249 | From Thomas Gage

    New York, December, 6th: 1763__

    Sir

    Sir Jeffery Amherst having found it Indispensably Necessary, for the Effectual Suppression of the Devastations made by the Savages, to Require an Aid of men, from some of the Provinces, for the Service of the next Year; that they might in Conjunction with Such of His Majesty’s Regular Troops, as can be Collected, carry the War, into the Heart of the Indian Country, in Order to punish the Savages, who have been guilty of Such Perfidious & Cruel Massacres, & thereby Obtain a Peace which Shall be lasting and Durable.__ The Said Requisition has been laid before the Assembly of New York, who Shew a Readiness to furnish their Quota, of any Number of Men that Shall be thought Necessary, but think it Reasonable that the New England Governments Should be Called upon, to Assist in the manner Constantly practised during the Late War. And in the Interim have Resolved to Raise Three Hundred Men, to protect the Communication betwixt Albany & Oswego. The Success of these Measures now depends on the Resolves of the New England Governments,955 & it behoves Me, as having Succeeded Sir Jeffery Amherst in the Command of His Majesty’s Forces in North America, in order that a Service so Essential to the future Interest & Happiness of all the Colonies should not be Disappointed, to make Application toYour Province for a Supply of Troops, for the Service of the next Year; that I may be Enabled to Assemble a Respectable Body of Troops, early in the Spring at Niagara, to punish the Savages in those parts, who have so treacherously Commenced, & are now Carrying on Hostilities against Us, & as Sir Jeffery Amherst has also Required a number of men, of the Southward Provinces to act towards the Ohio, I trust they will Raise a Body of Men Sufficient to Chastise the Shawnese, Delawares, & Other Tribes on that Side.__

    I Doubt not that you will think it Consistent with Sound Policy, Humanity & Brotherly Affection, that Every Province Should in times of Calamity Chearfully Contribute their Quotas, for the mutual assistance of Each other, & that you will, if there’s Occasion Enforce these Principles to your Council, & Assembly, from whom I am to hope, a favorable Reception of this Requisition, when I Consider the Readiness your Government has Shewn on former Occasions in forwarding & promoting the Publick Service; and I am to beg of You, that it may be Laid before them, for their Determination thereupon, as soon as possible.__

    The Demand I am to make from your Province is of Seven Hundred men, Divided into Three Battalions, Each Commanded by a Field Officer, who may be of the Rank of Major; Two Battalions to be Composed of Five Companys, & One of Four, & Each Company to Consist of a Captain, Two Subalterns, & Fifty Men; The Service in which they will be Employed requires a good number of Officers; The men may be Cloathed lightly, a Cloth jacket, Flannel waistcoat, & Leggins; and it will be Necessary, that the whole shall be Raised & ready to proceed to Albany by the first of March next.__

    Particular Care should be taken that in Recruiting the Men, None Should be Raised, but such are able Bodied; neither too Young, or too Old, but fit for the most active & Alert Service.__

    Altho’ by an Order from Home the Regular Troops are Subject to a Stoppage for the Provisions issued to them, belonging to the Crown, yet upon this Occasion, I will take upon me, to Order Provisions to the Provincial Troops, that shall be raised & take the Field; and they shall Likewise be provided with Arms, unless any of them Chuse to bring their Own Arms, for which they shall have the Same allowance, as was made in former Campaigns Should any of them be Lost, or Damaged, in actual service; Tents will also, be furnished to them as formerly.__

    The time of Service, may be Limited to the 1st. of November, altho’ it is much to be hoped, Every thing will be finished long before that Period, in which Case, the Men will be sent back to their Province.__

    I am, with great Regard, Sir, Your most Obedient Humble Servant

    Thos. Gage

    His Excellency Governor Bernard.

    LS, RC BP, 10: 159-162.

    Thomas Gage deputized for Amherst from 16 Nov., after Amherst returned to England, and was appointed commander-in-chief the following year. Gage’s formal request for assistance to crush Pontiac’s Rebellion, which had commenced in May 1763 (and would not end until 1766) was triggered by the Battle of Devil’s Hole Road, near Fort Niagara, on 14 Sept. when a supply train from the 80th Light Armed Foot and a rescue party were ambushed by a Seneca tribe.