Glossary
Absent Without Leave | Missing from his regiment without permission. |
Brigade Hospital | In January 1778, each brigade was ordered to build a log hut to serve as a hospital for the men of the brigade. |
Cashiered | The term applied to an officer who was dismissed from the Army for incompetence or misconduct. |
Command/ On Command | On assignment outside of camp for periods of a day to months at a time for a military assignment. Most of the where or what does not appear in the records. |
Deserted/Deserter | A man who left his regiment without authorization and may have gone over to the enemy or left for his home. |
Discharged | Released from the army either due to the end of his term of enlistment or occasionally for medical reasons. |
Enlisted | The man has joined the army as a private or non-commissioned officer. |
Ensign | The lowest ranking officer who carried the colors or ensign into battle. |
Furlough/on furlough | Given leave to be absent from military duty. |
In inoculation | Under inoculation for smallpox. |
Joined | The date the man reported to his regiment at camp. |
Omitted | Left off the paymaster’s roll. |
On guard | The men detailed to protect the encampment. |
On detachment | A variable number of men sent out of camp on a particular task or assignment. Detachments could last for days or months. |
On roll without comment | Soldier was present in camp with no remarks on the muster roll. |
On duty | In camp on some undifferentiated military assignment. |
Prisoner | A soldier held captive by the enemy. |
Resigned | Only officers could resign from the army and could do so without completing a specific term of service. |
Sick absent | Sick in an unspecified location outside of camp. |
Sick in camp or quarters | Sick in a hut or tent in camp. |
Time out/ time is out | The period for which a man enlisted has ended. |
Under confinement/ Under guard | Under guard for violating regulations. |
Sources:
Boyle, Joseph Lee. “Virginia makes the Poorest Figure of any State”
The Virginia Infantry at the Valley Forge Encampment 1777-1778. Maryland: Clearfield Company. 2019