General Orders, 3 July 1779
General Orders
Head-Quarters New-Windsor Saturday July 3rd 79.
Parole Cumberland—C. Signs Coventry Bengal.
In order to prevent the inconveniencies and abuses which have prevailed both with respect to the number and management of guards appropriated to the stores of the Army, the General directs the following mode to be pursued in future.
The brigade Quarter Masters are to choose a convenient place in the rear of each brigade as near the encampment as possible for the deposite of all the store Waggons of the brigade which are to be parked in the following order.
| 1st— | The Conductor’s Forge & Ammunition Waggons— | ||
| 2nd | The Quarter Masters |  |
Waggons |
| 3rd— | The Commissary’s | ||
| 4th— | The Waggon-Masters | ||
| 5th— | The Forage-Masters— | ||
and all other Waggons & stores which require to be guarded.
Each brigade is to furnish a Serjeant and twelve as a guard to this park under the denomination of Store-Guards which is to give four sentries, to be posted at the four corners of the park—This guard to be reliev’d daily.
It being essential that in time of action the strength of the line should be as little diminished as possible it has been directed in the regulations that at the beating of the General for the march of the Army “all General and Staff Officers guards and those of the Commissaries are to return to their respective regiments”—The Commander in Chief enjoins the strictest observance of this regulation and as the reason is the same extends it to times of Alarm; in which cases the guards above mentioned are instantly to rejoin their several corps.
A sufficient guard, according to circumstances, will be provided for the baggage and stores of the whole line.
Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
A transcript of another orderly book from GW’s headquarters continues on this date with orders “issued to the Six brigades composing the right wing of the army,” related to establishing “reasonable prices for the produce of the country,” identified generally as “fresh provisions, vegetables, sugar, spirits, &ca.” At a meeting on 30 June, “field officers, officers commanding regiments, the principals of departments, and other gentlemen of the army” set prices in dollars per pound for veal ($⅓), mutton ($⅓), lamb ($⅓), cheese ($½), butter ($1⅓), roasting pigs ($2), brown sugar ($2), lump sugar ($3), loaf sugar ($5), and honey ($1); each for turkeys ($3), geese ($2), ducks ($⅔), “Dunghill Fowls” ($½), “Small Chickens” ($⅓), and cabbage ($1/6); per dozen for eggs ($½); per quart for milk ($1/6), common rum ($1⅓), whiskey ($1⅓), apple brandy ($1⅓), cider ($1/6), beer ($1/6), “Cyder royal” ($⅓), and vinegar ($⅓); per bushel for potatoes ($1⅓) and turnips ($1⅓); and in proportion for salads, parsnips, and carrots. After a statement of agreement as to the rates, the transcript reads: “The General approves and confirms these regulations, and orders them to take place immediately. It cannot be doubted that a measure so entirely calculated for the benefit of all ranks in the army will be cheerfully adopted by all, though for a few days they may be subjected to some inconveniencies. To prevent however any obstructions to so salutary a design, the General thinks it necessary to declare that all noncommissioned officers and soldiers who shall give higher prices than are established by these regulations shall be tried by a court martial for their misconduct. As there can be no doubt of the determination of officers to adhere strictly to an agreement formed by so fair and full a representation of every part of the army, the General thinks it entirely unnecessary to observe that every violation on their part will be held in a most dishonorable light, and treated as disobedience of orders—For the more speedy communication of this regulation, the General directs that these orders be read to each regiment this evening at roll-call” (NN: Bancroft Collection).