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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Resolutions by the Continental Congress concerning recruitment for the Continental Army
United States. Continental Congress
March 09, 1779
Volume 14, Pages 272-273

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RESOLVE OF CONGRESS 9TH MARCH, 1779, DIRECTING THE NO. OF BATTALIONS TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE UNITED STATES, CURRENT YEAR.

In Congress, 9th March, 1779.

Resolved, That the Infantry of these United States for the next campaign shall be composed of eighty battalions, viz.:

3 of New Hampshire.
15 of Massachusetts Bay.
2 of Rhode Island.
8 of Connecticut.
5 of New York.
3 of New Jersey.
11 of Pennsylvania.
1 of Delaware.
8 of Maryland.
11 of Virginia.
6 of North Carolina.
6 of South Carolina.
1 of Georgia.

That each of the said battalions consist of the number of commissioned & non-commissioned officers & privates established by an act of Congress passed the 27th day of May last.

Whereas Congress, by an act of the 23rd day of January last, did among other things authorize the commander-in-chief to take the most effectual measures to inlist for the continuance of the war new recruits in the United States to complete the battalions to their proper complement; & for this purpose to grant to each new recruit who should inlist in any of the Continental battalions during the war such a bounty as the commander-in-chief shall think fit, but not to exceed 200 dollars; & it being apprehended that the said provision will not answer the good purposes thereby intended,

Resolved, that the above-recited clause of the said act of Congress be repealed, and that it be earnestly recommended to the several States to make up and complete their respective battalions to their full complement by Draft or in any other manner they shall think proper; and that they have their quotas of deficiencies ready to take the field & to march to such place as the commander-in-chief shall direct without delay; that a bounty of two

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hundred dollars out of the Continental treasury shall be granted to each recruit who, after the 23d day of January last, hath or shall inlist during the war, or in case the State shall have granted as great or greater bounty, the said two hundred dollars for every such recruit shall be passed to the credit of the State respectively for whose quota he shall be raised.

Extract from the Minutes.

CHAS. THOMSON, Sect'y.