These orderly books contain orders that reflect many levels of command. They include the orders of George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, and the orders of commanders of subordinate commands (wings, divisions, brigades, garrisons, detachments, battalions, and regiments) such as Horatio Gates, Nathanael Greene, William Heath, Robert Howe, Henry Jackson, Henry Knox, Alexander McDougall, John Paterson, Israel Putnam, Arthur St Clair, Nathan Sparhawk, John Sullivan, Artemas Ward, Jonathan Warner, and Ezra Wood. Most of the orders are those of Washington and other officers of the Continental Army. Some, however, were issued by officers commanding State troops or militia.
Many orders are repeated in two or more volumes. This occurs because different organizations recorded the same orders emanating from higher commands applicable to themselves, in addition to the orders of their respective immediate commanders, and because orderly books kept in the same organization often overlapped one another chronologically.
Among the subjects of orders in these volumes are announcements of appointments, promotions, and reprimands; findings of courts martial and courts of inquiry; designations of officers of the day and other persons or organizations assigned to special duty; instructions relating to troop movements, camp regulations, discipline, distribution of supplies, and maintenance of equipment; and notices of acts of the Continental Congress and State legislatures pertaining to military affairs. In addition to orders, some of the orderly books also contain rosters of officers and men, as well as personal memorandums.
Volume 17 contains drill instructions issued by Major General Friedrich von Steuben in 1778.
