General Orders Head Quarters City of Washington Nov. 30^th 1800. The Head Quarters of the Army are established at the seat of Government in this City, and all communications not otherwise expressly directed, are to be addressed to the Commander in Chief here untill further orders. The Quarter Masters Generals Office, the Inspectors Office, and the Pay Masters Generals Office, are established at head quarters, where the Commanding Officer of Artillery & Engineers is also to take post. The following disposition of command is hereby established for the Army of the United States, and is to be respected by all concerned. Lieutenant Colonel Commandant Hamtramick, of the first Regiment of Infantry, will command the posts and garrisons west of the mountains, and north west of the Ohio river, to embrace Fort Fayette near Pittsburg, and Fort Pickering on the Mississippi. Subject to his own, Lieutenant Colonel Commandant Strong, of the second Regiment of Infantry, will have the immediate command of the troops on the lower waters of the Ohio, and the garrison of Fort Pickering. Lieutenant Commandant Gaither, of the third Regiment of Infantry, will command the garrison of Fort Adams, the barrier post on the Mississippi, and Fort Stoddart on the Mobile river. Lieutenant Colonel Commandant Butler of the fourth Regiment of Infantry, will command the posts and garrisons on the frontiers of the State of Tennessee. Lieutenant Colonel Commandant Tousard, of the second regiment of Artillery & Engineers, being stationed at the laboratory near the City of Philadelphia, and detached from his regiment [when] not absent on other duty, will command the troops that may be attached to that establishment. Major Rivardi, of the first Regiment of Artillery & Engineers will command Fort Mifflin in the Delaware. Major Biles will command the posts and garrisons on the frontier of Georgia. Major Freeman will command the forts and garrisons on the Sea-board of Georgia and South Carolina. Major Fox will command the forts and garrisons on the sea-board of North Carolina, and in the Chesapeake. Major Wanworth will command the forts and garrisons in New York harbour, and also West Point, the immediate charge of which is to be in Captain Ingersoll, on whom the command of the whole will devolve, pending the absence of Major Wanworth. Major Maclea will command the forts and garrisons in the harbour of New port, Rhode Island, and also Fort Trumbull, in the harbour of New London, which is to be under the immediate charge of Captain Stelle. Major Jackson will command the forts and garrisons in the harbour of Boston, and on the Sea-board to the east ward. These several commands being unconnected, being respectively a great extent of country, are independent of each other; the respective commanding Officers will be held individually responsible to the General for the zealous and able discharge of the trust reposed in them; and to prevent the inconvenience, the only, the perpetual misunderstandings, and the consequent causes incident to a circuitous Correspondence, they will receive their own from, and are to make their communications directly to Head Quarters, on ordinary occasions by the post, and whenever it may become necessary by express to be employed for the purpose; but the subordinate Officers thus detached, are to report to their respective regimental Chiefs, Quarterly, the precise state and condition of the Companies, Battalions, or Detachments they may command with respect to numbers, duty, police and discipline, and they are strictly to attend to all such regimental regulations and appointments as their respective Colonels may think proper to make, compatibly with the orders of the General, the existing establishment, and the rules of duty and of Service. The General is to be constantly and regularly advised, on the first day of each month, or oftener, in case of exigency, of all occurrences in matters which may require his interposition or attention, and the several commanding Officers are to correspond with him only on all points of Military duty, and on such topics as may be interesting to the State, to the Army and to the individuals who compose it. Returns of all things appertaining to the Quarter Master Generals Department are to be addressed to him at this place. These Returns are to exhibit the Species, quantities and quality of the articles on hand, the articles received since the preceding return, and those which have been expended during the same period. A general return of the troops, and inspection returns by regiments and companies; returns of clothing, of medicine, of surgical instruments and hospital stores and furniture on hand; abstracts of provision to shew the quantity on hand, the monthly consumption and the application; and in general all details connected with the Adjutant Generals Office, at this place. The rolls of Muster and abstracts of pay are to be forwarded to the Pay Master General. Returns of ordnance with their carriages and apparatus; of arms, and military stores; of small arms, ammunition, and accoutrements (not in use) of the implements and materials belonging to the ordnance or engineering departments; and in general whatever may be defined stores of war, are to be made to Colonel Burbeck the commanding Officer of Artillery. The returns to the Quarter Master General, and to the commanding Officer of artillery are to be made on the fourth day of the month succeeding each Quarter, and are to commence on the fourth day of each year if practicable, otherwise on the fourth day of the Quarter which will ensue thereafter. The returns due to the Inspector, and the rolls of muster to the Pay Master General, are to be forwarded monthly, and the abstracts of pay are to be forwarded punctually to the Pay Master. The Commanding Officers of Districts will be held responsible for the punctual transmittal of these returns, Musters, abstracts. The following regulations are to govern in making the returns, inspections and Musters of the troops. Musters and inspections are to be made monthly on the last day of the month, and when it is impossible, from whatever cause, for the regular inspecting Officer to attend, then the Commanding Officer in each District shall, as far as may be practicable, make the musters and inspections, but should this personal attention be impracticable, then he shall appoint an Officer or Officers for the purpose. It is advisable that the inspection and muster of a garrison should not be made by an Officer belonging to it, and the same rule will apply to Companies; but when this precaution cannot be observed, and garrisons are necessarily mustered by their Commandants, and companies by their immediate Officers, the following certificate is to be [borne] on the muster Rolls [signed] by the Mustering Officer, and a Surgeon or a Surgeons mate if present, otherwise by the Officer second in rank. We certify, on honor, that this Muster Roll exhibits a true statement of the Company (or Detachment) commanded by A.B. and that the remarks set opposite the names are accurate and just. (Sign'd) A.B. Cap^t, Lieu^t, or Commanding Officer D.C. Surgeon, or Mate The inspection returns are to bear the remarks and observations of the inspecting Officers which are to be full on every point, on which they are to report, without prejudice, favour or Affection. When a regiment is incorporated, and inspection returns of each Company and a general return of the Regiment is to be made. When a battalion, a return of each company, and a general [return] of the battalion. When a Garrison or other command is composed of different corps, or is made up of detachments; Returns to to distinguish the several parts and to designate the Companies and Regiments to which they belong, and a general return of the whole. In all cases the grade and corps of the Officer Commanding is to be noticed. Men under Arms includes all who are able and liable to bear arms on the day of inspection; and on such days no exemption from duty is to be permitted, but for the ordinary persons of the Camp or Garrison, the sick in tents, Barricks or huts, and Servants who do not bear Arms, all of whom are to be visited by the Mustering Officer and are to be reported present. Men in hospital, those in confinement at a distance as prisoners with an Enemy, or for civil or Military offences; those who are sentenced to hard labour, and those on furlough, are to be mustered absent, and all others are to be returned on Command or Missing; no man is to be returned more than once, in the next return he is to be reported in the column to which it is most probable he belongs. In taking the Musters, every report present is to be seen and examined by the mustering Officer, for which purpose a Surgeon or mate is to give attendance; the absentee, who cannot be regularly accounted for, is to be borne on the rolls; nor is any Non Commissioned Officer or private man who may be on duty other than Officers Waiter, those permanently attached to the general Staff, and artificers, to be borne on the Rolls more than twelve months. When the clothing allowed a Soldier, has been worn the term for which it was stipulated to be given, it is to be considered as worn out, and returned accordingly. "In Store" or "on hand not delivered," noted in the company returns, relates only to the deposits of the Company, and not those of the Regimental Quarter Master or Pay Master. The regimental returns, besides embracing whatever may be contained in the Company returns, are to exhibit distinctly the accounts of the Pay Master and Quarter Master, in which the public property on hand, at the last inspection, and whatever they may have received or delivered since, is to be credited or charged. The Captains are amenable for the truth of their returns, the Pay Masters and Quarter Masters for the justness of their particular accounts, and the Commanding Officer is responsible for the whole. To introduce system and economy in the distribution of Army Stores and appointments of every kind, and to establish a proper responsibility for the same, the following Regulations are to take effect as soon as circumstances may permit, and the General claims the cordial and zealous co-operation of the Military, and those attached to the Service, in the execution of a plan so highly interesting to all concerned. The Clothing of the troops, the stationary camp equipage, Quarter Masters stores, Hospital stores and furniture, medicines and surgical instruments, Arms, ordnance and Military Stores, tools and implements, and whatever may relate to the Service, are hereafter to be forwarded, periodically, once a Year, the whole in season to reach their places of Destination on or before the first day of January, for which purpose it will be necessary the several articles should be in Motion from the National Magazines on or before the first day of October. The Regimental Pay Masters, besides the payment of the troops, are to receive, distribute and account for the Army clothing of the regiments, corps and detachments which they may respectively pay, and the Quarter Masters of Regiments and garrisons are to receive, to have charged to, and to issue Quarter Master Stores, camp equipage, tools, baggage, &c, for which they are to be held responsible. These Officers are therefore to be provided in the field and in garrisons with the necessary accomodations for the storing, transport and safe keeping of the public property confided to them. In aid of such a proposition of such utility, the special concert of the Commanding Officers of Districts, and of the Inspectors of the Army, becomes indispensably essential. [annual Return of wants to be made out and forwarded by the Qr. May in each year —] These Commanding Officers are, without fail, on the fourth day of May in each Year, to make up and transmit to the Quarter Master General, the Inspector and the Commanding Officer of Artillery, correct estimates, carefully prepared and duly certified by the proper Officers, of the articles included in the returns made to them severally, which may be deemed necessary to the consumption of the ensuing year, and the Inspector on the twentieth day of July in each year is to make out separate Returns of the several distinct commands by companies, to distinguish particularly the strength of each company or Detachment of a Company, to designate the regiment and corps to which they belong, and also to make precisely the posts and places they occupy. Of these returns, he is to furnish one to the Quarter Master General, another to the commanding Officer of Artillery, a third to the Superintendent of Military Stores, and a fourth to the Pay Master General. On the receipt of these estimates and returns, the Quarter Master General is without delay to cause the articles required by the Commanding Officers of Districts when correct, otherwise in such proportions as have been customary (of which he is to judge) to be purchased, assorted, apportioned, packed, addressed and forwarded, without delays, to his subordinates, or when he has no subordinates, to the commanding Officers at the several posts at the sea-board and the interior, who, as the case may be, are to receipt for, to be charged with, and will be held accountable for the same. No appropriation of these Stores is to be made, but on regular returns to Specify the applications, and to be countersigned by the commanding Officer. At the same period the Commanding Officer of Artillery is to submit to the Minister of War, returns for articles in his department necessary to the Service of the several posts, who should he approve thereof, will give an order on the Superintendent of Military stores for the purchase, to whom the commanding Officer of Artillery is to transmit it, and the said Superintendent is on the receipt to provide, apportion, pack, address and forward the same to the commanding Officers of posts capable to return, for which they are to sign duplicate receipts, one whereof is to be delivered to the commanding Officer of Artillery, who is to open and keep correct accounts against the several posts for all the articles of his department which may be supplied, and no appropriation of these articles is to be made but on regular returns to specify the application, and to be signed or countersigned by the commanding Officer of Artillery if such Officer should be present, otherwise by the Commandant of the Post. The Inspector, during the first week in August annually, is to form returns upon the documents in his possession of the clothing that may compose the troops the year ensuing; and also of the medicines, hospital stores and furniture, and the surgical instruments which may be necessary to the health, comfort and accommodation of the men. These returns are to be made by companies for the clothing, and by garrisons for the medicines &c. they are to designate particularly, the regiment or Corps to which the troops belong, and the stations they occupy; and when completed are to be submitted to the Minister of War for his consideration, who, at his discretion, will give orders to the Superintendent of Military Stores to furnish conformable to the returns; which orders the Inspector is forthwith to transmit to the Superintendent, together with the returns, and the Superintendent is without delay, to provide, arrange, assort, apportion, pack, address, and forward the said clothing and medicines in the following manner, viz: The medicine is to be assorted, apportioned, packed and forwarded immediately to the several posts and garrisons, and addressed to the commanding Officers thereof. The Clothing is to be arranged, assorted, packed and marked for Companies, and is to be delivered to the regimental Pay Masters at the places and for the troops herein after mentioned, for which the Pay Masters are to pass duplicate receipts, one whereof is to be transmitted to the Inspector by the Superintendent of Military Stores. To the Pay Master of the first Regiment of Artillery & Engineers at the magazines, clothing for twelve companies of that Corps, for five companies for the fourth Regiment of Infantry, and for one troop of Dragoons. To the Pay Master of the second Regiment of Artillery & Engineers at the magazines, clothing for twelve companies of the said troops. To the Pay Master of the first Regiment of Infantry after the current year, to be forwarded to the assistant Quarter Master at Pittsburg, clothing compleat for the regiment to which he belongs, and for three companies of the first regiment of Artillery & Engineers. To the Pay Master of the second regiment of Infantry, via Pittsburg, to be forwarded to the assistant Quarter Master at the cantonment on the Ohio, clothing compleat for the said regiment, for five companies of the third regiment of Infantry, and four companies of the second regiment of Artillery and Engineers. To the Pay Master of the third regiment of Infantry, via Pittsburg, to be forwarded to the assistant Quarter Master at Fort Adams, on the Mississippi, clothing for five companies of the third Regiment of Infantry, and for one company of the first company of Artillery & Engineers. To the Pay Master of the fourth Regiment of Infantry, via Knoxville, to be forwarded to the assistant Quarter Master at South West Point, clothing for five Companies of the fourth Regiment, and for one of Dragoons. Strict regard must be had at the magazines that the articles be not intermixed, that the clothing of the non-commissioned Staff and senior musicians be included, and that every package be properly marked; and should any deviation from the present disposition of the troops take place, the Superintendent of Stores is to be advised thereof by the Inspector in season for his government. The Inspector is to charge to the Regimental Pay Masters in books to be kept for the purpose, the clothing they may receive from the Superintendent of Stores, and is to hold themselves responsible for the same untill the balance their accounts by the receipts of the Commanding Officers of companies, which the said commanding Officers are to render promptly to the said Pay Masters as soon as they shall receive their clothing, no matter by what channel, and a neglect of this order will be treated in an exemplary manner. It is to be understood that a regimental Pay Master is not to issue any clothing other than for the Non-commissioned Officers and privates present, and to enable him to commence this duty with regularity, on the first day of each year the senior company Officers are to make up correct returns of clothing for the individuals of their Several companies, who may be present, to be countersigned by the commanding Officer of the Regiment, Corps, or Garrison to which they may belong. These returns are to be carefully transmitted to the Pay Master, from whom they are severally to receive their clothing, at the places herein before described; for the delivery of the army clothing to the said Pay Master, and to prevent disappointments, duplicates of these returns are to be forwarded in due season; but it is particularly noted, that the Senior company present is always to return, draw, and account for the clothing of the Non Commissioned Staff and senior musicians. So soon as the several corps have taken up the Stations assigned them, their clothing is to be delivered to them twice a year at the following periods, viz: In the Southern States 1^st November. Woollen overalls and vests, blankets, two Shirts, two pair of Shoes, and two pair of Socks. 1^st April The residue. In the Middle and Eastern States 1^st October. Woollen overalls and vests, blankets, two Shirts, two pair of Shoes, and two pair of Socks: 1^st May The residue. When the periods of delivery shall approach, the Several regimental Pay Masters (the company returns having been previously received) shall prepare to make their issues in the following manner viz. To the companies in their vicinity they shall deliver in person. To those which compose garrisons at a distance, by the intervention of the Commanding Officers of Districts to whom the clothing is to be seasonably addressed, and who are to distribute it to the Several company Officers of their command, from whom they are to take duplicate receipts "as per Invoice"; one of which is to be forthwith transmitted to the Pay Master; and the said company Officers shall, after examining the clothing, transmitt duplicate receipts to the regimental Pay Master as before directed. [Receipts for clothing rec'd to be transmitted Rg.l P.M. —] In the case of Garrisons composed of single companies, and far removed from the Superintendency of a District Commandant, such as those of Forts McHenry, near Baltimore, Schlosser, on Cape Fear, Pickering on the Mississippi, and Stoddart on the Mobile, the clothing is to be sent by the regimental Pay Master in one issue, directly to such Posts in charge of confidential non-commissioned Officers, or addressed to some public agent in the neighbourhood, to whom the company Officer is to give duplicate receipts; one of which is to be forthwith transmitted to the Pay Master, and the said company Officer shall, after examining the clothing, transmitt duplicate receipts to the regimental Pay Master as before directed. The regimental Pay Masters are to open books and keep regular accounts against the company Officers to whom they may dispense the public clothing, and are to hold them individually responsible for the distribution of the same, untill they produce the receipts of the men to whom they may have issued, which are to be forwarded half yearly to the regimental Pay Master, and are to be passed to the credit of the company Officers. The clothing worthy of preservation, of dead men, deserters, and those discharged otherwise than for disability, and fulfilling their term of service, is to be returned to the regimental Pay Masters to be applied according to law. Officers of the general Staff having Non-commissioned Officers or Soldiers as waiters, or attached durably to the particular service with which they are charged, may, upon their responsibility, make returns for clothing and abstracts for pay and rations for such Non-commissioned Officers or Soldiers, denoting them by name and setting fourth the regiment and company to which they belong. Returns and abstracts of this description, made by Officers under the grade of General, are to be countersigned by the principal Officer present of the branch of the Staff with which such Officer is connected; those of Aides de Camp and Assistants by their Generals, on which returns and abstracts they may receive from the Pay Master General, or the nearest regimental Pay Master, the pay and clothing and from the nearest contractor the rations for such Non-commissioned Officers or Soldiers. It is incumbent on the Officer who intends thus to furnish his Waiter or persons durably attached to him, to give previous notice thereof to the pay Master of the regiment to which such persons may belong, and report to him from time to time the payments made, the clothing furnished, and the rations received, on account of such persons. Regimental, battalion, and garrison books are to be regularly kept, in which every article delivered by the several Departments to the companies is to be charged, and quarterly examinations are to be made, and the accounts compared to see that proper distributions are made. The Pay Master General, with the Aid of the regimental Pay Masters, is to pay the troops in every quarter, in such manner as he may consider the most convenient, safe and effectual, subject to the following regulations: The troops, when it may be practicable, are to be regularly paid every two months agreeably to the laws of Government; but when from the dispersion of the corps, and the great distance at which detachments are posted from the Seat of Government, it may become impossible to pay them regularly and promptly, then the Pay Master General must exercise his discretion as to the periods and mode of payment, taking particular care to suffer no unnecessary lapse of time to intervene, for which he will be held accountable. The Pay Master of the first regiment of Artillery & Engineers is to pay the troops of that corps stationed on the sea-board, five companies of the fourth regiment of Infantry, and the troops of Dragoons on the frontier of Georgia. The Pay Master of the second regiment of Artillery and Engineers is to pay the troops stationed on the sea-board. The Pay Master of the first Regiment of Infantry is to pay his own corps and three companies of the first Regiment of Artillery & Engineers. The Pay Master of the third regiment of Infantry is to pay his own corps, four companies of the Second regiment of Artillery & Engineers, and five companies of the third regiment of infantry. The Pay Master of the third regiment of Infantry is to pay five companies of his own regiment and one company of the first regiment of Artillery and Engineers; and. The Pay-Master of the fourth regiment of Infantry is to pay five companies of his own regiment and one troop of Dragoons. These Officers are in all relations to the pay of the troops subject to the instructions of the Pay Master General, whom they are duly to respect, and who himself will be carefull so to arrange the business of his department, as not to interfere with the issues of the clothing. It is presumed that by a firm adherence to this arrangement economy, comfort, and uniformity may be produced, emulation inspired, and that every species of irregularity of distribution and injustice, may be obviated. (Sign'd) [undecipherable] Major & Inspector General Orders Head Quarters City of Washington December 9. 1800. The Officers commanding districts on the sea board and the frontiers of Georgia, are to report to, and receive orders from Lieutenant Colonel Commandant Burbeck, pending the Generals absence from the seat of government, at which place the Colonel will take up his quarters, and will furnish returns of Ordnance and military Stores quarterly to the Secretary of War. The Commanding Officers of Fort Johnston in North Carolina, taken from Major Fox's battalion, and of Fort McHenry in Maryland, taken from Major Bates, are for the sake of promptitude and convenience, to report directly to Colonel Burbeck, and receive his orders untill the General returns. Lieutenant Colonel Commandant Gaither, Butler and Burbeck are authorized to constitute general Courts Martial within their respective commands, untill further orders.