An Act for raising a regiment of Horse.

FOR strengthening the continental army under the command of general Washington during the present campaign, Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That a regiment of horse, to consist of three hundred and fifty rank and file, shall be raised within this commonwealth, with all possible despatch, by such persons as shall be appointed by the governour, with the advice of the council, for that purpose. That the said regiment shall be formed by the governour into six troops each troop to be commanded by a captain, two lieutenants, and a cornet, and the whole by a colonel, lieutenant colonel, and major. The commissioned officers of each troop to be chosen by the troop itself, so soon as formed. The field officers to be appointed by the governour with the advice of the council, and the staff by the field officers. That the officers and troopers shall have the same pay, rations, and forage, as those of the continental army, to commence from the time of their rendezvous; that they shall continue in service during the present campaign, unless sooner discharged by the commander in chief of the army, and shall, during the time of their service, be subject to the continental rules and articles of discipline and government. The chirurgeons shall be removed by the field officers, at any time, for neglect of duty. If any of the said troopers shall furnish himself with a horse, arms, or accoutrements, such horse, if he be killed, or die, or be captured, or otherwise lost, not through the default of the trooper, and such arms and accoutrements, if captured, or otherwise lost, without the default of the trooper, shall be made good to such trooper by the publick. Horses, arms, and accoutrements, requisite for the said regiment, in addition to those furnished by the troopers themselves, together with ammunition and necessaries for travelling and camp uses, so far as they cannot be furnished or conveniently spared from the publick stores, shall be provided at the publick expense, with all possible despatch, by persons to be appointed by the governour with the advice of the council, under such limitations of kind, quality, and price, as they shall think expedient.

The treasurer shall from time to time, on warrants from the governour with the advice of the council, pay all such sums of money as may be requisite for the purposes before mentioned, such warrants being previously entered at the auditors office, and certified by them to be so entered. The sums so certified by the auditors shall by them be charged in account to those to whom they are payable, and due credits be given them for all expenditures authorised by their instructions from the governour with the advice of the council, and properly vouched. All sums not so expended shall be repaid to the treasurer, whose receipt being delivered to the auditors, they shall give to such person a quietus. If any such person shall fail to render account of the application of any such money, or to repay to the treasurer the unexpended balance, and produce his receipt for the same when called on by the auditors, such proceedings shall be used against him as are prescribed by an act of general assembly passed in the year 1777 for the recovery of monies due to the publick. All sums actually expended for the purchase of horses, pay of the troopers, or other necessaries before directed, or for the

reimbursement of their losses as aforesaid to the troopers, and the value of all arms, accoutrements, or other necessaries furnished from the public stores or works, shall be carried by the auditors into account against the United States; and when the said regiment shall be discharged, due credit shall be given for all such horses and other articles as shall remain for the publick use, and shall be delivered by the commanding officer to the governour's order, according to their value, to be settled in such manner as the governour, with the advice of the council, shall find practicable and just. And such accounts shall by them, on behalf of this commonwealth, be submitted to congress for their allowance.

And for greater encouragement to those who shall enter into the said service, it is provided, that they shall not thereby lose their capacity to be of either house of assembly, and that they shall be free from all draughts (except in the case of an invasion of this commonwealth, or insurrection therein) from the time of their discharge, for so long a time as they shall have actually been in the said service.

When so many of the said regiment shall be raised and ready, as in the opinion of the govern our, with the advice of the council, it may be expedient to send on, he shall give orders for them to rendezvous, and proceed with all possible despatch to join the grand army under the command of general Washington, and so from time to time as the remaining parts shall be raised and made ready.