50. Dinwiddie (abt. 700 Mr. Tazew.) [55] 52 Dunmore (abt. 800 nt more yn 500 besides menonists &c., [63] 61 Eliz. City (120) + 90 [12] 12 57. 11. 32. Essex (abt. 450) [35] 33 142. Fincastle 1. Captain, 2 Lieutenants, & 1 Ensign & 4 serjeants (2000) 50. Hampshire 1. Captain, 2 Lieutenants, & 1 Ensign (abt. 700 rank & file) [55] 52 64. Hanover (abt. 800) + 100 min [71] 67 35. Henrico (abt. 500) [40] 30 14. James City (190) [15] 14 51. Isle of Wight (abt. 650) + 75 [57] 54 32. 42. 35. 14. 114. 42. K. George (abt. 400) + 50 [35] 32 K & Queen (600) [47] 44 K. Wm. (about 500. Mr. Colman. Colo Brooke) [40] 38 Loudoun (abt. 1600 besides Quakers) [126] 119 Louisa (550 militia abt) + 50 minute men [47] 44 42. Lunenburgh (563 militia.) + 30 minte. [46] 43 Middlesx (abt 300) [24] 23 60. Muhlenburgh (850) [67] 63 21. 57. Nansemd. (abt. 800) [63] 60 32. N. Kent (448-r & f.) [35] 30 71. Norfolk (900) + 100 [79] 75 Northampton 50. Northumbld. (700) [55] 90 38. Orange (above 500) + 50 [43] 41 110. Pittsylva. (1550) [122] 119 38. Pr. Edwd. (abt 550 militia) [43] 41 which several officers so to be appointed shall immediately proceed to enlist the several quotas of men following, that is to say, every Captain shall enlist 28 men, every first Lieutent. 20, every sd. Lieutt. 16, & every ensign 10 & shall be at liberty to do the same as well within their respective counties as without. Officers fail- And if any officer shall fail to recruit his quota of ing to en- men before mentiond on or before the list quotas. day of next the Commee of the county by whom such officer was appointed may either appoint another in his stead, or may continue him if it shall appear to them that the quota of such officer may be sooner completed by his continuance. But if he or the officer appointed in his stead shall further fail to raise the sd quota before the day of next, then the commee of the county who appointed such officer shall make report of the whole matter to the Governor, who with the advice of the privy council shall take such measures thereon as shall seem most likely to expedite the raising the said quota, whether it be by continuing the same officer, or by making a new appointment; and wheresoever any new appointment shall be made on failure of any officer or officers to raise their quota, the men enlisted by such officer or officers so failing shall be delivered over to the officer appointed to succeed him, he refunding to the officer who enlisted the same such recruiting expenses as the committee shall judge reasonable. And be it further enacted, that to each of the sd six additional battalions 1 Colonel, one Lieutenant Colonel & one Major shall be appointed by joint ballot of both houses of assembly and one chaplain & one Surgeon by the field officers & captains of each battalion respectively, & that all Chaplains, & Surgeons as well of the sd six battalions as of the nine battalions now in Continental service shall at all times be removeable, and others appointed in their steads by the sd field officers & Captains of their respective battalions for good cause to them shewn and the Surgeon's Mates shall be appointed by the Surgeon himself with the approbation of the Commanding officer of the battalion & the Adjutant, Regimental Quarter Master, Serg'. Major, Quarter Master Sergeant & Drum Major by the said commanding officer of the battalion. How to be formed into companies & battal ions. And be it further enacted that the Quotas of men raised by the officers to be appointed by the Commee of West Augusta shall be formed into distinct companies by the sd Commee which companies shall constitute one of the sd six additional battalions: & the Quotas raised by the officers to be appointed by any other Commees shall by the same Commee be formed into one or more companies or parts of a company according to the nature & number of the Quotas: & the said companies & parts of companies shall be formed into battalions of ten companies each by the governor or in his absence by the President who shall Allot to each battalion such of the field officers to be appointed by the two houses of assembly as he shall judge best suited to the same, and shall deliver to the Continental Commander in this Colony a roll of each battalion as soon as the same shall be so embodied and officered. And whereas it is apprehended that sufficient care and attention hath not been alwais had by officers to the cleanliness, to the health & to the comfort of the soldiers entrusted to their command be it therefore enacted that so long as any troops from this commonwealth shall be in any service to the Northward thereof it shall & may be lawful for our delegates in Congress & they are hereby required from time to time to enquire into the state & condition of the troops & the conduct of the officers commanding & where any troops raised in this commonwealth are upon duty within the same or any where to the Southward there the Gov! & Council are required to make similar enquiry by such ways or means as shall be in their power; & whensoever it shall be found that any officer appointed by this commonwealth shall have been guilty of negligence or want of fatherly care of the soldiers under his command they are hereby respectively required to report to this assembly the whole truth of the case who hereby reserve to themselves a power of removing such officer: & whenever they shall find that such troops shall have suffered thro' the negligence or inattention of any officer of Continental Appointment they are in like manner to make report thereof to this assembly whose duty it will be to represent the same to Congress and they are further respectively required from time to time to procure & lay before this assembly exact returns of the numbers & condition of such their troops. DRAFT OF A BILL ESTABLISHING COUNTY COURTS.' V. S. A. [Nov. 4, 1776.] For fixing the places of holding courts for the counties of Pittsylvania & Henry. Be it enacted by the General assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia that it shall & may be lawful for the freeholders of the said county of Pittsylvania qualified by law to vote for representatives in general assembly, & they are hereby required to meet at the house of Richard Faithing in the said county on the day of next, then & there to chuse the most convenient place (having due regard as well to the extent of the said county as to the populousness of its several parts) for holding courts for the said county in future. And be it further enacted that notice shall be given to the freeholders of the said county of Pittsylvania by the Sheriff, ministers & readers, in the same manner & under the like penalties as are directed for giving notice of an election of representatives to serve in General assembly & that the election shall be held by the said Sheriff in the same manner as such election of repre 'On Oct. 25th leave was granted to introduce this bill, and Jefferson, Williams, Bullitt, and Terry were nained to do it. On Nov. 4th it was read the first time and on the 5th it was read a second time and committed to the Committee of the Whole. On Nov. 21st it was sent back to the drafting committee, to which the members from Pittsylvania were added. It was reported again on Dec. 2d, and passed on the 5th. It is difficult to discover the cause for dissatisfaction with Jefferson's draft, which led to its recommittal, for a comparison with the act as passed gives no indication of it, but it undoubtedly was intended to aid the western counties in the struggle to obtain equal privileges with those on the tide-waters. sentatives to serve in General assembly, writing down the names of the places voted for, every one in a separate column of his poll, & the names of every freeholder voting under the place for which he votes: & the place for which the most votes shall be given shall thenceforth be the place for holding courts for the said county : & after the election shall be made the sheriff shall return the original poll, attested by himself, to the clerk's office of the said county, by whom the same shall be recorded. And be it further enacted that the same rules & proceedings shall be observed in every article relating to the said election & all persons failing to do their respective duties shall incur the same and be subject to the same actions as are prescribed by law in case of an election of representatives to serve in General assembly. And be it further enacted that it shall and may be lawful for the freeholders of the said county of Henry qualified by law to vote for representatives to serve in General assembly, & they are hereby required, at the time & place to make their first choice of representatives (which place is hereby declared to be the plantation of John Rolands) to make choice also of the most convenient place for holding courts for the said county of Henry in future having due regard as well to the extent of the said county as to the populousness of it's several parts, which election shall be notified & held, & in all circumstances to be conducted by the same rules & proceedings, & all persons failing to do their respective duties shall incur the like penalties & be subject to the same action as before directed for the county of Pittsylvania. Provided that if the freeholders of either of the said counties of Pittsylvania or Henry shall be prevented by rain snow or accidental rise of watercourses from assembling at the places of election on either of the days beforementioned that then it shall & may be lawful for the Sheriff & he is hereby required to postpone the election so prevented until that day week, & so in like manner from week to week so often as the case shall happen. And whereas by the usual course of the law sheriffs can not be qualified for their offices but by the justices of the peace in open court at the court-house of their counties; and no court can be held for the qualification of a sheriff for the said county of Henry |