Lot 388

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Lot 388
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George Washington’s General Orders Fair Copy Re: Doctors, Hospitals, and a Drunken Soldier
George Washington’s General Orders Fair Copy Re: Doctors, Hospitals, and a Drunken Soldier
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Description:

George Washington’s General Orders Fair Copy Re: Doctors, Hospitals, and a Drunken Soldier

This Revolutionary War Fair Copy reproduces just over half of Commander in Chief George Washington’s General Orders for June 15, 1777, and all of his General Orders for June 16. The transcription of each order ends with “G.W. C.I.C.,” George Washington, Commander in Chief. Washington issued these orders from his headquarters in Middle Brook, New Jersey, where the Continental Army encamped from May 28 to July 2, 1777.

[GEORGE WASHINGTON.] Manuscript Document, Fair Copy of General Orders, June 15-16, 1777, Middle Brook, New Jersey. 2pp, inscribed front and back. Overall toning with scattered stains. Chipped edges and an isolated hole near the bottom left corner. A minor closed tear along the bottom edge. A docket portion found at the bottom of the second page is slightly faded. Else very good to near fine and extremely legible. 7.875" x 13."

The Continental Army spent the winter of 1776-1777 encamped at Morristown, New Jersey, but when an outpost garrison at Bound Brook was surprised and routed at the Battle of Bound Brook on April 13, 1777, Washington moved the encampment closer to the Middle Brook encampment, which was closer to Bound Brook. Just over eight thousand soldiers were housed in the encampment, but more then 2,600 of them were sick or disabled. The Continental Army returned to the Middlebrook site in the winter of 1778-1779.
The officer serving in the rotating position of major general of the day communicated orders to the adjutant general. Early each morning, meeting at Washington’s headquarters, the adjutant general read aloud, while division adjutants copied the orders sometimes into their own orderly books. The division adjutants then met with their brigade majors and repeated the process of dictation, adding any division orders. Brigade majors then met with regimental adjutants, again reading the orders aloud for regimental adjutants to copy down. Finally, the regimental adjutants met with all of the first or orderly sergeants of their regiment’s companies to repeat the process. The quality of the transmission depended on the oral presentation, speed, ability, and level of literacy of the adjutants involved, so the wording from headquarters was often garbled by the time it reached the regiment or company .

Based on the officers listed at the beginning of the June 16 general order, this document may have been for the 12th Virginia Regiment, which Colonel James Wood (1741-1813) commanded in 1777 and 1778. The regiment was part of brigade led by Brigadier General Thomas Conway (1735-1800) and Brigade Major Peter Tarling. Major Abraham Buford (1747-1833), one of six brothers who served with distinction as officers in the Revolutionary War, was an officer in the 14th Virginia Regiment. He assumed command of the 11th Virginia Regiment in September 1778 and of the 3rd Virginia Regiment in April 1780.

The General Orders for June 16 also mention the reconsideration and affirmation of the acquittal of Lt. Christian Myers of the German Battalion by a court martial. On June 3, a court martial tried Myers for “Behaving in a scandalous and infamous manner, unworthy the character of an officer and gentlemen; in getting drunk, and abusing the Colonel, and the rest of the officers of the regiment he belongs to” and acquitted him. On June 6, Commander in Chief Washington declared he was “sorry he is obliged to dissent from this sentence; but as he cannot conceive from the face of the evidence, what reasons could influence the acquittal; he is under the disagreeable necessity of directing a reconsideration of the matter.” The court reconsidered and affirmed the acquittal on June 13, and Washington, perhaps reluctantly, allowed the acquittal and Myers’s release. Myers went on to gain a promotion to captain in March 1778 and remained with the German Battalion until his retirement from the service on January 1, 1781.

Complete Transcript:
And Resting there firelocks as they pass, the officer or [missing] to conduct them to the officer of the guard who Receives him at the wright of his Guard with his bayonet at his brest at which time the officer of the rounds wispers the parole in his ear, the officer of the guard finding the parole to be true orders his Guard to Rest there firelocks, on which the officer of the Rounds Goes along the frunt of the Guard, and after counting them, asking such Questions & Giving Instructions as he thinks proper, orders the officer to return his Guard, and Rejoins his escort and proceed where he thinks proper; complaints has been made to the commander in Chief that sume officers is fond of any pretence to Get out of the way of there duty and obtrud themselves upon the hospitals without answers any Use or end, but Reather serves to imbaris or take up Room that might be better imployed; he orders not more than 2 officers to attend any hospital unless there by aplication from one of the Doctors or Surjent Genl of the army, and that officer to be a discreet sensible man whose business it shall to observe the treatment of the sick and Report any Neglect or Mismanagement he may discover he is also to assist in seporting Good order among the soldiers, but is to Exercise no authority inconsistant with parfect controle the doctor should have over there patients all supernumery officers immediately to Repare to there Respective corps
G W C I C O [C?] A
G O Head Quarters June 16th 1777 Major General to Morrow Stephens Brigadier Conway Field Officers Col Wood major Beuford Brigade Major Tarling At A General Court martial held 13th Instant having Reconsidered the proceedings of the third and being Still of the former Oppinion for acquitting Lt Merger [Christian Myers] of the German Batallion the General Directs that he may Be acquitted and released from his Arest the Commanding Officers nearest any hospital are to furnish a prudent good Officer to assist in the Government of it as far as relates to keeping Insolent Soldiers in Order having guards and the like ant to see that justice is done the Sick reporting any neglect [missing] they may Observe, first of the chief director of the Hospital and then if not remided to the Commanding officer of the post from which he was sent, who if he thinks the representation Just is to Communicate them to the Commander in chief, the army is not to omit exercising every day as heartofore practiced a thing so essential aught never to be neglected, unless in such circumstances as renders it Impossible. all parties whatsoever from 30 upwards Marching under arms to march by sub or Grand Divisions unless when the Ground or any particular dispositions makes a different Mode necessary. the officers to be very atentive that their men always keep their ranks dresed and use their feet in consort [concert] which are Equally Conduceth every order. Beauty strength and experdition of a marching body for the sake of regularity till a more Eligible mode shall be pointed out, officers are to salute in the following manner only for a standing sallute they are to order their Fewzees [fusees] and to take of their hatts Gracefully bringing the arm down clost to the left untill the person salluted passes. for a marching sallute, they are to trail their fewsees and take of their hatts as in the fourgoing, in both cases it is to be supposed they have their fewzees rested on their left arms from which they perform the order or Trail, the first in three motions and the latter in two Motions, and afterwards return their fewsees in a line with themselves with an easy extend with the arm, All Regl Paymasters to join their respective Corps, or they may Depend on being punished and Displaced no excuse but sickness and that properly sertified, will be admited for excluding this order. no Regl Paymaster in future to absent himself from Camp on any pertence what ever without Leave from the Commander in chief.
G.. W.. C. I. C.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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