Correspondence of Governor Sharpe. 565

do forthwith Use Your utmost Endeavors and Influence with
the Council and 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 and Situation of its
Inhabitants may allow (in the due performance of which Ser-
vice, it is hoped and Expected they will not again fail in their
Duty to the King, as they have done the last Campaigns) 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 Majesty'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 Command of the Officer to be Ap-
pointed 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.
As the King's directions, on the foregoing Subject are so
fully Stated in the above Abstract, I have only to Request that
You would Exert Your utmost Endeavors to encite and
Encourage Your Assembly to the full and due Execution of
the King's Commands, in a Matter so Essential to the future
Welfare and prosperity of the Several Provinces, and the Suc-
cess of the Ensueing decisive, and (it is greatly hoped) last
Campaign in North America; which desireable Ends cannot
be better Attained than by Commencing the Operations as
Early as shall be practicable; And that Nothing may be left
undone that it is possible for me to attempt in the Execution
of His Majesty's Commands, I must be Urgent with You to
Quicken & Expedite the Levies of Your Province so that .they
may be Assembled at the Rendezvous which I shall hereafter
Appoint, by the Tenth of April at furthest.
I have also in Command from His Majesty, to Recommend
to You the Collecting and putting into a proper Condition, all
the Arms which can be any wise rend'red Serviceable, or that
can be found within Your Government in order that the Same
may be Employed as far as they will go in this Exigency :
As a further Reason for which I Referr You to my Letter of
the 16^th February 1759, and now offer You the same Encour-
agement I did then, viz^t That for Every One of such Arms as
any of Your men shall bring with them, and that may be
Spoiled or Lost in actual Service, I will pay at the rate of
Twenty five Shillings a Firelock.