General Orders, 29 October 1779
General Orders
Head-Quarters Moore’s House [West Point]
Friday Octr 29th [1779]
Parole Cocknawaga C. Signs Croten Darby.
General Heath is to take the direction of the Guard-Boats1—they are to be manned from the Left-Wing—General Putnam is desired to order them down to Peck’s Kill.
Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
Adj. Gen. Alexander Scammell’s orderly book entry for this date includes an additional general order: “Genl Du Portails Guard to be relievd from the N. Carolina Brigade till further Orders” (orderly book, 17 Oct. 1779–22 March 1780, DNA: RG 93, Orderly Books, 1775–1783, vol. 33).
A record in GW’s expense book for this date indicates the payment of three pounds, four shillings, to a man who brought venison as “a present” (household account book, 11 April 1776–21 Nov. 1780, DLC:GW, ser. 5, vol. 28).
1. Heath acknowledged fulfillment of this order in his letter to GW of 31 October.
Heath issued a related order from Peekskill, N.Y., on 29 Oct. through his aide-de-camp, Maj. Thomas Cartwright, who wrote “the Officer Commanding the Guard” at Verplanck Point, N.Y.: “You will plant two Sentinels on Stony and two on Verplank’s points, either within or without the Works as will best facilitate observation. they are to be instructed to keep a Watchfull Eye down the river & Should they perceive any Vessell or Vessells to give notice to you immediately which you will communicate to the nearest Genl officer.
“two men will patrole in the Neighborhood of each point to discover it, if any Lodgment Should be made in the vicinity.
“a Sentinel is to be posted at each Ferry ways to examine passengers & prevent any unknown persons passing without passports from proper Authority, Civil or Military. Any Suspected person is to be detained & report made without Delay to a General Officer. No stranger is to be suffer’d to enter the works unless known & attended by a Commission’d Officer.
“You will preserve good order & discipline in your guards.
“As Judgment must be exercised, It may be well for one of your Subalterns to attend on each ferry wharf at the Hours of passing to examine those who desire to pass, before they go on board the Boat.
“You will please to deliver these directions to the relieving officer, who will hand them to his successor” (MHi: Heath Papers).