General Orders, 29 February 1780
General Orders
Head-Quarters Morristown tuesday February 29th 1780.
Parole Lincoln— C. Signs Law. Logic.
Regimental returns of cloathing actually wanting to be made as soon as possible to the Adjutant General.
The State Cloathiers or their Assistants are also to make exact returns to the Cloathier General of all cloathing in their hands.1
By a division General Court Martial held in the Pennsylvania line the 25th instant by order of Colonel Johnston Commandant—Colonel Stewart President—Captain John McClellan of the 1st Pennsylvania regiment was tried for, “Neglect of duty while commanding the Morristown Picket” and acquitted.2
The Commander in Chief approves the sentence & orders Captn McClellan to be discharged from arrest.
Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
Adj. Gen. Alexander Scammell’s orderly book entry for this date includes the following additional general orders: “The Maryland Division relieves the Morris Town Pickett and the Fatigue for the new Orderly Room tomorrow and next Day.
“A Detachment from the line with three Days Cook’d Provisions to parade tomorrow at Troop beating on the grand Parade. Majr Chris[tophe]r Stewart to Command” (orderly book, 17 Oct. 1779–22 March 1780, DNA: RG 93, Orderly Books, 1775–1783, vol. 33).
1. On 1 March, John Moylan, assistant clothier general, wrote to GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman: “Inclosed is the Act of Congress of the 25th November past which his Excellency wishes to See, also a return of the Clothing now on hand. an Equal proportion of those Articles fit for an Immeadiate Issue has been reserved at New Burgh for the Troops stationed in that Quarter, the remainder is in this store—& I only wait the returns from the State & regl Clothiers, to Commence a general Distribution. pray Inform me what is to be done with the Watch Coats, & if the Shoes Delivered on your Order for the use of the Troops on the Lines, are to be deducted from their proportion of the present Stock. you will oblige me by Sending me the returns handed into you by the State Clothiers at West point, that proper Entries thereof may be made on our Books.” Moylan added the following postscript: “as the Quantity of Blankets will not Admit of a general Dividend; I think it best to lay them by for occasional Demands.”
Moylan listed the clothing on hand as: 4,050 coats, 3,146 vests, 2,977 breeches and overalls, 9,330 hose, 10,730 shoes, 7,916 shirts, 7,504 hats, 205 blankets, 340 pairs of boots, 840 cloaks and watch coats, 1,422 leather breeches, 6,856 woolen caps, 2,794 mitts, 254 linen caps, 437 hunting frocks, 2,634 canvas overalls, 4,834 pairs of buckles, 401 sword belts, 6,134 socks, and 2,396 “Stocks,” or neckcloths (DLC:GW).
2. John McClellan (McClelan) joined the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment as a lieutenant in January 1777. He became a captain in October 1779. McClellan was wounded at the Battle of Green Springs in Virginia in July 1781 and left the army in January 1783.