On this day 250 years ago at his headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, General George Washington issued Orders in anticipation of the British evacuation of Boston:

The Riffle Regiment under the command of Lieut. Col. Hand, and the three riffle Companies under the command of Capt. Stephenson, are to be ready to march to morrow morning at ten O’Clock—A Copy of their Route, with their orders, will be deliver’d to Lt Col. Hand and Capt. Stephenson, this afternoon.

As the Ministerial Troops in Boston, both from information and appearance, are preparing to evacuate that town: The General expressly orders, that neither Officer, or Soldier, presume to go into Boston, without leave from the General in Chief at Cambridge, or the commanding General at Roxbury; as the enemy with a malicious assiduity, have spread the infection of the smallpox through all parts of the town, nothing but the utmost caution on our part, can prevent that fatal disease from spreading thro’ the army, and country, to the infinite detriment of both—His Excellency expressly commands every Officer, to pay the exactist obedience to this order.

If upon the retreat of the enemy any person whatsoever, is detected in pillaging, he may be assured the severest punishment will be his lot—The unhappy Inhabitants of that distress’d town, have already suffer’d too heavily from the Iron hand of Oppression! their Countrymen surely will not be base enough to add to their misfortunes.

After Orders. His Excellency the Commander in Chief orders, that the Rifle Battalion, with Stark’s, Webb’s, Pattersons, Greatons, and Bond’s Regiments, be immediately relieved from duty, and hold themselves in readiness to march, on Friday Morning next, except the Rifle Battalion, which marches to morrow.

Sources: “General Orders, 13 March 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-03-02-0336. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 3, 1 January 1776 – 31 March 1776, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1988, pp. 458–459.]; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKKlwumu8Vs

This weekend and next week, the people of Massachusetts and the National Park Service will be commemorating the 250th anniversary of the British evacuation of Boston and celebrating the 250th Evacuation Day.

Sources: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/evacuation-day-250.htm; https://massachusetts250.org/evacuation-day-at-250-the-moment-boston-changed-the-course-of-the-revolution/