General Orders, 12 January 1776
General Orders
Head Quarters, Cambridge, Jany 12th 1776
Parole Pendleton.Countersign Deane.
His Excellency the Commander in Chief, having been pleased to order an Advertisement in the several Newspapers of this, and the adjoining Colonies, commanding “All Officers, Noncommissioned Officers and Soldiers now absent upon any leave, or pretence whatsoever, to join their respective Regiments, at Roxbury & Cambridge, by the first day of February next, and all Officers neglecting to pay due obedience thereto, will be forthwith cashiered, and every Non-Commissioned Officer, or Soldier, failing therein to be tryed and punished as Deserters”1—The Colonels, and commanding Officers of Regiments, and Corps, are now positively ordered, not to grant any more Furloughs, or leaves of absence, to any Officer, non-Commissioned Officer, or Soldier, any former Order, or permission heretofore given notwithstanding: His Excellency therefore expects every Colonel, & Commanding Officer of Regiments & Corps, will direct all those absent from their Regiments, or Corps, to pay strict Obedience to this Order, that no person may plead, or be allowed to plead Ignorance thereof.
Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. The advertisement in the New-England Chronicle: or, the Essex Gazette (Cambridge, Mass.) of 11 Jan. reads: “All Officers, non-commissioned Officers, and Soldiers, belonging to any of the Regiments or Corps of the Army of the United Colonies, under the immediate Command of his Excellency General Washington, who are absent upon Furlough, Recruiting, or by Permission of their commanding Officers, are to join their respective Regiments by the first Day of February next. If any Officer neglects to pay due Obedience to this Order, he will be immediately cashiered; and any non-commissioned Officers, or Soldiers, offending therein, will be tried and punished as Deserters. By His Excellency’s Command, Horatio Gates, Adjutant-General Head Quarters at Cambridge, Jan. 11 1776.”