Sir,

You are hereby authorized and empowered to raise for His Majesty's Service a Regiment of able bodied Men, to be composed of twenty four Serjeants, twenty four Corporals, eight Drummers, and four hundred Privates, divided into eight Companies, each Company consisting of one Captain, one Lieutenant, one Ensign, three Serjeants, three Corporals, one Drummer, and fifty 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 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 Field Officers will be considered according to their proposed Appointments, but are to receive the Pay of the next inferior Rank, until one half of the Corps is raised and approved of by an Officer to be appointed for that Purpose, from which Date their Commissions will be signed, and their proper Pay commence.

All Officers are to be approved of by me previous to their being authorized to enlist Men, 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 men, a Lieutenant fifteen Men, and an Ensign twelve Men.

Such Officers as do produce their respective Quotas of Men at the Rendezvous of the Recruits at [blank] and have them approved as aforesaid, in two Months from the Date of their Approbations will receive their Commissions and Pay accordingly, but failing in this, they will only be entitled to Pay and Commissions in Proportion to their Success in Recruiting at the Expiration of two Months, and liable to be dismissed at the Pleasure of the Commander in Chief, if they do not chuse to accept of the same-

Exact Returns are therefore to be made to the approving Officer two Months from the Date of this Warrant, that the Confirmation or Dismission of Officers may be adjusted.

This Corps is to be stiled the First Battalion of Maryland Loyalists of which [blank].

Five Dollars in Specie will be allowed as a Bounty for each Man enlisted and approved.

All Officers Civil and Military, and others His Majesty's liege Subjects, are hereby required to be aiding and assisting to 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 and Seal at Head Quarters in Philadelphia this 14th Day of October 1777.

W HOWE

By His Excellency's Command,
     Robert MACKENZIE

University of New Brunswick, Harriet Irving Library, Saunders Family Papers, Mic. 971, A1, No. 23, Reel 4, Military Affairs 1777-1875, n.d.

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