BENJAMIN FRANKLIN --
               GENERAL

Founding father Benjamin Franklin drafted the initial French & Indian War orders for the protection of the Township of Upper Smithfield:




                   At Bethlehem, in the County of Northampton
                                                                       January 12, 1756.


To Capt. Vanetta, of the Township
 of Upper Smithfield

Sir.

1. You are to proceed immediately to raise a Company of Foot, consisting of 30 able Men, including two Serjeants, with which you are to protect the Inhabitants of Upper Smithfield assisting them while they thresh out and secure their Corn, and scouting from time to time as you judge necessary on the Outside of the Settlements, with such of the Inhabitants as may join you, to discover the Enemy’s Approaches and repel their Attacks.

2. For the better Security of the Inhabitants of that District, you are to post your Men as follows, Eight at your own House, Eight at Lieutenant Henshaw’s, Six with a Serjeant at Tishhoch, and Six with another Serjeant at or near Henry Cortracht’s, and you are to settle Signals or Means of suddenly alarming the Inhabitants and convening your whole Strength, with the Militia of the District, on any necessary Occasion.

3. Every Man is to be engag’d for one Month, and as the Province cannot at present furnish Arms or Blankets to your Company, you are to allow every Man enlisting, and bringing his own Arms and Blanket, a Dollar for the Use thereof over and above his Pay.

4. You are to furnish your Men with Provisions, not exceeding the Allowance mentioned in the Paper herewith given you,and your reasonable Accounts for the same shall be allowed and paid.

5. You are to keep a Diary or Journal of every Day’s Transactions, and an exact Account of the Time when each Man enters himself with you, and if any Man desert or die, you are to note the Time in your Journal, and the Time of engaging a new Man in his Place, and submit your Journal to the Inspection of the Governor when required.

6. You are to acquaint the Men, that if in their Ranging they meet with, or are at any Time attack’d by the Enemy, and kill any of them, Forty Dollars will be allow’d and paid by the Government for each Scalp of an Indian Enemy so killed, the same being produced with proper Attestations.

7. You are to take Care that your Stores and Provisions be not wasted.

8. If by any Means you gain Intelligence of the Designs of the Enemy, or the March of any of their Parties towards any Part of the Frontier, you are to send Advice thereof to the Governor and to the other Companies in the Neighbourhood, as the Occasion may require.

9. You are to keep good Order among your Men, and prevent Drunkenness and other Immoralities, as much as may be, and not suffer them to do any Injury to the Inhabitants whom they come to protect.

10. You are to take Care that the Men keep their Arms clean and in good Order, and that their Powder be always kept dry and fit for Use.

11. You are to make up your Muster-Rolls at the Month’s End, in order to receive the Pay of your Company, and to make Oath to the Truth thereof before a Justice of the Peace, and then transmit the same to the Governor.

                                                                                                                                       B FRANKLIN