The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-06
"yoxEBurAmEnIoANs ON
True story or n Famous Order That Had
tie Origin with W~nshington.

True story or n Famous Order That He'd
It's Origin with Washington.
Some one, somewhere. some time, is said to
have issued an order. Put mono but Americans
on guard tonight" No one knows exactly who
did 80. 1t is said that Washington issued the
order tho night before the battle OF trenton;
but his order book does not show any such order.
Then some one suggested that Ginernl Israel
Putnam issued 1t; hut doesn't rcmcmber
when. At all events, II Is q matter OF accepted
history, as said above, that some one, some
where, some time, ordered that only Americans
should be put on guard that night.
II only Americans really were put on guard
that night IL made things easier for the nom
American portions of the guard that night.
/ But nearly forty years ago Mr.. LOSING, in an
address before the New York Historical So
ciety, quoted a circular letter of Washington 10
his reRimental commandants, in which his Ex-
cellency. IL he didn't use the accepted words, at
all events supplied the idea. The letter Is dated
at Morristowu, n. j.. on April 80, 1777, ana
refers to the Generals Life Guard.
The Life Guard. however. was of earlier date
than the letter. 1t had its origin in Capt. Thomas
knowlton's company of Connecticut Rangers,
which, when Washington took IN OF the
American army In 1875, was the crack COM
mand. shortly after Washington assumed
command he picked out the hangers. added
three other companies to them. and placed
Knowlton in command as Colonel.
Knowlton made his battalion an unofficial body
guard and called 1t Z" Congress- own
Washington's partiality for this corps created
jealousy among the other less favored organiza-
tons, and in March, 1T76. he detached it and
decided to organize II regular body guard. 10
that end he sent letters to his Colonels, asking
for men from . feet s inches and D feet ~
inches in height, and to be handsomely and well
made.'' to serve at headquarters. On Maroh
IL, just before the, evacuation Q, Boston. the
corps was completed 1t consisted OF isU men.
u Majors command. and was r,acea IN com
mand of Caleb Gibbs: who ranked as captain
Commandment; he had three Lieutenants. wash
ington was always partial. however. 10 the Con,
rress's own; Col. Knowlton was IN eommana OF
it when no was killed, Sept. ~, lfo, anu Capt'
Nathan Hale was one OF It's officers.
r Of IN the sI mem lsao. Of ofp the LIE au.rd to murder
/: Washington and his stal. Abolt the middle OF
|, the month persistent r1mors Msfs S aDr ,Se ,2 aP19s
Q Bridge aud TO seize. Washington: Inc rumnrs
\ were 50 definite. that Corhes Tavern; vest
nard's meadows" ABOUT spring ana Wooster
i s s'e soHsp Maa ima.F Were ss Gilbert pi Forbss, SsfseS;
t smith. gave them inoIf; ys arc proyineialC onsr.oS1
s 'lo% FStlip a' L q s'%%,''sSS john Jay ,.a s9&
1 G GoSiS Ma,hc Mer rad Forbes were arrested: pSs-
psrs were founa and seytsse'ot6hff ,P pess0 aS,,
V i nnd satssts 1 teliowe% u on iSjs GS$asd They
9 rested res three belonged tqhhey were arrested " oa
were Thomas Ath Gen. Washingtonss house.
l. Greene. al raulccs's daughter. was arrested
I Junar icion, but she proved her innocence. 1t
Vas on her testimony that Hickey was convicted.
He was "A deserter from the British army, and
had lived Mt Wethcrsiield. Conn, where he mad
horne a good Character and was a favorits of
Washington. He tried to poison the General
by putting poison in a dish of green peas. his
favorlte vegetable: but the housekceper. having
been let into the conspiracy, warned the General
in time. Hickey was tried by urt-martia
and on the testimony of the housekeeper and
"mutiny and sedttion and of holding a treacher-
Gus CORRESPONDENCE with the enemies OF tho
colonies" and was sentenced TO be hanged.
, Accordingly. on June %. 1916. he was hanged
at u place IA little east of the Bowery. near the
intersection of the present Grand and Chrystie
9 streets. The first military execution in tho
t Continental army was of one of the Life Guardl
+ On April 80. 17T1. the guard was reorgRnizeo.
1 Washington was then at Morristowe. lie sent
this circular to the regimental commandants
SIR: l want to form a company for my
4 guard. In doing this | wish to be extremely
Q cautious. because II 10 more than probable that
/ in the course of the campaign my baggage,
{ papers. and other matters of great public i'm
men. This being promised, in order to impress
Q you with proper attention in the choice. l have
to request that you will Immediately furnish
as ss,n I it is sna my further ua wish that this
or a size. desire that none of the men may OK
r coed in stature . feet 10 inches. nor fall short
/. OF . ieet . inches-sober, young. active. and well
e, made. When recommend care In your choice.
, would be understood to mean of good charac-
> ter in the reeiinent-t that possess the pride Of
appearing clean and soldierlike. am satisfied
there can be no absolute security for the fidelity
likely to be found in those who have family
connections in tho country. You will, therefore,
send me none but natives. | must insist that in
making this choice you give no intimation OF
my preference of natives. as | do not want to
create any lnvidtous distinction between them
ana the foreiGners.'
The next to the last sentence is practically
equivalent TO ordering, that none but Americans
should be put on guard.
1t vii! be noticed that Washington does not
speak of his proposed corps as a body guard.
that lie does not was due probably to a resoiu-
ton of the Congress, adopted April l5. 1777,
that the expectations Congress Own. Wash
ought, not to be kept up. but that all troops
should be upon the same footing
lhls reorganization raised the strength of the
guard to 80 men. some OF whom were mounted.
Gibbs was s'nl Captain-C Commandment his Lieu
tenants we're William Colfax. Henry P. Living
The uniform of the guard was a blue coat
with white facings., white w~aisteoat and
round hat with a blue and white feather. It's
motto was ,Conquer or die" Washington be-
in" pay OF the officers of the body guard was
$1,000 a month: sergeants. $40; corporals and
$500. The dollars were Continental dollars.
At the end Of 1870 William Colfax became
reduced to $50 men. and in 1883 it consisted Of
III reconnaissance officers and men. Colfax
mandant. lie was as m us Sesst o%t is @p,G M ifss-
ana tnen settled in Pompton, Nj. where he
The last survivor OF the guard was Sergeant
dd liza KNAPP; a C"nneSticpt man. born in 1923,
him BY Washington himself in June. 1888; it
entitled the owner TO pass and repnss all
any commissioned officer whatever" and, insti-
tuted in 1881. was bestowed upon enlisted men
ity. and good conduct, and on those who per-
formed any singularly meritorious action. 1t
was an American Iron cross.
JOHN ORTIZ, IN LOST ARCHDUKE