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308 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.
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Succours, supplied by this Kingdom, for their Preservation
and Defence; And His Majesty considering, that the several
Provinces, from Pensylvania inclusive, to the Southward, are
well able, with proper Encouragement, to furnish a Body of
several Thousand Men, to join the King's Forces in those
Parts, for some offensive Operations against the Enemy; and
His Majesty not judging it expedient to limit the Zeal and
Ardor of any of His Provinces, by making a Repartition of
the Forces, to be raised by each, respectively for this most
important Service; I am commanded to signify to you the
King's Pleasure, that you do forthwith use your utmost En-
deavours, and Influence, with the Council & Assembly of your
Province, to induce them to raise, with all possible Dispatch,
within your Government, as large a Body of Men, as the
Number & Situation of its Inhabitants may allow, (in the due
Performance of which Service, It is hoped and expected they
will not again fail in their Duty to the King, as they did the
last Campaign;) and forming the same into Regiments, as far
as shall be found convenient, That you do direct them to
hold Themselves in readiness, as early as may be, to march to
the Rendezvous, at such Place or Places, as may be named,
for that Purpose, by the Commander in Chief of His Maj-
esty's Forces in America, or by the Officer, who shall be
appointed to command the King's Forces in those Parts, in
order to proceed from thence, in Conjunction with a Body of
His Majesty's British Forces, and under the supreme Com-
mand of the Officer to be appointed as above, so as to be in
a Situation to begin, by the first of May, if possible, or as
soon after as shall be any way practicable, such offensive
Operations, as shall be judged, by the Commander of His
Majesty's Forces in those Parts, most expedient for annoying
the Enemy, and most efficacious towards removing and
repelling the Dangers, that threaten the Frontiers of any of
the Southern Colonies on the Continent of America; And,
the better to facilitate this important Service, the King is
pleased to leave it to you, to issue Commissions to such Gen-
tlemen of your Province, as you shall judge, from their Weight
& Credit with the People, and their Zeal for the Publick Ser-
vice, may be best disposed, and enabled, to quicken & effectu-
ate the speedy levying of the greatest Number of Men; In
the Disposition of which Commissions, I am persuaded, you
will have nothing in View, but the Good of the King's Ser-
vice, and a due Subordination of the whole, when join'd, to
His Maty's Commander, And all Officers of the Provincial
Forces, as high as Colonels inclusive, are to have Rank
according to their several respective Commissions, agreeable
to the Regulations, contain'd in His Maty's Warrant of the
30th of December last year.
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