General orders. Headquarters, Boston, March 1, 1794 ... By order of the Commander in Chief. William Donnison, Adjutant General. [Boston: Printed by Adams and Larkin,1794].

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GENERAL ORDERS.

Head-Quarters, Boston, March 1, 1794.

THE chief command of the Militia of the sovereign and independent Commonwealth of Massachusetts, by the decease of the late Governor, has devolved on the Lieutenant-Governor--and he feels it equally consonant with his wishes, as it is with his duty, to encourage and strengthen it, by contributing towards the preservation of good regulation, and the advancement of discipline therein.

A well regulated Militia, composed of the great body of the Citizens, is always the chief dependence of a free people for their defen?e. Americans have ever esteemed the right of keeping and bearing Arms, as an honorable mark of their freedom; and the Citizens of Massachusetts, have ever demonstrated how highly they prize that right, by the Constitution they have adopted, and the Laws they have enacted, for the establishment of a permanent Militia--by the readiness and alacrity with which they equip themselves, and march to the field--and by the honest pride they feel whenever they put on the exalted character of Citizen-Soldiers.

The Commander in Chief having made himself acquainted with the actual situation of the Militia, observes, that less time is required of the Citizens to be devoted to military duties by the present, than by the former Law; but he is inclined to believe if carried fully into effect, it will be perfectly adequate to the great object intended, of keeping in proper array, the numerous and powerful Militia of Massachusetts: And while he has the highest confidence in the honor and public spirit of the Officers, he has the same reliance on the patriotism of the other Citizens, that they will conform to its important injuctions.

He expects that the Militia will be regularly called out by Companies, at suitable seasons for exercise, and the completion of the Rolls; and by Regiments or Battalions for review, inspection and discipline. The Major-Generals will accordingly issue their Orders within their several Divisions, early in the season, for the regimental or battalion musters: And notwithstanding the Cavalry and Artillery may be formed into Battalions and Squadrons, yet it is expected that the several Companies will be mustered with the Regiments of Infantry.

The Officers of Inspection will attend their duty within their respective districts, as well with regard to the Magazines, as to the several Corps of Militia which shall be assembled; and if, when mustered by Battalions or other small Bodies, the Inspectors cannot be present at every Muster, by reason of their interference in point of time, the Commanding-Officers of Regiments may in such cafes direct the Adjutants of Regiments to make the Inspection, and to send the Inspection Rolls with suitable remarks thereon to the Brigade-Inspectors. Returns of the Corps inspected, together with Reports on the state of the Magazines, will be made to the Adjutant-General before the first day of December next.

It is observed that there are many deficiencies in the Annual Returns for the year past. In several instances none have been received; and in others they are so imperfect as to be of little service in shewing the real strength of the Corps, entire Regiments and Companies being omitted; however, with a little attention of the Officers, a remedy is provided against the continuance of this evil, by the regulation requiring the Commanding-Officer of every Company constantly to keep by him a Muster-Roll, comprehending a complete state of his Company, with the Arms and Equipments belonging to each man; and also requiring him annually to revise and correct the same on a fixed day of the year--From this arrangement, if fully complied with, it will always hereafter be easy to obtain exact and punctual Returns of the Militia. The Commanding-Officers of Regiments will therefore be particularly careful not to suffer a neglect in the completion of

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the Company Muster-Rolls; these being the only proper source from whence the Annual Returns are to be derived. No omission of an entire Corps will be admitted in any Return in future; but if any circumstance shall make it absolutely impossible to obtain the Return of a Company, the last best Return of such Company must be inserted in the Return of the Regiment, and the cause thereof noted at the bottom.

However well satisfied the Commander in Chief may be of the disposition of both Officers and Men to carry into full operation the system established for regulating and disciplining the Militia; yet he has some reason to apprehend, that from a want of conviction of its importance, indulgencies are tolerated in some instances, which have a very pernicious tendency.--To suffer Men to be unnecessarily absent from duty with impunity, is not only an offence against the Government, but is an injury done to those good Citizens who readily obey the summons of their Commanding-Officer.--To countenance Men on a Muster-Day in leaving at home their Cartridge-Boxes and other Equipments under pretence of their being cumbersome to carry into the Field, is to give up an essential idea of military propriety.--He believes however, indulgencies like these are rare, and need only to be mentioned, to be remedied; and he hopes that in future every Man will not only appear complete in Arms and Equipments, but that he will be ambitious to have them bright and in good order.

The Law has made provision for preserving to the Regiments and Companies the Laws and Orderly Books, in cases of Officers resigning, by making it requisite that Certificates from the Commanding-Officers of Regiments, shall accompany the resignations, purporting that the Books have been delivered up: But although the Law does not expressly provide for the recovery of them in cases of death and removal of Officers, yet as it appears to be its true intention, it is highly proper that due care be taken to recover and restore them to the Corps to which they belong.

The expenses to which Officers are continually exposed by the custom of Treating and making costly Entertainments at Musters, appearing to be one great source of the numerous Resignations which daily take place; the Commander in Chief is of opinion, that the practice is highly improper, and has a direct tendency to disorganize the Militia, by compelling many valuable Officers to quit their stations at a time when they have become most useful; and thus by a continual rotation, discipline is greatly impeded and often subverted. He therefore strongly recommends oeconomy on those occasions, as being characteristic of a brave and free People, who have the defence of their Country committed to their charge.

Several Officers having expressed doubts as to the extent of their authority with regard to Mariners inhabiting within their districts. The Commander in Chief directs, that, when they are not "actually employed in any sea service of any citizen, in vessels above thirty tons burthen," they must according to law be enrolled and required to do duty as other Citizens are--and all such Mariners must be armed and equipped in the same manner.

Happy as we are in the enjoyment of a free and equal Constitution of Government--at a time when the Sovereigns of Europe are combined to establish the ancient despotism upon the ruins of the French Republic, we ought to be apprehensive for the safety of our own Liberty and Independence. To be prepared for War, is the most likely way to preserve our Peace. Inaction and confident security will ever invite the lawless invader. But by a vigilant attention to the Military Duties, enjoined by the Laws, the Militia alone may be made capable of defending our Country and our Rights, against any Nation which may dare to attack them in the bosom of our extended Territory.

By Order of the Commander in Chief,
WILLIAM DONNISON, Adjutant-General.

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