General Orders, 17 November 1779
General Orders
Head-Quarters Moores-House [West Point]
Wednesday Novr 17th [1779]
Parole Pulaski— C. Signs Poland Purysburgh—
Lieutenant Smith of the Pennsylvania Line; Ensign Denny of the Maryland line, and Captn Lieutt Steward of the North-Carolina line are appointed Sub or State Cloathiers p. t. to their respective troops.1
The Brigades of North Carolina, Maryland, and Pennsylvania are to hold themselves in readiness to move at an hours warning:2 All the men belonging to those brigades, now with the Artificers or on detachment (except those with the Light Infantry) are to join their respective regiments immediately.
The Sub-Cloathiers of the respective States or those appointed to act pro temp., are to call at the Cloathier General’s store at New-Burgh tomorrow to receive their proportions of blankets; If the blankets differ in quality, the Cloathier General is to regard this circumstance, giving to each State of the best and worst in due proportion.
The Sub or State Cloathiers or persons appointed to act as such, pro temp., are to report to the Brigadiers or Colonels commanding the troops of their States, the number and kind of blankets they draw, who are requested to have them delivered in the justest proportion to the wants of the several regiments in their line: Soldiers who were inlisted for the war, or three years, are only intitled to blankets: In making the distribution, regard must be had to the length of time which the soldiers have to serve, it being but just that those engaged for the war, or for a considerable time to come should have the preference.3
Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. The general orders for 6 Nov. stated the need for sub or state clothier appointments.
Nathaniel Smith (1765–1790) of Carlisle, Pa., briefly served as an ensign in the 4th Pennsylvania Regiment before becoming a lieutenant in August 1779. He transferred to the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment in January 1781 and to the 3d Pennsylvania Regiment in January 1783. Smith left the army that June.
Robert Denny (1753–1826) served as a private and sergeant in the 7th Maryland Regiment until being named regimental quartermaster in April 1777. He became an ensign and paymaster in May 1778 and a lieutenant in January 1780. Denny transferred to the 5th Maryland in January 1781 and retired from the army in January 1783.
Charles Stewart (d. 1781) became a lieutenant in the 5th North Carolina Regiment in July 1777, transferred to the 2d North Carolina Regiment in June 1778, and was promoted to captain lieutenant in January 1779. Taken prisoner at Charleston, S.C., on 12 May 1780, Stewart was exchanged in June 1781. He died at the battle of Eutaw Springs, S.C., on 8 Sept. 1781, after having been promoted to captain.
2. The march to winter quarters was the anticipated movement (see GW to Nathanael Greene, this date, n.7; see also Greene to GW, 14 Nov., and n.1 to that document, and GW to Greene, 30 Nov., and n.2 to that document). GW learned on the evening of this date that Congress had designated the North Carolina brigade for service in the southern department, and he immediately issued orders to commence this movement (see GW to Thomas Clark, this date, found at GW to Clark, 19 Nov., n.2, and to Henry Knox, 18 Nov.; see also Samuel Huntington to GW, 11 Nov., and n.3 to that document, and GW to Huntington, 20 Nov.).
3. Inclement weather prompted this early distribution of blankets (see GW to James Wilkinson, 2 Nov., source note).