General Orders, 13 September 1778
General Orders
Head-Quarters W. Plains Sunday Septr 13th 1778.
Parole Eugene—C. Signs Eastown Elk.
The Commander in Chief directs that such of the sick in Camp who are able to walk may be immediately sent off towards Peeks-Kill under careful Officers who will march them moderately and attend carefully to their Accommodation; They are to take their Arms and Accoutrements with them; Their Packs to be sent to Terrytown and transported by Water to Fish Kill—Boats will meet this part of the sick at Peeks-Kill to convey them to Fish Kill.
At a General Court-Martial whereof Coll Humpton was President Septr 4th 1778—John Pooler Private in the second Regiment of Light Dragoons tried 1st for Desertion—2ndly Selling his Continental Cloathing—3rdly Stealing a horse and Saddle found guilty of breaches of the 1st Article 6th Section, of 3rd Article 12th section and of 5th Article of 18th Section of the Articles of War and sentenced to receive one hundred lashes and to serve on board such Frigate as His Excellency shall direct during the term for which he is inlisted.1
His Excellency remits the service on board a Frigate but approves the remainder of the sentence and orders it to be put in execution tomorrow morning at the head of the Regiment to which he belongs.
Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. John Pooler, a Salisbury, Conn., farmer who apparently enlisted in the 2d Continental Dragoon Regiment in July 1778, deserted on 9 Aug. 1778. Article 1, section 6, of the articles of war prescribed death or “other punishment” as penalty for desertion; article 3, section 12, prescribed imprisonment or corporal punishment for a soldier convicted of “having sold, lost or spoiled, through neglect, his horse, arms, clothes or accoutrements”; and article 5, section 18, authorized discretionary punishment for “All crimes not capital, and all disorders and neglects … to the prejudice of good order and military discipline” not mentioned in the other articles (, 5:792, 796, 807).