122 LEAVES THEY HAVE TOUCHED. 



my return to this country, my present situation, and the state of my 

 family affairs, all powerfully invite me to return home. The fee-simple 

 of this vast continent would be no temptation for my residence in a 

 country in which I have struggled through so many scenes of trouble 

 and disappoiutment, against all which, a principle of pure affection 

 for his Majesty and his Government has, thank God, sustained me." 

 Under date of Whitehall [London], 5 June, 1778, Lord George 

 Germain makes the agreeable announcement to Gov. Tryon, of his 

 appointment to the Colonelcy of the 70th Regiment, and of his 

 elevation to the rank of Major-General. " It was a great pleasure to 

 me," he says, " in the course of last month to have the honour to lay 

 before the King, for his Majesty's royal signature, a Commission 

 giving you the rank of Major-General in America, according to that 

 you held as Colonel, and which your merit and services so well 

 entitle you to, and upon which, and your appointment to the command 

 of the 70th Regiment, I beg you will accept my congratulations." On 

 the 6th of the following Septemper, Tryon acknowledges the receipt 

 of the two commissions. He says to Lord George Germain : "These 

 most gracious marks of his Majesty's bounty towards me have filled 

 my mind with gratitude for such royal benevolence. I shall most 

 cheerfully serve through this campaign," he continues, "at the 

 expiration of which, unless a very opening prospect should present 

 itself to render some essential service on this continent, I shall 

 entreat the Commandei--in- Chief 's permission to quit America that T 

 may lay in a better stock of health for future services, and settle my 

 private affairs in England, which daily become more pressing." The 

 parchment instrument, then, which I possess, is one of the documents 

 to which reference is made in the two foregoing extracts. I give it 

 entire, with the royal sign-manual at the beginning, and three other 

 autographs of official persons at the close. " George R. George 

 the Third, hy the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and 

 Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c., to our Trusty and well-beloved 

 William Tryon, Esq., greeting. We, reposing especial trust and 

 confidence in your loyalty, courage and good conduct, do by these 

 presents constitute and appoint you to be Colonel of our Seventieth 

 Regiment of Foot, whereof our Trusty and well-beloved Lieutenant- 

 General Cyrus Trapaud was late Colonel, and likewise to be Captain 

 of a company in our said Regiment. You are therefore to take our 

 said Regiment as Colonel, and the said Company as Captain, into 



