GEN. JAMES REED.
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��pears by his letters of that date to the Provincial Congress, recommending the appointment of Andrew Colburn of Marl- borough Major of the next regiment which should be raised. He soon after marched his command to Cambridge. By his communication to the Committee of Safety at Exeter we learn that he arrived there on the 12th of the month. He waited on Gen. Ward, who ordered his command to Medford on account of the throng of soldiers at Cambridge. On reaching Medford he was informed by Col. Stark that no quarters could be there obtained. In this dilemma he again ap- plied to Gen. Ward, who issued the order " that Col. Reed quarter his regiment in the houses near Charlestown Neck, and keep all necessary guards between the barracks and ferry, and on Bunker Hill." On the 13th he marched his regiment to the Neck, where they obtained good quarters. On the 14th he issued regi- mental orders — ten in number. They were stringent in their terms, and from their tenor they indicate that the position of the regiment was an important one, and that vigilance was necessary for the safety of the command.
Col. James Bee&s Begimental Orders. [Copied from MS. State Pap. Rev'n, Vol. I., p. 254.] Charlestown, June the 14, 1775.
REGIMENTAL ORDERS.
1st. That each Capt. or Commanding officer of each company Immediately make a True Return of all the men they and their Recruiting officers have inlisted according to a form given them by the Adjutants.
21y. That each officer see that there Companys are a quipt with ten Rounds at lest of Powder and Ball and that there Fierlocks are kept in good or- der at all Times and give there men spechal or- ders not to fire a gun on any account whatever unless Besett by the enemy.
31y. That each Comander of a Company im- body all his Company that are of from Duty Twice a day to Exercise them in the best manar for Laming the arts of War.
41y That each officer give spechal orders to these soldiers that they do no Damag to any of the Houses where they are Quartered or to any Garden or Grass in any parts of this Town on pain of being punished according to the ofence.
51y. That no soldier be allowed to strool from his Company or pass from his incampment to Charlestown Ferrey or to any other incampment without leve from there officers.
61y. That each Commanding officer of each Company cause the Rules and Regulations for the army to be Read at the Hed of the Respective Companys fourthwith and it is expected that all officers and soldiers govern themselves accord- ingly.
71y. That the Officers see that the men and Barracks are kept clean.
81y. That there be a Garde praded this after-
��noon at 6 o'clock of the same Number of officers and soldiers that are now on Garde to releve Capt. Whitcomb and his party and that the Adju- tant and orderly Sargants keep a good Roster so that neither officer or soldier be called upon for duty out of there proper Turn.
91y. That there be no Noyse in Camp after nine o'clock at Knight but all to Repair to their Logens or Barraks.
lOly. That Ephraim Stone is apointed Quarter master serjant until further orders.
James Reed, Coll.
The same day he wrote a communica- tion to the Committee of Safety at Exe- ter, giving a detailed account of his movements since he had left Exeter, and closed by stating the want of a Chaplain, Surgeon and Armorer for his regiment. On the 15th he issued a supplementary order, which added to the stringency and efficiency of the former. A better idea of this order may be gathered by giving it entire :
"Charlestown, June the 15, 1775.
Regimental Orders— The main Gard this day is to consist of one Capt. 2 Luts. 4 sergeants, 4 corporals and 50 privets. The Capt of the main Gard is to keep a trusty Sergeant with the Sen- terys in the Street below the Gard house to exam- in all pasangers Let none pars without shoing proper pases in the Day time and none to pass after Nine o'clock at Knight without giving the counter sine and no Sentrey is to set down on his post and when any field officer pases them to stand with their firelocks Rested no soldier to swim in the water on the Sabath day nor on any other Day to stay in the water Longer than is nes- asarey to wash themselves.
Signed James Reed, Coll.
This order is characteristic of the man and shows that no lack of discipline and vigilance was allowed in his command, that they might be prepared for a move- ment which, it is reasonably inferred, he was aware would soon be made. The crisis was close at hand. On the morn- ing of the memorable 17th of June he was the first officer of his rank on the field, and his the only regiment from New Hampshire ready for action on the morning of the battle of Bunker Hill. He was stationed on the left wing, by the rail fence, where he was joined at two o'clock in the afternoon by Col. Stark. This was, by all accounts, the hottest as well as the best fought portion of the field. The ready genius of Col. Reed de- signed the parapet, which, constructed by the brave soldiers of New Hampshire under fire of the enemy's batteries, so wonderfully preserved them from the disasters of the day. This parapet con- sisted of a breastwork of stones hastily thrown across the beach to Mystic River,
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