Orderly Book

Collection, 1764-1815
3 lin. feet

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Scope and Contents:

Miscellaneous collection of orderly books, with the exception of those found in the Clinton, Harmar, Mackenzie, and Wray papers. The collection contains the following items:

1. Bouquet orderly book, January-November, 1764, 2 volumes, 242 pp. Headquarters books of general orders issued by Colonel Henry Bouquet. Volume 1, January 7-October 1, 1764, details the march of Bouquet's army from Carlisle to Pittsburgh along the Forbes Road, 150 pp. It has been published as Bouquet's March to the Ohio: The Forbes Road, ed. Edward G. Williams (Pittsburgh, 1975). Volume 2, October 2-November 9, 1764, records the march of Bouquet's army from Fort Pitt to the Muskingum River in Ohio, 92 pp. This is also published: 'The Orderly Book of Colonel Henry Bouquet's Expedition against the Ohio Indians, 1764,' ed. Edward G. Williams, Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine, vol. 42 (1959).
2. Boycott orderly book, 1779-1781, 300 pp. Kept by Lieutenant Colonel Richard Boycott; contains orders for the 91st Regiment of Foot, December 7, 1779-May 27, 1781, largely describing the regiment's duty on St. Lucia from march, 1780, to March, 1781.
3. Bradish orderly book, 1778-1779, 210 pp. Kept by David Bradish (d. 1818), American officer; contains general, brigade, and regimental orders; reports of courts martial; extracts of acts of Congress; and items on the progress of the war.
4. 'Cornwallis' orderly book, February 8, 1781-July 13, 1781, 148 pp. An anonymous British officer's record of general orders issued from Cornwallis' headquarters, with lists of promotions and reports of courts martial; also includes a few other orders dated New York, late 1780 and early 1781.
5. Everett orderly book, July 2-8, August 15-25, September 26-October, 1780, 66 pp. Kept by Eleazer Everett, American soldier at West Point. It contains garrison orders issued by Major General Robert Howe; general orders issued from Washington's headquarters; copies of headquarters accounts of Arnold's treason and the capture of André; and 42 pages of manuscript music.
6. Fink orderly book, 1812-1815, 2 volumes, 163 pp. Kept by John L. Fink, captain and later lieutenant, 13th Infantry, United States Army, headquartered at Sacketts Harbor, New York. Volume 1, 120 pp., contains regimental and general orders, October 25-May 12, 1815; a register of promotions, reductions, absenteeism; and miscellaneous returns. Volumbe 2, 43 pp., includes 'Rules with Regard to Recruiting,' orders issued from Continental Army headquarters at Valley Forge during winter encampment. [check dates for vol. 1]
7. 'Valley Forge' orderly book, January 20-February 22, 1778, 54 pp. Kept by an anonymous American officer at 'Head Quarters, Great Valley'; contains general and brigade orders issued from Continental Army headquarters at Valley Forge during winter encampment.
8. Great Britain, army, 10th Regiment of Foot orderly book, March 3-April 25, 1775, 28 pp. Kept by an anonymous British officer who recorded regimental orders while stationed at Boston; includes entries relating to the battles of Lexington and Concord.
9. Great Britain, army, King's American Regiment orderly book, December, 1776-November, 1777, 154 pp. Kept by an anonymous officer in a Loyalist unit; entries relate to the organization of the regiment, methods of recruitment, movements of the regiment, and supplies.
10. Hooke journal, 1779-1780, 48 pp. Kept by George Philip Hooke, British army officer in the 1st Battalion of Grenadiers; describes the voyage from New York to South Carolina and the siege of Charleston and gives the movements of his battalion during the landing at Simonds Island and the approaches to Charleston. Included are copies of 27 catch tunes or rounds.
11. Howe orderly book, June 16, 1776-July 14, 1778, 181 pp. Kept by an American officer at the headquarters of General Robert Howe (1732-1786), Southern Department, Continental Army. It includes orders relating to the anticipated British attack on Charleston, South Carolina, orders issued for Howe's expedition against St. Augustine in June and July, 1778; general orders dealing with Indians, prisoners, and discipline; and records of courts martial.
12. Howe orderly book, March 9, 1776-May 1, 1778, 554 pp. Contains the general orders of British commander in chief Sir William Howe (1729-1814). There are no entries from April 28 to August 2, 1776. The manuscript includes returns of a detachment from the brigage of foot guards commanded by Brigadier General Edward Mathew and memoranda of general orders issued while the British were in Philadelphia. It is likely that this orderly book was kept by an adjutant in Mathew's brigade.
13. Polley orderly book, September 19-December 31, 1775, 156 pp. Kept by John Polley, American soldier at Roxbury, Massachusetts; contains brigade orders issued from General Artemas Ward's headquarters at Roxbury and the general orders from Cambridge.
14. War of 1812 orderly book, November 1, 1814-May 31, 1815, 260 pp. Kept at Harlem Heights for Captain John L. Clark's Company, 41st Regiment, United States Infantry; contains brigade, regimental, and garrison orders and courts martial records, as well as a variety of provision returns and a list of officers of the 41st Regiment.

Orderly Book Collection

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