General Orders, 2 June 1778
General Orders
Head-Quarters V. Forge June 2nd 1778.
Parole Montgomery—C. Signs Mercer. McClary—
At a General Court Martial, Coll Chambers Presidt 29th May, Lieutt Coll Gray of 12th Pennsylvania Regt tried for unofficer and ungentlemanlike behaviour in entering into Private Contracts with the soldiers of his Regiment for the deficiencies of rations by which means and other unwarrantable practices the soldiers are defrauded of a considerable sum of Money, found guilty of the charges exhibited against him being a breach of the 21st Article of the 14th section of the Articles of War and sentenced to be cashiered and that agreeable to the 22nd Article of the 14th section of the Articles of War his Crime, Name, Place of Abode & Punishment be publish’d in the News-Papers in and about Camp and of that particular state from which he came or in which he usually resides.1
His Excellency the Commander in Chief approves the sentence and orders it to take place.
At the same Court Lieutt Webb of the 7th Virginia Regiment was tried for disobedience of Orders for going upon duty in a hunting shirt after confessing he had a Coat and being desired if he had no regard for his own Appearance to have some for the Credit of his Regiment & therefore not to appear in so unofficerlike a manner—found guilty and sentenced to be reprimanded by the Officer commanding the Regiment to which he belongs in presence of the officers of the Regimt.2
The General approves the sentence & orders it put in Execution tomorrow morning at Roll-Call.
Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Neigal Gray (d. 1786) of Northampton County, Pa., was appointed a captain in his home county’s militia in May 1775 and became a lieutenant colonel of the 12th Pennsylvania Regiment in September 1776. His court-martial and sentence were published in the Pennsylvania Packet (Lancaster) of 6 June. For the cited articles of war, see , 5:804.
2. Isaac Webb, Jr. (1758–1833), of Richmond County, Va., was appointed an ensign in the 7th Virginia Regiment in September 1776 and promoted to second lieutenant in January 1777. He transferred to the 5th Virginia Regiment in September 1778 and was promoted to first lieutenant a short time later. He resigned in February 1780 but was reinstated as a captain the next year and served to the end of the war.