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GENERAL ORDERS BY COL. STEPHEN BULL (Original MS.) Purrysburgh, March 9, 1776. Order, The Troops are to embark this day in different boats now at the landing, on board of which the commanding officers of each detachment are to have their baggage put. Order, The detachments are to take post in the line of march as follows; the Charlestown Light Infantry to take the right; the Charlestown Volunteers on their left; the Charleston Fusiliers on their left; and the Charlestown rangers on their left. The Beaufort Light Infantry take post on the left of the line, the St. Helena Company on their right; the Huspa Volunteers on the right, and Euhaw Volunteers on their right; the officers of line not to take post according to seniority, but to act and command their own detachments. Order, The officers and men of the Charlestown Light Infantry with Sergeant Black, and the Beaufort Artillery men or matrosses to embark in the decked armed host as an advanced guard to the line, who are to keep about one hundred and fifty yards before the line, and then the line follow. Order, That a Sergeant and thirteen men of the Euhaw Volunteers form the rear guard, and follow in the rear of the line. Order, The guns of the advanced and rear guards are to be loaded before embarkation with running ball; the swivel guns on board the boats to be loaded and charged with cannister or grape shop The LINTSTOCKS, wads, and every thing necessary to be on board. Order, That as officer of each detachment before embarkation do examine and see that the cartridges are not too deep in the boxes, but that the caps may be so far out, as to be readily taken out, in time of action. Should the cartouch boxes be too deep for the cartridges, then in that case let there be a wad of moss put to the bottom of each so as to raise them to a proper height; the officers to see that the cartridges are so fitted that they will readily go down the barrels of the guns even after many firings. Order, That the officers do instruct their men how properly to charge with cartridge; that is after uncapping, to let the whole of the powder, run down the barrel, before they ram down the paper and ball; for by neglecting this and ramming before the powder is out, the paper is apt to stop the touch holes and prevent firing. Order, That the officers do examine the guns of the line, and that none be loaded but upon appprehension of an attack, and then the first charge be with running ball, for which purpose each man should be provided with moss wadding in his pocket. Order, That when the line is disembarked and landed in Georgia, the whole line is to form two deep, the right of the line to march foremost with the advanced guard, about one hundred and fifty yards a head; the light horse before them about a quarter of a mile, who are to examine every thicket, suspicious place or swamp near the road, where an ambuscade or armed force may lay concealedas soon as they discover such suspicious place, the commanding officer of the light horse is to send a non-commissioned officer or intelligent private to give information to the commanding officer of the line, which is to halt; when the commanding officer of the light horse has examined and finds there is no enemy in the place suspected, he is to make a report accordingly, upon which the line will march. Order, That if the advanced guards are attacked they are by no means to retreat, but at all hazards maintain their ground as they may depend on being supported by the line. Order, The detachments to be told off in platoons in proportion to the number of officers and men. Order, That no soldier do fire his gun without orders from an officer; no soldier to quit his rank or platoon without leave of an officer. Order, That a roster be kept of the officers and men, that each officer and private may take the tour of their different duties. Order, That Sergeant Black do distribute the cartridges and shot in size of the swivels, and that the eighteen pound shot, spare powder and lead, be properly stowed in the boat, in which the rear of the line do embark, of which the commanding officer of the Beaufort Light Infantry is to take charge. Order, All orders delivered by Capt. Doharty are to be obeyed, he being one appointed by Col. Bull, for that purpose. Order, That a Sergeant and six men do march as a flanking party on the right, and another Sergeant and six men on the left, to march at one hundred yards distance from the line in Indian file, each man to be about fifty yards distance from each other, and should they discover any enemy they are to fire on them, and to retreat to the line, and give notice that the line may face towards the enemy, and not be attacked to disadvantage. The two Sergeants and their men to be relieved every half hour alternately, by those detachments who have not any men on duty in the advanced and rear guards. A true copy from the Col.'s Order Book. THOS. RUTLEDGE, Adjutant. AFTER ORDERS. Order, The troops, for sufficient reasons, do not embark this day, but Capt. John Huger of the Volunteers, Lieutenant Fenwicke of the Rangers, and Capt. John Jenkins of the St. Helena Volunteers, do order their drums to beat and muster their men on the parade joining the Church; from thence march them to the landing where the Pettiaugers are; there to embark as many men as they will conveniently hold, in order to judge of the number of boats that will be necessary. Order, That the General do beat by dawn of day to-morrowthe baggage stowed, and the tents left standing till breakfast is over, and two only to be carried to shelter the guards that be at any out-post. A true copy from the Colonel's Order Book. THOS. RUTLEDGE, Adjutant. (From Documentary History of the American Revolution, by Gibbes, Volume 1, p. 262-264 ) Doc ID: Gibbes, v. 1, p. 262 Date: 5/9/1776 |
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