New Jersey Historical Society

Guide to the First Continental Artillery Regiment Orderly Book1780MG 91

Descriptive Summary

Historical Note

Scope and Content Note

Access Points

Related Material

Administrative Information

Container List

Orderly Book

Guide to the First Continental Artillery Regiment Orderly Book1780MG 91Inventory prepared by Luis Delfino as part of the "Farm to City" project funded by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Guide to the First Continental Artillery Regiment Orderly Book
1780

MG 91

The New Jersey Historical Society

52 Park Place

Newark, New Jersey 07102

Contact: NJHS Library

Phone: (973) 596-8500 x249

Email: library@jerseyhistory.org

URL: http://www.jerseyhistory.org

© 2005 All rights reserved.

The New Jersey Historical Society, Publisher

Inventory prepared by Luis Delfino as part of the "Farm to City" project funded by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Finding aid encoded by Julia Telonidis. November 2005. Production of the EAD 2002 version of this finding aid was made possible by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Finding aid written in English.


Descriptive Summary
	Creator:	United States. Continental Army. Artillery Regiment, 1st.
	Title:	Guide to the First Continental Artillery Regiment Orderly Book
	Dates	1780
	Abstract:	Kept chiefly by Sergeant Matthew Drury from January 3 to April 7, 1780 at winter encampment in Morristown or its vicinity. The records pertain to the unit commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Edward Carrington of Virginia under Major General Henry Knox.
	Quantity:	0.3 linear feet
	Collection Number:	MG 91

Historical Note

On December 1, 1779, the Continental Army under General George Washington encamped in Morristown, New Jersey. General Washington chose this area for its logistical, geographical and topographical military advantages, in addition to its proximity to New York City. The Army, after years of supply shortages, was just beginning to feel changes brought about by new Quartermaster General Nathanael Greene, but the overall conditions at the winter encampment in Morristown was perhaps the most brutal of the entire war. On June 22, 1780 the Army broke encampment and the following day, they defeated the British in the Battle of Springfield. The Continental Army continued to advance through eastern New Jersey toward the coast and New York City. The encampment for the following winter began in November 1780 in the Hudson Highlands. Lieutenant Colonel Edward Carrington (1749-1810) of Virginia under Major General Henry Knox (1750-1806) commanded the First Artillery.

Return to the Table of Contents

Scope and Content Note

This volume is an orderly book kept by Sergeant Matthew Drury for the First Artillery Regiment at the winter encampment in Morristown, New Jersey from January 3 to April 7, 1780. The second item in this collection is a typed transcript of the orderly book made in 1953.

An orderly book is usually used by the orderly sergeants or the aide de camp to enter general and regimental orders, and there is usually one for each company. Typical orders recorded regard troop formation, maintenance of camp, guard duty, and court martial proceedings. Most of the court martial proceedings were held for offenses such as theft, drunkenness, card playing, or ungentlemanly behavior. Of note is the March 26, 1780 entry that reports a court martial proceeding held in Philadelphia. "The Court Unanamously found Capt. Leut. (Theopheliss) Park Guilty not only of fraud but of Repeated Forgeress & Sentence him to be Casheared with Infamy, by having his Sword brock over his head On the Publick parade in frount of the Regt. To which he belongs by the Adjt. of said Regt."

Return to the Table of Contents


Access Points
	The entries below represent persons, organizations, topics, forms, and occupations documented in this collection.
	Subject Names:
		Carrington, Edward, 1749-1810.
		Drury, Matthew.
		Knox, Henry, 1750-1806.
		Park, Theopheliss.
	Subject Organizations.
		United States. Continental Army.
		United States. Continental Army. Artillery Regiment, 1st.
	Subject Topics:
		Command of troops.
		Courts-martial and courts of inquiry--United States.
		Military art and science--United States.
		Military camps--New Jersey--Morristown.
		Military offenses--United States.
		Soldiers--United States.
	Subject Places:
		Morristown (N.J.)
		New Jersey--History--Revolution, 1775-1783.
		United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783.
	Document Types:
		Orderly Books.
		Transcripts.