General Orders, 9 February 1780
General Orders
Head-Quarters Morristown Wednesday Feby 9th 1780.
Parole Nantuckett— C. Signs Nantz. Naples.
By a General Court Martial held at the Park of Artillery January 22nd 1780—Lieut. Colonel Stephens Presidt—Daniel Thorn, Joseph Fabro and David Slater were tried for “Striking, abusing and threatning the lives of Lieutenant Weissenfels of the 4th New-York regiment and Ensign Denston” and acquitted.1
The General disapproves the acquittal—The evidence against the Prisoners, in his opinion, overbalances that for them from a consideration of the characters of the respective witnesses; and in a case of such a nature the presumption ought to have been in favor of the officers who were injur’d.
The prisoners are to be released from confinement.
Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
Adj. Gen. Alexander Scammell’s orderly book entry for this date includes the following additional general orders: “Clintons and starks Brigades will relieve the Main Guard Tomorrow Morning. They also furnish the Fatigue for the Orderly room Tomorrow & next Day.
“General st Clairs Division will relieve the Morris Town Pickett Tomorrow at one o’Clock” (orderly book, 17 Oct. 1779–22 March 1780, DNA: RG 93, Orderly Books, 1775–1783, vol. 33).
1. Daniel Thorne of New Windsor, N.Y., enlisted as a corporal in 2d Continental Artillery Regiment in August 1777 for a term of three years.
David Slater enlisted as a matross in the 2d Continental Artillery Regiment in March 1777 for a term of three years.
Charles Frederick Weissenfels (c.1761–1795) served in the 2d New York Regiment, not the 4th New York Regiment. Weissenfels joined the 5th New York Regiment (formerly Col. John Nicholson’s regiment of New York Continentals) as an ensign in July 1776. He transferred to the 2d New York Regiment as a second lieutenant in November 1776 and received promotion to first lieutenant in September 1778. Weissenfels became regimental quartermaster in October 1779 and left the army in June 1783.
Daniel Denniston (1758–1824) joined the 4th New York Regiment as an ensign in November 1777. He became a lieutenant in April 1780. Denniston transferred to the 2d New York Regiment in January 1781 and left the army in June 1783.