Whitehall, 12th December 1761.
Sir, [Governor Dobbs]
As the King has nothing so much at Heart as to secure and improve the great and important Advantages, gained since the Commencement of this War in North America, and having seen His good Dispositions to restore the publick Tranquility, entirely frustrated by the Insincerity & Chicane of the Court of Versailles, in the late Negotiation; And as nothing can so effectually contribute to the great & essential Object of reducing the Enemy to the Necessity
of accepting a Peace, on Terms of Glory and Advantage to His Majesty's Crown, and Beneficial, in particular, to his Subjects in America, 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 & important Enterprize against the Enemy; I am commanded to signify to you the King's Pleasure, that, in order to better provide for the full and entire Security of His Majesty's Dominions in North America, and 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, & Influence, with the Council & 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 Inhabitant's may allow, 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 said Commander in Chief, or the Officer to be appointed as above, in such Manner, as from the Circumstances & Situation of the Enemy's Posts, and the State and Disposition of the Indian Nations on that Side, He may judge most Conducive to 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 & Credit with the People, and their Zeal for the publick Service, may be best disposed, & 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, and 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 has been 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 & 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 further most graciously pleased to permit me to acquaint you, that strong Recommendation will be made to Parliament, in their Session next year, to grant a proper Compensation for such Expences 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, and put into the best Condition, all the Arms issued last Campaign, which can be anyways 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 Pensylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and 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 most Conducive for the King's Service in North America.
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 & 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.