George Washington Papers

General Orders, 8 December 1780

General Orders

Head Quarters New Windsor Friday December 8th 1780

A return to be made to the Adjutant General by the 12th Instant of the Noncommissioned Officers and Privates in the Connecticut line inlisted to serve during the War specifying their names and the towns or districts to which they belong—A like Return to be made by the same time of all men belonging to the State of Connecticut who are serving in any of the Additional regiments (Colonel Hazen’s excepted) in the Artillery Cavalry Sappers and Miners or Artificers1—It is expected that these returns will be made with the greatest accuracy and that none will be included but those who are inlisted for the War as the true deficiency of the State Quota will depend upon them.2

The Commander in Chief is pleased to accept and Approve the following report of a court of Enquiry held at West Point the 19th day of November last “To examine into the Conduct of Major David S. Franks in his connexion with the late Major General Arnold during his command at West Point and Relative to his Desertion to the Enemy.[”]

Colonel H. Jackson President

Lieutenant Colonel Dearborn Major Reid and Captains Cox and Walker Members.3

The court report their opinion.

“That every part of Major David S. Franks’s conduct was not only unexceptionable but reflects the highest Honor on him as an officer, distinguishes him as Zealous Friend to the Independence of America and justly entitles him to the Attention and Confidence of his Countrymen.”4

Varick transcript, DLC:GW; copy, with Adj. Gen. Alexander Scammell’s signature, MHi: Heath Papers; copy (extract), DNA:PCC, Miscellaneous Papers. The extract contains only the material on Maj. David S. Franks.

1For the request for this information, see Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., to GW, 27 Nov., and n.1; see also GW to Trumbull, this date.

2The copy in MHi: Heath Papers contains two additional general orders following this paragraph: “A fatigue party of a Serjt and 18 men of the new levies to take orders from the Qr Mr General at Newburgh.

“A party of 1 Capt: 1 Sub. and 50 men from the new levies, used to threshing, to take orders from the Adjt General.”

3Capts. Richard Cox and, apparently, Joseph Walker served as court of inquiry members for Maj. David S. Franks.

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