71 | To Colonels Nathaniel Thwing, Richard Saltonstall, and Jonathan Hoar

    Castle William Sep 16. 1761

    Sr.

    For regulating the abuses in regard to the furnishing the provincial troops with necessary stores, I thought proper to appoint certain Sutlers to every Company of the provincial regiments who might be subject to orders & answerable for misbehaviour; & I thought that such an appointment contained in it sufficient restriction of the scandalous practise of Officers Suttling to their own men. Nevertheless as the want of written orders upon this occasion is made an excuse for Officers persisting in this unwarra[n]table & disgraceful practise, I think proper to issue these orders.

    1 That you give public Notice that no officer or other person belonging to the Regiment presume to stuttle329 to the private men, except such as shall be appointed by me or under my authority.

    2 That if any officers shall be charged with a breach of this order you immediately call a regimental Court Martial to enquire upon their Oaths into the fact & if such court shall find that such Officer has suttled to the men, you shall immediately suspend him, untill I give order thereon, transmitting to me true copies of the charge defence, Depositions & sentence.

    3 That you give orders to each suttler, that he keep a day Book wherein he shall enter every article delivered to the men & a ledger book wherein these Articles shall be brought to the account of each man And that a Company roll of the Sutlers Account be settled at the end of every month containing the sum total due from every man & signed by him which roll being compared with the ledger & day book shall be signed by the Capt of the Company, & also by the Colonel or commanding Officer.

    4 That you settle with the sutlers a list of the prices of the several goods sold by them at a fair & reasonable rate; and that Copies of such list be delivered to every Captain & be fixed up at the stores, at the Guard room & at other propper places. And that the sutlers may not be induced to make an higher charge upon account of the Credit that they are obliged to give, you may assure them that if their charge of the goods shall be at the rate of what is called a ready money price, they shall receive intrest at one half pr. cent for every month that the payment shall be delayed after two months from the settlement of Each monthly Roll.330

    5 You shall transmit to me a copy of the list of Prices so settled by you, & also an account of the prices which the Sutlers of the regulars charge to their men, with you[r] opinion concerning the comparison of the two rates, if they shall differ materialy: this to be repeated as often as there shall be occasion.

    6 The Sutlers are to give credit to the Men for no more than half their pay: and no other deductions will be suffered to be put upon the rolls except the Sutlers credit not exceeding half their pay

    I am &c &c &c

    To Col. Thwing Col. Saltonstall Col. Hoar

    L, LbC BP, 2: 126-127.

    These regulations were issued as a result of Capt. Edward Blake’s indiscretions (No. 70).