George Washington Papers

General Orders, 4 February 1777

General Orders

Head-Quarters, Morristown, Feb: 4th 1777

Parole: Stanton.Countersign: Pittsburgh.

The Honorable The Governor and Assembly of New-Jersey, having directed Thursday the 6th day of this Month, to be observed as a Day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer, by the Inhabitants of the State—The General desires the same may be observed by the Army.1

The Quarter Master General will, in future, deliver the following Rations of Provender for the horses employed in the service—viz:

For Light Horse, 16 lb. of Hay, and 10 Quarts of Oats, or 6½ q’ts of Indian Corn, or other Grain in lieu thereof.

For Officer’s Horses belonging to the Foot, who are authorised to draw provender—14 lb. Hay and 6 quarts of Oats, or 4 Q’ts of Indian Corn, or other Grain in lieu thereof.

Varick transcript, DLC:GW; extract, PHi: Washington-Biddle Correspondence.

1For William Livingston’s proclamation of 17 Jan. 1777 setting aside a day of prayer and fasting for the inhabitants of the state of New Jersey in accordance with Congress’s resolution to that effect of 11 Dec. 1776, see Prince, Livingston Papers description begins Carl E. Prince et al., eds. The Papers of William Livingston. 5 vols. Trenton and New Brunswick, N.J., 1979–88. description ends , 1:200–201 (see also JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 6:1022). The date fixed for observance by Livingston was not 6 Feb. but Thursday 6 Mar., however (see General Orders, 5 Feb. 1777).

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