Manuscript orderly book detailing day to day activities of multiple Virginia regiments in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, beginning at Williamsburg, Virginia, June 12, 1776 and ending at George Washington's headquarters at Wilmington, Delaware, August 26, 1777. Includes 44 pages front and back with approximately 58 dated entries. Sites listed include Williamsburg, VA; College Camp, VA: Camp Crossroads, PA; Ramapo, NJ/NY; Roxboro, PA; "Stenton near Germantown," PA; and Wilmington, Delaware. Note: This recently discovered book has descended through an important NJ Revolutionary War family: Major Joseph Morris, his wife Hannah, and their son, Lt. Jonathan Ford Morris. Of early interest are events during June and July of 1776, as several newly formed units of the Virginia Line were being trained and transitioned into the Continental Army at the state's then-capital, Williamsburg. Entries in the book stop at Williamsburg, July 8, 1776 and resume on July 9, 1777, with the Virginia Line then at George Washington's headquarters at Morristown, New Jersey (no pages have been removed in this transition). An additional point of key interest is August, 1777 when the troops were with Washington at Camp Cross Roads at Warwick Township, Pennsylvania during a period known as The Neshaminy Encampment. The Virginia Line had been engaged in a grueling period of strategic maneuvering defined by a nearly 100 mile march in the heat, low morale, and frustration by a lack of news about the enemy's whereabouts. The book records numerous court martial proceedings brought on by bad behavior at every troop level. Then, on Aug. 22, Washington received crucial intelligence that Gen. Howe's fleet had finally anchored in Chesapeake Bay, threatening the temporary American capital of Philadelphia. He ordered the Continental Army to immediately prepare to march South, at the same time urging a higher standard for his officers: "The commander-in-chief regrets that he is so frequently obliged to censure officers in G.O. for neglect of duty and other offenses and wishes earnestly that by an attentive and punctual discharge of their duty, they would save him from a task so disagreeable and painful. Officers should, in their own conduct, set examples before the men of diligence and an exact compliance of every order. Delays are always dangerous, and in the military service are always attended with the most fatal consequences, especially must they be so in Officers on whom the distribution of G.O. depends. The General, at the same time, thinks those officers who(se) regard for the good of the service leads them to bring delinquents to justice and assures them that such conduct will ever meet with his warm approbation and adds positively that for future rem--- in brigadier majors in any part of their duty he will certainly suspend them ‘til the pleasure of congress be known concerning them, as there is no possibility of conducting the affairs of the army without the greatest punctuality in the performance of the duties of their departments."Later that day, good news of the Battle of Bennington, VT reached Gen. Washington: "The commander-in-chief has the happiness to inform the army of a signal victory obtained at the Northward. A part of General Burgoine’s army about fifteen hundred in number where (sic) detach’d towards New Hampshire and advancing with a design to possess themselves of Bennington Brig. Genl Starke of the state of New Hampshire with about 2000 men mostly militia attack’d them. Our troops behav’d in a very brave and heroic manner they push’d the enemy from one work to another throne upon advantageous ground and from different posts with spirit and fortitude until they gained a compleat victory over them. (A list of prisoners killed and wounded follows.) The number of the enemy who were slain had not been ascertained but it is supposed to be about 200. Their artillery consisting of four brass field pieces with a formidable quantity of baggage likewise fell into our hands. Our ___ consists of about 20 or 30 killed and perhaps about 50 wounded…" Two days later, on Aug. 24, Washington marched the entire army -including the Virginia regiments-through the streets of Philadelphia to boost morale. (To make the soldiers look more "military", despite their ragged clothing, the Virginians reportedly wore sprigs of green in their hats). On August 25 and 26, the date when this book leaves off, the Virginia line arrived in the vicinity of Wilmington, Delaware and took up defensive positions and began the initial skirmishing and scouting that would lead directly to the Battle of Cooch's Bridge (Sept. 3) and the Battle of Brandywine (Sept. 11). This book records activities of multiple Virginia regiments and includes mention of officers including Brig. Gnl. Peter Muhlenberg, Brig. Gnl. George Weedon, Brg. Genl. William Woodford, Major Alexander Spotswood, and numerous others. Approximate dimensions: 9 1/4 in. H x 6 3/4 in. W.

Some pages torn out. Covers detached and rubbed. Spine worn. Minor dampstains and handling grime.

The Collection of Deborah and Kent Vauclain Bissell, Sr, by descent in his family. Bissell was a direct descendent of Revolutionary War hero Major Joseph Morris (1732-1777), his wife, Hannah (m. 1759), and their son, Lt. Jonathan Morris, of Morristown, NJ. Major Jos. Morris served with Daniel Morgan's Rangers and was fatally wounded at the Battle of White Marsh (near Philadelphia) on Dec. 6, 1777. Hannah Morris was known to have supported the war effort by housing officers in their Morristown home, which was labeled as a tavern on at least one period map (drawn by Washington's cartographer Robert Erskine). Their son, Jonathan Morris, achieved the position of Lieutenant with the 1st New Jersey Regt. at the age of 17 and fought at the Battle of Brandywine (with members of the Virginia Line) and at the Battle of Monmouth. He left the military for a time after his father's death but returned to the war in 1780 as a surgeon's mate and later became a physician. For a fascinating account of this family and the care taken of Jonathan and Hannah Morris by the Marquis de Lafayette and other high ranking officers following Joseph's death, see https://morriscounty250.morristourism.org/a-soldiers-story-joseph-hannah-and-jonathan-ford-morris/.