On this day 250 years ago in Cambridge, Massachusetts, General George Washington issued General Orders to the Continental Army on Cleanliness:
As the Health of an Army principally depends upon Cleanliness; it is recommended in the strongest manner, to the Commanding Officer of Corps, Posts and Detachments, to be strictly diligent, in ordering the Necessarys to be filled up once a Week, and new ones dug; the Streets of the encampments and Lines to be swept daily, and all Offal and Carrion, near the camp, to be immediately buried: The Officers commanding in Barracks, or Quarters, to be answerable that they are swept every morning, and all Filth & Dirt removed from about the houses: Next to Cleanliness, nothing is more conducive to a Soldiers health, than dressing his provisions in a decent and proper manner. The Officers commanding Companies, should therefore daily inspect the Camp Kitchens, and see the Men dress their Food in a wholesome way.
On This Day In The Revolution 
One response to “On this day 250 years ago in the Revolution — July 14, 1775”
Google’s AI tells me that hygiene was practiced differently across social classes. That’s understandable since a butcher by trade would have more to clean up than a businessman. Since modern hygiene didn’t exist before the 19th century, I have to wonder how often camp diseases were caused by poor sanitation practices.
It’s a good thing the officers had enough common sense and sense of decency to clean things up and avoid leaving waste around to attract insects and vermin. It’s surprising that new latrines were ordered weekly. I wasn’t aware that they knew to clean up that often.
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