General Orders, 18 July 1779
General Orders
Head-Quarters Stony-Point [N.Y.] Sunday July 18th 1779.
Parole[ ]C. Signs[ ]
At a General Court Martial held at Stony-Point in the Light-Infantry the 17th instant by order of Brigadier General Wayne whereof Colonel Meigs was President, William Fitzgerald of the 9th Pennsylvania regiment, Isaac Wilson of Colonel Bradford’s regiment1—John Williams of the 4th Maryland regiment—Joseph Case of the 1st Connecticutt regiment2 and John Blackman of Colo. Bradley’s regiment3 were tried for, “Deserting to the enemy” found guilty and sentenced (two thirds of the court agreeing thereto) to suffer death.
His Excellency the Commander in Chief confirms the sentences and orders the abovementioned Criminals to be hung this afternoon at 5 ôclock in the Flag-Bastion.
Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Col. Gamaliel Bradford’s regiment was the 14th Massachusetts.
2. Records for the 1st Connecticut Regiment do not list a Joseph Case, but there is a “Jonah Case” who enlisted on 24 April 1777 and deserted on 30 May of that year. Additionally, there was a “Joseph Chase” who enlisted as a private in the 1st Connecticut Regiment on 27 June 1777 and was reported as a deserter on 14 June 1779 (see DNA: RG 93, Compiled Revolutionary War Military Service Records, 1775–1783, 1st Connecticut Regiment).
3. This person may have been the John Blackman (born c.1756) who enlisted from Stratford in Col. Philip Burr Bradley’s 5th Connecticut Regiment on 5 Feb. 1777 and was reported as a deserter on 20 June 1779. He reportedly rejoined the Continental army as a wagoner on 6 July and became a “British prisoner” in August (DNA: RG 93, Compiled Revolutionary War Military Service Records, 1775–1783, 5th Connecticut Regiment).