Major Tousards will attend to Fort Mifflin, and will co-operate with him. The day of performing the ceremonial at each station, is left to the particular commander. Major General Pinckney will make such further arrangements within his district, as he shall deem expedient Adjutant General's Office Signd W. North New York, Decemb. 24. 1799 Adj General General Orders January 5. 1800— The General Court Martial of which Captain Amos Stoddard was president having found Elias Parker Sherman a private in the second regiment of Art'y, Eng'rs Guilty of repeated desertion and having Sentenced— that the pay now due to him be made answerable for the expenses attending his Apprehension; that he receives ninety nine lashes upon his naked back, at three different times [within two days—] thirty times lashes at each time— having one half of his head shaved and one Eye brows and be Publicly drummed out of the garrison, with a Halter around his neck and rendered incapable ever again to serve in the army of the United States. Major General Hamilton confirms the sentence and orders its execution. Major General Hamilton takes this opportunity to remark, that not only a Stoppage of Pay equal to the expenses attending the pursuit or apprehension of deserters, Should form part of every sentence, but that agreeably to an Act of Congress [undecipherable] May 30. 1796, the absence of the Cultrits from his Regiment or Corps should be ascertained and the full number of days intervening between the time of desertion and the sentence of the court be added to the time for which being bound to Serve. Whether Whipping and a discharge from the service, when in the most disgracefull manner, is the mode of punishment best calculated to prevent the Crime of Desertion, is a question which demands, the consideration of future Courts Martial— Hardened in infamy and lost to shame, the discharged deserter waits only the moment when the disgracefull Marks of his punishment Shall disappear, to reenter himself in some other Corps, again to receive a bounty and defraud the United States against services of this description. What Guard can be placed; or what punishment Can be inflicted, Sufficient to prevent a Crime so ruinous to an Army as desertion. Major General Hamilton is Strongly inclined to believe that hard Labour for the term which remains to them to serve and Confinement in Such manner as to Clog all Attempts if not bar all hope of Escape, gives the fairest prospect of Success; Should this opinion be adopted, Fort Independence in the harbour of Boston, Elles Island in the harbour of New York and Fort Mifflen on the Delaware are Designated as places of safe Confinement. Major General Pinckney will point out Such places within the District under his command, as to him shall appear most proper, and Brig^r General Wilkinson will indicate those within the limits of his Command. Punishment seldom loses its intended effect it is therefore ordered, that sentences of Courts Martial, When approved Shall immediately be carried into effect. The Commanding Officers of Corps Districts and Posts, to whom the execution of such sentences Shall belong Will be answerable, that this order is complied with. and to prevent, in future, Military Members from pleading ignorance of their Duty, the Commanding Officers of Regiments, Troops and Companies are made responsible, that the Rules y Articles, for the better Government of the Troops of the United States are regularly read to the Troops under their Commands. Conformably to the first Article of the eighteenth Section. Officers having in their power, followers who do not belong to the Regiment Battalion or Company under their immediate Command, or to which they are attached, will return them to the Corps from which they are taken, the practice as injurious to the Service is forbidden in future— All Mutations of Recruits are to be sent to the Deputy Pay Master General at New York. On all letters written on public service the frank as well as the Name of the Writer, is in future to be inscribed. The Title of Ensign y Cornet being changed to Second Lieutenant, the change must be attended to in all returns and documents. It is also directed, that Returns not only specify the time when but the place when the Return is made, and no returns in future will be received, if not signed by the Commanding Officers of the District, Regiment or Corps, which it may Concern; when it may be found necessary to Deviate from this Rule, information will be given. Deviations from the rules relative to the recruiting service having been observed in Several instances, Commanding Officers of Regiments Districts are charged to be particularly attentive to this Object and by calling Officers to account, prevent as far as may be the United States from Suffering by the carelessness or inattention of those to whom the Recruiting Service may be Committed, and in order to deter persons enlisting into the Army of the United States from imposing upon Recruiting Officers, by Concealing disabilities Which render them unfit to Serve: It is ordered, that in future every article of Clothing issued to a recruit Who when inspection Shall be found to have been unfit for Service at the time of his enlistment shall be taken from him and returned to the United States. Division Order January 28, 1800. Major General Pinckney in obedience to the General order of the 5 instant designates for the present, as places for safe Confinement of Deserters within his Division, Fort Norfolk in Virginia, Fort Johnston & Pinckney in South Carolina, Fort Wilkinson, Fort Green & Fort Pickering in Georgia. Signd. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Major General General Orders January 10. 1800. Gambling a vice, distructive to the reputation of an Army, & fraught with every evil— not only to those who suffer themselves to engage in it, but to the Army in which it is tolerated, is strictly prohibited; & it is pointedly ordered, that no officer, or soldier play at any game with Cards or dice, at, or within one mile of the Camps, Garrison or Fort, at which he may be stationed, nor for money at any Game Whatsoever. Signed W. North Adj^r. Gen^l. [Extract] Gen^l. Orders. Jan^y 27. 1800. It is directed by the Secretary of War by Instructions dated January 25. 1800— That Cadets in the Fortification upon the Seaboard, and at West point, receive in future the same allowance of Fuel per month as is granted to Lieutenants—