Autograph Letter Signed

[Plan for the Corps of Levies]

Document describes the manner in which two thousand recruits will be raised and arranged into two regiments for the purpose of protecting the frontiers. Provided details of the rank and type of officer or soldier required for each battalion. Assigned posts to specifically named officers.

1791

03

14

War Department

Henry Knox

George Washington

John Sevier

Henry Lee

Benjamin Brooks

William Alexander

George McCulley

recruits

regiments

President

Secretary of War

levies

Paymaster

surgeon

surgeon's mate

Quartermaster

adjutant

Benjamin Brooks

McCulley

William Alexander

Henry Lee

attorney general

War Department

Fort Washington

Block House

Holstein

Fort Pitt

Winchester, Virginia

Hagerstown, Maryland

Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

Trenton

frontier

territory

battalion

company

Ohio

river

Virginia

Maryland

Pennsylvania

Susquehannah

Susquehanna

New Jersey

Fort Pitt

protection

defense

Indian relations

war

peace

assignment

"an act for raising and adding another regiment to the military establishment of the United States"

1791031400301

1

10.
[ Plan for the Corps of levies ]
The Secretary of war respectfully submits
to the President of the United States, the following
arrangement for the corps of Levies to be raised
in pursuance of the act entitled "An act for rai,
"sing and adding another Regiment to the mili,
"tary establishment of the United States, and
"for making farther provision for the protection
"of the frontiers"
That the two thousand Levies men,
tioned in the said act be arranged into two
Regiments
Each Regiment to consist of
three Battalions
each Battalion to consist of
four companies
each company to consist of
eighty-three noncommissioned
and privates
Twenty-four companies, each of eighty-
three non-commissioned and privates, would
amount to one thousand nine hundred, and
ninety-two non commissioned and privates. - -
were the companies stated at the number of
eighty-four, the proportions would be better,
but the number stated in the Law would be
exceeded by such an arrangement, by the
excess of sixteen.

That the following commissioned
and non-commissioned officers, to be arranged
to
to each Regiment and Battalion
Regimental Staff
1 Lieutenant colonel commandant
1 Paymaster
1 Surgeon
Battalion Staff
1 Major
1 Adjutant
1 Quartermaster
1 Surgeon's mate
1 Sergeant major
1 Quarter Master Sergeant

Company
Commissioned and non commissioned officers
1 Captain
1 Lieutenant - excepting the rifle companies
1 Ensign
6 Sergeants
6 Corporals
2 Musicians

That one company of each Battalion, be expert rifle men if possible - That each of these companies have an additional Lieutenant.
That the Six Battalions of these said Levies be raised as follows
1st Battalion in the territory of the United States, South fo the Ohio, and the neighbouring parts of Virginia, to rendezvous in the first instance at the old Blok house on Holstain - in the second, at Fort Washington.
2nd Battalion in Virginia case of the mountains - to rendezvous in the first instance at Winchester - in the Second by the way of [undecipherable] Stone at Fort Pitt - there to receive the order of the Major General
3rd Battalion in Maryland, to rendezvous
rendezvous in the first instance at HagersTown, and in the second by the way of Red Stone, at Fort Pitt
4th: Battalion in Pennsylvania, west of the mountains - to rendezvous in the first instance at Fort Pitt - and in the second, at such place as the major general shall direct
5th: Battalion, east of the mountains and west of the Susquehannah inclusively, to rendezvous in the first instance at Shippensburg and the second at Fort Pitt
6th: Battalion, in New Jersey - to rendezvous in the first place at Trenton, and in the second at Fort Pitt
As soon as a company should be completed at any of the said first rendezvous, they should be marched to the second
The President of the United States to appoint immediately the Brigadier General and the two lieutenants to colonies commandant, together with such others of the field and other officers as hey may judge proper.
The Governor and Brigadier General Sevier of the territory of the United States, South of the Ohio, to appoint the officers of the Battalion, to be raised in the said territory.
Lieutenant Colonel commandant Lee, if he should accept his appointment, to appoint such off the officers of the Battalion to be raised in Virginia, as shall not be appointed by the President
Major Benjm Brookes, is submitted as a proper person to command the Battalion to be raised in Maryland, and the other
other officers to be appointed in the best mode that may be devised
Major McCulley is submitted as a proper person to command the western Battalion to be raised in Pennsylvania
and
Major William Alexander, submitted as a proper person to command the eastern Battalion to be raised in Pennsylvania
The other officers to be appointed in the best modes that may be devised
A proper officer to command the Battalion to be raised in New Jersey, has not yet presented, or any of the inferior officers.
Lieutenant colonel Henry Lee is submitted as a proper character to be the first Lieutenant colonel commandant and
the Second Lieutenant colonel of said Levies
It is further submitted that the recruiting of the Said Levies Shall proceed by voluntary inlistment, until the 15th of May next, and if not completed then, to be filled by drafts from the militia, provided it shall appear, by the opinion of the attorney general, and other [undecipherable] authority that the President of the United States, [undecipherable] under present circumstances legal power for that purpose
All which is humbly submitted to the President of the United States
H Knox Secretary of War
War department 14th March 1791