670 Appendix. 



petition of the commanding officers of his Majesty's 

 Provincial Regiments, and having been ordered by 

 them to solicit for them in this country that the prayer 

 of their petition be granted, I take the liberty of 

 troubling your Lordship. They are extremely anxious 

 to know their fate, as regards permanent rank and half- 

 pay." 



As the result of this solicitation, and in answer to 

 Carlton's petition of September 12, 1782, above given, 

 Lord North replies, on June n, that the King has 

 been graciously pleased to approve Sir G. Carlton's 

 recommendation. And on the ifth of June, his Lord- 

 ship writes that it is his Majesty's intention that all 

 the Provincial regiments shall be removed to Halifax, 

 where they are to be disbanded. 



On July 6, 1783, Thompson writes to Carlton, con- 

 gratulating him on the resolution of Parliament to give 

 half-pay to the Provincial officers, and telling him all 

 he had done witlviord North and members of Parlia- 

 ment. He says his Majesty has been graciously pleased 

 to approve of the King's American Dragoons having 

 the full establishment of field officers, as was originally 

 intended, and that I should be promoted to the rank 

 of Colonel. He adds: " I cannot help flattering myself 

 that this arrangement will be agreeable to your Ex- 

 cellency, and that I shall be returned in your list of 

 the Provincial officers for half-pay as Colonel. The 

 rank to me is of infinite importance, as I am going 

 abroad, in a short time, with a view to foreign service. 

 But the half-pay is also an object, as I have little else 

 left to depend on except my industry." 



The letter to Carlton authorizing the promotion of 

 Thompson has been given in the text, pp. 146, 147. 



