SUTTLING in the WAR for INDEPENDENCE
Suttlingin the period of the American Revolution does not change much from the previousconflict although information is a bit more abundant. There is an increase of rules and regulationsgoverning the practice(s) of the Sutler. Several studies of the subject have been done including works by John U.Reese, W. Tatum Ph.D. and the 18th Century Material Culture ResourceCenter. The one text devoted to thesubject of followers is Holly A. Mayer Ph.D.’s book Belonging to the Army(University of South Carolina Press, Columbia South Carolina). Dr. Mayer’s work is focused on theContinental side of the conflict but parallels surly can be drawn.
Thefirst regulation and perhaps most mentioned on either side of the conflict isthat only “One Sutler” per regiment or brigade will be allowed and that Sutleronly licensed upon the recommendation of the commander. I surmise that this was in response to eithermore Sutler’s attempting to attach themselves to the army (looking to turn aprofit) or as we will see a common occurrence is the over sale of Liquor to thetroops. In addition to the single sutlerrule, there is a strong statement that the Colonel of the regiment beanswerable for the conduct of the sutler appointed.
General Orders, W.O. Boston 22June, 1775 (5 Days After the Battle of Breed’s Hill)
“All persons belonging to, or followers of the Army, are forbid to sell spiritous liquors, excepting at the regimental Canteens, one and only one of them is allowed for each Regiment subject to the regulation of the Officer Commanding it; and as the appointment of the Sutler depends on the commanding Officer of the Corps, it is expected henceforward they will be answerable for the sobriety of the Soldiers under their Command, all other sources for Spiritous liquors but that of the Canteen, being effectually stopped up from the A G Officers and Soldiers by the Proclamation”
Thenext regulation that appears is in regard to provision, sale, quality,quantity, price, and time of sale of Liquor and other spirits.
General Orders, W.O. Boston14October, 1775
“The Commanding Officers of Corps not to allow their Sutlers to sell liquors to Soldiers, or any other persons who do not belong to their respective Corps; Upon a conviction of a disobedience of this order, the liquors will be destroyed, and the delinquent not have leave to sell any in the future. Women belonging to the Army convicted of selling Spiritous liquors, will be confined in the Provosts till there is an opportunity of sending them from hence."
Orderly Book H.M. 47th Regimentof Foot Camp at River Bouquet 16 June, 1777
“The Sutlers are not on any pretence to sell Rum or any other Spirits to the Men without a Written Order from a Commission’d Officer and never in less Quantity than a Quart”
Furtherclarifications were made including regulations against “pretend sutlers” whowere selling alcohol, and a clarification that Sutlers were to sell alcohol toONLY the soldiers belonging to the regiment the sutler was licensed to. Having drunk soldiers and thus placing directblame on the Sutlers is common, if not to say, correct. An infraction of the set regulations mostoften ended with consequences that were somewhat standard. The guilty Sutler would have their stockconfiscated and ordered to leave the camp. Also license revocation was possible and the most severe punishmentwould have been from 50 to 100 lashes “upon the bare back” to be “well laidon”. We also see a trend in therepeated requests for the sutler names to be taken down and sent toheadquarters. My impression is so thatthe provost guard or Serjeant Major of the army may try to better regulate theactivity of Sutlers. Many times guilty offenderswould simply move shop and open a Tipling House or Dram Shop nearto, or even within the camp confines.
*ATipling House was a term used to describe a house, stall or booth in whichliquors are sold in drams or small quantities, to be drunk on thepremises. Often associated with illegalselling and consuming of liquor.
*A DramShop, or dramshop in this period is a bar, tavern or similar commercialestablishment where alcoholic beverages are sold. Traditionally, it is a shopwhere spirits were sold by the dram, a small unit of liquid.
These termsare common when regulations were being written or orders issued. Given theexamples below.
General, Sir William Howes Orders 23January, 1776
“The Commanding Officers of Corps to Suppress all Dram Shops in their Respective Districts that are not licensed by Brig.-Gen. Robertson.”
General Orders War Office RhodeIsland11 December, 1777
“Whereas the great Drunkenness that prevails among the Soldiers, proceeds from the Soldiers wives being allowed to keep little shops out of the districts of their Regiments, the Commanding Officers will give directions that they are not permitted to live out of the quarters of the Regiment they belong to.”
Standing Orders H.M. 71st Regiment of Foot15 August, 1778
“Whereas the great Drunkennes that prevails among the Soldiers, proceeds from the Soldiers wives being allowed to keep little shops out of the districts of their Regiments, the Commanding Officers will give directions that they are not permitted to live out of the quarters of the Regiment they belong to.”
Both the Continental and British Army developed “Articles of War” with the Americans “borrowing” much from their British cousins. In the British Articles of War, regulations were set down for the governance of Sutlers and we can see some similarities and differences between the two forces. In Section XIV, Article 23 of the British Articles: it states that sutlers, retainers, and others serving with the army were subject to orders “according to the Rules and Discipline of War”. A definition that allows for a large amount of “wiggle room” for those commanding. The American Articles on the other hand were more exact in the governance of the sutlers. Article 32 of the American Articles states: they are “subject to the articles, rules, and regulations of the Continental Army”. A more precise painting of the subject vs the broad strokes employed by the British, however as the war progressed the Americans re-evaluated these strict definitions, so in 1776 the Second Continental Articles of War established that Sutlers would be governed “according to the rules and discipline of war”, an echo of the British articles.
TheContinental Congress also closed a gap form the 1775 regulations in 1776. Unlike the British model that permitted allofficers, soldiers, and sutlers to bring into garrison “any Quantity or Speciesof Provisions, eatable or drinkable, except where any Contract or Contracts areor shall be entered into by Us, or by Our Order, for furnishing suchProvisions”, the American rules had no such provision, in 1776 the change is made, allowing “eatable ordrinkable” provisions not already contracted for be brought into camp. This article was further amended in 1777 toonly include “eatable” provisions. A bittoo much alcohol being offered perhaps. Additional rules included ones thatprohibit the sutler from staying open past 9 O’clock and not opening “before thebeating of the reveilles, or upon Sundays, during divine service orsermon”. Price gouging was alsoaddressed and in the American Continental orders, the officers were to see toit that soldiers were supplied “with good and wholesome provisions at themarket-price”, and in Article 4, the sutlers received like protection. Officers were to be sure that “exorbitantprices for houses or stalls, let out to sutlers” not be charged.
From“Belonging to the Army” Dr. Mayer’s states:
"Sutlers were merchants or traders permitted to sell provisions to the troops. Business-minded individuals, whether self-employed peddlers or representatives of some of America's bigger mercantile concerns, saw opportunity beckon as early as the spring of 1775 when New England militia units camped around Boston. They carted their goods in and set up shop. Some then attempted to stay with the forces that were united into the Continental Army”
I believethere are few differences between Sutlers following the Continental vs theBritish Army in America owing to the fact the role of the Sutler having beenmore evolved within the British establishment simply due to the fact they hadbeen doing this “Sutler Thing” longer.
We occasionally get a glimpse into what day to day life was like. In The History of Henry Esmond by William Makepeace Thackeray, originally published in 1852. A story of the early life of Henry Esmond, a colonel in the service of Queen Anne set against the backdrop of late 17th- and early 18th-century England. Although fiction, the tale related here may help to demonstrate the role the sutler played in the life of the soldier in the 18th century.
Turning from fiction, there is nothing much more exciting than finding a “firsthand” account regarding either a sutler or sutler activity. In the memoir “Westward into Kentucky, the Narrative of Daniel Trabue”, Edited by Chester Raymond Young, The University Press of Kentucky. Trabue in 1827 wrote down his many stories from his life, now the 148 pages are preserved in the Lyman Copeland Draper manuscripts in the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. Included in these pages are the narrative of his time spent in and around the Continental Army specifically during the Yorktown campaign in 1781, where he joins the Militia and soon volunteers to carry dispatches to “General Layfatte”. In one of his recollections he tells the tale of an interaction with a tavern keeper while carrying dispatches. After getting a drink he sees a mounted British patrol coming his way, Trabue makes his escape and the tavernkeeper shouts “Don’t get ketched!” When he reaches the General and delivers his dispatches and after being asked many questions, he “applied to him for a permit to be a sutle to his army.” Which “He [Lafayette] imedeately had one wrote”. Trabue, permit in hand, now must find something to sell. He went into the camps and observed the different men “selling spirits.” and finds a “Dutchman” who had just arrived with “a fine teame and a good load of Brandy and Whiskey and two very large sacks of sweet bred.” Trabue seeing an opportunity asks the Dutchman “Have you a permit to sell your spirits?” which he answers in the negative. He lets the Dutchman know that he heard that any illegal sales would result in confiscation of all possessions including wagons and spirits. He [Trabue] tells him he has a permit and offers to go “halfs” with him? The Dutchman is unimpressed and ignores the offer, that is, until in Trabue’s words, “here comes the Ajatent and says, ‘whoes wagon and spirits is this?’” Needless to say, the Dutchman takes up the offer, and the guard is turned away. Trabue later goes on to describe how all the other wagons and spirits were impressed and the two “made a very handsom profit.” However, this good fortune was short lived. Once out of camp Trabue’s new business partner decided he would not go into the camp again for fear of losing his wagon, “he would take his wagon home and pull of[f] the wheels”. This left Trabue looking for a new opportunity. Finally, he asks General “Fayette” for leave to go home and find a team, wagon and anything else he can sell. He finds Brandy and Rum however that’s the last mention of his adventures as a Sutler in his narrative.
Includedhere are the American Articles of War that pertain to Sutlers in 1776. These having been referenced prior. Inreading them an even better understanding of the role of the sutler may begained.
AMERICAN ARTICLES of WAR September 20th 1776
SECTIONVIII
Art. 1.No suttler shall be permitted to sell any kind of liquors or victuals, or tokeep their houses or shops open, for the entertainment of soldiers, after nineat night, or before the beating of the reveilles, or upon Sundays, duringdivine service, or sermon, on the penalty of being dismissed from all futuresettling.
Art. 2.All officers, soldiers and suttlers, shall have full liberty to bring into anyof the forts or garrisons of the United American States, any quantity orspecies of provisions, eatable or drinkable, except where any contract orcontracts are, or shall be entered into by Congress, or by their order, forfurnishing such provisions, and with respect only to the species of provisionsso contracted for.
Art. 3.All officers, commanding in the forts, barracks, or garrisons of the UnitedStates, are hereby required to see, that the persons permitted to settle, shallsupply the soldiers with good and wholesome provisions at the market price, asthey shall be answerable for their neglect.
Art. 4.No officers, commanding in any of the garrisons, forts, or barracks of theUnited States, shall either themselves exact exorbitant prices for houses orstalls let out to settlers, or shall connive at the like exactions in others;nor, by their own authority and for their private advantage, shall they lay anyduty or imposition upon, or be interested in the sale of such victuals liquors,or other necessaries of life, which are brought into the garrison, fort, orbarracks, for the use of the soldiers, on the penalty of being discharged fromthe service.
While at Valley Forge orders were given that a board of General Officers meet and decide upon the rules for Suttling. The results of this meeting were as follows and gives us an idea as to what alcohol was available during the winter of 1777-78. This also tells us that tobacco in several forms was available.
HeadQuarters V: F: January 26th 1778.
MajorGinl. Tomarrno Grebn
BrigadierMcIntosh
FieldOffV . . . LT Col Gray. Majr Braddish
B: M: MClurb
A BOARDof Genl Officers having recommended that a Sutler be appointed to each Brigadewhose Liquors shall be inspected by two Officers Appointed by the Brigadier forthat purpose and those Liquors sold under those restrictions as shall bethought reasonable the Commander in Chief is pleased to approve the aboveRecommendation and to order that such Brigade Sutlers be app^ and Liquors soldat the following prices and under the following Regulations each
Brandyby the Quart 7/6 by the pint 4/ By the Jill 1/3
Whiskyand apple Brandy 6/. p quart 3/0 p pint and 1/ p jill
Cyder1/3 p quart
StrongBeer 2/6 p quart
CommonBeer 1/ P quart
Vinegar2/6 p quart
AnySutler who shall be convicted before a Brigade Court Martial of having demandedmore than the above rates or of having adulterated his Liquors or made use ofDeficient Measures shall forfeit any Quantity of his Liquors not ExceedingThirty Gall! or the value thereof at the forgoing rates, The fourth part of theLiquors or the value thereof so forfeited to be applied to the Informer and theRemainder of the Liquor to be put into the hands of the person Appointed by theBrigadier who shall deliver it out to the Non Comissf and privates of theBrigades at one Jill p man p day, If Money to be laid out in Liquors or Necessariesfor the N : Comissiond Officers & privates of the Brigade and distributedin due and equal proportions,
TheBrigade Sutler is also at Liberty to Sell leaf Tobacco at 4/ p lb.
PiggTail 7/6 p lb hard soap 2/6 p lb But noother Articles rated for the publick Market shall be sold By him or any personacting Under him on any pretence wnatever.
Sutlerswere not confined to the large camps of either army, they followed the army allthe way to the far reaches of the new United States. On the western frontier near Pittsburgh andFort Pitt was a smaller outpost who found itself the victim of someunscrupulous vendors.
Orderly Book of the EighthPennsylvania RegimentOctober, 1778 - May, 1780
“11 Oct 1778 HEAD QUARTERS, FORT McINTOSH, As some narrow-minded persons, who not regarding the good of their country, nor yet the rules of common honesty, have presumed to approach this camp, and in defiance of all order & regularity, without license, at the most exhorbitant price sold liquor to soldiers: Therefore in order to deter all persons from committing the like abuses for the future: the Col. Commt doth direct that no person whatever shall presume to sell liquor to either officer or soldier without first having obtained leave from the Commanding Officer present, or from the General...the Col. Commt doth promise to give reward of 5s pr gallon to any soldier who shall give the earliest notice of such trespassers, & the liquor so seized shall be issued to the troops."
"Orderly Book of the Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment" in Frontier Retreat on the Upper Ohio 1779-1780 (Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison), Appendix pages 431-459 [2NN109- 178]. (Numbers in [ ] refer to specific document numbers within the Draper Manuscript Collection.)
Orderly Book of the EighthPennsylvania RegimentOctober, 1778 - May, 1780
22 May 1780 - HEAD QUARTERS, PITTSBURGH, ...Whereas it has been represented to the Commandant, that soldiers are frequently found among the inhabitants of Pittsburgh much disguised in liquor, even after tatoo beating; he therefore directs that officers of the day do take with them at least two files of men from the fort guard, & at least twice a night patrol the streets & make prisoners of the soldiers found absent from their quarters after beating the tatoo - except where such soldiers have permission in writing from a field officer commandg a regt, to remain at their quarters in town & are not found in abuse of the indulgence....The officers of the day are to sieze all liquors in the possession of persons vending them to the troops or others, agreeably to form orders, & report their names in order that those tippling houses may be pulled down & destroyed."
"Orderly Book of the Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment" in Frontier Retreat on the Upper Ohio 1779-1780 (Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison), Appendix pages 431-459 [2NN109- 178]. (Numbers in [ ] refer to specific document numbers within the Draper Manuscript Collection.)
In 1782,the QMG Timothy Pickering gives the following regulations:
"Regulations for the Government ofSutlers
1st
Allthe liquors and provisions which a sutler shall expose to Sale shall be ofgood & wholesome quality & for this reason subjected to theInspection of the quarter master general, or such officer as he shall appointfor the purpose.
2d
Theprices of the articles shall be reasonable, and to prevent imposition, a listof the prices shall be posted up at his quarters.
3d
ForLiquors or other articles sold to noncommissioned officers & soldiers,artificers and waggoners, nothing shall be taken in payment but money.
4.
Nosoldier or others described in the 3d Article are to be suffered to remainTipling about a sutler's quarters.
5th.
Atthe beating of the tattoo, each sutler is to shut up his stores, and sellnothing more until after Reveillee the next morning.
6.
Eachsutler is without delay to report to the quarter master general the placewhere he fixes his quarters.
7.
Theseregulations are to be posted up by each sutler in a conspicuous place at hisquarters.
CampSept 8. 1782 Tim. Pickering
QMG"
(Timothy Pickering, "Regulations for the Governmentof Sutlers," 8 September 1782, National Archives, Numbered Record Books,vol. 84, reel 27, pp. 96-97.)
In conclusion, interpreting aSutler either British or Continental, Grand or Pettit, Man or Women can be arewarding and enjoyable endeavor. Creating a sound, well researched impression can be a challenge, yet ultimatelyworthwhile. I have presented here only asmall amount of what I and others have found, and my humble interpretation ofthat information. I take my “hobby”seriously and strive to present to the general public and my peers the bestimpression I am able to create. I findmy desire from an undying respect for those whom I try to portray, I will neverbe able to recreate their lives but I can give my all to accurately reproducewhat their lives may have been like. Iwill close with a quote form Dr. Mayer’s text:
"They were people who were not officially in the army: they made no commissioning or enlistment vows. What kept them with the army was their desire to be near loved ones, to support themselves, and/or, in some cases, to share in the adventure. This diverse company encompassed both patriots, those who embraced the cause of independence with a fervor equaling or surpassing that of any soldier, and leeches, who were there merely for personal gain. A few prostitutes. and scavengers trailed after the army, but family members, servants, and other authorized civilians outnumbered them by far.”
BRANDYN CHARLTON
Brandyn is a father of three Cora, Clare and Liam, he and his wife Danielle reside in Northumberland Pennsylvania on the Susquehanna River. He has a Bachelor’s degree from Ohio University and a Master’s degree from Edinboro University of PA. He has been a Certified Athletic Trainer for the past 23 years. He currently works in the occupational/industrial setting providing ergonomic services to clients in the Harrisburg area. Beginning in 2020 he will bring his sutler impression to the 17th Regiment of Infantry in America as a member and follower of the Regiment.