and twenty-six men, including officers; one Colonel, one Lieutenant-Colonel, and one Major; eight Companies to each Regiment; one Captain, one Lieutenant, and one Ensign; three Sergeants, three Corporals, one Drummer and one Fifer. Staff Officers: one Chaplain, one Adjutant, (being a sub,) one Quartermaster, (being a sub,) one Surgeon, and one Mate.

Question 8th. Can the best officers be retained without impeding the enlistment.

Answer. It is a matter of great delicacy, and, to accomplish it with propriety, I feel the want of military knowledge; however, I beg liberty to propose that the officers now in the service receive enlisting orders: first, to engage all that are fit and willing, now in service; then every one who shall have leave of absence by furlough, as well as the rest, be directed to engage, for the establishment, as many effective men as possible, (each Government or Colony having a certain number of Regiments assigned to it,) and, when the whole number shall be raised, his Excellency will retain such officers as he shall think best qualified, after receiving recommendations for the Field-Officers from the Brigadier-Generals, and of the Commissioned Officers from the Colonels or commanding officers of Regiments, and also from the Brigadier-Generals.

Question 9th. For how long a time should the men be engaged?

Answer. For one year, unless sooner discharged by the Continental Congress; because every contract should be fixed and certain in all its parts; for men esteem confinement, (of which the service partakes,) without any fixed period to its duration, a boundless gulf, where the fruitful imagination creates ten thousand nameless horrours. They will therefore startle at visionary ills, (supposing their enlistments during the pleasure of the Congress,) not considering that the importance of the contest should banish every private consideration which may rise in competition with the publick good.

GENERAL SULLIVAN TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Questions proposed by his Excellency General Washington, with answers thereto, by his humble servant,

JOHN SULLIVAN.

Question. What number of men are sufficient for a winter’s campaign?

Answer. Eighteen thousand one hundred and forty-eight, arranged in the following order, viz:

Question. Can the pay of the privates be reduced? and how much?

Answer. An attempt to reduce the wages, at this time, will probably prevent the raising of another Army. And when it is considered that the men, in general, find their own arms, and all find their own clothing, and enlist without a bounty, I cannot suppose the wages unreasonable.

Question. What rations shall be allowed the men?

Answer. The same as at present; only fixing a price on each article, that the men may have their money weekly in lieu of those articles which the Commissary cannot furnish.

Question. What regulations are further necessary for the government of the Forces?

Answer. That a General Court-Martial have power to try and punish atrocious offenders, who may come into the camp and behave disorderly, and all such as may be guilty of stealing and purloining from the Army. That persons convicted of holding correspondence with or giving intelligence to the enemy be punished with death. That Adjutants be appointed to each Brigade. That in case of the death or resignation of any officer, the officers are to rise in their own corps, and keep the command in the respective Regiments or Companies to which they belong.

Question. For how long a time ought the men in the present Army to be engaged?

Answer. As the Army is principally composed of husbandmen, and their business comes on about the 1st of April, none of those would incline to enlist for a longer time; as tarrying one month longer would as effectually defeat the farming business, for the year ensuing, as if they were to engage for a year; and as an Army may easily be engaged, before that time, for the ensuing summer, I recommend that they be enlisted until the 1st of April, and no longer.

Question. What method would you recommend as most eligible to clothe a new Army with a proper degree of decency and regularity? Would you advise it to be done by the Continent? In that case, would you lower the men’s wages, and make no deduction for clothing, or let it stand, and make stoppages? and how much a month?

Answer. The wages ought to stand; and if a uniform be agreed on, the men should have the liberty to procure it for themselves; provided they do it seasonably and to the acceptance of their officers; but as many of them will not be able to do this, the Continent should provide for those, and stop it out of their wages. The same method ought to be pursued if common clothing only is required, as many of them will be unable to procure the necessary articles.

Question. As there appears to be great irregularity in the manner of paying the men, and much discontent has prevailed upon that account, in what manner and at what fixed periods would you advise it to be done, under a new establishment?

Answer. As some new recruits must be raised, and as those recruits will not, probably, have money to provide themselves for the campaign; and as no bounty money is to be given them, I recommend that they receive one month’s advance wages, and the residue at the expiration of their term.

Question. What sized Regiments would you recommend under this establishment, viz: how many men to a Company, how many Companies to a Regiment, and how officered?

Answer. Ten Companies to a Regiment, two of which to be Light-Infantry, sixty-four men to a Company, including Sergeants and Corporals, which will give sixty Corporals and Privates to each Company, or subdivision, and thirty to each platoon. The officers to be, one Captain, one Lieutenant, and one Ensign.

Question. Is there any method by which the best of the present officers in this Army can be chosen, without impeding the enlistment of the men by such choice and preference?

Answer. I think the officers in my Brigade, who are most averse to doing duty, and least able to endure fatigue, having signified their intention to leave the service, and the best officers inclining to tarry, I am of opinion that the most worthy and resolute officers in the whole Army will remain in the service, which will supersede the necessity of selecting the best for the winter campaign. But in case more than is requisite should incline to stay, when the names of the whole are given in, some method may be hit upon to get rid of those supernumerary officers, without impeding the enlistment of the men. I therefore advise that the Generals of Brigades give in the names of those officers who incline to tarry in the service, as soon as may be.

An Account of the Men who are willing to continue in the service of the United Colonies, during the winter, from Colonel STARK’S Regiment.

October 8, 1775.