Orderly Book, 3 November 1758
Orderly Book
[3 November 1758]
Loyal Hannon Friday Novr 3d 1758
Parole Williamsburgh
Field Officer for to Morrow Lt Colo. Lloyd.
Adjt for to morrow the Highlanders.
All the Prisoners of the different Corps to parade immediately upon the Grand parade in order for to Cut firing1 for the General.
The Surgeons of the different Corps are to wait upon Doctor Russell2 as soon as possible with a return of their Sick distinguishing their diseases and to explain their Situation.
The Genls Levie hour to be every day at 12 OClock but this day it will be at one.3
Genl Forbes is highly Satisfied with the Behaviour of the Troops this Campaign and in Consideration of the Coldness of the weather & fatigue of working they have to go thro, the Genl is pleas’d to allow every Man a Gill of Spirits Pr Day whilst it can be provided and in Case it Should fall Short a further Supply is daily expected—the Qr Mastrs are therefore to give in to the Kings Commissary a daily return of the Number of Men they have fit for duty that they may receive a Gill of Spirits each, which they are to see mixt with water before they deliver it.
Genl Forbes will review the Line to morrow forenoon at 12 OClock,4 the Qr Mastr Genl is this Afternoon to appoint a proper Field for that Purpose.
As a Number of the Indians who have come over to our Alliance by the late Treaty at Easton are now upon their March to Join us to go to War.
The Troops are therefore to receive them as Friends, & they will be known by their Carryg red Handkerchief with white Spots at the end of a Pole.5
After Orders
The Genl Court Martial whereof Colo. Washington was President is desolv’d Lt James Laughry of the 1st B. Pensylvanians try’d at the Genl Court Martial for forcing the Sentries placd upon Lt Colo. Hamilton and giving a Sword to Lt Colo. Hamilton who was a prisoner is Acquitted by the Court Martial of the Crime laid to his Charge.6
Genl Forbes approves of the Sentences and he is to Join his Corps and do duty as an Officer.
A Detachmt of 1 Capt. 4 Subs. 5 Serjts & 120 Men to parade to morrow Morning at 8 OClock and March to the foot of the East Side of Laurel Hill—The Capt. & 100 Men to escort to Loyal Hannon the Train of Artillery.7
A Sub., 1 Serjt and 20 Men to Escort Bullocks.8
D, DLC:GW. See “Orderly Book, 21 September–24 November 1758.”
1. Firing is here the word for fuel.
2. Dr. William Russell was the subdirector of the hospital.
3. This is the only reference found to General Forbes’s holding a daily levee.
4. Line is used here to mean the officers and men in the various units who would be included in the line of battle. See a return of John Forbes’s forces at Loyalhanna (figure 2).
5. The important conference held with Iroquois and Shawnee Indians at Easton, Pa., by Gov. William Denny and his council along with leaders of the assembly ended on 26 October. At its conclusion George Croghan, the noted trader and frontiersman, got £150 from the provincial secretary Richard Peters to outfit the fifty warriors he had promised Forbes. Croghan, who masterminded the conference, joined Forbes on his march on 20 Nov. with perhaps no more than fifteen Indians (, 151–52).
6. See Orderly Book, 25 Oct. 1758.
7. Forbes left the train of artillery behind the day before when he marched into Loyalhanna with the Highlanders and the 2d Virginia Regiment.
8. At the end of the orders for 3 Nov. in the Orderly Book GW’s clerk has written this heading at the top of the next page: “The Generals Orders at Reas Town until His Arrival at Loyal Hannon, which is from the 14th Octr to the 2d of November.” There is no copy in GW’s Orderly Book of Forbes’s orders of 26 Oct. or of 1 and 2 November. The fact that the orders of 31 Oct. break off in midsentence at the bottom of a page suggests that a page or pages with the clerk’s copy of the orders for 1 and 2 Nov. may have been lost. Forbes’s orders (14–31 Oct.) are given here in this note as they appear in GW’s Orderly Book except that the headings, the paroles or passwords, and the daily field officer and adjutant assignments have been omitted and the italicized headings have been added.
14 October at Raystown: The 1s Virginia Regimt to March immediately and a Capt. 2 Subs., 2 Serjts & 50 Rank & File of the 2d Virga Regimt to March and Releive the Detachmt of the 1st Regiment that marchd with the Waggons last Night as they are to proceed with their Regimt.
Each Corps to give in a list of their Blacksmiths who are to be sent to Mr [George] Morton.
15 October at Raystown.
16 October at Raystown.
17 October at Raystown: All the Men belonging to the Maryland Companies who are fit for the Field Duty to March to morrow Morning for Loyall hannon with the Waggons.
The North Carolina Companies to be Compleated to a Capt. and 50 Private Men and to March to morrow afternoon with a Detacht of Artillery Waggons for Loyal hannon.
2 Subs. 2 Serjts & 40 Men to parade upon the Genl parade this Afternoon at 3 OClock to Carry provisions for to morrow.
The Officers will receive their orders upon the parade.
18 October at Raystown: A Serjt & 12 of the Garrison of Reas Town to March this Evening as an Escort for Waggons To Fort Cumberland.
1 Sub., 1 Serjt and 24 Men of the 2d Virga Regimt to March to morrow Afternoon with Waggons to Loyal Hannon—and 1 Sub., 1 Serjt and 30 Men of the Highlanders to March to morrow morning to Juniatta, the Officer will receive his orders on the Parade.
19 October at Raystown.
20 October at Raystown.
21 October at Raystown: The Troops & Artillery to March on Monday Next. the 23d Instant.
Provisions to be deliverd out to them to morrow to the 27 Inclusive.
The Officers to take great Care that none of their Horses are lost upon the March as it will be impossible to replace them.
It is recommended to the Officers to take great Care in loading their pack Horses that they may not Suffer on the March so as to make them unfit for the Service.
22 October at Raystown: Cols. [Archibald] Montgomry and [William] Byrd are to March with their Battallions upon Tuesday next According to the March Rout they shall receive.
The Artillery to March upon Wednesday and to be Escorted by Lt Colo. [George] Mercer & his Detacht.
The Troops that are to March on Tuesday with Genl [John] Forbes to receive another Days Provisions which will Compleat them to the 28 Inclusive.
The Commanding Officer of the Fort & Fort Guard is to take particular Care of all Fires for fear of Accidents and the powder Magazine.
And to Extinguish all Fires upon high Winds, a Serjt and 12 of the 2d V. Regimt to March to Morrow, with Waggons Loaded with Hosp[i]ttal Stores & Forrage, for Loyal Hannon.
23 October at Raystown: One Captain with a proportion of Officers & 100 Men of the 2d V. Regimt to March this Afternoon at 3 OClock to repair the roads towards Loyall Hannon they will be directed by Mr [Thomas] Bassett the Inginneer who is to take a Waggon load of Tools.
The Troops who are to go to morrow with the Genl are to March at 10 OClock.
24 October at Raystown: The Artillery to March to morrow & the Brigade of waggons with Provisions to follow as Soon after them as they Conveniently can, proper Escorts to be appointed for them by Lt Colo. [George] Mercer from the Troop remaining here.
25 October at Raystown: 1 Sub., 1 Serjt & 20 Men of the 2d V. Regimt to March to morrow as an Escort to waggons for Loyal Hannon. An Officer & the recov[ere]d Men of Colo. [William] Byrds Virginia Regimt that Marched into Cam[p] Yesterday from Fort Cumberld to March Immediately with the Artillery.
26 October at Raystown.
27 October at the Shawnee Cabin: The Genl to beat at ½ past Seven to Morrow morning & the Assembly at 8 OClock.
28 October at Fort Dewart [spelled Duward here]: 1 Capt. 2 Subs., 3 Serjts & 100 Rank and file of Colo. [Archibald] Montgomries and Colo. [William] Byrds Regimt to remain to repair the roads the Commanding Officer will receive his orders from the Qr Mastr Genl.
The Genl to beat to morrow morning at 7 OClock the Troop ½ an Hour after when the Horses are to be put to the Train and the whole to be ready to March at 8 OClock.
29 October at Fort Dewart: The General to beat to morrow morning at 7 OClock, all the Tents to be Struck & wait till Orders are given to beat the Troop.
30 October at Stony Creek: The Troops that Came this day with Genl Forbes to hold themselves in readiness to March to morrow Morning at 8 OClock. After Orders
All the Men belonging to the 2d V. Regimt except Capt. [John] Fields’s Company and a Serjt and 12 Men who are to March down with the Waggons down, to Morrow morning as an Escort to the Bullocks for Loyal Hannon.
31 October at Stony Creek: The Troops are not to March till to morrow Morning.
Capt. [John] Gordons Company of Highlanders, all the Men of the 2d V. Regimt & the Troops of Light Horse are to March to morrow morning with Genl Forbes at 8 OClock & get every thing in readiness to proceed.
General Forbes having observd great Irregularity upon the March Yesterday in the Baggage of the Troops, by the Horses being over loaded and Marching in a very Stragling manner by which means the Baggage might have become an easy prey to the great number of Scouting Parties of the Enemy and the Horses ruind from further Service.
The Genl therefore orders for the future that the Officers give a proper attention that nothing but the Necessary Baggage of the Companies. [The entry ends here at the bottom of the manuscript page. See above.]