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Scheme for raising one Regiment of Mulattoes,
and another of free Negroes, to serve in the West Indies, as
Light Infantry for three Years, or during the War. |
| As the free people are all Tradesmen, a
third of the number to be on Furlough at a time for 4 months,
as an inducement for Inlisting. |
Each Regiment to consist of
530 men, including non-Commissioned Officers, and Drummers,
to be divided into ten Companies consisting of one Captain,
one Lieutenant, one Ensign, 3 Sergeants, 3 Corporals, 2 Drummers,
and 50 effective, with 3 contingent men, to be Commanded by
an Officer with the rank of Major, or Lieutenant Colonel. |
The nomination of the first Officers from
the Governor to the War Office. recommendations afterwards from
the Governor to his Majesty to be accepted, or not, as he may
please.
Officers to rise according to Seniority.
Half pay mentioned only as an inducement to the Officers which
I hope will be agreed to; for such Troops once on foot will
be of that Utility to this Country, and so much the interest
of Britain to keep up, that no ill consequence will accrue from
such indulgence. |
The Officers nominated
by the Governor of Jamaica, to raise the men for their Commissions
at their own expence; Captains 25 men, Lieutenants 15, Ensigns
10, the Officers to have rank in the West Indies only, and when
reduced to be intitled to halfpay, and rank. these Regiments
to be paid, Clothed and Armed by Great Britain on the same footing
as her regular Troops; but, as the British pay is found to be
inadequate with the most rigid Economy to the necessity of the
Soldier, provisions must be furnished by Great Britain equal
to that given by her, to the Troops in Garrison at Gibralter,
with the same allowance for Officers, 'till the Legislature
here may be induced to give the same Island Subsistence to these
Corps as it does to the other regular Regiments. |
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When the Regiments are approved
by the Officer appointed to inspect them, pay to be drawn from
the date of his Majesty's Warrant. |
| To their light accoutrements,
I wish a small Ax added: a round Hat with some feather Ornament.
If the above mode should not prove acceptable, the rank may
be given without the half pay
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These free people might be raised
immediately, and considered solely as defensive, and not offensive.
such bodies it might be prudent to keep up in future; at any
rate I would advise the keeping them up, and recommend to the
King to give the Officers the West India rank, and in case of
being reduced, the half pay, it must be endeavored that the
Legislature should give an Island Subsistence, which perhaps
they may at first refuse in consequence of the Scheme not giving
a single man more as to its defence than it had before. but
then some of the People of consequence might wish to have a
rank, and such an establishment might after a little time be
an inducement to many to settle in the Island, who otherwise
might have no thoughts of it. |
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In case the above ideas should
be honored with the least consideration, I think it would be
worth the while even, should there at first appear difficulties
scarcely to be surmounted in the carrying into execution the
whole Plan, instantly to set about raising the two free
Corps according to the System enclosed, the keeping them up
will at any rate have this good consequence that, whether they
may be wanted outwardly, or serve but for the protection of
the Island, so many less men will be wanted from Europe, and
of course so many lives saved to the mother-country. |
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J. D. |
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