Three Rivers
Hudson~Mohawk~Schoharie
History From America's Most Famous Valleys
ORDERLY BOOKS of
The Fourth New York Regiment 1778-1780
The Second New York Regiment, 1780-1783
by Samuel
Tallmadge and Others
with Diaries of Samuel Tallmadge, 1780-1782 and John Barr, 1779-1782
Prepared for publication by Almon W. Lauber PH.D. of The division of Archives
and History
Albany, The University of the State of New York, 1932.
Orderly Book #2
[On the inside of the cover is written the following name and table:]
[Details of Guard] Peter Elsworth, Lt.
Head Quarters Lake Otsago(1) 31st July 1779
Genl orders -Parole
CS.
Field officer for the Day Tomorrow -- Colo Butler(2)
Adjutant -- white(3)
for Picquitt
After orders 31st July 79
For Detachment
[3] Captains 4 Subs 6 Serjt 6 Corpl one Drum & Fife and one hundred and six privates to parade to Morrow Morning at half past ten OClock with
1 Lake Otsego in Otsego county, N. Y. Its outlet is the principal head branch of the Susquehanna river.
2 Lieutenant Colonel Commandant William Butler, 4th Pennsylvania Regiment. Heitman, Historical Register, p. 138.
8 Lieutenant William White, adjutant of 6th Massachusetts Regiment. Ibid., p. 587.
4 C=Captains; S=Subalterns; S=Sergeants; C=Corporal and P=Privates.
5 Total incorrect.
three Days provisions Ready Coocked well Armd, and Accoutred Majr Parr(6) will Command the party and will Recieve his Instructions on the parade.
Colo Butler(7) will at the Same time Detach The half of the Riffle Men under his Command properly officerd for the Same Number of Days who are to have provision and parade at the Same time.
The Regimental Quarter master will see their Regimental Parades well Cleand and the Durt Buryed, The Sinks of Each Regiment must be filled up Every Four Days and New ones Dug.
Head Quarters Lake otsago 2nd August 1779
Genl{Parole--CS.
For the Future the orders of the Day will be Received at the Brigade Majors Tent, Any after orders of the Day will be Sent to the ADjt of the Day and he will Deliver them to the Different ADjt of the Brigade.
Afters 2nd of august 79
Colo Butler will have the party of the Riffle Corps Camp Exercised tomorrow Morning at ten OClock under his Direction.
6 Major James Parr, leader of Morgan's Riflemen also called "Morgan's Partizan Corps." For its history see Journals of the Military Expedition of Major General John Sullivan, p. 354.
7 Lieutenant Colonel Commandant William Butler, 4th Pennsylvania Regiment. Heitman, Historical Register, p. 138.
8 Major Thomas Church, 4th Pennsylvania Regiment. Ibid., p. 155.
9 Not found.
Head Quarters Lake otsago 3rd of August 1779
Genl orders {Parole--C. Sign
Field officer for the Day of Tomorrow Major whiting(12) Adjutant Hutton(13) For Detachment tomorrow Morning with three Days provisions Ready Coocked well Armed and Accoutred to parade with the Guard. Major Church will Command the party. and Receive his orders on the parade.
Colo Butler(15) will order the Remainder party of the Riffle Corps to be Ready at the Same time with three Days provisions as part of the Detachment.
10 Major Robert Cochran, 3d New York Regiment. Heitman, Historical Register, p. 162.
11 Lieutenant and Adjutant George Boss, 4th Pennsylvania Regiment. Ibid., p. 111.
12 Major Daniel Whiting, 6th Massachusells Regiment. Ibid., p. 589.
18 Christopher Hullon, adjutant and lieutenant of 3d New York Regiment under Colonel Gansevoort. Ibid., p. 312.
14 Total incorrect.
15 Lieutenant Colonel Commandant William Butler of the 4th Pennsylvania Regiment had had much experience in Indian warfare. In 1779 he went down the Susquehanna river with General Clinton to Tioga, where he was transferred to General Hand's Brigade. He served through the war and died in Pittsburgh, 1789. Journals of Ihe Military Expedition of Major General John Sullivan, p. 373.
Those Riffle Men who have not proved their Arms will Do it tomorrow at 3 OClock in the Afternoon under the Direction of Colo Butler.
For the future Each Regimental Drum Major will Exercise his own Drumers &c in the Usual hour.
The Brigade Major will Detail one of them by Tower to Attend the Grand parade which one will Furnish him with an orderly Drumer Every Day belonging to the Regt to beat the Dayly orders.
The Commanding officers of State Regiments of Those Regiments whose Companies are not Arranged upon the parade According to the New Military Instructions are to have it Done without Delay and are to have their Encampment Regulated Accordingly.
Head Quarters otsago Lake 4th of August 1779
Genl{Parole, C. Sign
Field officer for the Day tomorrow Colo Gansavoorth(16)
ADjt Dodge (17)
Regimental Monthly Returns of this army to be Given in to the ADjt
Genl the 6th Inst on the Grand Parade
The Following is the Report of A Committee of officers Appointed to Determine upon the proceeding of A Court of Enquirey in the Affairs Between Colo Dubois(18) and Capt Johnson19 of the 3rd N. York Battl which report has Meet the Concurrence of Both Parties
The Subscribers having Convend at the Perticular Request of Colo Dubois and Capt Johnson to Inquire into the Cause and Nature of Their
16 Colonel Peter Gansevoort, major 2d New York Regiment, June 30, 1775; lieutenant colonel, March 19, 1776; colonel 3d New York, Nov. 21, 1776; retired Jan. 1, 1781. Heitman, Historical Register, p. 242; Archives, p. 197.
17 Lieutenant Henry Dodge, 5th New York Regiment, Heitman, Historical Register, p. 199.
18 Colonel Lewis Dubois of the 5th New York Regiment, commissioned June 28, 1775; resigned December 22, 1779; succeeded by Marinus Willet, July 1, 1780.
19 Captain Cornelius I. Jansen, 3d New York Regiment. Archives, p. 200.
Dispute after Mature Deliberation on the Evidences given to the Court of Inquirey together with A manuscript which had been handed into the Court Termed Capt Johnsons Defence Came to the Following Determination.
1st That it Appears to us that Colo Dubois Stands Acquited in the fulest Senre as an officer and a Gentl
2nd That it Appears Evidently to us that Capt Johnson has been Deceived in his information Respecting what Colo Dubois Should have Said of him at Different Times.
3rd That after being properly Apprised of Capt Johnsons Good Charracter as an officer and A Gentleman we Do Recommend to Colo Dubois to Apply to Genl Clinton to have the Arrest taken from Capt Johnson.
4th we Do Recommend that all Animosities between Colo Dubois and Capt Johnson (if Any Remain) Should Extinguished and that Capt Johnson be Restord to the Confidence and Friendship of his Brother officers.
SigndCamp Otsago Lake 29th 1 779
William butler Lt Colo Comdt 4th Pensylvania Regt and Riffle Corps .
Frederick weissenfels Lt Colo Comdt 4th N. Y. Regt
Stephan McCrea Snr Surgeon Northern Department
In Consequence of the Above Report and at the Request of Colo Dubois the following Copy of A Letter from him to the Genl is Published.
Upon the Intercession of A Number of Gentleman of the First Charracter in Camp the Long Contended Dispute between me and Capt Johnson is at Lenght, Compremised as by the Evidences Produced to the Court of Inquirey and by Several Corrobarating Circumstances I am fully Convinced he was Instigated and Prompted by Some Envious and Designed Persons to stain My Reputation.
A Fair and Impartial Tryall has Failed them and honourabley Acquited Me of the Slandarous and Malignant Exspression Propigated to serve their Vile Purposes Not having the Lest Resentment Against Capt Johnson but Rather thinks it A Pity That A Gentleman who Stood forth in Defence of his Injurd Countrey Should be Made the Vile Instrument of Designing men.
if your honour Should think Proper I beg that Capt Johnson Should be Released from his Arrest.
I am your Honours Most Humble Servt Lewis Dubois Colo(20)
20 This document is quoted in full with variations in The Order Book of Captain Leonard Bleeker, p. 101-3.
Honourable Brigd Genl Clinton
The Genl is happy to Find that the Dispute between Colo Duboys .and Cap! Johnson is so happily Compremised however in Justice to Cap! Johnson by the Evidences Produced to the Court of Inquirey he is F ulley Convinced that the Despute would Never have been Carried to Such a Length had it Not been for the Counsel of Those persons who Appear to have had greater Designs in View than Simply to Extricate Capt Johnson out of the Labirinth in to which he had Imprudently Plungd himself. Capt Johnson is Realeased from his Arrest, and the Genl Exspects Every Spark of their former Animossity May be Buryed in Oblivion, as their Contrary Conduct will be Considered as an Agravated Offence.(21)
All The Field officers Now on the Ground are Requested to Attend Head Quarters this afternoon at 5 OClock on private Busyness.
21 This document is quoted in full with variations in The Order Book of Captain Leonard Bleeker, p. 103-4.
22 Peter Elsworth.
