Commission and Instructions to William Morony, Provost Marshal of the Army of the United Colonies

v4:593

Instructions for Mr˙ WILLIAM MORONY, Provost Marshal of the Army of the UNITED COLONIES, under the immediate command of His Excellency General WASHINGTON.

All prisoners guilty of capital crimes, and crimes not triable by a Regimental Court-Martial, are to be sent to the Provost.

The Provost is not to receive any prisoner, without a crime specified in writing, and signed by the person committing him.

No prisoner is to be suffered to be absent from his confinement, until released by proper authority.

The Provost Marshal is to provide a suitable person, when necessary, to execute the sentences of General Court-Martials, approved of, and directed to be enforced, by the Commander-in-chief.

When any men are sent to the Provost, the Provost Marshal is to send a report of them immediately to the regiment they belong to; and no man is to be received by the Provost, except his crime is sent with him.

The Provost is to make a return, every morning, by ten o' clock, to the Adjutant-General, of the number of prisoners under guard, specifying the regiment they belong to, their crimes, by whom, and how long confined.

The Provost is to take due care that all orders from the Judge Advocate, respecting the trials of prisoners, be punctually executed; and is to post proper sentries, from his guard, at such times and in such places, as a General Court-Martial may sit.

The Provost is frequently to take a party from his guard, and patrole the avenues and environs of the camp; is to take up and confine all disorderly and suspicious persons; to suppress riots and disturbances; and to inform the Quartermaster-General of all persons who keep unwarranted and destructive dram-shops, and all other pernicious and camp nuisances.

The Provost is to receive and obey all such orders and instructions as may, at any time, be given him by his Excellency the Commander-in-chief, the Adjutant-General, the Quartermaster-General, and the Judge Advocate, of the Army of the United Colonies.

Given at Head-Quarters, at Cambridge, this 12th day of January, 1776.

George Washington.