the order of the Colonel, County Lieutenant, or chief Officer then present, under the penalty of one hundred Pounds, to be paid by any such Officer, for every neglect.

And whereas it is declared by this Ordinance, that four hundred and twenty-five Men, under proper Officers, shall be stationed at the several Forts upon the frontiers of this Colony, It is hereby ordained, That as soon as the treaty of peace shall be concluded with the several Tribes of Indians bordering on the western parts of this Colony, it shall be in the power of the Committee of Safety, if the Convention is not sitting, to disband the whole, or such part thereof as to them shall seem most expedient and consistent with the good of this Colony.

II. An Ordinance for the better government of the Forces to be raised and employed in the service of the Colony and Dominion of VIRGINIA.

Be it ordained by the Representatives of the People in Convention assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the following Rules and Articles be established, that is to say:

ARTICLE I. That every Officer and Soldier who shall serve in the Provincial Army, either of Regulars or Minute-Men, shall, at the time of accepting his Commission and Enlistment, subscribe the following Rules and Regulations, and thereafter be bound by the same; and moreover, every Officer and Soldier (except Quakers, who are to make a solemn affirmation to the same effect) shall take the following Oaths, to be administered by the Committee of Safety to the Field-Officers, by the respective County Committees to the Officers to be by them nominated, and by a Justice of Peace to any Soldier, not under two days from the time of his enlistment, or a Member of the Committee of any County, City, or Borough, where he may be enlisted.

OATH OF A COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.

“I, A B, do swear that I will be faithful and true to the Colony and Dominion of Virginia; that I will serve the same to the utmost of my power, in defence of the just rights of America, against all enemies whatsoever; that I will, from time to time, obey such orders as I may receive from the General Convention, or other authority by them appointed; and that I will disband all the Forces under my command and lay down my arms, when required by the General Convention, or the General Assembly of Virginia. So help me God.”

OATH OF THE OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS.

“I, A B, do swear that I will be faithful and true to the Colony and Dominion of Virginia; that I will serve the same to the utmost of my power, in defence of the just rights of America, against all enemies whatsoever; that I will obey the orders of such Officers who may be set over me, and lay down my arms peaceably, when required so to do either by the General Convention or the General Assembly of Virginia. So help me God.”

ART. II It is earnestly recommended to all Officers and Soldiers diligently to attend divine service; and all Officers and Soldiers who shall behave indecently and ineverently at any place of divine worship, shall, if Commissioned Officers, be brought before a Court-Martial, there to be publickly and severely reprimanded by the President. If Non-Commissioned Officers or Soldiers, every person so offending shall, for the first offence, forfeit one day’s pay; for the second offence, he shall not only forfeit the like sum, but be confined for any time not exceeding twenty-four hours; and for every other like offence shall forfeit and pay in like manner, to the use of the sick Soldiers of the Regiment to which the offender belongs.

ART. III. Whatsoever Commissioned or Non-Commissioned Officers or Soldiers shall use any profane oath or execration shall incur the penalties expressed in the second article; and if a Commissioned Officer be thus guilty of profane cursing or swearing, he shall forfeit for each and every such offence one day’s pay. And whatsoever Commissioned, or Non-Commissioned Officer or Soldier shall practise any species of gaming, he shall, on being convicted thereof before a Regimental Court-Martial, pay such fine or suffer such punishment as may be inflicted by the said Court.

ART. IV. Any Officer or Soldier who shall behave himself with contempt or disrespect towards the Generals, General, or Commander-in-Chief of the Provincial Forces, or shall speak false words, tending to his or their hurt or dishonour, shall be punished according to the nature of his offence, by the judgment of a General Court-Martial.

ART. V. Any Officer or Soldier who shall begin, excite, cause, or join in any mutiny or sedition, in the Regiment or Company to which he belongs, or in any other Regiment or Company of the Provincial Forces, either by land or sea, in any party, post, detachment, or guard, on any pretence whatsoever, shall suffer such punishment as by a General Court-Martial shall be ordered.

ART. VI. Any Officer, Non-Commissioned Officer, or Soldier, who, being present at any mutiny or sedition, does not use his utmost endeavours to suppress the same, or, coming to the knowledge of any mutiny, or intended mutiny, does not, without delay, give information thereof to the Commanding Officer, shall be punished, by order of a General Court-Martial, according to the nature of his offence.

ART. VII. Any Officer or Soldier who shall strike his superiour Officer, or draw, or offer to draw, or shall lift up any weapon, or offer any violence against him, being in the execution of his office, on any pretence whatsoever, or shall disobey any lawful commands of his superiour Officer, shall suffer such punishment as shall, according to the nature of his offence, be ordered by the sentence of a General Court-Martial.

ART. VIII. Any Non-Commissioned Officer or Soldier who shall desert, or, without leave from his Commanding Officer, absent himself from the Company to which he belongs, or from any detachment of the same, shall, upon being convicted thereof, be punished according to the nature of his offence, at the discretion of a General Court-Martial.

ART. IX. Whatsoever Officer or Soldier shall be convicted of having advised or persuaded any other Officer or Soldier to desert, shall suffer such punishment as shall be ordered by the sentence of a General Court-Martial.

ART. X. All Officers, of what condition soever, shall have power to part and quell all quarrels, frays, and disorders, though the persons concerned belong to another Regiment or Company, and either order Officers or Soldiers to be confined or imprisoned till their proper superiour Officer shall be acquainted therewith; and whoever shall refuse to obey such Officer, (though of an inferiour rank,) or shall draw his sword upon him, shall be punished at the discretion of a General Court-Martial.

ART. XI. No Officer or Soldier shall use any reproachful or provoking speeches or gestures to another, nor shall presume to send a challenge to any person to fight a duel; and whosoever shall knowingly and willingly suffer any person whatsoever to go forth to fight a duel, or shall second, promote, or carry any challenge, shall be deemed as a principal; and whatsoever Officer or Soldier shall upbraid another for refusing a challenge, shall also be considered as a challenger; and all such offenders, in any of those or such like cases, shall be punished at the discretion of a General Court-Martial.

ART. XII. Any Officer commanding in quarters or on a march shall keep good order, and to the utmost of his power redress all such abuses or disorders which may be committed by any Officer or Soldier under his command. If, upon any complaint made to him of Officers or Soldiers beating or otherwise ill-treating any person, or of committing any kind of riot, to the disquieting of the inhabitants of this Colony, he, the said Commander, who shall refuse or omit to see justice done on the offender or offenders, and reparation made to the party or parties injured, as far as the offender’s wages will enable him or them, shall, upon due proof thereof, be punished as ordered by a General Court Martial, in such manner as if he himself had committed the crimes or disorders complained of.

ART. XIII. If any Officer or Soldier should think himself to be wronged by his Colonel, or the Commanding Officer of the Regiment, and shall, upon due application made to him, be refused to be redressed, he may complain to the General or Commander-in-Chief of the Provincial Regulars, in order to obtain justice; who is hereby required to examine into the said complaint, and see that justice be done.