March 30, 1777. To MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM HEATH
“Major Austin is a Gentleman and a Man of Sense, and, before the unfortunate Step at the plains, was esteemed an excellent Officer. His excuse for his conduct is certainly, strictly considered, rather an aggravation of his crime, for there cannot be a greater failing in a Soldier than drunkenness. This, however, might have been the effect of an unguarded hour; if so, Major Austin has undergone a punishment equal to the offence; But I think I have heard that he is apt to drink, that is a matter that should be fully cleared up, before I could consent to his coming into the Army again. If upon inquiry, you find that his general Character, before and since, is that of a Man of Sobriety, I should think he might be intrusted with a Commission again. I am etc.”
February 25, 1781. To MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE
“As your March will be rapid to the head of Elk, leave good Officers to bring up the tired, lazy, and drunken Soldiers. With every wish for your success and glory. I am etc.”
May 16, 1782. GENERAL ORDERS
“The General is extremely concerned to learn that an Article so salutary as that of distilled Liquors was expected to be when properly used, and which was designed for the comfort and refreshment of the troops has been in many instances productive of very ill consequences. He calls the attention of officers of every grade to remedy these abuses and to watch over the health of their men, for which purpose he suggests the expedient of keeping liquor Rolls in every Corps, from which the Name of every soldier shall be struck off who addicts himself to drunkenness or injures his Constitution by intemperence; such soldiers as are Struck off are not to draw liquor on any occasion, but are to receive other articles in lieu thereof.”
Rocky Hill, October 16, 1783. To ROBERT LEWIS & SONS
“There is no Miller in America I would exchange Roberts for, if he could be broke of his abominable drunken and quarrelsome frolicks; the opinion I entertain of his skill, and an unwillingness to part with him, have been the inducements to my keeping him fourteen years, when I ought not to have borne with him for the last seven of them.”
November 3, 1784. To JACOB READ
“Supposing this to be the case, their will be an interregnum, during which the works will be left without guards, and being obnoxious to British policy, and Indian prejudices, will, by accidental fires, or Indian Drunkeness end in conflagration.”
Mount Vernon, August 1, 1792. To THE SECRETARY OF WAR
“So long as the vice of drunkenness exists in the Army so long I hope, Ejections of those Officers who are found guilty of it will continue; for that and gaming will debilitate and render unfit for active service any Army whatsoever.”
December 23, 1793. To JOHN CHRISTIAN EHLER
“I shall not close this letter with out exhorting you to refrain from Spirituous liquors, they will prove your ruin if you do not. Consider how little a drunken Man differs from a beast; the latter is not endowed with reason, the former deprives himself of it; and when that is the case acts like a brute; annoying, and disturbing everyone around him. But this is not all, nor as it respects himself the worst of it; By degrees it renders a person feeble and not only unable to serve others but to help himself, and being an act of his own he fall[s] from a state of usefulness into contempt and at length suffers, if not perishes in penury and want.
“Don’t let this be your case. Shew yourself more of a man, and a Christian, than to yield to so intolerable a vice; which cannot, I am certain (to the greatest lover of liquor) give more pleasure to sip in the poison (for it is no better) than the consequences of it in bad behaviour, at the moment, and the more serious evils produced by it afterward, must give pain. I am Your friend.”
65 George Washington,. February 2, 1756, in a letter to Governor Dinwiddie written from Alexandria, Virginia. Sparks, Writings of George Washington, vol. II, p. 132.
66 Washington, George. October 2, 1775, orders issued. Elizabeth Bryant Johnston, George Washington, Day by Day (1894), p. 146. Johnson, George Washington - The Christian, p. 72.
67 WGW, vol. 26. 1-15-1783.
68 “Let vice and immorality of every kind be discouraged as much as possible in your brigade; and, as a chaplain is allowed to each regiment, see that the men regularly attend divine worship. Gaming of every kind is expressly forbidden, as being the foundation of evil, and the cause on many a brave and gallant officer’s ruin. Games of exercise for amusement may not only be permitted but encouraged. Washington, George. May 26, 1777, in a circular to the brigadier-generals.” Sparks, Writings of George Washington, vol. IV, p. 436.
Winchester, April 18, 1756. To ROBERT DINWIDDIE.
“this I am certain of, and can call my conscience, and what, I suppose, will still be a more demonstrable proof in the eyes of the world, my orders, to witness how much I have, both by threats and persuasive means, endeavoured to discountenance gaming, drinking, swearing, and irregularities of every other kind; while I have, on the other hand, practised every artifice to inspire a laudable emulation in the officers for the service of their country, and to encourage the soldiers in the unerring exercise of their duty.”
May 21, 1778. GENERAL ORDERS
“At a Brigade Court Martial May 18th, 1778, Lieutt. Colo. Cropper, President, Captain Edward Hull of the 15th. Virginia Regiment tried for gaming when he ought to have been on the Parade the 12th. instant unanimously found guilty of that part of the Charge relative to gaming but acquitted of nonattendance on the Parade and sentenced to be reprimanded by the Commanding Officer of the Brigade in presence of all the Officers thereof.
“The Commander in Chief however unwilling to dissent from the judgment of a Court Martial is obliged utterly to disapprove the sentences, the punishment being in his opinion totally inadequate to the offence. A practice so pernicious in itself as that of gaming, so prejudicial to good order and military discipline; So contrary to positive and repeated General Orders, carried to so Enormous a height as it appears, and aggravated certainly in Case of Lieutt. Lewis by an additional offence of no trifling military consequence, Absence from Parade, demanded a much severer Penalty than simply a reprimand. Captn. Hull and Lieutt. Lewis are to be released from their Arrest.” Head-Quarters, Morristown, May 8, 1777. GENERAL ORDERS
“As few vices are attended with more pernicious consequences, in civil life; so there are none more fatal in a military one, than that of Gaming ; which often brings disgrace and ruin upon officers, and injury and punishment upon the Soldiery: and reports prevailing, which, it is to be feared are too well founded, that this destructive vice has spread its baneful influence in the army, and, in a peculiar manner, to the prejudice of the recruiting Service, The Commander in chief, in the most pointed and explicit terms, forbids All officers and soldiers, playing at cards, dice or at any games, except those of Exercise, for diversion; it being impossible, if the practice be allowed, at all, to discriminate between innocent play, for amusement, and criminal gaming, for pecuniary and sordid purposes.”
January 8, 1778. GENERAL ORDERS
“The commander in chief is informed that gaming is again creeping into the Army; in a more especial manner among the lower staff in the environs of the camp. He therefore in the most solemn terms declares, that this Vice in either Officer or soldier, shall not when detected, escape exemplary punishment; and to avoid discrimination between play and gaming forbids Cards and Dice under any pretence whatsoever. Being also informed that many men are render’d unfit for duty by the Itch, He orders and directs the Regimental Surgeons to look attentively into this matter and as Soon as the men (who are infected with this disorder) are properly disposed in huts to have them annointed for it.”
Head Quarters, Middle Brook, Friday, April 2, 1779. GENERAL ORDERS
“All General Orders are in force ‘till they are set aside or altered by subsequent ones issuing from proper authority or ‘till the occasion ceases which produced them. Colo. Ogdon knows this and he must have known also that the particular order which was the subject of the Court Martial’s consideration of the 4th. charge against him, remained unalter’d and the infraction of it is more censurable, if possible, than that of any other, inasmuch as the order was intended to prevent the most pernicious Vice that can obtain in an Army, the vice of gaming!”
Mount Vernon, August 1, 1792. To THE SECRETARY OF WAR
“So long as the vice of drunkenness exists in the Army so long I hope, Ejections of those Officers who are found guilty of it will continue; for that and gaming will debilitate and render unfit for active service any Army whatsoever.”
Newburgh, January 15, 1783. To BUSHROD WASHINGTON
“The last thing I shall mention, is first of importance. and that is, to avoid Gaming. This is a vice which is productive of every possible evil. equally injurious to the morals and health of its rotaries. It is the child of Avarice, the brother of inequity, and father of Mischief. It has been the ruin of many worthy familys; the loss of many a man’s honor; and the cause of Suicide. To all those who enter the list, it is equally fascinating; the Successful gamester pushes his good fortune till it is over taken by a reverse; the loosing gamester, in hopes of retrieving past misfortunes, goes on from bad to worse; till grown desperate, he pushes at every thing; and looses his all. In a word, few gain by this abominable practice (the profit, if any, being diffused) while thousands are injured.”
69 Sparks, Writings of George Washington, vol. III, 491.
70 May 10, 1776. GENERAL ORDERS
“Joseph Child of the New York Train of Artillery tried at a late General Court Martial whereof Col. Huntington was President for “defrauding Christopher Stetson of a dollar, also for drinking Damnation to all Whigs, and Sons of Liberty, and for profane cursing and swearing.” The Court finding the prisoner guilty of profane cursing and swearing and speaking contemptuously of the American Army, do sentence him to be drum’d out of the army.
The Court are of opinion, that the Prisoner, Watkins, is guilty of being out of his quarters at unseasonable hours, and of profane cursing and swearing, and do sentence him to be confin’d six days; upon bread and water and be fined one sixth of a dollar for profane swearing, as by the 3rd Article is prescribed.”
September 19, 1755. ORDERS
“Any Soldier who is guilty of any breach of the Articles of War, by Swearing, getting Drunk, or using an Obscene Language; shall be severely Punished, without the Benefit of a Court Martial.”
May 18, 1756. To LIEUTENANT COLONEL ADAM STEPHEN
