92 | To Jeffery Amherst

    Boston Mar 6. 1762

    Sr

    I this day fortnight received My Lord Egremonts letter416 signifying his Majesty’s commands that I should engage this province to raise the same number of men as it did last year,417 & also yours upon the Same subject.418 I laid them both before the Assembly, then sitting, with the most forcible recommendation of the requisition contained therein. Their Deliberations on this occasion took different turns, till I got the best resolution I could procure, which was to raise two thousand men immediately (over & above the 600 men allready in the service) & to postpone the further considerations of this business till the next Session, I was offered 1500 fresh men & a reenlistment of the 600 men in the Service for the end of the campaign, with an assurance that the House would provide for 900 more to compleat their number, if peace did not intervene before the middle of April: but I chose rather to get 2000 fresh men raised immediately & trust to general assurances that the 600 should be reenlisted & compleated ^to 1000^ by fresh levies, if they should be wanted. For I desired to avail myself of this time of the Year which is more favorable to recruiting than the more kindly Months: and I am enclined to think that the Bounty (which is £7 lawful= £5 5s. sterling) will much easierly raise men now than it will two months hence. I was thereby desirous to leave as little of the business of raising new men undone as possible; not doubting but that the 600 will readily reenlist upon the bounty intended which has been mentioned at £4; & is allowed to be enough.419

    I will not trouble you with ^all^ the particulars of the resolution, but am obliged to mention one of them “upon the General giving assurance that they shall not be employed Southward of Albany, & be discharged on the last day of October next: and if a peace takes place between England & France before that time, that they be immediately discharged after such peace.”420 This I beleive is the same stipulation as was last year, & I suppose will be perfectly agreable to the intended421 Service.

    Altho these 2000 are mentioned to be formed into two Regiments yet I shall not think myself confined therein any otherwise than in not exceeding the establishment of the pay of the field officers. I shall therefore form them in so many battalions as shall be suitable to the Service for which they are destined: this will be determined by the Number of men you shall order to Halifax. This I should be glad to know as soon as it is resolved upon, that I may order the rendezvous accordingly. To prevent desertion, I shall give orders that the Officers inlist no one but such as are known in the Country & have a place of residence, hoping I shall be able to raise the whole Number out of such only.

    When I have mention’d that I could not at this Session get this business compleated, you will conclude that I have not moved the other concerning the recruiting the regulars. I shall make use of the liberty you give me of postponing this business no longer than I think absolutely necessary in order to obtain it. At ^present^ The raising these two thousand men will find us full employment untill the next Session, which I propose about the middle of April.

    I am, with great regard Sr Your most obedient & most humble Servant

    Fra Bernard.

    His Excellency Sr Jeffry Amherst.

    P.S

    I beg leave to trouble you with a letter to the Lords of Trade to be sent with your next packet

    ALS, RC WO 34/26, ff 119-120.