146 Life of Count Rtimford. 



sioned officer will have two hundred acres of land, and a private 

 one hundred acres, in Nova Scotia. The soldiers can go to 

 England or stay in America. 



" The King's American Dragoons, Colonel Thompson, have 

 permanent rank in America." 



Colonel Thompson, by leave of absence dated April 

 n, returned direct to England, ready for any further 

 military service which might be required of him, and 

 indeed earnestly bent upon engaging in it; as we learn, 

 from an avowal made by him soon afterwards, that 

 he had now conceived a passion for it. He at once 

 solicited to be employed with his regiment in the 

 East Indies, but the peace dispensed with the ne- 

 cessity. Either his actual services in command, or the 

 incidental influence and value of his extraordinary or- 

 ganizing and executive abilities in military affairs, helped 

 by the personal charm which always advanced him, had 

 won for him the highest esteem and favor of General 

 Carlton. The General having made distinguished men- 

 tion of him in his despatches to the King, his Majesty, 

 on this recommendation, advanced him to a colonelcy, 

 though he had held the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel 



o 



but two years. He was thus secured half-pay on the 

 British establishment for the remainder of his life. 



The following is given by Pictet as the letter from 

 the British Secretary of State to General Carlton, au- 

 thorizing the promotion of Thompson, copied from 

 the original, as shown by the last-named to his friend. 



" Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson having been particularly dis- 

 tinguished by you in the appointment to the command of the 

 corps of provincial troops intended to be sent upon service in 

 the West Indies, (which corps, had it embarked, would, agreea- 

 bly to the King's commands signified by the late Secretary of 



