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Arrangements for the Two Regiments 1st Canada

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ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TWO REGIMENTS 1ST CANADA.

List of Field-Officers supposed to be in Canada: Colonel James Clinton, Lieutenant-Colonel Rodolphus Ritzema, Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Elmore, Lieutenant-Colonel John Nicholson, Major Herman Zedtwitz, Major John Brown, Major Lewis Dubois.

Albany, February 2, 1776.

SIR: I understand that the above are the Field-Officers now remaining in Canada, except those of the Canadian Corps, and that they stand in the list as they rank; and as Congress has directed that two regiments should be raised out of the troops now in Canada, and as I have no predilection for any one gentleman more than another, and that they are all, as far as I know, good officers, and men of unexceptionable characters, you will, therefore, make the offers of the regiments to the two first in rank of the Field-Officers, the two Lieutenant-Colonelcys to the two next in rank, and the two Majorities to the two next. Should there not be a sufficient number of Field-Officers willing to remain in the service, to complete the two regiments, they must be filled up out of the eldest Captains in Canada, in the following manner: The eldest New-Hampshire Captain, the first offer; the eldest Massachusetts Captain, second offer; the eldest Connecticut Captain, third offer; the eldest New-York Captain, fourth offer. The Field-Officers being completed, you are to cause four lists to be made, one containing the names of all the New-Hampshire Captains and Subalterns, according to their rank in the regiments; another, those of the Massachusetts; a third, those of Connecticut; and a fourth, those of New-York — in the following manner:

New-Hampshire Captain, A
Captain, B
Captain, C
1st Lieut. D
1st Lieut. E
1st Lieut. F
2d Lieut. G
2d Lieut. H
Ensigns, I
Ensigns, K

Massachusetts. Captain, L
Captain, M
1st Lieut. N
1st Lieut. O
2d Lieut. P
2d Lieut. Q
Ensign, R

Connecticut. Captain, S
Captain, T
1st Lieut. U
1st Lieut. V
2d Lieut. W
2d Lieut. X
Ensign, Y

New-York. Captain, a
Captain, b
Captain, c
1st Lieut, d
1st Lieut, c
1st Lieut, f
2d Lieut, g
2d Lieut, h
Ensigns, i
Ensigns, k

The list being made out as above, you will proceed to take out the officers for the first and second, of the regiments to be raised, in the foliovving manner: The eldest New-Hampshire Captain, for the first Captaincy in the First Regiment; the eldest Massachusetts-Bay Captain, for the first Captaincy in the Second Regiment; the eldest Connecticut Captain, for the second Captain in the First Regiment; and the eldest New-York Captain, for the second Captaincy in the Second Regiment; and so on

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as in the annexed scheme. When all the Captains are thus provided for, and if there should be still some wanting to complete the regiments, they must be taken in the same manner, from the First Lieutenants, and so go on to complete the whole of both regiments; and if there is not a sufficiency of officers, the best and most alert of the Sergeants must be promoted, until the whole is complete. It may happen by this arrangement, as it often does in the regular service, that an elder Captain in the Army will be commanded by a younger Captain; but that is only on regimental duty, upon detachment of different corps, the command will go with the rank in the Army. I have known Lieutenant-Colonels in the Army commanded by Captains, when they did regimental duty; but when detached with parties of different corps, they acted as Lieutenant-Colonels.

For the First Regiment. Eldest Captain, — A
Second do. — S
Third do. — B
Fourth do. — T
Fifth do. — C
Sixth do. — D
Seventh do. — u
Eighth do. — E
First eldest Lieutenant, V
Second do. — F
Third do. — G
Fourth do. — W
Fifth do. — H
Sixth do. — X
Seventh do. — I
Eighth do. — Y
First Second Lieutenant, k

For the Second Regiment. Eldest Captain, — L
Second do. — a
Third do. — M
Fourth do. — b
Fifth do. — c
Sixth do. — N
Seventh do. — d
Eighth do. — o
First eldest Lieutenant, e
Second do. — f
Third do. — P
Fourth do. — g
Fifth do. — J
Sixth do. — h
Seventh do. — R
Eighth do. — i
First Second Lieutenant, k

I hope the mode of making the arrangement will be easily apprehended, and prevent those jealousies which are so dangerous in an Army, and so prejudicial to the common cause of America. Uninfluenced by any motives but those which ought to inspire every friend of his country, I shall most readily acquiesce in any other mode that may be demonstrated more eligible.

I am, sir, your most humble servant,

PHILIP SCHUYLER.

To General Wooster.

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