General Orders, 18 June 1780
General Orders
Head Quarters Short Hills [N.J.] Sunday June 18th 1780
Parole Vandalia Countersigns Worms Van
Watchword Watch
[Officers] Of the Day Tomorrow[:] Colonel Johnston[,] Lieutenant Colonel Sill[,] Brigade Major Church
As it is at all times of great importance both for the sake of appearance and for the regularity of service that the different military ranks should be distinguished from each other and more especially at present.
The Commander in Chief has thought proper to establish the following distinctions and strongly recommends it to all the Officers to endeavor to Conform to them as speedily as possible.
The Major Generals to wear a blue coat with Buff facings and lining—yellow buttons—white or buff under cloaths two Epaulets, with two stars upon each and a black and White Feather in the Hat.
The Brigadier Generals the same uniform as the Major Generals with the difference of one Star instead of two and a White feather.1
The Colonels Lieutenant Colonels and Majors the uniforms of their regiments and two Epaulettes.
The Captains; the uniforms of their regiments and an Epaulette on the right shoulder.
The Subalterns—the uniform of their regiment and an Epaulette on the Left Shoulder.
The Aides de Camp the uniforms of their ranks and Corps, or if they belong to no Corps, of their General officers: Those of the Major Generals and Brigadier Generals to have a green feather in the Hat; Those of the Commander in Chief a White & green.
The Inspectors as well Sub as Brigade—the Uniforms of their ranks and Corps with a blue feather in the Hat.
The Corps of Engineers and that of Sappers and Miners; a blue coat with buff facings, red lining, buff undercloaths and the epaulettes of their respective ranks.
Such of the Staff as have military rank to wear the uniform of their ranks and of the Corps to which they belong in the line—such, as have no military rank To wear plain Coats with, a Cockade and Sword.
All officers as well Warrant as Commission’d to wear a Cockade and side arms either a sword or genteel Bayonet.
The General recommends it to the officers as far as practicable to provide themselves with the uniforms prescribed for their respective Corps by the regulation of [ ] published in General Orders the 2nd of October last.
All officers and others who draw Horses from the Public for special purposes or for a limited time are requir’d to be punctual in returning them after the service is performed or at the expiration of the Time prescribed or they will be answerable for the detention.
The Captains of Artillery hitherto allowed Horses in particular Cases from the Public,2 are immediately to give up all such as are in their Possession to the Quarter master General: The Exigency of the Service requires it.
The Drummers and Fifers ’till further orders are to practise between the Hours of Nine and eleven in the morning and of four and six in the afternoon.
A Field Return of the officers noncommissioned officers and privates “Fit for Action” to be delivered in at six oClock this afternoon.
A Return of the Killed wounded and missing since the 6th Instant to be delivered in tomorrow morning at Guard mounting.
After Orders
At a General Court martial of the Line whereof Colonel Meigs is President held this day: John Clawson Ludwick Lasick and William Hutchinson were tried on the following charge “Coming out from the Enemy with Arms and found lurking as spies in the Vicinity of the Army of the United States” By the Judgement of the Court found Guilty and severally sentenced (more than two thirds of the Court agreeing) to suffer Death.
The Commander in Chief confirms the sentence and orders them to be hanged tomorrow morning at Guard mounting.3
No Officer or Private soldier to be absent from his Quarters this Night.
Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Another orderly book from GW’s headquarters adds at this point: “The starrs to be furnished at Head Quarters” (NjMoHP: Park Collection).
3. GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman took down the following notes regarding the “Examination of Ludwig Lasick formerly of Sussex County,” N.J.: “Left Staten Island yesterday (Thursday) was a Week in Company with Innesly. [John] Clausen and [William] Hutchinson—positively denies knowing any thing of an intent to steal Horses or inlist Men—knew Innesly to be an officer or at least that he had a Warrant—confesses that they were all to have returned again in three or four Weeks. Yesterday at Noon a Girl belonging to Abraham Veal [Vail] brought Bread and Water into the Barn to them—Innesly was often in and out of the Barn.” GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison docketed this document “Examination with respect to Innessly & 3 Refugees 16 June 1780” (DLC:GW).
Dr. James Thacher wrote in his journal entry for 19 June: “Four emissaries from the enemy, were found concealed in a barn, belonging to a tory, in the vicinity of our lines; one of them, their leader, refused to surrender, and was killed on the spot. The other three were tried by court-martial, and being convicted as spies, were sentenced to be hanged. These unfortunate young men came to the gallows overwhelmed with the horrors of death. Their whole frames were thrown into a tremor, and they were tortured at the sight of the gallows and halters. They had flattered themselves that mercy would be extended to them, and that they would either be pardoned, or their lives be prolonged for a few days; but when they found that the executioner was about to perform his office, their mournful cries and lamentations were distressing beyond description” (, 200).
The New-York Gazette: and the Weekly Mercury reported on 3 July: “The three Men lately executed at Washington’s Camp were, John Clawson, formerly of Woodbridge [N.J.], a young Man of the Name of Hutchinson, from Morris-Town, and a Ludovic Lacy, of Sussex [N.J.].
“There was a fourth Person in Company when the above three were taken in Mr. Veal’s Barn, but he was shot after he had delivered himself up to the Party that came to take him. Mr. Veal, in whose Barn they were found, was carried to the Place of Execution, and would also have been executed, but the poor Men exculpated him before they were sent out of the World.”