Patriot Voices From the British Invasion of Long Island

MAJOR GENERAL SULLIVAN’S ORDERS
CAMP ON LONG ISLAND
[Colonel Little’s Order Book]

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Field Off^r of the Day tomorrow, Col. Phipps, (?) Adj^t from Col. Little’s reg^t.

Five hundred men to be on fatigue to-morrow to be on the works by 8 o’clock, to leave at 12, & begin at 2 o’clock, & work till half past 6. Nothing can be more disagreeable to the Gen^l. than to call upon the men to be so constantly on fatigue, but their own salvation, and the safety of the country requires it. He hopes that in 2 or 3 days more the encampment will be so secure that he can release the men from fatigue and give them an opportunity to rest from their labors. Adj^t. of the day to attend at the Gen^ls. quarters every morning at 8, and an orderly from each brigade daily. Four men are to be drafted to row the Gen^ls boat and do no other duty. The Brigade majors, upon receiving orders from Head Quarters are to call at Gen. Sullivan’s quarters for his orders, or send adj^ts to take them off.

Col. Johnson’s and Newcomb’s reg^ts are to consider the woods on the west side of the creek as their alarm post, and repair there in case of an alarm. Gen. Nixon will show the ground this evening at 6 o’clock to the comm^g officers of the Reg^ts.

The men not to turn out to their alarm posts this afternoon, (but) to get 2 days’ provisions ready, & to be at their alarm posts to-morrow morning by 3 o’clock in order for action.

Col^s. Miles & Ransom’s (Remsen’s of L.I.) reg^ts. to take possession of the Bedford road this night—Col. Ransom’s reg^t. to march at 5 o’clock. Col. Miles’ reg^t. is on the spot. Col^s. Little’s & Hitchcock’s Reg^ts to possess the Flatbush road & Col^s. Johnson’s & Martin’s to take possession of the road near the [Pg ii.28] river. All these reg^ts. to be at their posts by 6 o’clock. Upon their arrival the troops now there are to retire to their encampments &  get 2 days provisions dressed, & be ready for action. The Gen. will never make a 3rd. requisition to the majors of brigade, to attend for orders.

A return to be made to the Gen. this afternoon at 5 o’clock of all y^e Light Horse & companies of troop within the lines. The adj^t. of Col. Little’s regiment is to attend at Gen^ls. quarters at 7 o’clock a.m. to-morrow.

The Gen^l. returns his thanks to the brave officers & soldiers who with so much spirit & intrepidity repulsed the enemy & defeated their designs of taking possession of the woods near our lines. He is now convinced that the troops he has the honor to command, will not, in point of bravery, yield to any troops in the universe. The cheerfulness with which they do their duty, & the patience with which they undergo fatigue evince exalted sentiments of freedom, & love of country gives him most satisfactory evidence that when called upon they will prove themselves worthy of that freedom for which they are now contending.

Col. Ramsons (Remsen’s) Reg^t. to mount no guard except quarter guard of 12, but be considered a fatigue party, to which they are to attend from day to day. The Gen^l. is sorry to find that Reg^t. flying from their posts, when timid women would have blushed to have betrayed any signs of fear at any thing this reg^t. discovered at the time of their flight.

Officers are requested to see that their men always keep at least 2 days provisions, ready dressed by them. The Commissary is to deal out one gill of rum per man each day on this Island until further orders. Soldiers are not to be out of their encampment but upon urgent business. Gen. Nixon to take command of the lines next the enemy until further orders, to post his men in the edge of the woods next the enemy. Brig^de Majors to attend punctually at the Gen^l’s. quarters at 10 a.m.

The following arrangement to take place on Long Island until further orders—Viz: Col. Mile’s 2 battalions, Col. Atlee’s, Col. Lutzs, Major Hayes, Col. Lashers and Drake’s to be formed into[Pg ii.29] one brigade under the command of Gen. L^d. Stirling. Col. Hand’s, Prescott’s, (Late) Nixon’s, Varnum’s, Hitchcock’s, Little’s, Smith’s, & Ramson’s to be under Gen. Nixon. Wylly’s, Huntington’s, Taylor’s, (Tyler’s) Silliman’s, Chester’s, & Gay’s under Gen. Parsons; Johnson’s, Courtlandt’s, Martins, Newcombs & Freeman’s (Forman’s), under the command of Brig. Gen Hurd.

The General orders that the Brig^rs. attend at Head Quarters at 8 a.m. to-morrow for directions. Brig^de Major Box is appointed to act as Adj^t. Gen^l. for this department until further orders.

A Brig^r. Gen^l. of the Day to attend the Grand Parade at Guard mounting at 10 a.m., every day afterwards at 8, whose duty it shall be to see that the guards are regularly made up, & properly posted & duly relieved. No firing at the outposts to be allowed on any pretense, except by permission of the Com^g Gen. of the day, & none within the lines except by permission. This order not to extend to sentries on guard.

Brig^r. for the day Gen. L^d. Stirling.

The Gen. is surprised to find the soldiers strolling about, notwithstanding repeated orders, miles distant from the lines, at a time when the enemy are hourly expected to make an attack. The officers are enjoined to cause the arrest of any soldier who shall be found strolling without the lines unless they can show a written permit from their Cap. or Com^g. officer of the reg^t. or company. All the officers and soldiers are to keep within their quarters, unless ordered on duty.

All troops in this department are desired to wear a green bough or branch of a tree in their hats, till further orders.

Col. Ward’s Regt. to be added to Gen. Parson’s brigade. All the troops not….  [——The order breaks off at this point in Colonel Little’s book, but it is fortunately preserved entire in an orderly book kept by Captain John Douglass, of Philadelphia. (Hist. Mag., vol. ii., p. 354.) The following order from General Lord Stirling also appears in Captain Douglass’s book:

“The Adjutants of each Corps of this Brigade are to attend Brigade Major Livingston at Gen. Sullivan’s Quarters every morning at 9 o’clock to receive the orders of the day. The Weekly Returns are to be brought in this day. Such regiments as have tents are to encamp within the lines as soon as possible.”]

All other troops not mentioned and those which may be sent here[Pg ii.30] without a General Officer to command them are to be considered as a part of Lord Stirling’s Brigade till further orders.

A return of the several Brigades to be made immediately. Eight hundred (men) properly officered to relieve the troops on Bedford Road to-morrow morning, six field officers to attend with this party. The same number to relieve those on Bush (Flatbush) Road, and an equal number those stationed towards the Narrows. A picket of three hundred men under the command of a Field Officer, six Captains, twelve Subalterns to be posted at the wood on the west side of the Creek every night till further orders.

It is a very scandalous practice unbecoming soldiers whose duty it is to defend the liberty and property of the Inhabitants of the country to make free with and rob them of that property; it is therefore ordered that no person belonging to this army do presume on any pretense whatever to take or make use of any Corn, Poultry or Provision, or anything else without the consent of the owners nor without paying the common price for them; any breach of this order will be severely punished. The Commanding Officer of each Regiment and Company is to see this order communicated to their respective corps and to see it carried into execution….

Brigadier Lord Stirling to command the front of our lines next Hudson’s River and to command the reserve within the lines, and when either of the other Brigade Generals have the command of the Advance Lines Lord Stirling is to have command of his post in his absence. Each Brigadier General to assign the Alarm Posts to the several Regiments under their command.

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From: The Campaign of 1776 around New York and Brooklyn by Henry P. Johnston. BROOKLYN, N.Y.: PUBLISHED BY THE LONG ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 1878.