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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from William Pitt, Earl of Chatham to Arthur Dobbs
Pitt, William, Earl of Chatham, 1708-1778
December 17, 1760
Volume 06, Pages 324-326

[B. P. R. O. Am. & W. Ind. Vol. 77.]
Letter to Governor Dobbs

Whitehall, Decr. 17th, 1760.

Sir

His Majesty having nothing so much at Heart, as by the most vigorous Prosecution of the War, to reduce the Enemy to the Necessity of accepting a Peace on Terms of Glory & Advantage to His Majesty's Crown, and beneficial, in particular, to his subjects in America; and as nothing can so effectually contribute to that Great and essential Object, as the King's being enabled to employ, as immediately as may be, such Part of the Regular Forces in North America, as may be adequate to some Great and Important Enterprise against the Enemy, I am commanded to signify to you the King's Pleasure, that in order the better to provide for the full and entire Security of His Majesty's Dominions in North America, & particularly of the Possession of His Majesty's Conquests there, during the Absence of such Part of the regular Forces, you do forthwith use your utmost Endeavours and Influence, with the Council and Assembly of your Province, to induce them to raise, with all possible Dispatch, within your Government, As large a Body of Men as the Number of it's Inhabitants may allow (your Province having hitherto been extremely wanting to The King's service in this respect) and forming the same into Regiments, as far as shall be found convenient, that you do direct them to hold Themselves in readiness, and particularly as much earlier, than former years, as may be, to march to such Place, or Places, in North America, as His Majesty's Commander in Chief there, or the Officer who shall be appointed to command The King's Forces in those Parts, shall appoint, in order to be employed there under the supreme Command of His Majesty's

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said Commander in chief, or of the Officer to be appointed as above, in such Manner as, from the Circumstances, & Situation, of the Enemy's Posts, & the State & Disposition, of the Indian Nations, on that Side, He may judge most conductive for the King's Service, And the better to facilitate this important Service, The King is pleased to leave it to you to issue Commissions to such Gentlemen in your Province as you shall judge, from their Weight and Credit with the People, and their Zeal for the Publick Service, may be best disposed, and enabled to quicken and effectuate the speedy levying of the greatest Number of Men; In the Disposition of which Commissions, I am persuaded, you will have nothing in View, but the Good of the King's Service, & a due subordination of the whole to His Majesty's Commander; And all Officers of the Provincial Forces, as high as Colonels inclusive, are to have Rank according to their several respective Commissions, agreable to the Regulations contained in His late Majesty's Warrant of the 30th of Decr. 1757, which is renewed by His present Majesty.

The King is further pleased to furnish all the Men so raised as above, with Arms, Ammunition, and Tents, as well as to order Provisions to be issued to the same, by His Majesty's Commissaries, in the same Proportion, & Manner, as is done to the rest of the King's Forces: The whole therefore, that The King expects, and requires, from the several Provinces, is, the Levying, Cloathing, and Pay of the Men; and on these Heads also, that no Encouragement may be wanting to the fullest Exertion of your Force. His Majesty is farther most graciously pleased to permit me to acquaint you, that strong Recommendations will be made to Parliament, in their Session next year, to grant a proper Compensation for such Expenses as above, according as the active Vigour, and strenuous Efforts of the respective Provinces shall justly appear to merit.

It is His Majesty's Pleasure, that you do with particular Diligence, immediately collect, & put into the best Condition, all the Arms, issued last Campaign, which can be, any ways, rendered Serviceable, or that can be found within your Government, in order that the same may be again employed for His Majesty's Service.

I am further to inform you, that similar Orders are sent, by this Conveyance to Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, & South Carolina. The northern Governments are also directed to raise Men in the same Manner, to be employed, as His Majesty's Commander in chief shall judge Conducive for the King's Service in North America.

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It is unnecessary to add anything to animate your Zeal in the Execution of His Majesty's Orders in this important Conjuncture, which is finally to fix the future Safety and Welfare of America, and of your own Province in particular; And the King doubts not, from your known Fidelity and Attachment, that you will employ yourself, with the utmost Application and Dispatch, in this promising & decisive Crisis.

I am &c
W. PITT