General Orders, 13 July 1775
General Orders
Head Quarters, Cambridge, July 13th 1775
Parole, Georgia.Counter Sign, Huntingdon.
As the Army will be forthwith form’d into Brigades:1 The Adjutant General will at Orderly Time this day, deliver to the Adjutant of each Regiment, a Number of printed Returns, one of which, must be immediately fill’d up, and sign’d by the Commanding Officer of each regiment, and sent as soon as possible, to the Adjutant General; by the Adjutant of each Regiment; on the Back of the Return, it will be necessary to mention; where and in what manner, the regiment is at present posted.
The Commanding Officer at Chelsea, is as soon as possible, after the receipt of this order, to direct all the Cattle, upon pullein point, Shirley point, and the intermediate space between powder horn-hill and the Sea, to be driven off; and it is recommended to the Commissary General, to endeavour to agree with the Owners of the said Cattle, and to purchase them for the use of the Army.2
Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. For GW’s reorganization of the army into divisions and brigades, see General Orders, 22 July 1775.
2. Joseph Reed conveyed this order to the officer commanding at Chelsea in a letter of this date (DLC:GW). Four companies from Col. Samuel Gerrish’s regiment were stationed at or near Chelsea to defend the coast. Lt. Col. Loammi Baldwin assumed command at Chelsea by 28 July, but Richard Dodge, captain of one of the four companies, was apparently acting as commander there at this time. On 14 July Dodge sent to GW a return of the livestock “Brought of Poollins Pint & Pint Shirley (viz.) 80 Horn Creuters 883 Sheep” (DLC:GW). Pullen Point (now part of the town of Winthrop) and Point Shirley flank Boston Harbor on the north. Powder Horn Hill is on the north side of Chelsea. The commissary general of the Massachusetts forces was John Pigeon. No Continental commissary general was appointed until 31 July.