War Office 27 January 1776


Sir,


Enclosed I have the honour to send you some printed Copies of His Majesty's most gracious Pardon to Deserters from the Land Forces; and am to signify to you His Majesty's Pleasure, that all such who shall surrender themselves before the 10th April next, to any of your Regi­ment, be received and regularly attested for the same, provided it appears they were actually Deserters before the Publication of His Majesty's Pardon, and that they are able bodied Men, and fit for Service.

It is His Majesty's further Pleasure that for every Such Deserter so entertained for your Regiment, the Sum of Twenty Shillings be paid to the Regiment from which he deserted.

If such Deserters shall be totally unfit for Service, you are forth with to give them a Certificate of their having surrendered agre[e]- able to His Majesty's directions, which Certificate shall entitle them to the full benefit of this Pardon.

     But, if it shall appear that the Desertion was committed since the publication of His Majesty's Pardon, then such Deserter, tho he may have surrendered himself to your Regiment, shall, nevertheless, be confined as a Deserter, and Notice thereof given to this Office, that the necessary Orders may be sent for conveying him to the Corps to which he belonged.

I am to desire that, for His Majesty's information, a Return may be made to me on the 11th of April of the number of Deserters who shall have surrendered to your Regiment or any Party thereof, specify­ing also the Corps to which they formerly belonged.

You will be pleased to cause the several particulars of this Letter to be communicated to every Officer of your Regiment on the Recruiting Duty.

I have the hon[o]r to be Sir &c Barringt

R[igh]t Hon[ora]ble

General Henry Seymour Conway, Colonel of the Royal Reg[imen]t of Horse Guards

Like Letters of the same date, to the Colonels of the Regiments of Cavalry and Infantry, on the British Establishment, as under, Cavalry

1st Regiment of Dragoon Guards ……………...........Mostyn' s 2d do ............................…………………………..Townshend's 3d do ............................……………………………….Manner's 1st Regiment of Dragoons…………………………Pembroke' s 2d do ............................……………………………..Panmure’s 3d do ............................………………………………..Fitzroy's 4th do ............................……………………………Carpenter's 6th do  /or InniskiIlen's/…………………………...........Harvey's 7th do ...........................……………………………….Howard's 10th do ..........................…………………………….Mordaunt's 11th do.........................………………………………Johnston's 15th do  /or King's Light Dragoons/. ……………….……Elliot's 16th do  /or Queen's Light Dragoons/ ……………..Burgoyne's 17th do  /Light Dragoons/.........……………………….Preston's

[Source: P.P.O., W.0. 4/96, #190-191 Microfilm Collection of the David Library of the American Revolution. Transcribed by Gilbert Riddle.

 The Harsh Duty of the Light Dragoons:

[Letters of George Harris, 5th Regiment of Foot:

Senior Captain in the 5th Foot, and commanded the Grenadier Company.]

January 16, 1777.

......................"I shall therefore merely say that Lord Corn­wall is employed me to carry a letter to General Washington relative to the Hessians’ prisoners, and I returned safe, to the astonishment of most of my friends, with the two light horse who accompanied me. It may appear extraordinary that with a flag of truce I should be in danger, but the whole country is full of their scouting parties, whose greatest ambition is to be behind cover and kill our light dragoons, who patrol most of the roads at different times, and for whose heads, it is said, a reward is offered in the army."

[Source: Wilkin, W.H., editor.  "Some British Soldiers In America." Hugh Rees, LTD.  London, 1914.  Page 193]

15th January 1777.

A Detachment of a Subaltern and 30 Dismounted Dragoons, [are] to take Post at Greenwich, to parade tomorrow morning at Guard Mounting with their Blankets and two days Provisions.

British Orderly Books; Sir William Howe, Commander in Chief

September 26, 1776 - June 2, 1777

[Captain Henry Knight, Aide-de-Camp to General Howe.]

[New York Historical Society Collection, Mss page 178.]

War Office 11th January 1777

Sir

I have the honor to acquaint you His Majesty has been pleased to order that you do forthwith provide fifty Horses in order to complete [sic] the 16th /or Queen's/ Regiment of Light Dragoons under your Command serving in No. America.

You will therefore be pleased to take the necessary Steps hereupon without delay.  You will be made acquainted with further Particulars respecting the time and mode of their going to No. America.

The number above stated rather exceeds the number of Horses wanting according to the latest returns, but I am to add it is thought proper to make some provision against Casualties previous to, and during the Voyage.

I have the honor to be

Major Genl. Burgoyne                                                                       Sir &c

[Colonel of the 16th Regiment]                                                    Barrington

Like Letter, of same date to Major General Preston to provided 50 Horses for the 17th Regiment of Light Dragoons.

Source: P.R.O., W.O. 4/98, #503.  Microfilm Collection of the David Library of the American Revolution.  Transcribed by Gilbert Riddle.

W:0:  8th. Janry 1776

Sir

H:  M:  having been pleased to order the 16th  (or Queen's) Regt. of (light) Dragoons, commanded by Major General Burgoyne,  & the  17th.  Regt. of (light) Dragoons, commanded by Major  General Preston,  to be augmented with One Serjeant, Two Corporals  &  30 private  Men  dismounted, to each Troop, & that the  said  Augmn. shall  take  place on the Establishment from the 25th of  Deer last, I am to commanded to signify to [you] H: M: P: that you  do forthwith  summon  a  Board of General Officers  to  inspect  the Patterns  that will be exhibited, and do every thing  else  which may be necessary that the Cloathing &  Accoutrements for the said Augmn. may be immediately provided.

I am Sir &c.

BARRINGTON

Thos. Fauquier Esqr.

SOURCE:   Great Britain, Public Record Office, War Office, Class 4, Volume 95, Page 352.

War Office 6th Janry 1776

Sir

I am to desire you will be pleased to acquaint, me, as soon as possible, with the number of Horses which you propose to send over to North America, to compleat [sic] the 17th Reg[imen]t of Light Dragoons under your Command.

Major General Preston                              I have the hon[or] to be

Rheims near Aniersham                                        Sir &c

Barrington

Source: P.R.O. W.O. 4/95, #331. Microfilm Collection at the David Library of the American Revolution. Transcribed by Gilbert Riddle.