Sir

   You are hereby authorized and empowered to raise for His Majesty’s Service Two Battalions of able bodied Rangers, each Battalion to be composed of one Major, Nine Captains, one Captain Lieutenant, nine Lieutenants, Ten Ensigns, one Adjutant, one Quarter Master, one Surgeon, Thirty Serjeants, Thirty Corporals, ten Drummers, and Five hundred and thirty Privates; to be divided into Ten Companies, each to consist of one Captain, one Lieutenant, one Ensign, Three Serjeants, Three Corporals, one Drummer, and fifty three Privates, who will engage to carry arms under my Orders, or the Orders of the Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s Forces for the time being, for Two Years, or if required, during the continuance of the present Rebellion in North America, to receive the same Pay, and be under the same Discipline as His Majesty’s Regular Troops.

   The Officers are to be approved of by me, and as their appointments by Commission will depend upon their Success in Recruiting, they are to be instructed to raise the following Numbers to entitle them thereto – vizt. a Captain Thirty two Men, a Lieutenant Sixteen men and an Ensign, Twelve Men, and it is to be made known to them that their Pay will not commence untill half the above number is raised, and approved.

   In like manner when Men are raised in either Battalion sufficient to compleat four Companies, a Major will be commissioned to such Battalion, and a Commission as Lieutenant Colonel Commandant of both Battalions will be given to you on Six Hundred Men being raised.

   The same Bounty will be allowed to each Man Inlisted and approved as is given to the Provincial Corps.

   All Officers Civil and Military, and others His Majesty’s liege Subjects, are hereby required to be aiding and assisting unto you and all concerned in the Execution of the above Service; for which this shall be to you and them a sufficient warrant and authority.

   Given under my Hand & Seal at Head Quarters in New York the 1st day of May 1779.

H Clinton LS

By His Excellency’s Command
      John Smith

Coppy

Great Britain, British Library, Additional Manuscripts, No. 21820, folios 1-2.

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