General Orders, 19 March 1780
General Orders
Head-Quarters Morristown sunday March 19th 1780.
Parole Bacon— C. Signs Beef. Brandy.
Two trusty soldiers from each regiment of Infantry and a good active serjeant from each brigade with their Arms Accoutrements, Blankets, Packs &c. are to assemble on the grand parade tomorrow morning at troop beating—The officers of the day will have them formed into Platoons and the Brigade Major of the day will march them to Head-Quarters where they are to join His Excellency’s Guards ’till further orders.1
Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
On this date, Col. John Gunby wrote GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison from “Kembles,” presumably the home of Peter Kemble within the Continental army’s winter encampment at Jockey Hollow, N.J.: “I beg leave to call your attention for a few minutes on a subject that concerns Several Officers of the first Maryland Brigade. The State of Maryland have lately sent up a parcel of cloth for the use of her Officers, this cloth consisted of several different qualities, no proper method was taken for a distribution, the State Clothier have taken upon himself to deliver choice of this cloth, to particular Gentlemen in our Line, at a time when others could not, nor did not expect any delivery would be made, Application has been made to the Commandant of the Division, to take some order respecting this matter, that Justice might be done, his answer was, that the method of delivery was not proper, but his authority was not Sufficient to give Order in it, the Cloth delivered in this unjust partial manner, still remain in the hands of the Gentlemen delivered to, in the same order that it was when delivered, that an order for a redelivery of the Cloth, and to have it proportioned to the different Regiments agreable to its Quality, & quantity, thro the hands of Regimental Clothiers, would be a line that Justice might be done in, please do in this matter what you may think right” (DLC:GW). Maj. Gen. Johann Kalb commanded the Maryland division.
Harrison replied to Gunby on the same date: “I have received Your Favor of this date and am exceedingly sorry that the difficulties you mention, exist: But the cloathing sent by the State for her Officers being of a more State nature and subject it would seem of course to a mode of distribution to be fixed and adjusted by themselves, I do not see how His Excellency could interfere or give any order with respect to it. In this view—and as I know that he declined having any thing to do with the distribution of the Cloathing & Stores furnished by Virginia to her Officers and has never given any direction in the instance of any—I have not communicated the subject of your Letter to him, which probably was your intention. It would not certainly be difficult for a division to take place upon just & proper principles—and I would willingly hope from the evident propriety of the thing and the spirit of accomodation in all the Gentlemen interested that one will be made in a manner agreable to the Whole” (DLC:GW).
Gunby’s grievance eventually reached the Maryland Council, which wrote Brig. Gen. William Smallwood on 18 April: “We are much concerned that Mr Randall, by his Manner of distributing the Cloth purchased for the Officers has given Cause for the Complaint of Partiality, mentioned in Colo[nel] Gunby’s Letter to you and can assure you that it is our Inclination to remove that and every other Ground of Disgust and Uneasiness among the Officers and we shall take such Measures as will effectually prevent the like Complaint” (, 43:144–45). A courtmartial acquitted Maryland state clothier John Randall of charges related to Gunby’s complaint (see “After Orders” with the general orders for 17 April, and n.4).
1. The general orders for 12 April clarified that this addition to GW’s personal guard was temporary.