Scope and Content: Upon declaration of war with Great Britain in 1812, the U.S. War Dept. ordered the organization of state militia units, with Massachusetts having a quota of 10,000. Military orders were issued by the Massachusetts Adjutant General and other officers to direct militia units during the War of 1812.  Series consists of one volume of bound military orders sent to Capt. Moses Ames or Ensign/Lieut. Levi Brigham of the 1st Regt., 3rd Brig., 1st Div. of the Massachusetts Militia. Arranged from July 12, 1812 to Oct. 18, 1815, they include printed pages of orders as well as handwritten orders and notes. General orders, as well as division, brigade, and regimental orders are included. –Military orders directed those in command to carry out operations and policies, in this case specific to the War of 1812. General orders include forwarding of federal directives from the Secretary of War to organize the militia into regiments for detachment, and directives to commanders of state militia units to transmit to the Adjutant General returns of their men, arms, and equipment. Other orders relate to war preparations such as acquisition of arms, uniforms and other supplies, details of parade drills and training exercises, signals to be used to indicate attacks, preparing units to be ready for immediate response, or giving detachments specific assignments, including guard duty. Routine directives include calls for official escorts for special occasions, such as accompanying the Governor on Election Day and Harvard Commencement. In 1815 emphasis is on discharges and return of ordnance. –Orders also often address personnel issues, including assignments and discharges; election, appointment and resignations of officers; and courts martial. There are also calls for meetings of officers at designated times and places, and general commentaries on the readiness and appearance of troops.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Transferred to Archives from Connecticut State Library, including correspondence relating to its original purchase by the library in 1921
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC