General Orders, 30 August 1780
General Orders
Head Quarters Tean Neck [N.J.] Wednesday August 30th 1780
Parole Vandalia Countersigns H: W.
Watchword All’s well
[Officers] For the Day Tomorrow[:] Brigadier General Patterson[,] Colonel Putnam[,] Lieutenant Colonel Barber[,] Brigade Major Darby. For Guard[:] Major Ball.
Colonel Biddle requests the favor of the gentlemen of the Army who have Accounts for horsekeeping unsettled to make them out to the 4th instant and send them to his office in Camp for settlement that he may certify the balances due and make Application to the honorable the Treasury board for money to discharge them. He now Quarters at Mr Voorhees’s between the Newbridge and Hackinsack.1
At the General Court Martial whereof Colonel Greaton is President—Captain Peter Manifold of the 4th regiment of light dragoons was tried for
“Disposing of a horse belonging to said regiment.”
The Court are of opinion that though Captain Manifold sold a horse belonging to the public he did not sell it with an intent of defrauding the regiment or the public: Yet as the selling a horse or any other Property belonging to the public without proper Authority is in their opinion censurable and the precedent may be of ill consequence, they do sentence that Captain Manifold do replace the horse by another of equal value and that Captain Manifold be reprimanded in General orders.
The General confirms the sentence and agrees in opinion with the Court that Captain Manifold had no fraudulent intention yet the sale of a public horse was certainly extremely improper as the practice if admitted, would be a cover for the greatest abuses; it is besides not enough that an officer should be guilty of nothing dishonorable the delicacy of his Character requires that he should avoid even the appearance of it—Captain Manifold is released from his Arrest.2
Thomas Reiley soldier in the 7th Pennsylvania regiment was tried at the division General court martial whereof Major Hamilton is president for “Attempting to Desert to the Enemy.”
The Court having deliberately considered every circumstance both for and against the prisoner are of opinion he is guilty of the charge exhibited against him being a breach of Article 1st Section 6th of the Articles of War and do sentence him to suffer Death more than two thirds of the Court agreeing thereto.
The Commander in Chief approves the sentence but from the former good Character of the prisoner and intercession of some of his Officers he is pleased to pardon him and order him released from Confinement.3
It was omitted in the order of the 28th Instant regulating the Issues of rum “That the regimental Surgeons are to draw the same quantity as a Captain and the Mates as a Subaltern.[”]4
Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. For Van Voorhees family members living near Hackensack, N.J., see , 582, 597, 605, 622.
2. Peter Manifold (d. 1818) became a Pennsylvania militia lieutenant in August 1777. He joined the 4th Continental Dragoons as a cornet in April 1778, ascended to lieutenant that November, and rose to captain in April 1779.
Manifold wrote GW from camp at Totowa on 25 Oct. 1780: “Having had the honour to Command a Troop of Light Dragoons in the Army under your Excellency’s Command for a considerable time, to decline such a Command is to me very disagreeable; however my peculiar circumstances renders it utterly impracticab⟨le⟩) for me to continue any longer in the service. this is occasioned by my relatives being in Europe, and Am called to go thither on business which is to me of importance, and without my presence canno⟨t⟩ be transacted. These Considerations obliges m⟨e⟩ to request your Excellency to accept my resignation” (ALS, DNA: RG 93, manuscript file no. 20179).
3. The first article of the sixth section of the articles of war reads: “All officers and soldiers, who having received pay, or having been duly inlisted in the service of the United States, shall be convicted of having deserted the same, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as by a court-martial shall be inflicted” (, 5:792).
Thomas Riley enlisted in the 7th Pennsylvania Regiment in April 1778 to serve for the war.
4. See the general orders for 28 August.