal more sub
stantial than those already made Particu-
larly in the New Hampshire Lines are
Redicul0usly short & slight ~ can answer
no sort Of purpose"
Under date of July 81 il is ordered that
deserters from the enemy be without de-
lay taken TO the Major General command
ing, ''sOme of the Deserters being made
Drunk who came last night from the
Enemy before they reached Head Quar-
Iers.' Scarcely day passes but what
the General reminds the troops that dis
cpliue must be maintained, and that *
nOrance of the orders is no valid excuse
for a soldier to make. In one instance he
has to restrain the patriotic, though iu-
discreet, ardor of some soldiers. On Aug.
4 the order for the day contains the follow
ing;
Genl. Observes & notwithstand the re-
pe8ted Orders which have been given to
prevent the FREEING of Guns in and about
The Camp that is daily and Hourly prac-
uced that contra TO all orders stragliug
soldiers do still pass the Guards and lire
al q distance whore there is not the least
probability Of Hurting the Enemy and
where no other end is answered but vast
A
selves TO the ridicule OF the Enemy and
keep their own Camp harrissed by FREE
qunut and continual alarms 20 the Hurt
and Getrlment Of every good soldier who
Is thereby disturbed of his Natural rest
and at length viii never be able 10 dis
tinguish & Real or Faulse ALARM; for
these reasons IL is in the most peremptory
manner forbid any person or persons
whatsoever under any pretense to pass
the Out guards. Any person
offending IN this particular will be con-
sidered Ia no other light but as a common
Enemy, and the guards will have orders
10 ire on them as such"
On Aug. 6 the General "is in hopes of
prevailing with the Continental Congress
10 give eac5 Man a Hunting Shirt" and
he recommends to the Colonies Of the dit
ferent regiments ito provide Indian Boots
or legings for the Men instead of Stock
lngs, as they are not only warmer but
ware longer"
Quite number of officers seem to have
been engaged in questionable praotises
ior their own gain and profit For these
Washington had only the severest Ian
guage, as the order of Aug. SHOWS:
at bias been lntlmated 70 the Genl. that
some officers under pretense has given
furiOughs To Men Recovering from sick
ness, send them to work upon their Farms
for their own private emmOluments, at
the same time the publick is taxed with
their pay If not with their provisions
these destinations being but lightly made.
The Genl. Is unwilling 20 believe that any
Oncer be so lost 10 al sense Of Honour as
20 delraud the Puclick in 30 seandalous a
Names d. therefore does not at present
pay further reguard TO the insinuatiOn
than to declare that he viii show no
favour 70 any officer who shall be found
guilty OF such Ubiquitous practises but
viii do his utmost endeavour 10 bring them
70 exemplary punishment and disgrace
due TO such Male Conduct"
Again on Aug. 10:
lit lie q matter of exceeding great con-
Germ 70 the Genl. 10 find that at a time
when thesunited efforts OF America are
exerted IN the defense of the common
rights and liberties OF Mankind that there
should be IN an Army constituted for so
noble purpose such repeated INSTANCES
oI Omctih lost 70 every sense OF Honour
ana Virtue are seeking by dirty and base
means the promotion OF their own dish0n-
est gain the eternal disgrace Of themselves
and dishOnuUr Of tbeir country. Prac-
tsces Ut this sort viii never be- overlooked
whenever an accusation is lodged, but the
authors brought TO she most exemplary
puuishment."
The discipline seems 20 have been Sc
we're enough IN sOIDc instances The
record Of fiog2ings, dismisssis 10 disgrace,
.. men ca5h.ored for wrougdomg, is q
large one. The following entry. however,
Boamr % have given Gen. BabcocA cspe.
ciai pleasure. Many Of TIE words are
capitalized and the sentence OF the court
concludes with an "Ameu" evidently
put ihere by another hand than that OF the
Adiutaut.
"Col. Saml. Garigh Of the Massachusetts
ioufces lryld by q GEM. Court Martial Of
which Brigaoier Geul. Green was Presi-
dent is unanimously found GUILTY OF
the charge exhibited agaiDs. him that he
bgbayed unworthy an Officer that he is
GUILTY on TIE Rreacb o. the foray-uinth
Article oi the IL gulgtions ~ the Massa-
cluaetts Anny-tho Court therefore
SENTENCE Il adiudged the =. Col. GAR
ish 10 DO CAeHiEKED and rendered i'm.
capable of any Employment ia the Ameri-
can Army The Genl. Approves the som
tenoe 81 tha Court MARTIAL a orders 10 70
Lake place lmmeatufnfv A ME-.