Rules and Regulations

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Friday, April 5, 1776.

The House met pursuant to adjournment, and proceeded in the consideration of the Report of the Committee on the Rules and Regulations for the better government of the Military Association in this Province; and having adopted sundry alterations proposed by the Committee, the said Rules and Regulations were transcribed accordingly, and are as follows, viz:

First. All officers chosen or appointed in the Battalions that were formed before the 1st day of October last, in the City of Philadelphia, the District of Southwark, and the Townships of the Northern-Liberties, Moyamensing, and Passyunk, to take rank or precedence of all other officers of equal dignity, chosen or appointed in any other part of the Province.

Second. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Philadelphia County, to take rank of all officers of equal dignity chosen or appointed in any other County.

Third. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Bucks County, to take rank of all officers of equal dignity, chosen or appointed in any other than the City and County of Philadelphia, the District of Southward, and the Townships of the Northern Liberties, Moyamensing, and Passyunk.

Fourth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Chester County, to take rank of all officers of equal dignity, chosen or appointed in any other than Bucks and Philadelphia Counties, and Philadelphia City, the District of Southwark, and Townships of the Northern-Liberties, Moyamensing, and Passyunk.

Fifth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Lancaster County, to rank before officers of equal dignity, chosen or appointed in any other than Chester, Bucks, and Philadelphia Counties, and the City of Philadelphia, the District of Southwark, and Townships of the Northern-Liberties, Moyamensing, and Passyunk.

Sixth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in York County, to rank before officers of equal dignity, in any other than Lancaster, Chester, Bucks, and Philadelphia Counties, Philadelphia City, the District of Southwark, and Townships of the Northern-Liberties, Moyamensing, and Passyunk.

Seventh. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Cumberland County, to rank before officers of equal dignity in the junior Counties of Berks, Northampton, Bedford, Northumberland, and Westmorland.

Eighth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Berks County, to rank before officers of equal dignity in the Counties of Northampton, Bedford, Northumberland, and Westmoreland.

Ninth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Northampton County, to rank before officers of equal dignity in Bedford, Northumberland, and Westmorland Counties.

Tenth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Bedford County, to rank before officers of equal dignity in Northumberland and Westmorland Counties.

Eleventh. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Northumberland County, to rank before officers of equal dignity in Westmoreland County.

Twelfth. All officers chosen or appointed before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid, in Westmorland, the youngest, or last made County in this Province, to yield up rank or precedence to all officers of equal dignity chosen or appointed in every other County in this Province before the said 1st day of October, as aforesaid.

Thirteenth. Where commissions of equal dignity, in different Counties, bear the same date, precedency to be determined by seniority of Counties; but where they are in the same County, by the rank of the Battalion.

Fourteenth. The Colonels chosen or appointed in the City of Philadelphia, the District of Southwark, and the

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Fifteenth. The Colonels chosen or appointed in every County before the said 1st day of October are to determine their rank with respect to each other (where not already done) by lot, and commissions for them and their respective Field-Officers will be dated accordingly.

Sixteenth. The Captains in every Battalion to determine their rank in Battalion (where not already settled) by lot, and their commissions, with those of their Lieutenants and Ensigns, will be dated accordingly.

Seventeenth. All officers chosen or appointed after the said 1st day of October, to have their commissions dated at the time of such choice or appointment, and to take rank according to said dates.

Eighteenth. All Battalions to be completed as soon as possible, and (except Battalions of Riflemen) to consist of at least six Companies of not less than forty, and not more than seventy-six Privates each, and to have for officers a Colonel, Lieutenant-Colonel, two Majors, a Standard-Bearer, Adjutant, Sergeant-Major, a Drum and Fife-Major; and the officers of each Company to consist of a Captain, two Lieutenants, one or two Ensigns, four Sergeants, four Corporals, a Drummer and Fifer; except the Light-Infantry Companies, which, instead of two Lieutenants and two Ensigns, are to have four Lieutenants, the two youngest of which are to rank as Ensigns.

Nineteenth. All Battalions of Riflemen shall consist of at least six Companies, of not less than forty, nor more than fifty-six Privates each, and have for officers a Colonel, Lieutenant-Colonel, and two Majors; and the officers of each Company shall be a Captain, two First Lieutenants, and two Second Lieutenants, (who shall rank as Ensigns,) a Fifer, or Hornblower, and as many Sergeants and Corporals as may be found necessary; the Sergeants, Corporals, and Fifers, or Hornblowers, to be appointed by the Field-Officers.

Every officer and private of a Rifle Company shall furnish himself with a good rifle-gun, a powder-horn, a charger, a bullet-screw, twelve flints, a strong pouch or bag that will hold four pounds of ball, and such other accoutrements as may be proper for a Rifleman.

Twentieth. The Standard-Bearer of each Battalion to rank as eldest Lieutenant of the Battalion.

Twenty-first. All national distinctions in dress or name to be avoided, it being proper that we should now be united in this General Association for defending our liberties and properties under the sole denomination of Americans.

Twenty-second. No Field-Officers to have Companies.

Twenty-third. For the better order and government of Companies which may be raised after the completion of the several Battalions already formed in the City and Counties, such Companies are not to be admitted as independent, but are to be annexed to the most convenient Battalion, until a sufficient number of Companies are raised to form a new Battalion; and no number of Associators are to be considered as a Company, unless they consist of at least forty privates; but it is recommended that, till that number be completed, the Associators join the most convenient Company, and exercise and do duty with such Company.

Twenty-fourth. That all commissions to officers of the several Battalions of Associators in this Province, be issued and signed by the Speaker of the Assembly for the time being. That all Battalions now formed, as well as those hereafter to be formed in the City of Philadelphia, be desired to make returns of their officers, with their respective ranks, to the Committee for the said City; and the Battalions in the several Counties are desired to make returns, in like manner, to their respective Committees; which Committees are desired to certify such returns, with the respective rank of each Battalion in their Counties, to the Assembly of this Province, or, in the recess of the House, to the Speaker thereof, that commissions may be issued for every officer, as above directed.

Twenty-fifth. Every Associator (except Riflemen) is required to furnish himself with a good and sufficient firelock fit for actual service, a bayonet fitted thereto, steel-ramrod, worm, priming-wire and brush, a cartridge-box that will contain twenty-three rounds of cartridges, twelve flints, a knapsack,

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Twenty-sixth. The Commissioners and Assessors of the several Counties within this Province shall deliver the firelocks, bayonets, cartridge-boxes, and knapsacks directed to be provided by the Resolutions of the late House of Assembly, to the Commanding Officers of the several Battalions in their respective Counties, in due proportions, according to the number of men in each Battalion, for the use of such Associators in their Battalions as are unable to supply themselves, taking receipts for the same, which they shall Immediately transmit to the Committee of Safety, having first entered the accounts of the same in their respective Minute Books; and the said commanding officers shall be accountable for the delivery of such arms and accoutrements, unless lost in actual service, whenever they shall be called upon by the Assembly or Committee of Safety.

Twenty-seventh. That the publick arms delivered to Associators be not subject to any distress for rent or execution for debt; that any Associator who shall sell such arms, or by any means defraud the publick thereof, or endeavour so to do, shall forfeit six pounds, and be held up to publick infamy and disgrace; and any person who shall detain, buy, or exchange such arms, knowing them to be publick property, shall forfeit ten pounds, and be held up in like manner.

Twenty-eighth. Every Associator is required to attend constantly, with his arms and accoutrements in good order, on the last Monday in the month of February; the last two Mondays in the month of March; the last three Mondays in the month of April; the four Mondays in the month of May; the first two Mondays in the month of June; the last Monday in the month of July; the first three Mondays in the month of August; the last three Mondays in the month of September; and the second Monday in the month of October, at the places appointed by their commanding officers, to be trained and exercised in Companies or Battalions, as the officers shall direct.

And it is also recommended to such Associators as are not sufficiently expert in the exercise, to meet as frequently as they conveniently can, at other times, to perfect themselves in the same. It is also directed, that the commanding officers respectively shall give due notice to the Associators of the places and hours of meeting, either in Companies or Battalion; and if the Associators are prevented from meeting on any of the days herein appointed, by the inclemency of the weather, they are to meet on the next fair day.

Twenty-ninth. No Company or Battalion shall meet at a Tavern on any of the days of exercise; nor shall march to any Tavern before they are discharged.

Thirtieth. The Associators, on days of exercise, may be detained under arms, on duty in the field, any time not exceeding six hours, provided they are not kept above three hours under arms at any one time, without allowing them a proper time to refresh themselves.

Thirty-first. The Sergeant or Clerk of any Company, to be for this purpose appointed by the Captain, Lieutenants, and Ensigns of the Company, is required, at the end of one hour after the time appointed for the meeting of the Company or Battalion, to call over the Muster-Roll of the Company, noting those who are absent, and that day to make return, in writing, to the Captain of such absentees; and all persons so absent at the time of calling over the roll, are to be liable to the fines hereafter mentioned in the articles for non-attendance.

Thirty-second. The Captain of every Company, as soon as he is supplied by the publick with powder and lead for the purpose, is to take especial care that twenty-three rounds of cartridges are properly made up, and suited to the bore of each firelock respectively belonging to his Company, and shall keep all the cartridges that are so made up in some dry and convenient place, with the name of the private affixed for whose firelock they are fitted, ready to be delivered out when occasion requires.

Thirty-third. Adjutants, Drummers, and Fifers, shall receive the following pay for every day of service they attend their respective Battalions or Companies by order of the commanding officer: An Adjutant, seven shillings and six pence; a Drummer, three shillings; a Fifer, three shillings;

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Thirty-fourth. All officers and soldiers of the Association, when employed on military watch and ward, or when called into actual service, in case of an invasion or insurrection, or imminent danger of either, by this House of Assembly, or, in their recess, by the Committee of Safety, shall, while on such watch, or in such service, be entitled to and receive the same pay that the officers and soldiers of the Continental Troops receive.

Thirty-fifth. If any officer or soldier, not labouring under any infirmity incapacitating him to serve, shall, when so called into actual service, refuse to appear and march with his arms, ammunition, and accoutrements, or (if a soldier) shall refuse to provide a suitable person well clothed, armed, and accoutred, to march in his stead, such person to be approved by the commanding officer of the Battalion; or if any officer or soldier, having entered on such service, shall depart without leave of such commanding officer, he shall be held up to the publick as a coward and betrayer of his country; provided always, that no Associator be detained in actual service longer than two months at one time, without his free consent.

Thirty-sixth. If any Associator, so called into actual service, shall leave a family not of ability to maintain themselves in his absence, the Overseers of the Poor, with the concurrence of one Justice of the Peace of the City or County where such Associator did reside, shall immediately make provision by way of out-pension for the maintenance of such family; and a true and proper account being kept thereof shall be returned to the Assembly, in order that the same may be made a Provincial expense, and paid accordingly.

Thirty-seventh. When any of the Associators shall be so called into actual service, the Commissioners of the respective Counties, or any one of them, shall immediately provide such carriages as may be necessary for their accommodation, at the expense of the publick.

Thirty-eighth. As there may happen occasions wherein it may be necessary to call out a part of the Associators to actual, though temporary, service, and not the whole body, and it would be inconvenient and burdensome, if, upon every alarm, where the assistance of part only may be wanted, the whole should come together, or a much greater number than the occasion required, — it is recommended, that orders may issue from the Assembly, or, in their recess, the Committee of Safety, to the Colonels, either to march their whole Battalion, or to send to an appointed rendezvous one or more Companies, as they may be wanted; and, in the latter case, such Company to be formed by drafts out of the Companies, and to be commanded by an officer out of each Company, on the tour of duty, each Company serving on such calls, in its turn, and for such proportion of time as shall make the burden nearly equal; and if the Associators who are called forth, are not all provided with good arms, it is recommended to all those who have such, and are not called out, to lend the same for that occasion, at the risk of the publick.

Thirty-ninth. The Field-Officers of every Battalion shall appoint some person in each Company of their respective Battalions, in whom they can confide, and the officers in every Troop of Horse, and Company of Artillery, shall, in like manner, choose some person in their Troop or Company respectively, whose names shall be returned by the said officers respectively to the County Treasurers for the Provincial taxes in their several Counties; which persons so appointed shall, from time to time, collect all fines incurred by the Associators for non-attendance, and shall severally pay the same to the said County Treasurers respectively, first deducting a commission of five per cent˙ for their trouble,

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Lastly. This House having drawn up the following Articles of Agreement for all the Associators in the Province, they do earnestly recommend the same to be adopted, signed, and agreed to, by all the said Associators, in order that one general system may prevail in Pennsylvania.