Friday, August 26, 2011

Swain Report Special: War Office 28, Regimental HQ Papers, Installment 8

This latest installment of Library Research Assistant David Swain's catalog of the British Headquarters Papers sheds light on two important topics: the social dynamics of every-day life in the army and the closing years of the British occupation of New York City. As reflected below, the majority of this microfilm covers memorials and petitions written by a range of individuals to the successive commanders-in-chief in Canada. These documents, essentially formalized appeals for assistance, provide an insight into the every-day workings of the army by revealing the numerous problems and concerns that afflicted military personnel and associated civilians, as well as giving us an indication of the mass of paperwork that came to the commander-in-chief. Carleton's orderly book for New York City, comprising the latter portions of this reel, details an almost day-by-day account of the army's operations in that vicinity for the final years of the war. As these documents show, while not engaged in active hostilities, the British Army nevertheless stayed busy with the numerous other duties that afflict a military force in garrison. Our thanks go out to David Swain for faithfully sticking with this project, which has now absorbed several months of his hard work.

WPTIII


28.9 Memorials and petitions; General Sir Guy Carleton’s New York headquarters order book (Reel 7)


Summary contents:

* Military and provincial memorials and petitions to Sir Guy Carleton and General Frederick Haldimand, 1776 and with no date: 40 documents; documents 1 through 40, printed page numbers 1 through 50

* Military and naval memorials to Sir Guy Carleton, 1777: 30 documents; documents 41 through 70; printed page numbers 51 through 92

* Petitions from Royalists: 30 documents; documents 71 through 100; printed page numbers 93 through 135

* Military and provincial memorials and petitions to Sir Guy Carleton, 1778: 26 documents; documents 101 through 126; printed page numbers 136 through 175

* Memorials of Canadian and other inhabitants, 1777-1780 and with no date: 27 documents; documents 127 through 153; printed page numbers 176 through 213

* Military and provincial memorials to General Frederick Haldimand, 1779-1781: 25 documents; documents 154 through 178; printed page numbers 214 through 244

* Military and provincial memorials addressed to General Frederick Haldimand, 1782-1783: 32 documents; documents 179 through 210; printed page numbers 245 through 285

* Sir Guy Carleton’s headquarters order book, New York, Mortier House, and Lefferts House, 1782-1783: 301 documents; documents 211 through 511; printed page numbers 285a through 482







British War Office 28—American Headquarters Records
Annotated List of Contents—Part 9 (Reel 7)

by David Swain

The David Library holds microfilm copies of the British War Office 28 Records, parts 2 through 10 (1775-1785), contained on 8 reels, as follows:

28.2 Letters, returns, etc (reel 1, 176 documents)
28.3 Letters, returns, etc. continued (reel 2, 197 documents)
28.4 Butler’s Rangers; Canadian Fencible Corps; Jessup’s Rangers; Roger’s Rangers; Royal Highland Emigrants (84th Regiment); McAlpin’s Volunteer Corps (reel 3—first part), 223 documents)
28.5 Royal Regiment of New York, Rogers’ King’s Rangers, Barrack Master General’s Department (reel 3—second part, 33 documents; reel 4, 147 documents)
28.6 General Hospital Department; garrison returns; Engineers Department (reel 5—first part, 204 documents)
28.7 Montreal; St. Johns; Ordnance; Quartermaster-General’s Department (reel 5—second part, 183 documents; reel 6—first part, 58 documents)
28.8 Trois Rivières; Sorel; Germans; Carleton Island, Cataraqui, Oswego (reel 6—second part, 181 documents)
28.9 Memorials and petitions; General Sir Guy Carleton’s New York headquarters order book (reel 7, 511 documents)
28.10 Miscellaneous returns etc. (reel 8)


Note: The compiler of this annotated list has numbered the microfilmed documents consecutively within each reel. These numbers do not appear on the microfilm and are used here only to maintain a sense of order in the contents.

“Letterbooks” among these documents are not actually bound books but are folders of separate-page letters kept at the time by regiments. The microfilm copies of these letters are mostly in chronological order, with a few exceptions. Apparently at a later time, archivists added consecutive printed numbers to the letter pages within each part. These printed numbers are noted in this list for each letterbook or document set.



28.9 Memorials and petitions; General Sir Guy Carleton’s New York headquarters order book (Reel 7)


Summary contents:

* Military and provincial memorials and petitions to Sir Guy Carleton and General Frederick Haldimand, 1776 and with no date: 40 documents; documents 1 through 40, printed page numbers 1 through 50

* Military and naval memorials to Sir Guy Carleton, 1777: 30 documents; documents 41 through 70; printed page numbers 51 through 92

* Petitions from Royalists: 30 documents; documents 71 through 100; printed page numbers 93 through 135

* Military and provincial memorials and petitions to Sir Guy Carleton, 1778: 26 documents; documents 101 through 126; printed page numbers 136 through 175

* Memorials of Canadian and other inhabitants, 1777-1780 and with no date: 27 documents; documents 127 through 153; printed page numbers 176 through 213

* Military and provincial memorials to General Frederick Haldimand, 1779-1781: 25 documents; documents 154 through 178; printed page numbers 214 through 244

* Military and provincial memorials addressed to General Frederick Haldimand, 1782-1783: 32 documents; documents 179 through 210; printed page numbers 245 through 285

* Sir Guy Carleton’s headquarters order book, New York, Mortier House, and Lefferts House, 1782-1783: 301 documents; documents 211 through 511; printed page numbers 285a through 482




Itemized, annotated contents:

Military and provincial memorials and petitions to Sir Guy Carleton and General Frederick Haldimand, 1776 and with no date: 40 documents with dates from August 2 through November 27, 1776, plus many with no date (printed page numbers 1 through 50)

1. August 2, 1776
Memorial of Captain Lieutenant Bolton Power of the 20th Regiment of Foot, at Bellevue to Sir Guy Carleton, captain general and governor of the Province of Canada
Seeking a recommendation for command of “the first Company that may become vacant in the Regiment”

2. August 21, 1776
Memorial of Lieutenant John Gashell of the 20th Regiment of Foot to Carleton
Seeking promotion to captain lieutenant in the regiment

3. August 21, 1776
Memorial of Lieutenant Colonel John Lind at Bellevue on behalf of Power

4. August 20, 1776
Memorial of Captain Thomas Gaylord of the 34th Regiment at Sorel to Carleton
As most senior captain in the army, hoping for an opportunity to fill a vacancy for promotion

5. September 2, 1776
Memorial of William Barr, purveyor of the hospital at Montreal, to Carleton
Seeking appointment as first surgeon of the hospital

6. September 8, 1776
Memorial of Lind at Bellevue on behalf of Christopher Dorslin who seeks “the first Ensigncy that may become vacant in the 20th Regiment”

7. September 13, 1776
Memorial of Lieutenant George Brodie of the 21st Regiment, at the camp opposite St. Johns, to Carleton
Seeking promotion to captain

8. September 12, 1776
Memorial of James Lundin, “late Lieut of the 35th Regiment at present of trhe Royal Highland Emigrants His Commission from General Gage bearing date the 14 June 1775”, at Montreal, to Carleton
“begs for a Company in any of the new Corps”


9. September 20, 1776
Memorial of William Jones, provost marshal; at Chambly, to Carleton
Seeking correction of his pay amount and receipt of unpaid back pay

10. September 27, 1776
Memorial of Isaac Winslow Clarke at Chambly to Carleton
Seeking to be reestablished as assistant commissary general

11. October 14, 1776
Memorial of James Andrews, “master of His Majestys vessels on Lake Erie” to Carleton
Stating “that his present station Offers him but a scanty and precarious Subsistence, without either Rank or the usual resource of Old Servants of the Crown—Half pay”; seeking that “Your Excellency will please to take his case into Consideration” without preferring “Any particular Hopes” of how His Excellency might provide such consideration

12. November 6, 1776
Memorial of Captain W. Hughes of the 53rd Regiment of Foot, at the camp at St. Johns, to Carleton
Seeking promotion when a vacancy becomes available

13. November 7, 1776
Memorial of Lieutenant Colonel John Anstruther, commander of the 62nd Regiment of Foot, at Quebec, to Carleton
Recommending approval that Captain Dawson “Dispose of his Company”, allowing a series of promotions and commission purchases to occur in the regiment

14. November 16, 1776
Memorial of Ensign Lowther Mathews of the 62nd Regiment of Foot, at Quebec, to Carleton
Seeking promotion

15. November 21, 1776
Memorial of Anstruther at Pointe de Levis to Carleton
Seeking return or replacement of arms, urgently needed for his “near Compleat” 62nd Regiment, that “were delivered to some Canadians…which have not yet been returned”

16. November 24, 1776
Memorial of Major Robert Grant, commander of the 24th Regiment of Foot, at Boucherville, to Carleton
Seeking approval for replacement, through sale of commission, of Lieutenant and Adjutant Robert Pennington, who is in bad health, with Richard Beecroft, and sign a commission accordingly [see also document 42]

17. November 27, 1776
Memorial of Grant, at Boucherville, to Carleton
Seeking two promotions in light of the death of Pennington

18. [no date]
Memorial of Ensign William Pendred Naylor of the 62nd Regiment to Carleton
Seeking promotion

19. [no date]
Memorial of James Hagart, second lieutenant of Marines, to Carleton
Seeking promotion to lieutenant in the line

20. [no date]
Memorial of “the Major and the rest of the Captains of the 53d Regiment” to Carleton
Seeking to reverse a decision “that the debt due from the late Lieut. Charles Houghton to his Captain Brigadier General Sowell, should be charged to the Non-Effective Acct. of said Regiment” because of a fear it would be financially detrimental to the regiment officers; signed by Major Balcarres and six captains; headquarters note at bottom of page after signatures: “to acquaint the Petitioners the matter to which their Petition relates has been transmitted to Secretary at [?] and refered to the King—”

21. [no date]
Statement from [?] concerning Anstruther’s two memorials dated November 7 and November 16, 1776 [documents 13 and 14]; noting that in the meantime, two junior ensigns have been promoted; concluding that this “makes Room to suppose that the memorial hath also been laid aside”

22. [no date]
Memorial of Lieutenant Thomas Lucas of the 20th Regiment of Foot to Carleton
Seeking preferment for promotion

23. [no date]
Petition of Lieutenant Joseph Smith of the Royal Regiment of New York to Carleton
Having been imprisoned by the Rebels after Saratoga [in October 1779] and the Rebels having “destroyed & laid waste all his property”; seeking assistance to obtain some sort of employment, since “he finds it impossible to subsist on his Pay as Lieutenant”

24. [no date]
Memorial of Lieutenant Thomas Story of the 47th Regiment to Carleton
Seeking promotion


25. [no date]
Petition of Edward Ware, John Bryan, and Thomas Barratt to “Your Excellency”
Repenting of their crimes of desertion and seeking clemency

26. [no date]
Memorial of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Watson Powell, of the 53rd Regiment of Foot to Carleton
Requesting that Sergeant Major John Chalmers be promoted with a commission to succeed to the position of quarter master of the regiment

27. [no date]
Memorial of Ensign Hamilton of the 53rd Regiment
Seeking promotion; having unsuccessfully attempted to purchase a lieutenant commission

28. [no date]
Memorial of Lieutenant Simeon Lord of the 53rd Regiment to Carleton
Seeking promotion

29. [no date]
Memorial of Ensign Samuel Ford of the 47th Regiment of Foot to Carleton
Seeking promotion to lieutenant

30. [no date]
Memorial of Lieutenant Colonel John Hill of the 9th Regiment of Foot to Lieutenant General John Burgoyne
Seeking Burgoyne’s support in seeking Carleton’s approval for Hill to be promoted to captain lieutenant in his regiment if Captain Lieutenant Fraser is approved to command a company

31. [no date]
Memorial of Lieutenant Paul Banks of the 62nd Regiment of Foot to Carleton
Seeking promotion

32. [no date]
Memorial of Lieutenant Sam Willoc [?] of the King’s (or 8th) Regiment of Foot
Seeking promotion

33. [no date]
Petition of Ensign John Wilson plus six sergeants, five corporals, and four privates to Carleton
Seeking to do duty in the corps commanded by Captain McKay rather than that of Colonel Peters, who has claimed them for his corps [microfilmed twice; the first microfilming lacks the second page of the petition, which is included in the second microfilming]

34. [no date]
Memorial of Ensign Alexander Saunders of the 29th Regiment to General Frederick Haldimand, commander in chief for the Province of Quebec and the frontier
Requesting that promotion of Ensign Hollier, who has been improperly promoted over him, be reversed [microfilmed twice]

35. [no date]
Memorial of Captain Stephen Watts of the 8th Regiment and Captain Patrick Daly of the King’s Royal Regiment of New York, to Haldimand
“praying the Gen’l to favor B. G. Maclean to pay them their Remand in the R. H. Emigrants”

36. [no date]
Memorial of Lieutenant William Wood of the 34th Regiment to Carleton
Seeking promotion

37. [no date]
Memorial of Ensign Henry Stanyford Blanckley of the 31st Regiment to Carleton
Seeking clarification of his rank

38. [no date]
Memorial of “the Volunteers under the Command of Lieut’t Col. Jessep” to Carleton
Seeking pay due since 1777; signed or marked by 17 memorialists

39. [no date]
Memorial of Lieutenant Robert Duport of the 47th Regiment to Carleton
Seeking promotion

40. [no date]
Memorial from Patrick Kane, volunteer in the King’s Royal Regiment of New York to Carleton
Seeking a position in the army since he cannot subsist on his volunteer pay alone


Military and naval memorials to Sir Guy Carleton, 1777: 30 documents with dates from September 18, 1776 through June 26, 1778 (printed page numbers 51 through 92)

41. September 18, 1776
Memorial of Captain Gordon Forbes of the 34th Regiment, at Chambly, to General Sir Guy Carleton, governor and commander in chief in Canada
Seeking promotion

42. January 2, 1777
Memorial of Major Robert Grant, commander of the 24th Regiment of Foot, at Boucherville, to Carleton
Recommending Richard Beecroft to succeed regimental Adjutant Robert Pennington, who had died November 26, 1776 [see also document 16]

43. January 4, 1777
Memorial of Captain Lieutenant George Coote of the 24th Regiment of Foot, at Boucherville, to Carleton
Seeking promotion to serve in one of the “vacant Companys in the Army”

44. January 20, 1777
Memorial of Lieutenant Colonel John Lind, commander of the 20th Regiment of Foot, at Isle aux Noix, to Carleton
Recommending Sergeant Major John Holmes to succeed to the vacant position of quarter master in the regiment

45. February 12, 1777
Memorial of Major Robert Grant, commander of the 24th Regiment of Foot, at Boucherville, to Carleton
Recommending Sergeant Joseph Caladine to succeed regimental Adjutant Robert Pennington, who had died November 26, 1776

46. February ?, 1777
Memorial of Captain William Agnew of the 24th Regiment of Foot, at Pointe aux Trembles, to Carleton
Seeking promotion

47. March 7, 1777
Memorial of Austin Piety, volunteer in the regiment commanded by Sir John Johnson, at Montreal, to Carleton
Seeking promotion despite former “disgust” and “disappointment”

48. March 20, 1778 [out of chronological order]
Petition of Midshipman William Dodderidge of the sloop Viper to Carleton at St. Johns
Seeking a commission to command a ship on one of the lakes

49. March 25, 1777
Memorial of Lieutenant Colonel John Anstruther of the 62nd Regiment of Foot, at Quebec, to Carleton
Recommending Ensign William Wybrants for promotion to the lieutenancy vacated by the death of John Fleming


50. June 5, 1777
From Major A. Dundas of the 34th Regiment at Quebec to [?]
Recommending Lieutenant William Kimble to succeed to Captain Sedgwick’s Company, which Sedgwick is selling

51. June 12, 1777
From Dundas at Quebec to Captain Foy, adjutant general, at Montreal
Confirming that Kimble has been approved to purchase Sedgwick’s company; recommending Ensign Anthony Wingrove for promotion to lieutenant; reporting that the ensigncy will be kept vacant, allowing Sedgwick, when he returns to England, to sell it to his preferred purchaser

52. June 23, 1777
Memorial of Captain Collin Campbell at Montreal to Carleton
Seeking promotion to command of a company “by Purchase or other ways”

53. June 26, 1778 [out of chronological order]
Memorial of Naval Second Lieutenant Antoine [or Anthony] Confroy, at Quebec, to Carleton
Seeking sick pay as an officer and a commission as a second lieutenant on the lakes

54. July 25, 1777
Memorial of Lieutenant John Smyth of the 9th Regiment of Foot, at St. Johns, to Carleton
Seeking promotion to captain lieutenant if Captain Lieutenant Bayley succeeds Captain Stapylton, who was killed

55. September 8, 1777
From Lieutenant John Burnet of the King’s Regiment, at Montreal, to Carleton
Seeking permission, “at the close of the campaign” to go to Amboy to determine the situation of his wife, “a relation of Mr. Delancy of New York” whom he had left there three years before when assigned to duty at Niagara

56. September 28, 1777
Memorial of Lieutenant William Leybourne of the 29th Regiment of Foot, at St. Johns, to Carleton
Seeking promotion [second page microfilmed twice]


57. September 30, 1777
“Memorial and Petition of the Subscribers Captains in the first battalion of His Majestys Regiment of Royal Highland Emigrants”, at Isle Aux Noix, to Carleton
Expressing their intent to retire from the service “unless it shall please His Majesty to put the Regiment on the same footing as the established Regiments in the Service”; stating that the subaltern officers of the regiment have similar complaints; signed by Captains John Nairne, Alexander Fraser, George McDougal, Malcolm Fraser, and Daniel Robertson

58. October 11, 1777
From First Lieutenant of Artillery John Downing, at Quebec, to Carleton
Seeking a leave of absence to attend to private affairs in Ireland; stating that “I hope it will not be Intirely Useless to His Majesty’s Service, as I mean to offer my Services to Raise at least 300 men By May next, which I am able to do with a little Support from government”

59. October 17, 1777
Memorial of Captain William Sandford of the 21st Regiment of Foot, at St. Johns, to Carleton
Seeking permission to resign and sell his company to Lieutenant Thomas Donaldson, so that he can return to England to attend to his bad health and family needs

60. October 30, 1777
From Downing, at Quebec, to [?; probably Carleton]
Expanding on his request for a leave of absence

61. December 1, 1777
From Sam MacKay at Chateaugaye to Carleton
Seeking a commission

62. December 16, 1777
Memorial of William Friend, late commander of “His Majestys Sloop on Lake Champlain” to Carleton
After having been a prisoner of the Rebels from November 1775 through October 1777 and having received no pay or subsistence during that time, and having had all his property taken by the Rebels, “which hath reduced him to a state of indigency” seeking whatever allowance can be offered plus appointment as a pilot on Lake Champlain or other similar employment

63. December 29, 1777
Memorial of Daniel Bliss at Quebec to Carleton
Having had to leave the army due to poor health and having been reduced to poverty by his poor health and lack of payment of back pay due, seeking assistance and employment

64. [?] 1777
Memorial of Captain Lieutenant Alexander Fletcher of His Majesty’s Regiment of Royal Highland Emigrants to General Frederick Haldimand, commander in chief for the Province of Quebec and the frontier
Seeking redress in a complicated situation of accusations and counter accusations by requesting a general court martial, “from whose impartial determination in makes not the least doubt of renewing that reparation which is due to his injured and suffering Character”

65. [?] 1777
Memorial of the major, captains, and subaltern officers of the 29th Regiment of Foot to Carleton
Seeking approval for the vacant position of lieutenant colonel to be filled by promotion within the regiment

66. [?] 1777
Memorial of Captain Hunter Sedgwick to Carleton
Seeking permission to retire from the service due to ill health and pressing business in England

67. [no date]
Memorial of Ensign Henry Stanyford Blanckley of the 31st Regiment to Carleton
Seeking approval to purchase the lieutenancy about to be vacated by Lieutenant Alexander Hamilton

68. [no date]
Memorial of Lieutenant Alexander Fletcher of the Royal Highland Emigrants to Carleton
Seeking to be promoted to the rank of captain, filling the vacancy created by promotion of Captain Lowe

69. [no date]
Memorial of Surgeon Charles Blake of the 34th Regiment to Carleton
As an “Old Regimental Surgeon”, seeking appointment as “surgeon to the Staff” at the general hospital at Montreal; headquarters note “Left to Gen’l Haldiman”

70. [no date]
Memorial of Captain David Alexander Grant of the Royal Highland Emigrants to Carleton
Seeking a commission as captain in the regiment



Petitions from Royalists: 30 documents with dates from August 16, 1777 through June 17, 1778 plus some without dates (printed page numbers 93 through 135)

71. August 16, 1777
“Memorial of Hugh Munro, late of the County of Albany Trader”, to General Sir Guy Carleton, governor and commander in chief in Canada
Explaining his assignment as commander of a company in Captain Daniel McAlpin’s Corps, as documented in general orders dated August 10, 1777, signed by Brigadier General Simon Fraser, by command of Lieutenant General John Burgoyne at Camp Saratoga [extract of this order quoted in the memorial]; complaining that he was being paid as a lieutenant, not a captain; seeking full captain’s pay or, alternatively, permission to go home to New York or to be assigned to another corps; “Memorandum of the Personal Estate belonging to Hugh Munro…that fell into the hands of the Rebels & Destroyed by the Kings Troops & Savages” attached to the memorial

72. August 31, 1777
“Memorial of Gershom French in behalf of himself Mess’rs Francis Hogel & Andrew Palmatear”, at Camp Saratoga, to Burgoyne
Seeking assistance in obtaining back men they recruited in the Bahama Islands, who had been reassigned elsewhere, leaving the memorialists without the men they need in their company

73. December 1, 1777
Memorial of Hugh Monro, at Quebec, to Carleton
Seeking full pay not yet received

74. December 9, 1777
Memorial of Lieutenant Colonel John Peters, at Montreal, to Carleton
Describing how “Battau Men Cart and Waggon Drivers” have been declining to work and making trouble; seeking a remedy through “some Ordinance whereby they may be Regulated to the End that they may have it in their Power to Subsist Without Falling into Vicious Practices as Many of them its to be Doubted Will If no Remedy is Perscribed to Prevent the Growing Evil of Poverty Amongst them”

75. December 9, 1777
“Memorial of Lieutenant Colonel John Peters in behalf of himself and his Batallion” to Carleton
Explaining the”Allarming Surcumstances” of the royalist company under the command of French and Hogel [see document 72], who had joined Captain McKay’s corps under the mistaken impression that they would be discharged soon to go home, and who, among other things, had as yet received no subsistence; seeking redress


76. February 19, 1778
Petition of Simon Metcalfe to Carleton
Seeking redress because his property at Plattsburgh was “laid waist…by sundry detachments from the Garrisons under your Excellency’s command”

77. March 9, 1778
Memorial of Justus Sherwood at Montreal to Carleton
Explaining the situation of the French-Hogel royalist company [see documents 72 and 75], which had been under his command before they left for McKay’s corps; stating that they were never supposed to have left his command and having lost most of his men as a result; seeking assistance in getting his men back; memorial includes a list of 24 men who had left him for McKay

78. March 12, 1778
Petition of Terence McCoristine, at La Prairie, to Carleton
Having volunteered as a royalist in the New York Regiment, and finding that he has been classified as “enlisted” into the regular army, seeking redress since he “never Consented to serve as a Private Soldier”

79. March 13, 1778
Memorial of Jonathan Jones of Mr. Jessup’s Corps, at Montreal, to Carleton
Seeking subsistence for service for himself and two brothers

80. March 13, 1778
Memorial of John Samson and Thomas Loveless, at Montreal, to Carleton
Seeking employment to provide for their “common necessaries of life” after having lost their job of conductor of teams in General Burgoyne’s army

81. March 13, 1778
Memorial of John Grout to Carleton
Seeking permission to serve as a private, after having been imprisoned by the Rebels as a loyalist, having escaped to Burgoyne’s army, having obtained leave from there, having been an attorney before the war, and having now been reduced to poverty; headquarters note: “refered to Sir John Johnson”

82. March 14, 1778
Memorial of Philo Hulbert to Carleton
Seeking “some small relief” from destitution, having been imprisoned by the Rebels and escaping, coming ”through the Woods to Canada by these misfortunes he has lost what money and Cloathing he had”

83. March 16, 1778
Petition of Alexander Chesholm, at Montreal, to Carleton
Having followed the British army as a sutler, and having lost all of his goods at Ticonderoga, seeking employment

84. March 23, 1778
Petition of Benjamin Holt, at Montreal, to Carleton at Quebec
Seeking support “under his present Difficult Curcumstances as Sickness has Prevaild in my family”

85. March [?], 1778
Memorial of Timothy Buel, at Montreal, to Carleton
Seeking subsistence for him and his family, having been a prosperous loyalist, imprisoned by the Rebels, and lost his property

86. March [?], 1778
Memorial of William Buel, at Montreal, to Carleton
Seeking “some relief”, having served in Burgoyne’s army and having not been paid since Burgoyne’s “army was Surrouned and Capitulatd”

87. June 16, 1778
Petition of Isaac Frist at Quebec to Carleton
Seeking payment for service, having served as a loyalist lieutenant, including under Burgoyne, but had never been paid

88. [no date]
Petition of Thomas Robertson to Carleton
Seeking employment after having been a loyalist settler, and having joined Burgoyne’s army, and having lost his property, and “Having obtaind General Powells leave I came to Canada, where the Sufferers for Government have been Receivd in the most favourable manner”

89. [no date]
Petition of Andrew Naughton to Carleton
Seeking “Reasonable Relief”, having served in Burgoyne’s army, been reduced to poverty, and went to Canada, according to the provisions for Americans under the post-Saratoga Convention

90. [no date]
Petition of Pierre Robineau to Carleton
Seeking payment for service under Burgoyne [written in French]

91. [no date]
Memorial of Samuel Perry, lately an inhabitant of Saratoga, to Carleton
Having served as a loyalist volunteer in Burgoyne’s army, asking Carleton to “interfere in my behalf, and not leave a true Loyalist to suffer through the Ommission, or Sinister Views of others”


92. [no date]
Memorial of William Fraser to Carleton
Seeking employment, having served as a loyalist in Burgoyne’s army and previously was a trader with the Indians at Niagara

93. [no date]
Petition of Joseph Smith late of Pennsylvania to Carleton
Seeking payment of pay not received for service in the King’s Royal Regiment of New York

94. [no date]
Petition of Richard Raymond, property owner near Crown Point, to Carleton
Seeking permission to be freed to return to his lands, after having been employed by the army after the Rebels stole his livestock etc., leaving him destitute, and having been imprisoned at Montreal after the Convention

95. [no date]
Petition of Andrew Coulter, late inhabitant on Lake George, to Carleton
Seeking “something for his Present Support”, after having lost his property to the Rebels

96. July 28, 1777
Permit for passage of the bearer, a Mr. Gregory, via the outposts of the British Army toward Fort George, as ordered by Brigadier General Simon Fraser, commanding the Advance Corps; signed by Brigade Major Quin John Freeman at camp near Fort Edward

97. June 8, 1778
From Major Edward Jessup, King’s Loyal Americans, at Montreal, to “To whom it may Concern”
Certification that the bearer, Andrew Colter, is a “good Royalist” and “is now in this Place in no Business or any way of supporting himself;

98. June 16, 1778
From Barrister[?] Master John Jones of Fort George at Quebec
Certification that the bearer, Andrew Colter, is “an Honest Man” who has “shown his zeal” in helping the British army and Rebel deserters

99. June 17, 1778
From Charles O’Neil and John O’Brien, at Quebec
Certification that the bearer, Andrew Colter, assisted the British army and joined Burgoyne’s army in 1777; sworn before Thomas Durn, ICS

100. [no date]
Petition of Hazelton Spencer to Carleton
Seeking relief after becoming destitute after having worked as a sutler attached to Burgoyne’s army


Military and provincial memorials and petitions to Sir Guy Carleton, 1778: 26 documents dated from February 21 through July 21, 1778 (printed page number 136 through 175)

101. February 21, 1778
Memorial of Captain William Howe of the 53rd Regiment of Foot, at Chambly, to General Sir Guy Carleton, commander in chief of forces in Canada and the frontiers thereof
Seeking to sell his company and commission to Lieutenant George Mure so that he can return to England for business and health reasons

102. March 9, 1778
Memorial of Ensign Archibald MacDonell of the Royal Highland Emigrants, at Isle aux Noix, to Carleton
Requesting that a formal commission for his ensigncy be written

103. March 10, 1778
Memorial of Lieutenant John MacDonell of the Royal Highland Emigrants, at Isle aux Noix, to Carleton
Having “had the mortification to find his promotion tottaly Stopt during his Captivity”, and finding that other ensigns inferior to him have been promoted over him, seeking to have his lieutenant commission dated earlier to reflect the just ordering of ranks

104. March 14, 1778
Memorial of Captain William Hughes of the 53rd Regiment of Foot, at Chambly, to Carleton
Seeking a commission as ensign for his son John, “Fifteen Years of Age, now educating in England for the Military Line”

105. March 25, 1778
Memorial of Captain Lieutenant Joseph Anderson of the King’s Royal Regiment of New York, at Montreal, to Carleton
Seeking permission to purchase the company of Captain Watts of the King’s New York Regiment which Watts is selling because he has just purchased a company in the 8th Regiment


106. April 6, 1778
Memorial of Lieutenant William Leybourne of the 29th Regiment, at Montreal, to Carleton
Seeking consideration for promotion given ”the Vacancys occasioned by the Melancholy accident of the deaths of Captains L’Estrange & Scott”

107. May 6, 1778
Memorial of Ensign Alexander Richardson of the 9th Regiment, at Pointe de Feu, to Carleton at Quebec
Seeking promotion to lieutenant

108. May 25, 1778
Memorial of Deputy Paymaster General Jacob Jordan at Quebec, to Carleton
Seeking a warrant to obtain the “Sum of £” in his pay account

[cover for a memorial not microfilmed with headquarters notation “Memorial of Nath’l Day Ens’n 11 June 1778]

109. June 13, 1778
Petition of Captain Patrick Daly’s Company of Volunteers in the Kings Royal Regiment of New York, at Beauport, to Carleton
Having volunteered and served loyally, having not enlisted or having the intent to enlist, having been reduced to poverty from Rebel plunder of their property, and having “at divers Times been Opresed and affronted by the Regimental Orders of the afore Said Reg’t,”; seeking permission to be sent to New York City to serve the King there; list at the end of 30 names identified as “The mens name of The Company” [see also documents 110-113]

110. June 13, 1778
Petition of Captain Alexander MacDonell’s Company of Volunteers in the Kings Royal Regt of New York, at Beauport, to Carleton
[content very similar to that of documents109 and 110-113]; seeking permission to be sent to New York City; list of 29 names, 15 (or 12?) with X signature marks

111. June 13, 1778
Petition of the Light Company commanded by Captain Samuel Anderson, being volunteers in the King’s Royal Regiment of New York, at Beauport, to Carleton
[content very similar to that of documents 109-110 and 112-113]; seeking permission to be sent to New York City; list of 30 names

112. June 13, 1778
Petition of Captain Angus MacDonell’s company of volunteers in the King’s Royal Regiment of New York to Carleton
[content very similar to that of documents 109-111 and 113]; seeking permission to be sent to New York City; circular list of 24 names, 13 with X signature marks

113. June 13, 1778
Petition of Captain John MacDonell’s company of volunteers in the King’s Royal Regiment of New York, at Beauport, to Carleton
[content very similar to that of documents 109-112]; seeking permission to be sent to New York City; circular list of 29 names, 8 with X signature marks

114. June 22, 1778
Memorial of Captain Thomas Gamble, deputy quarter master general, at Quebec, to Carleton
Requesting an audit of transactions of Gamble’s quarter master accounts, since he is considered to be in arrears to Deputy Pay Master General Jacob Jordan; seeking a temporary warrant for £2,000 “which shall be accounted for Immediately and Vouchers Render’d”

115. August 11, 1778
Petition of Alexander Fraser, at Chambly, to Lieutenant General Ferdinand Haldimand, commander in chief of forces in Quebec
Having previously served in the army, having been “reduced” and discharged, and having served as a volunteer during this war, seeking assignment for garrison duty

116. August 13, 1778
Petition of Andrew MacDonell, soldier in the Royal Highland Emigrants, at Isle aux Noix to [?]
Seeking payment of back pay due and confirming the pay amount of one shilling per day, as agreed on between Captain McLeod and MacDonell

117. July 21, 1778
Copy of the pay agreement between McLeod and MacDonell [probably attached to document 116]

118. August 17, 1778
Memorial from Frantz [?] at Sorel to Haldimand
[written probably in French; very difficult to decipher]

119. August 25, 1778
Memorial from Miles Prenties at Quebec to Haldimand
Seeking an ensign commission for his son Samuel Walter Prenties that was being obstructed by Mr. David Cairns, late a lieutenant in the Royal Emigrants Regiment

120. September 3, 1778
Petition of Reuben Hawley at St. Johns to Haldimand
Seeking subsistence relief for himself and his family for services rendered


121. September 6, 1778
Petition of Charles Bennett at St. Johns to Haldimand
Seeking payment for providing a horse for an express delivery plus money for the rider, for which he has not been paid, nor the horse returned

122. September 6, 1778
Petition of Oliver Everts at St. Johns to Haldimand
Seeking payment for 10 cattle sold to General Riesdesel

123. November 9, 1778
Memorial of Ensign Samuel Walter Prenties of the Royal Emigrants at Isle aux Noix to Haldimand
Seeking assistance to purchase a commission he cannot afford

124. [no date]
Petition of Judith Cornfield to Haldimand
Seeking her late husband’s allowance to support her and three small children, after her husband, Sergeant Samuel Cornfield of the 24th Regiment, had drowned while on duty in Lake Champlain

125. July 21, 1778
Certification of Cornfield’s death in March 1778 and that the bearer was his widow; signed at Montreal by Captain Richard Bancroft [?] of the 24th Regiment

126. [no date]
Memorial of Captain Robert Longfield of the 53rd Regiment of Foot
Seeking a leave of absence to go home to handle family affairs because of the death of his brother and declining health of his father


Memorials of Canadian and other inhabitants, 1777-1780 and with no date: 27 documents with dates from June 28, 1777 through June 15, 1780 (printed page numbers 176 through 213)

127. June 28 1777
“Ouvrage faitte pour Le Compte du gouvernement a la troupe de Monsieur Maquaje par moi joseph poitre armurier de montrealle a Mai 1777”
Accounting list of work done and costs, signed at Montreal by Captain Samuel MacKay [written in French]

128. September 4, 1777
From Lestard de Montigny “au Bout de l’isle”, to “Mon General”
Seeking financial assistance for himself, his wife, and three children


129. [no date]
“Memoire du terns employé au Service De Sa Majesté par Toussaint Le Cavelier interpreté des iraquois Jusqu’au 1.er 9.bre [September ?] 1777”
Accounting list for interpreter services rendered [written in French]

130. August 1777
“Government to LeGras Pierreville D.r”
Accounting of expenses for provisions provided to Canadians, Indians, and Andrew Robenet and to pay five laborers 4 dollars each

131. [no date]
“Government to LeGras Pierreville, D.r”
Account for “my service as Commissary for Canadians and Indians” from June 25 through October 25, 1777, 123 days at 10 shillings sterling

132. March 9, 1778
Petition of Simon Alard and his son Nevy [?] Alard at St. Denis to Brigadier General Sir Guy Carleton, commander in chief of forces in Canada and the frontiers thereof
Seeking payment for losses resulting from a guard house fire at St. Denis; signed by the marks of the petitioners; written and signed by J.[?] Chernier [written in French] [see also document 151]

133. March 11, 1778
From [?] Beaubassin [?] at Montreal to “Monsieur”
Seems to be seeking a favor [written in French]

134. March 14, 1778
Petition of Charles Mattieu, inhabitant of Lachenay, written at Montreal, to Carleton
Seeking an estimate and payment for damages to his house at Terrebonne [written in French]; [war office note “To be sent to Major Nairn”

135. March 16, 1778
Petition of Sergeant Major Charles Fischbach of Montreal to Carleton
Seeking to know what he is to receive for his services in the militia of Montreal [written in French] [microfilmed twice]

136. March 16, 1778
Accounts of expenses of Joseph Lamothe [or LaMotte] of Montreal concerning rebel prisoners [written in French]

137. March 18, 1778
Memorial of Francois Loiseau, volunteer in His Majesty’s service, at Montreal, to Carleton
Seeking recompense for his services [written in French]
138. March 27, 1778
Accounting of damages by Mr. McKay’s “party” [written in French]

139. March 29, 1778
Petition of Therese Raz [or Rasa] at Montreal to Carleton
seeking reimbursement for damages accounted for [see documents 138 and 142] [written in French]

140. April 10, 1778
Petition of merchants to Carleton
Expressing concern for the protection of their lands along the coast of Labrador; signed by 10 petitioners [written in French]

141. August 24, 1778
From Charles de Lolbiniere [?] at Caudreville [?] to “Monsieur”
A petition [written in French; content not clear]

142. [no date]
Petition of Therese Rasa to Carleton
Seeking payment for losses resulting from the army’s occupation [written in French] [see documents 138 and 139]

143. [no date]
Petition of Guillaume Lorimier to Carleton
Seeking a commission in recognition of services to the king [written in French]

144. [no date]
Petition of Marie Joseph Dumai [?] Germain Lesperence at Sorel to Carleton
Seeking financial assistance [written in French]

145. [no date]
From Mr. Cavalier to Carleton
Seeking payment for services under Major Campbell [written in French] [headquarters note: “refer’d to Major Campbell”]

146. [no date]
Petition of Pierre La Croix to Carleton
Seeking an annuity for services to prevent fire [written in French]

147. [no date]
Memorial of Joseph Desjarlais to Carleton
Seeking relief resulting from losses sustained at the hands of the rebels [written in French]


148. [no date]
Memorial of Sergeant Pierre Galand of the militia to Carleton
Seeking relief for himself, wife, and six children [written in French]

149. [no date]
Memorial of Captain Joackim Guion LeMoine of the militia
Seeking payment not received for service [written in French]

150. [no date]
Petition from Charles Harmois to Carleton
Something about Harmois being ignorant and something about 3 gallons of rum [written in French]

151. March 7, 1778
Accounting statement—estimates of damages sustained by Simon and Nevy [?] Alard, reported by militia captains Louis Chabor and Pierre Cevalier, all of the parish of St. Antoine, totaling 2,500 Livres [written in French] [see document 132]

152. [no date]
Petition of Chevalier Hertel to Carleton
Seeking “gratification” as a captain for services rendered [written in French]

153. June 15, 1780
Sworn statements of Thomas Ellorin, Etienne Morin, and Joseph LaBoule [written in French; content not clear]


Military and provincial memorials to General Frederick Haldimand, 1779-1781: 25 documents with dates from March 15, 1779 through December 12, 1781 (printed page numbers 214 through 244)

154. March 15, 1779
Memorial of Major Donald Macdonald of the Royal Highland Emigrants to General Lord Jeffrey Amherst, commander of British forces
Seeking permission, “in consideration of his very long and faithfull Services, great Sufferings, infirm State of Body, advanced Age, and numerous family…to “dispose of his Majority and Company”

155. April 9, 1779
Memorial of Captain Robert Longfield of the 53rd Regiment of Foot, at St. Johns, to General Frederick Haldimand, commander of forces in Canada and the frontiers thereof
Seeking permission to sell his commission, “the Climate of this Country not agreeing with his health, and having urgent Business that requires his presence in England”

156. April 9, 1779
Memorial of Brigadier General, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Watson Powell of the 53rd Regiment of Foot, at St. Johns, to Haldimand
Supporting Longfield’s request to sell his commission and recommending Lieutenant William Mure to succeed him

157. September 11, 1779
Memorial of Ensign Manuel Latham of the 53rd Regiment of Foot, at St. Johns, to Haldimand
Seeking promotion to lieutenant to take Mure’s place once he is promoted to captain

158. September 11, 1779
Memorial of Powell at St. Johns to Haldimand
Lieutenant James Horn having purchased into the 14th Regiment, seeking approval for Ensign Henry Wills to succeed to lieutenant and for volunteer Richard Wilmer to be appointed Ensign

159. September 11, 1779
Memorial of Powell at St. Johns to Haldimand
Mure having been promoted, seeking approval for Ensign Manuel Latham to be appointed lieutenant, “and that the ensigncy remain vacant until a purchaser offers”

160. September 11, 1779
Memorial of Ensign Henry Wills of the 53rd Regiment of Foot, at St. Johns, to Haldimand
Seeking permission to be promoted to a lieutenant vacancy, having missed his proper opportunity to do so because of having been captured in 1777

161. May 11, 1780
From Simon Metcalfe at Montreal to Major Francis LeMaistre, deputy adjutant general, at Quebec
Enclosing a petition, “which I beg you will be pleased to lay before his Excellency praying the restoration of my Cattle taken by a Maraudeur on Lake Champlain…. I have taken every gentle method I can think off to obtain my property…but all to no purpose.” [see document 162]

162. May 11, 1780
Petition from Metcalfe, late of Plattsburgh, now at Missisquoi Bay, Lake Champlain, to Haldimand, via LeMaistre [see document 161]

163. May 17, 1780
Memorial of Captain John Ross of the 34th Regiment, at Sorel, to Haldimand
Seeking an opportunity for promotion to major

164. June 10, 1780
Petition of “Jacque des trois maisons” to Haldimand
Requesting assistance in the improper enlisting of his son [written in French]

165. November 7, 1780
From Surgeon’s Mate Henery Stiles of the 34th Regiment, at St. Johns, to Major Richard Berringer Lernoult, adjutant general, at Quebec
Requesting that the enclosed memorial be referred to the commander in chief [for the memorial, see document 176]

166. September 10, 1781
Memorial of Lieutenant Lauchlan MacLean of the 84th Regiment, at Oswegatchie, to Haldimand
Seeking promotion by purchasing a company in the 53rd Regiment

167. December 16, 1781
Memorial of Captain Lieutenant Simeon Lord of the 53rd Regiment of Foot to Haldimand
Having been passed over for promotion because of being taken prisoner in 1777, seeking to sell his captain lieutenancy to Lieutenant Robert Arbuthnott of the 31st Regiment, all the lieutenants of the 53rd having declined to purchase.

168. December 17, 1781
Memorial of Captain Hutcheson Dunlop of the 53rd Regiment of Foot
Supporting the selling of Lord’s commission to Arbuthnott

169. [no date]
Memorial of Ensign John Magrath of the Royal Highland Emigrants to Haldimand
Seeking a promotion

170. July 12, 1779
Memorial of Ensign George Dame of the Royal Highland Emigrants, at Montreal, to Haldimand
Having been promised promotion, seeking recognition of rank commensurate with his service

171. [?] 1780
Memorial of Captain Malcolm Fraser of the Royal Highland Emigrants to Haldimand
Seeking promotion


172. [?] 1780
Memorial of” Messrs Allan & Ronald McDonell”
Having been imprisoned for 2½ years [as part of the Convention Army], having as a result lost their positions under Sir John Johnson’s [loyalist] command, “and being unwilling to eat the Bread of Idleness, or become a Burthen on Government”, seeking some provision “in a way wherein they may be actively employed in Promoting the good of his Majesty’s Service”

173. [no date]
Memorial of Captain Hutcheson Dunlop of the 53rd Regiment of Foot to Haldimand
Recommending that Robert Duke be commissioned as an ensign, filling the position vacated by the promotion of Ensign Manuel Latham to lieutenant on April 17, 1779 [see also document 186]

174. [no date]
Memorial of Lieutenant Donald McDonell of the 84th Regiment to Haldimand
Being in bad health, seeking permission to sell his commission and retire from the service

175. [?] 1780
Memorial of Ensign Humphrey Arden of the 34th Regiment to Haldimand
Seeking a promotion to lieutenant and wondering whether “his Zeal and Attention as Adjutant can be any way conducive to the disciplining the 2nd Battalion”

176. [no date]
Memorial of Surgeon’s Mate Henery Stiles of the 34th Regiment of Foot to Haldimand
Surgeon Davidson of the 84th Regiment having resigned, seeking promotion to that position [for the cover letter pertaining to this memorial, see document 165]

177. [no date]
Memorial of Lieutenant Richard Browne of the 31st Regiment to Haldimand
Claiming rightfully to be a captain, requesting that general orders include recognition of this rank

178. [no date]
Memorial of Deputy Commissary General Fleetwood Parkhurst to Haldimand
Seeking a leave of absence to go to England because of his bad health and to attend to “the great distress occasioned to his Family by his long absence from them”



Military and provincial memorials addressed to General Frederick Haldimand, 1782-1783: 32 documents with dates from December 2, 1781 through October 15, 1783 (printed page numbers 245 through 285)

179. December 2, 1781
From Lieutenant James Hunter at Quebec to General Frederick Haldimand, commander of forces in Canada and the frontiers thereof

Seeking appointment to a vacant second lieutenancy in the Royal Artillery, hoping that through “that Channel I may stand a Chance to get into the Corps of Engineers”

180. March 25, 1782
Memorial of Captain Bright Hodder of the 84th Regiment, at Batiscan, to Haldimand
Seeking assistance in settling a dispute over payment for a company he purchased

181. April 21, 1782
Memorial of Captain William Norton of the 44th Regiment, at St. Charles, to Haldimand
Adjutant William Keugh desiring to sell his commission for health reasons, recommending Lieutenant David Stark to purchase it

182. Received May 22, 1782
“Petition of Donald McMullen and Alexander Kenedy”, inhabitants of St. Johns, to Colonel Barry St. Leger, commander at St. Johns
Seeking protection so as not to be forced to join Sir John Johnson’s Corps

183. June 22, 1782
Petition of Captain Lane Edge of the 53rd Regiment to Haldimand
“Concerning the Sale of the Ensigncy occasion’d by the sale of his Company”

184. June 23, 1782
Memorial of Captain William Norton at St. Charles to Haldimand
Seeking support for Lieutenant Farley of the 44th Regiment’s desire to retire from the service and sell his commission because of “his affairs being very much Embarrassed in the West Indies, which requires his presence”

185. June 23, 1782
Memorial of Captain William Norton at St. Charles to Haldimand
Recommending Ensign Finlay of the 44th Regiment to purchase Lieutenant Farley’s commission


186. July 2, 1782
Memorial of Major John Nairne of the 53rd Regiment of Foot, at Isle aux Noire, to Haldimand
Seeking approval for Robert Duke to purchase the ensigncy made vacant by the promotion of Lieutenant Manuel Latham [see also document 173]

187. July 24, 1782
From Nairne at Isle aux Noix to Major Richard Berringer Lernoult, adjutant general, at Quebec
Enclosing a monthly return [not microfilmed] and a memorial [document 188] on behalf of Ensign Richard Wilmer, who wishes to sell his commission and go home to England; intending to replace Wilmer, who has functioned as the clerk of the regiment, with a sergeant

188. [no date]
Memorial of Nairne to Haldimand
Seeking support for Ensign Richard Wilmer to sell his commission [see document 187]

189. July 3, 1782
Memorial of Nairne at Isle aux Noix to Haldimand
Supporting approval of [?] Cochrane to purchase the ensigncy vacated by Lieutenant Robertson

190. August 5, 1782
Memorial of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Hope of the 44th Regiment, at Quebec, to Haldimand
Captain Lieutenant Keugh, adjutant to the regiment, having resigned, recommending Lieutenant Nicholas to replace him by purchasing his commission

191. August 25, 1782
Memorial of Nairne at Isle aux Noix to Haldimand
Supporting approval for Lieutenant Booker to take a six-month leave of absence, because of “the Critical Situation of his Private Affairs”

192. September 3, 1782
Memorial of Nairne at Isle aux Noix to Haldimand
Seeking changes in date for the commissions of Duke and Cochrane to correct an injustice in rankings

193. September 22, 1782
Memorial of Lieutenant Thomas Bennett, adjutant for the 8th Regiment of Foot, at Niagara, to Haldimand
Seeking permission to sell his commission to Lieutenant George Armstrong


194. September 24, 1782
Memorial of Ensign Richard Wilmer of the 53rd Regiment of Foot, at Trois Rivières, to Haldimand
Having not been able to sell his commission, seeking urgent permission for a leave of absence to return to England,

195. September 27, 1782
From Brigadier General Allan Maclean at Quebec to Lernoult at Quebec
Lieutenant Lauchlan Maclean of the 84th Regiment having been granted and then denied leave to return to Europe a year ago, seeking the commander in chief’s approval for him to go this year

196. October 2, 1782
Memorial of Ensign William Savage of the 34th Regiment of Foot, at St. Johns, to Haldimand
Seeking permission, based on seniority, to purchase a lieutenancy in the 29th Regiment

197. October 2, 1892
From St. Leger to Lernoult at Quebec
Providing a glowing character reference on Ensign Savage and enclosing Savage’s memorial [document 196]

198. October 2, 1782
From Savage to Lernoult at Quebec
Enclosing a memorial seeking promotion by purchasing the vacant lieutenancy in the 29th Regiment, as well as a leave of absence to return to home [this memorial not microfilmed]

199. [no date]
Memorial of Nairne to Haldimand
Supporting Captain Dunlop’s desire for a leave of absence for six months, over the winter, because of poor health; enclosing Dr. Kennedy’s certificate of Dunlop’s state of health [document 200]

200. October 3, 1782
From Physician General and Inspector at the General Hospital at Trois Rivières
Certifying Dunlap’s health, including “stomach complaints” and “epileptic fits”; recommending a milder climate for him

201. October 19, 1782
Memorial of Lieutenant George Brabson of the 44th Regiment of Foot, at Quebec, to Haldimand
Seeking a leave of absence to go to Ireland to resolve financial difficulties or, alternatively, permission to sell his commission to pay his debts

202. October 22, 1782
Memorial of Lieutenant Robert Battersby of the 34th Regiment, at Quebec, to Haldimand
Having had permission for reassignment to England, seeking permission for a leave of absence to travel to England with the fleet

203. October 30, 1782
Memorial of Captain Lieutenant Archibald McLean of the 84th Regiment, at Quebec, to Haldimand
Seeking relief from being restricted to the garrison at Quebec in favor of being allowed to move to Montreal and to have, either there or still in Quebec, the liberty of “going an airing a few miles for Exercise”

204. [no date]
Memorial of Lieutenant and Adjutant Ronald Macdonell of the 84th Regiment to Haldimand
Seeking permission to sell his commission because of ill health, debts, and family concerns

205. February 2, 1783
Memorial of Mate Thomas Prendergast of the General Hospital to Haldimand
Seeking permission to sell his commission because of ill health and the demands of private affairs

206. January 6, 1783
Memorial of Adjutant William Smith of the Corps of Rangers, at the Rangers barracks, to Lieutenant Colonel John Butler
Seeking promotion to second lieutenant

207. June 6, 1783
Memorial of Nairne, at Isle aux Noix, to Haldimand
Supporting the desire of Captain John Baird for a leave of absence

208. June 6, 1783
Memorial of Nairne, at Isle aux Noix, to Haldimand
Supporting the desire of Captain James Wiseman for a leave of absence

209. October 15, 1783
Memorial of Nairne, at Isle aux Noix, to Haldimand
Supporting the desire of Lieutenant Booker for a leave of absence

210. October 15, 1783
Memorial of Nairne, at Isle aux noix, to Haldimand
Supporting Lieutenant Rogers’ desire for a leave of absence to go home to Ireland


Sir Guy Carleton’s headquarters order book, New York, Mortier House, and Lefferts House, 1782-1783: 301 documents with dates from May 8, 1782 through November 23, 1783 (printed page numbers 285a through 482)

[Note: On November 30, 1782 (after document 312), the order book clerk began intermittently entering dates for entries with no substantive content. These have been ignored here.]

[Note: “Headquarters” was at New York from May 8 through June 19, 1782 (documents 211 through 235).]

211. [no date—the back of the title page of the order book, printed page number 285A]
Printed statement: “James Hawkins, No. 8, Well Court, Queen Street, Cheapside, London; All sorts of Stationary Wares; Wholesale Retail & for Exportation”

212. May 8, 1782
Appointments of Brook Watson to be commissary general of stores provisions and Forage for the army in North America; Captain Robert Morse of the Corps of Engineers to be chief engineer of the army; Lieutenant John Rotten of the 47th Regiment to be aide de camp for General Carleton

213. May 11, 1782
Assignments and instructions for Captain Connor of the 16th Regiment and Captain Charles Handfield of the 22nd Regiment [microfilmed twice]

214. May 14, 1782
Assembly of a court martial with Major General Paterson as president; appointment of Captain Conway of the 23rd Regiment to be aide de camp for the commander in chief [microfilmed twice]

215. May 16, 1782
Appointment of Major de Willmousky as aide de camp for the commander in chief and of Lieutenant John Rotten of the 47th Regiment as aide de camp for General Carleton; determination that all applications from officers must come through their regimental commanders; working parties at New York and Brooklyn to be discontinued [mostly microfilmed twice]

216. May 17, 1782
Assembly of the Corps of Guides & Pioneers; baggage and clothing on the Munificence transport to be landed immediately; review of the regiments under Major General Wormb


217. May 18, 1782
Review of troops on Long Island; marching and guard duties; returns due

218. May 23, 1782
Delivering stores to the commissary general; reassignment of the light company of the 40th Regiment from the corps in the district to the regiment; assembly of all men of absent British and provincial regiments; convening of a court of enquiry;

[Note: Document 218 is printed page number 289. Document 219 is printed page number 300. No microfilmed documents have printed page numbers between 290 and 299.]

219. [no date]
“The Commander in Chief has been pleased to renstitute a Board to examine the Public accounts of the Army”

220. May 26, 1782
Use of all wagons on the 28th and 29th; continuation of the court martial; marching orders

221. May 28, 1782
Feeding of horses; list of promotions approved; more marching orders and boats to assist [microfilmed twice]

222. May 29, 1782
Returns due; troops assigned to Nova Scotia and to Penobscot to embark tomorrow; 84th Regiment, from South Carolina, to embark for Halifax; list of promotions approved [mostly microfilmed twice]

223. May 30, 1782
Appointment of Major Keppel of the 82nd regiment to serve with the 2nd Battalion British Grenadiers; announcement of promotions in the 82nd Regiment

224. June 1, 1782
Matters concerning feeding of the horses

225. June 2, 1782
Prohibiting any effort “to Survey or take any run of the Country or of the Works without Permission in writing from Head Quarters or from the Chief Engineer”; the Pioneers at Kings Bridge to join those in Brooklyn; need to assemble 30,000 fascines [partly microfilmed twice]

226. June 3, 1782
Various marching orders; irregularities in the issue of new provisions; ration of oats [partly microfilmed twice]

227. June 4, 1782
Celebration of His Majesty’s birthday

228. June 5, 1782
Suspension of the court martial because one of the prisoners complained “against the Legality of the Court”

229. June 7, 1782
Rules for confining any prisoner; “the use of Venegar being recommended to the Troops during the Hot Weather”

230. June 10, 1782
All regiments to be ready to encamp, leaving barracks buildings and transporting heavy baggage; returns due

231. June 14, 1782
Returns due; all officers of corps are to apply immediately for 40 rounds per man of fresh ammunition; a meeting of quarter masters

232. June 15, 1782
Movement of troops to encampments

233. June 16, 1782
Matters of provisioning the encamped troops; more troop movements

234. June 17, 1782
Matters of personnel for artillery; warning to “pay the greatest attention for the preservation of the Medows & inclosures near their encampments & that no Injury be done to the neighbouring Inhabitants”

235. June 19, 1782
Reassignment of certain officers; a “proof” of cannon scheduled for tomorrow

[Note: “Headquarters” was at Mortier House from June 20 through August 11, 1782 (documents 236 through 252), except on August 3 (document 248), when it was at Lefferts House—see below. Mortier House was in New York and had previously been General George Washington’s headquarters.]

236. June 20, 1782
Matters of paying for rations issued by the Commissary General

237. June 24, 1782
Matters of wagons, carts, drivers, and horses and the movement of provisions; announcement of promotions in the 43rd and 63rd Regiments; muster roles due for the Hesse Hanau and Waldeck Regiments

238. June 30, 1782
“All British Officers & Soldiers Prisoners on Parole who are not employed on Service are to hold themselves in readiness to embark for Europe by the first opportunity”

239. July 1, 1782
Major Robert Nollison appointed Wagon Master General of this army; practice scheduled for the artillery at Kings Bridge

240. July 3, 1782
Settling accounts for storages due to the General Hospital; list of the “Regulation of the number of Horses allowed”; list of the “Regulation of Waggons”

241. July 5, 1782
Supplying of horses and wagons; Brevet Major Beckwith appointed aide de camp to the commander in chief; the Hessian artillery will practice; “The Board for the Examination of the Public Accounts will meet every Wednesday at 10 OClock at the House of Lieut Genl Robertson”; a general court martial will convene at Brooklyn; evidence of commission dates to be sent to Captain Adye, deputy judge advocate

242. July 13, 1782
Lieutenant James Dunlop to be captain by purchase, and Ensign John McPherson to be lieutenant by purchase; appointment of Major Wemys of the 63rd Regiment to be an extra deputy adjutant general; accounts for General Hospital storage to be settled with the Purveyer; requests due for regiments with demands for bounty money

243. July 23, 1782
News that prisoners of the Spanish in West Florida and the West Indies have been exchanged

244. July 25, 1782
Orders for encampments

245. July 27, 1782
Supplying fuel and forage only for the army; results from the general court martial with sentences; “It is the Commander in Chiefs order that divine service be performed every Sunday in each British & Provincial Batt.”

246. July 30, 1782
No person accountable for public funds is to sit on the Board for the Examination of Public Accounts; those purchasing, keeping, or issuing public stores shall overcharge; Brigadier General Skinner is thanked “for his attention & diligence in securing the Horse Stealers”; Major Upham of the King’s American Dragoons appointed aide de camp to the commander in chief
247. August 1, 1782
Joshua Loring, commissary general of prisoners, is the only person with authority to treat for exchanges; convening of court martial in New York

248. August 3, 1782 [“headquarters at Lefferts House]
Announcement of promotions in the 16th and 82nd Regiments; Volunteers of Ireland are to be ready to embark “for that Kingdom”; court martial results and sentences

249. August 6, 1782
Marching orders; two captains of the New Jersey Volunteers to serve on the court martial in New York

250. August 7, 1782
Announcements of a promotion in the 33rd Regiment

251. August 9, 1782
Lieutenant Colonel Emmerick appointed to the Adjutant General Department; troop movement orders

252. August 11, 1782
Marching orders for newly arrived troops of the 7th Regiment; sick soldiers on the transports to be examined

[Note: “Headquarters” was again at New York from August 12 through September 18, 1782 (documents 253 through 271).]

253. August 12, 1782
List of promotions received from the War Office in the 17th Dragoons, 16th Regiment of Foot, 17th Regiment of Foot, 22nd Regiment of Foot, 38th Regiment, 64th Regiment, 71st Regiment, 82nd Regiment; list of new colonels by brevet; other appointments and promotions

254. August 14, 1782
The New York court martial is dissolved; promotions in the 84th Regiment, Garrison Battalion, report by Lieutenant General Lossberg that none of the Hessians now in the service who were “present at the Surprisal…at Trenton” in 1776 “have been found Guilty of any Misdemeanor”, and all have been acquitted by a court martial

255. August 18, 1782
Acceptance of Major General Dalrymple’s request to resign his commission to return to England


256. August 19, 1782
Convening of a new court martial at New York, with names of members; Brigadier General Abercrombie appointed Quarter Master General to replace Dalrymple

257. August 21, 1782
The court martial under Major Eyre of the 40th Regiment is dissolved

258. August 22, 1782
Announcement of promotions in the 3rd, 16th, 17th, and 71st Regiments

259. August 23, 1782
Regulations for the drawing of rations for general officers and their servants, wives, and children; regulations for the movements of recruiting parties who “come from distant Districts”; results and sentences from Major Eyre’s court martial; dispositions of prisoners

260. August 25, 1782
Recommendation to officers to “disencumber themselves of all unnecessary Bagage and Horses”; Lieutenant James W. Cooke of the 37th Regiment appointed an extra assistant deputy adjutant general; Company of Black Pioneers attached to the Corps of Guides and Pioneers; Rev. Mr. Brown appointed chaplain for the British Grenadiers;

261. August 28, 1782
“The Commander in Chief is highly pleased with the good order observed in the Evacuation of Savannah”; public thanks to Brevet Major Coffin of the New York Volunteers

262. August 29, 1782
Thanks to Lieutenant Colonel Thompson and the officers of the King’s American Dragoons

263. August 30, 1782
Announcing promotions in the 64th Regiment

264. September 1, 1782
Request for returns of those sent on board armed vessels; wagons to be apportioned at the rate of one wagon for every 100 men

265. September 2, 1782
Marching orders for several detachments; party to be assembled to dig wells for encampments
September 5, 1782
Marching orders for various detachments

266. September 7, 1782
Requesting information on the number of casks needed to dig the wells; returns requested for officers belonging to absent regiments

267. September 10, 1782
The latest court martial is dissolved; flat boats available to corps “for the conveyance of supplying themselves from New York by the East River”; splitting the 71st Regiment into two regiments, including companies at Newfoundland, with lists of officers; “The Men taken Prisoners at Boston in the 1776 are to be struck of the Strength of the Regiment except such as have notified their Situation & are now actually in Captivity.”; officers in the second 71st Regiment are “to prepare to go to Europe by the first opportunity.”

268. September 13, 1782
Marching orders

269. September 14, 1782
Request for return “of all the Negroes arrived from Savannah in the last Fleet distinguishing those that are Private Property & specifying the Persons they belong to”

270. September 16, 1782
Orders for officers of the regiments in the Southern Districts to apply to embark on ships that will leave on Wednesday

271. September 18, 1782
“General Orders will in future be given out at Head Quarters at Lefferts House at 10 OClock”; returns due at Provost House near the Light Dragoon encampment; two orderly sergeants requested for headquarters and three mounted orderlies for the adjutant general at Provost House

[Note: “Headquarters” was at Lefferts House from September 19 through November 1, 1782 (documents 272 through 296). Lefferts House is located near modern-day Prospect Park in Brooklyn.]

272. September 19, 1782
Desertions should be reported promptly to the adjutant general

273. September 21, 1782
Lieutenant Colonel Fox “appointed to act as Brig’r General till further Orders”; brigadier generals to appoint their own brigade majors; marching orders

274. September 23, 1782
Announcement of appointments


275. September 24, 1782
Southern District officers to embark today; appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Martin of the Royal Artillery to act as Brigadier General

276. September 25, 1782
News of promotions received from the War Office for the 17th and 82nd Regiments

277. September 29, 1782
Marching orders

278. September 30, 1782
Announcing a promotion in the Royal Artillery

279. October 4, 1782
Colonel Musgrove of the 40th Regiment appointed to act as Brigadier General

280. October 5, 1782
Lieutenant General Campbell’s orders: thanking the Right Wing of the Army for its “fine appearance and Military behavior Yesterday in the Field”

281. October 7, 1782
Announcing a promotion in the 60th Regiment

282. October 9, 1782
Announcing promotions in the 70th and 74th Regiments; winter clothing available for the troops

283. October 11, 1782
Announcing a promotion in the Royal Artillery; returns of clothing requested

284. October 12, 1782
Meeting of those having recruits at Halifax; returns of foreign troops are due

285. October 13, 1782
Announcing promotions in the 33rd and 63rd Regiments and the 4th Battalion of the 60th Regiment; request from the adjutant general for information on volunteers in the service, including their time in service and where they actually are

286. October 14, 1782
Announcing promotions in the Royal Artillery and 42nd and 60th Regiments; Surgeon John Lorimer appointed to act as inspector of regimental hospitals


287. October 16, 1782
Ensign John Kortright of the 16th Regiment approved to be lieutenant in the 7th Regiment, by purchase; the troops on York Island to receive one day’s provisions on Sunday, October 20, at 10:00 AM

288. October 18, 1782
A general court martial to convene, members listed

289. October 19, 1782
Recruits at Halifax to be sent for immediately; distribution of clothing

290. October 20, 1782
Clothing for the new recruits to be collected and reported; donated legging cloth to be distributed based on returns requested of the number of effective and present sergeants, drummers, and rank and file

291. October 22, 1782
Returns requested accounting for public provisions brought from Europe and not purchased

292. October 26, 1782
Donald Smith appointed by purchase an ensign in the 2nd Battalion of the 84th Regiment

293. October 29, 1782
A hospital board will assemble in New York each Monday morning; a court martial will convene in New York

294. October 30, 1782
Appointing Colonel Parr to be colonel of the Nova Scotia Volunteers; announcing a promotion in the 4th Battalion of the 60th Regiment

295. November 1, 1782
Assignment of quarters for the sick; moving to winter quarters; announcing appointments

296. November 1, 1782
Lieutenant General Robertson’s orders: orders for garrison quarters for officers

[Note: “Headquarters was back at New York from November 4, 1782 through November 23, 1783 (documents 297 through 511).]

297. November 4, 1782
Provincial troops to submit the same kinds of returns as British troops; an inspection of the state of clothing to be made and reported, “Specifying the Good Bad & deficient of each Article”
298. November 5, 1782
Lieutenant General Robertson’s orders: orders concerning billets for officers and incoming recruits; marching orders for detachments and provisions

299. November 6, 1782
One day’s fresh provisions to be issued to the troops on Wednesday

300. November 7, 1782
A board to meet every Saturday to examine claims of officers for payment of losses of baggage

301. November 10, 1782
Mr. Gregory West appointed acting apothecary to the General Hospital; returns requested of subalterns serving without pay; returns due of officers and their pay

302. November 13, 1782
Meeting set to discuss the division off money arising from captures made in the Chesapeake; Peter Durant appointed to act as deputy commissary of Prisoners during Mr. Loring’s six-month leave in Europe

303. November 16, 1782
Annual money to pay for forage to be given to the quarter master general

304. November 18, 1782
Announcing promotions in the 38th Regiment

305. November 19, 1782
Results and sentences of a court martial; this court martial is dissolved; request for returns of deserters

306. November 22, 1782
Report of a board on supplies necessary to be sent to prisoners in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia; these are cheaper to obtain from Europe than to purchase in America; foreign troops will make their own preparations for supplies for their prisoners

307. November 23, 1782
Lieutenant General Robertson’s orders: general officers commanding districts requested to provide returns of pickets needed, and the number of men in each picket, for the purpose of providing fuel for them

308. November 25, 1782
Announcing a promotion in the 3rd Regiment


309. November 26, 1782
Noncommissioned officers, drummers, and privates who are prisoners will be furnished with a pair of donated woolen leggings each; warrants for payment of bounty money due to several regiments are available at the Pay Office

310. November 27, 1782
A court martial will convene next Monday; list of members; Edward Brannon, under sentence of death, is granted respite until December 17

311. November 28, 1782
Returns requested on number of prisoners qualifying for and wishing woolen leggings

312. November 29, 1782
Accounting for supplies to be submitted for the period through December 31; sick soldiers wishing to return to England or Ireland should report to the Hospital Board for examination before the next convoy sails for Europe quite soon; returns requested for the number of men, women, and children desiring to sail on the convoy

313. December 2, 1782
Clothing and necessaries for prisoners to be packed up immediately and sent to the quartermaster general

314. December 4, 1782
Request for returns of the number of horses “belonging to the King that should be cast”; instructions to follow on assembling them for inspection; “No soldiers who are fit for Service, to be taken to Europe except such as are Prisoners on Parole”

315. December 6, 1782
Announcing promotions in the 22nd Regiment

316. December 9, 1782
Announcing promotions in the 30th, 3rd Battalion of the 60th, and 80th Regiments and the Garrison Battalion

317. December 11, 1782
Requesting returns of the number of guards needed and the number of rooms needed in each regimental hospital

318. December 12, 1782
Announcing a promotion in the 2nd Battalion of the 84th Regiment; request for returns of stationery needed by officers entitled to it


319. December 16, 1782
Announcing promotions in the 3rd Battalion of the 60th Regiment; a court martial to assemble on Thursday morning; all going to Europe in the fleet to embark by 10:00 Tuesday morning the 17th; orders for the embarkation of “invalid” troops; Edward Brannon’s execution respited until January 1

320. December 17, 1782
Muster rolls due for 183 days from June 25 through December 24

321. December 19, 1782
Announcing promotions in the 17th Dragoons and second 71st Regiment

322. December 21, 1782
Results and sentences of a general court martial; remains of late Lieutenant Saltonstall of the 23rd Regiment to be interred tomorrow

323. December 23, 1782
List of promotions received from the War Office, including promotions in the 38th, 71st, and 82nd Regiments; a list of leaves of absence of officers from the 7th, 63rd, 64th, and 71st Regiments; announcing promotions in the 23rd and 54th Regiments

324. December 30, 1782
A picket guard of dragoons will parade each morning with the guards of the garrison

325. January 4, 1783
Marching orders; troops arriving from Charleston

326. January 5, 1783
Bounty money available upon application to the adjutant general’s office; returns requested for troops arriving from Charleston

327. January 6, 1783
Results and sentences from a court martial; this court martial dissolved; marching orders

328. January 7, 1783
Marching orders for several detachments

329. January 8, 1783
Major Ernest Frederick Diemar appointed fort major of the fort at Brooklyn


330. January 9, 1783
Announcing promotions in the 63rd Regiment; orders for the issuance of public stores; use of oil lamps in place of candles for guard and barrack rooms; marching orders; Ensign Campbell of the second 71st Regiment to attend a court of enquiry concerning a “complaint for Irregularities Committed in the Street”; necessity to include officers on leave in monthly returns

331. January 10, 1783
Returns due for troops arriving from Charleston

332. January 12, 1783
Returns due for provisions, fuel, and forage for the garrison troops

333. January 14, 1783
Announcements of two promotions by purchase, in the 4th Battalion of the 60th Regiment and the Royal Garrison Battalion; accounts due from the “Heads of Departments belonging to the late Southern Army”

334. January 15, 1783
A court martial to assemble in New York; names of members listed;

335. January 18, 1783
Guns to be fired to celebrate Her Majesty’s birthday; forage money to be available; thanks for good conduct during the evacuation of Charleston of Lieutenant General Leslie; a board to assemble on the 20th “to examine into such Matters as shall be laid before it”; members named in list; schedule for submitting returns for fuel and forage

336. January 19, 1783
Major Trail of the Royal Artillery having become ill, Major Graham is ordered onto the board in his place

337. January 20, 1783
Requests for returns from several regiments

338. January 23, 1783
Returns for provisions, fuel, and forage are in the future to be sent to the commandant’s office

339. January 25, 1783
Marching orders; corps recently arriving from Charleston to submit returns for unfilled needs for donated legging cloth; stationery available

340. January 27, 1783
Procedures for weekly requisitions for provisions, fuel, and forage, including blank form to be used

341. January 28, 1783
Results and sentences from a court martial, including one pardon and two men sent back to their regiments; having learned that church bells from Charleston were brought to New York in the evacuation, orders to collect these and any other public or private property of the inhabitants to be returned by ship to Charleston; announcing promotions in the 3rd and 7th Regiments

342. January 30, 1783
Request for a report on conditions in the Provost prison, including the need for supplies; in the case of the death of any prisoner, an immediate coroner’s inquest to be conducted, with report to the commander in chief; sick and wounded prisoners in the Provost to be attended to by the Surgeon of the General Hospital, with removal of seriously ill prisoners to the hospital; need for a noncommissioned officer in each corps to receive men discharged from the hospital each Wednesday and Saturday

343. January 31, 1783 [misdated December 31]
Execution date for William Anderson

344. February 1, 1783
General court martial called for February 10, members and accused are listed

345. February 5, 1783
Several courts martial set, including one for “James, Dick & Frank, Negroes, accused of attempting to Burn a House”

346. February 6, 1783
Subsistence for recruits at Halifax not to be drawn in New York

347. February 7, 1783
Orders for upcoming general court martial

348. February 8, 1783
Accounts of men in each regiment to be settled by February 23; Ensign Johnson of the 35th Regiment reassigned to the 37th Regiment

349. February 9, 1783
Results of court martial against Captain Abraham DePeyster of the Kings American Regiment—honorably acquitted

350. February 15, 1783
Appointment announced in the 3rd Battalion of the 60th Regiment; inspection and muster of provincial forces scheduled for February 28


351. February 18, 1783
Making claims for property withheld because of offences; request of list of names of people in recently changed positions in the various departments; announcement of the collection of military and other books the property of the late lieutenant commander of the 42nd Regiment

352. February 19, 1783
Woolen leggings requested by troops arriving from Charleston available upon application to the Commissary General’s storekeeper; results and sentence of court martial of Lieutenant William Conroy of the Prince of Wales American Regiment; court martial dissolved; returns due

353. February 21, 1783
Results of several courts martial and sentences; a work party to assemble at the “Burnt Church” for duty to be assigned by the Chief Engineer

354. February 23, 1783
Appointment of Captain Stapleton of the 17th Dragoons to be an extra deputy adjutant general

355. February 24, 1783
A general court martial to be assembled; members listed

356. February 25, 1783
Results of several courts martial and sentences; announcement of several appointments; limits on activities of persons employed to receive or pay public money

357. February 27, 1783
Instructions for all officers to exercise the men so that they are ready for parade duty

358. March 3, 1783
Brigadier General Marsh ordered to investigate “Divers irregularities committed by [his] troops on Staten Island” and to punish the offenders; results and sentences of several courts martial; general court martial dissolved

359. March 4, 1783
Preparation for embarkation of the 82nd Regiment, Brunswickers, and the 1st Battalion of the Hesse Hanau Regiment; unemployed Commissary General Department officers allowed to return to England

360. March 8, 1783
Warrant for bounty money for several regiments available for payment at the Pay Office

361. March 10, 1783
Announcing a promotion in the 43rd Regiment

362. March 14, 1783
The Commissary General to be ready to visit his department at Nova Scotia and in Florida and Bermuda “if the season will permit” to settle and adjust their accounts; being no longer a public accountant, he will join the Board of Accounts; other accounting orders

363. March 19, 1783
Receipt of letter from Charles Gould of the Horse Guards, dated November 22, 1782, concerning the court martial acquittal of Colonel Cosmo Gordon of the 3rd Regiment of Foot

364. March 21, 1783
List of promotions and leaves of absence received from the War Department, including promotions in the 7th, 17th, 37th, 54th (with lists of names), 40th, 23rd, 80th, 48th, and 43rd Regiments; troops and staff of the late garrison at Charleston may receive their “Batt & Forage money”

365. March 22, 1783
Results of several courts martial on Staten Island, the accused found not guilty and released; the court martial dissolved

366. March 23, 1783
A new general court martial to assemble in New York; members listed

367. March 27, 1783
No one allowed within British lines without a passport from the commandant; Brigadier Marsh having obtained leave to return to Europe, Brigadier General Bruce to take over his command at Staten Island; the 40th Regiment to occupy the barracks being evacuated by the 54th Regiment; announcement of a promotion by “His Serene Highness the Prince of Hess”

368. March 28, 1783
Appointment of new court martial members because of an objection against nine original members; new members listed

369. March 30, 1783
A court martial result—not guilty

370. March 31, 1783
A board appointed to investigate claims that payments due to officers are not properly available; nine more members of the court martial objected to and replaced with nine new members; names listed

371. April 1, 1783
“Necessaries” to be provided to several men in the General Hospital; officers and men belonging to regiments in East Florida are to join them immediately

372. April 2, 1783
Two more objections having been made to members of the court martial, two captains from the Royal Artillery and 17th Dragoons respectively are to be selected as new members

373. April 4, 1783
Lieutenant General Robertson having received permission to return to England, several personnel shifts announced to cover his duties; announcement of a promotion in the 33rd Regiment

374. April 6, 1783
Announcing a promotion in the 80th Regiment; request for information about prisoners in several corps held by the enemy

375. April 7, 1783
Proclamation: news of the cessation of arms to be read at City Hall at 12:00 tomorrow; “His Majesty has thought proper to direct that the several Corps formed in America Mentioned in the Margin hereof be placed on the British Establishment from the 25th December, 82 inclusive”; lists of newly established corps with their numbers of various officers and troops; list of promotions and leaves of absence received from the War Office, including those in the 38th, 63rd, and 74th Regiments and the 4th Battalion of the 60th Regiment

376. April 8, 1783
Lieutenant Colonel Turnbull to replace Colonel Robinson on the board investigating pay claims

377. April 9, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 7th Regiment and 54th Regiment

378. April 11, 1783
Announcement of appointments

379. April 12, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 4th Battalion of the 60th Regiment and the “Kings A Reg’t”

380. April 14, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the Royal Artillery and 57th Regiment


381. April 15, 1783
Orders to embark for the 82nd Regimen, Brunswickers, and men of the 1st Battalion of Hesse Hanau; order that the 7th Article of the “Provisional Treaty between Great Britain & the United States of America, be Strictly attended to & complied with”, concerning the protection of American property, including Negroes

382. April 17, 1783
Announcement of appointments

383. April 19, 1783
“Guards in Garrison are to send out constant patrols, both day & Night, which are to apprehend all persons committing irregularities”; appointing British and American persons to supervise all embarkations “to see that the above stipulations [about enforcing Article 7] are strictly observed”

384. April 21, 1783
“All Recruiting, British & Provincial, to be discontinued till further Orders”

385. April 23, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 54th Regiment

386. April 28, 1783
As part of enforcing Article 7, “all Archives, Records, Deeds & Papers belonging to any of the said States or their Citizens…shall be forthwith restored & delivered to the proper States & Persons to which they belong”

387. April 29, 1783
A hospital board to assemble every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; announcement of promotions in the Garrison Battalion, British Legion, Queens Rangers, and 38th and 54th Regiments

388. May 2, 1783
Brigadier General Martin appointed president of a board “for examining into the Claims of the Inhabitants against Officers for Debts”; list of corps and departments not having submitted their provision returns

389. May 4, 1783
A board of commissioners appointed to receive and examine all claims for “Properties Supplied to the British Army & Officers in the several Public Departments, since the 19th day off April 1775”; members named

390. May 5, 1783
A general court martial to assemble; marching orders for the 63rd and 64th Regiments

391. May 8, 1783
The remains of Captain Cooke of the 37th Regiment to be interred

392. May 11, 1783
Results of two courts martial with sentences

393. May 12, 1783
Announcing promotions in the 37th Regiment

394. May 13, 1783
Appointment of David Sproat Esq. as Deputy Commissioner of Prisoners in place of Mr. Peter Dunant

395. May 14, 1783
Several English deserters have been pardoned but are not to be allowed to serve again in the army; recommendation to “Kick all such Rascals out of their Quarters should they have the Impudence to come in among them”; announcement of promotions in the 22nd and 37th Regiments; marching orders for several Regiments; announcement of more promotions in the 74th and 82nd Regiments

396. May 17, 1783
Alterations in the ration of provision “on the next Issuing Days”, “One Pound of Flour or Bread, Twelve ounces of Pork, or Twenty one of Beef without the small Species[?]”

397. May 19, 1783
Returns due by commanding officers “of the Number of Prisoners that have joined them”

398. May 21, 1783
Sailing of the packet delayed

399. May 22, 1783
Names of members of the board to supervise all embarkations

400. May 23, 1783
Court martial result—acquittal

401. May 25, 1783
Marching orders for several regiments

402. May 26, 1783
Orders for invalids and discharged men to settle their accounts and prepare to go to Europe; those others wishing to go to Europe should apply; court martial results and sentences; court martial dissolved

403. May 27, 1783
All officers not on duty to return to their regiments; invalids to report immediately to Captain Handfield

404. May 28, 1783
All horses to be “turn’d to grass on Tuesday, the 3’d June, after which no Dry Forage will be issued except to Gen’l Officers & their Aide De Camps”; grazing areas to be allotted
Three captains assigned to investigate “all matters respecting Hosp Stoppages, which Dr. Mallet Purveyor of ye Gen’l Hosp shall lay before them”; appointments because of leaves of absence; announcement of manhunt for Carl Broiske of Colonel Lossing’s Battalion of Hessian Grenadiers, “who absconded yesterday afternoon & took with him the Sum of £340 Sterling” belonging to the battalion

405. May 31, 1783
Request that commanding officers of the 70th and 74th Light Companies and 30th Regiment settle their hospital stoppages

406. June 1, 1783
Plans for the anniversary of the king’s birthday

407. June 2, 1783
Embarkation returns are requested for the departing Hessian troops

408. June 3, 1783
List of promotions received from the War office in the 7th, 17th, 37th, 40th, 54th, 57th, 3rd Battalion of the 60th, 71st, 74th, 76th, 80th, and 87th Regiments, including lists of names and leaves of absence; regiments sending invalids to Captain Handfield should assign another person to conduct them

409. June 6, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 23rd Regiment

410. June 9, 1783
The 38th and 40th Regiments are to furnish one captain each for a general court martial, replacing two members, one going to England and the other “indisposed”; returns of furniture and utensil money for 1783 to be reported immediately to the Barrack Master General’s Office

411. June 10, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 22nd and 57th Regiments

412. June 11, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 40th and 3rd Battalion of the 60th Regiment


413. June 12, 1783
Court martial result and sentence

414. June 13, 1783
Muster rolls requested from several detachments of Hessian troops

415. June 15, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 37th Regiment

416. June 16, 1783
Orders to officers for returning houses and lands lately evacuated to their proprietors or attorneys, “unless where they may see sufficient Reason for retaining them some time longer”

417. June 18, 1783
Request for all general officers and others under General Carleton’s command to provide copies of “all orders they have given out since the 5th of May 1782”

418. June 19, 1783
Results and sentences from a court martial of several people conducted in St. Augustine, East Florida

419. June 20, 1783
Practice by the Royal Artillery scheduled

420. June 21, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 40th, 57th, and 4th Battalion of the 60th Regiments

421. June 22, 1783
Results and sentences of a court martial; muster schedule for troops of various Hessian regiments

422. June 24, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the Garrison Battalion

423. June 25, 1783
Discontinuation of the hospital board to examine invalids

424. June 26, 1783
Inspection and muster for provincial forces scheduled for June 30

425. June 27, 1783
Instructions for who to include or not include in returns through July 1


426. June 30, 1783
Remains of Lieutenant Pattershall of the 17th Dragoons to be interred

[Note: new copybook begun on July 1, 1783]

427. July 1, 1783
Adjutant General’s Office moved to 17 Broadway

428. July 2, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 17th Dragoons and the 23rd, 33rd, 37th, 38th, 60th, 64th, 76th, 82nd Regiments; list of leaves of absences

429. July 4, 1783
Corps that have demands for subsistence for men who have been prisoners of war are to provide abstracts

430. July 5, 1783
Spring returns of arms and accoutrements are requested; court martial result—acquittal; invalids again to be sent to Captain Handfield; a fleet will sail for Canada on Wednesday

431. July 7, 1783
Marching orders for certain Hessian troops

432. July 8, 1783
A general court martial to assemble, members listed

433. July 9, 1783
Court martial results and sentences; the court martial dissolved

434. July 11, 1783
Replacement member for a court martial replacing a member who is sick

435. July 12, 1783
Orders for troops and baggage of certain Hessian regiments for embarkation

436. July 14, 1783
Announcement of a promotion in the King’s American Regiment

437. July 16, 1783
Returns for “200 days Batt & Forage Money” requested “as soon as possible” from the Hessian regiments

438. July 21, 1783
Request again for returns from the Anspach Hessian troops

439. July 22, 1783
Court martial results and sentences; court martial dissolved

440. July 23, 1783
A court martial will assemble

441. July 25, 1783
Four days of biscuit will be issued to the troops

442. July 28, 1783
Announcements of promotions in the 33rd, 37th, and 42nd Regiments

443. July 29, 1783
Officers of several regiments to meet at Franklin House at the head of Newton Creek to mark out group for encampments; marching orders to the encampments; orders that “The strictest attention is to be given that no part of the Property of the Inhabitants be in the smallest degree injured”; the Ansbach troops to be ready to board their ship

444. July 30, 1783
Remaining Ansbach troops to be ready to board ship

445. August 1, 1783
Announcement of a promotion

446. August 2, 1783
Brigadier General Clarke to command the British and British American troops encamped near Newton Creek, reporting to Lieutenant General Campbell; the Provost Martial to order patrols to discover any destruction of inhabitants’ property

447. August 4, 1783
Other Hessian troops to be ready to embark; their returns for “Batt & Forage Money for 1783” requested immediately; announcement of promotions in the Royal Garrison Battalion

448. August 5, 1783
Marching orders for the 40th and 37th Regiments

449. August 8, 1783
A general court martial to assemble, members listed

450. August 10, 1783
Marching orders for several Hessian regiments


451. August 14, 1783
Any clothing in possession of the regiment but belonging to the men to be delivered to them immediately; plans for removing artillery and ordnance stores from outposts

452. August 15, 1783
List of promotions received from the War Office in the 17th Dragoons and 47th, 37th, 3rd Battalion of the 60th, 70th, 76th, and 82nd Regiments; leaves of absence

453. August 17, 1783
Instructions [written verbatim] from King George, dated June 9, 1783, for further reduction of forces in North America by 1) disbanding the 3rd and 4th Battalions of the 60th Regiment, the 2nd Battalion of the 84th Regiment (the Royal Highland Emigrants), and four corps commanded by Edmund Fanning and Lieutenant Colonels Robert Donkin, Banister Tarleton, and Colonel Graves Simcoe and by 2) reducing the strength of several regiments of foot commanded by Lieutenant Generals George Morison, Earl Cornwallis, Sir Eyre Coote, Moises [?] Frederick, and John Campbell plus the 1st Battalion of the 42nd or Royal Highland Regiment commanded by General John Murray; an accurate muster to be conducted before the disbandings and reductions; noncommissioned officers and private men to be paid off and commissioned officers offered half pay; making sure that the accounts of all these persons are “fully satisfied and paid their arrears, Stoppages, Bounty and all other pretensions”; ensuring that all arms and ordnance stores are returned by the men; allowing all noncommissioned officers and private men to take with them their clothes and a knapsack; providing passage to Europe for all commissioned officers and as many others as possible, along with their wives and children; providing 14 days of subsistence for each person (28 days for those who live in Ireland or Scotland), to be reduced for those choosing to remain in North America; accurate lists to be provided of all those taking passage to Europe

Detailed plans to implement the King’s orders to disband some and reduce other regiments, including lists of remaining officers by regiment; a special offer of 200 acres for noncommissioned officers and 100 acres for private men among those reduced in Nova Scotia who wish to settle there

454. August 13, 1783
Marching and embarking orders; returns requested from the British American Regiment of clothing due the men previous to the present year

455. August 19, 1783
Subsistence abstracts and embarkation returns are due immediately from the British American Regiment


456. August 20, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 38th, 3rd Battalion of the 60th and 70th Regiments; Brigadier General Musgrave appointed commandant of the City of New York due to Brigadier General Birch’s leave to go to Europe; “The new Establishment of the British Corps ordered to remain in this Country is to take place from the 25th Ins’t”; inspection and muster of British American forces to occur on August 22

457. August 21, 1783
Results and sentences of several courts martial

458. August 22, 1783
Marching orders; “List of Leaves of Absence granted by His Majesty”; the current court martial will assemble again

459. August 23, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 37th Regiment

460. August 24, 1783
Result of a court martial—not guilty and released; marching orders; quarter masters of several regiments to meet concerning certain errors in their returns; announcement of promotions

461. August 26, 1783
Instructions for parading

462. August 27, 1783
Remains of Major General Hackenberg to be interred; results of a court martial—acquittal

463. August 28, 1783
Announcement of a promotion

464. August 30, 1783
Several items concerning courts martial

465. August 31, 1783
Muster and embarkation orders

466. September 2, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 17th Dragoons, 70th Regiment, and King’s American Regiment; the board of claims of inhabitants against officers is dissolved


467. September 4, 1783
New rules for stoppages for provisions; those being discharged interested in enlisting in a British regiment in Nova Scotia “are permitted to join them immediately”; men of the British American Regiment wishing to go to Europe should settle their accounts immediately

468. September 6, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 74th Regiment and British Legion Cavalry; returns due for those being discharged; battalions of Delaney’s and Maryland Loyalists to have their baggage at Brooklyn; their embarkation returns due immediately

469. September 7, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the Queen’s Rangers

470. September 8, 1783
Those embarking for Nova Scotia to report to Lieutenant Colonel de Weber of the Prince of Wales’s American Regiment

471. September 11, 1783
Announcement of a promotion in the King’s American Regiment

472. September 15, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 17th Regiment of Foot, the 4th Battalion of the 60th Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion of the 84th Regiment

473. September 16, 1783
When the British and British American Regiments are disbanded in St. Johns, Nova Scotia, they will become regiments of militia with the same officers and ranks

474. September 17, 1783
Requesting a listing of men wishing discharges and wanting to settle in Nova Scotia; their accounts to be closed in readiness to embark

475. September 18, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 74th Regiment

476. September 21, 1783
Results and sentences of court martials, including one pardon; the company of artillery going to Newfoundland to embark tomorrow; the hospital board to meet to examine invalids from several regiments

477. September 26, 1783
Embarkation orders for British and British American Regiments discharged men to embark according to the distribution in an accompanying table

478. September 27, 1783
Troops at New York and “Posts depending” to be ready to embark; returns for these troops are due; forage to be discontinued in a short time; officers advised to dispose of horses; list of number of carriages and horses allowed; other orders pertaining to horses and wagons

479. September 28, 1783
List of militia companies for those going to Nova Scotia

480. September 29, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 74th Regiment; seniority within ranks to be continued as before in the militia companies

481. September 30, 1783
Men on returns of those capable of making wood axes are ordered to go to Major Mollison, Wagon Master General as soon as possible

482. October 2, 1783
Announcement of a promotion in the 7th Regiment

483. October 3, 1783
Confirmation of appointment by Major General Matthews of Lieutenant Laird of the 54th Regiment; guards to be vigilant against goods being carried off and destroyed

484. October 4, 1783
Lists of detachments to embark on ships with orders for their and their baggage’s embarkation

485. October 5, 1783
Marching orders for several regiments; orders concerning pay for those going to Nova Scotia; returns due for their new militia companies; announcement of promotions by “His Serene Highness the Landgrave of Hesse”

486. October 6, 1783
Additional embarkation orders for those going to Nova Scotia and their baggage; announcement of promotions in the 57th and 80th Regiments

487. October 8, 1783
A general court martial to assemble, with assignments of members

488. October 9, 1783
A bounty having been announced for sergeants, a return of sergeants is requested


489. October 10, 1783
Those embarking to go to Nova Scotia will consider themselves under orders to their new militia companies; list of the companies; orders for embarkations of the men going to settle at Port Roseway, Nova Scotia; additional embarkation orders

490. October 12, 1783
Returns by name of those from several regiments going to England requested, including women and children

491. October 15, 1783
Result of a court martial—acquittal

492. October 16, 1783
Embarkation orders with list of regiments sending men back to England

493. October 17, 1783
Results and sentences of a general court martial, including acquittals

494. October 20, 1783
Colonel Wormb to take command of the posts at Kingsbridge and McGowan’s Pass

495. October 21, 1783
Half-yearly contingent accounts are due immediately

496. October 23, 1783
Embarkation returns are due

497. October 25, 1783
Marching orders for grenadiers to McGowan’s Pass; a list of carpenters requested

498. October 27, 1783
Abstracts for pay are due immediately

499. October 29, 1783
Orders for continuing subsistence to certain officers

500. November 1, 1783
General court martial dissolved

501. November 2, 1783
The usual returns for forage money arte due immediately

502. November 4, 1783
Announcement of promotions in the 17th and 80th Regiments

503. November 5, 1783
Sick men who cannot be cared for in their own regiment to be taken immediately to the hospital; regiments entitled to baggage carts should requisition them; marching orders for Hessian and 38th Regiments

504. November 9, 1783
Discontinuing the issue of stationery from the Adjutant General’s Office

505. November 15, 1783
Returns requested of coopers in each regiment

506. November 17, 1783
Announcement of a promotion in the 40th Regiment; return requested from regiments “who had necessaries embezzled last winter whilst going from Wilmington to their Prisoners at Lancaster”

507. November 18, 1783
Marching orders for the 80th Regiment

508. November 19, 1783
Marching orders for several regiments

509. November 20, 1783
Those with warrants should apply to be paid before the 22nd, when “the Pay Office Books will be closed & no further Business transacted”; request for officers to provide information on their ongoing needs for guards; inhabitants are warned to use lanterns when out at night, as guard patrols will be deployed

510. November 21, 1783
Hospital accounts to be settled immediately; marching orders for the 43rd Regiment

511. November 23, 1783
“The Town is to be evacuated on Tuesday the 25th Instant”; orders for evacuation


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