Orders to Governor Burton at Trois Rivieres, Aug. 1763

New York 1 Aug 1763

Sir

You will have seen by my letter to Governor Murray which was enclosed in my last to you, and left open for your Perusal, that I intended the 15th & 27th and 2d Battalion 60th for the Government of Quebec; and that they were to furnish five compleat companys for your Government as the 15th are now embarked for Albany, I send Governor Murray full Instructions for reducing his own Battalion and compleating the other two Regiments, according to the New Establishment, after which, he will immediately detach five companys from either of those Corps, to relieve the two companys of the 4th Battalion 60th and the three companys of the 78th present in Trois Rivieres, the former which are to proceed to Montreal, to join the Battalion, and the latter to join their Regiment at Quebec. You will please to dispose of the five companys in your Government in such a manner as you shall judge best for the service, transmitting to me a particular state thereof by the first opportunity, after they are stationd. I shall desire Governor Gage to furnish you with a Detachment of Royal Artillery from the company of that Corps, which is to be allotted to the Government of Montreal and in the return you make me, you will be pleas'd to include that Detachment.

I am further to acquaint you that I have received directions from the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, as well as from the Secretary at War, in consequence of their Lordships application to him for making stoppages from the pay of the troops, that shall be station'd at such places, Where provisions are supplied them by the Crown of four pence Sterling p diem from each non commissioned officer and private man towards defraying the expence of provisions, that shall be found for them by the publick, this being agreable to what was practiced during the last peace; you will therefore take care that the said stoppages are made from the troops under your Command, for every portion that is received in Kind (as by this the men are not obliged to draw provisions, if they can subsist themsleves at a cheaper rate) and to commence the day after the New Establishment takes place. Altho I could have wish'd the stoppage had not been so great at first, I must own on considering several advantages, a soldier may now have in this country, by cultivating some ground, where he may happen to be quartered or providing himself with Fish, Game &c the Hardship does not appear so great as at first view, for by the above advantages the men may for the most part, do very well with four rations for eight days, which they may receive in the species, that will best answer to them, so that instead of four pence p diem, they will only be subject to a stoppage of two pence.

By this regulation you will observe that no officer can be Intitled to more than one ration, for which, if he draws it, a stoppage must likewise be made for four pence Sterling, this of course strikes off all women, and the Detachment of Royal Artillery must be subject to the same Regulation.

I am,

     Sir,

       &c.

His Excellency Governor Burton

Cover sheet:
Orders To His Excellency Gov`r Burton 
Trois Rivieres for the Arrangement of the 
Troops in that Government New York.
1st Augt. 1763 Rivieres

Source:

Jeffery Amherst, "Orders to Governor Burton at Trois Rivieres, Aug. 1763." LAC, War Office Records: Amherst Papers. Letters from the Commander-in-Chief, New York, to the Governor of Quebec, 1760-1763. W.O. 34, vol.7.

©  Jeffrey Campbell, Fraser's 78th Regiment of Foot, 2017.