Letter, 1791 Mar. 21 [to Edward] Telfair, Governour [sic of Georgia] / Rich[ar]d Call

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Sir
[1791]
The Enclosed hints upon the subject of esstablishing [establishing] a Cavalry in Georgia are what I had some time ago prepared to lay before the Assembly, but the intervention of the Federal constitution and the proposed Militia bill as set forth last year for the consideration of the different States, prevented my making any overtures to the Assembly from an expectation that Congress would have taken up the Militia bill before this time, but as they did not and the business now rests entirely with your Excellency, I therefore take the liberty of submitting to your perusal the enclosed sheets --
The extensive line of frontier to which this state has to turn its attentention [attention], together with the thin settlements on many of the exterior parts renders the use of Cavalry more indispensably necessary than any other kind of Troops. For the time necessary in summoning, rendezvousing, arming, appointing and marching a body of the Militia at large after the Indians having made an encroachment, is generally


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such as will ensure them safety in retreat, for laying aside the irremoveable [irremovable] contingencies already mentioned, there is little prospect of militia overtaking a retreating party of Indians, while the former act on foot
I would further beg leave to observe that the management and ordering of Cavalry is a science to be acquired only by habit and experience, & consequently much more time & attention is necessary to bring them into acting condition than Infantry, so that nothing short of the times of encampment & exercise pointed out will in my idea give the Corps a proper knowledge of their duty, no plainer proof need be given to those assertions than adverting to the late war when it will be found that for several of the first years the American Horse after being embodied were hardly entitled to the appelation [appellation] of Cavalry, and it was time and experience only which led them to a knowledge of themselves. They were at first employed cheifly [chiefly] as express riders & escorts for General & Field Officers so that it would sometimes happen on the morning of a general action there would be two or three


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hundred Cavalry & at others 3 or 4 Regiments on the ground but before battle began the whole would be dispersed in escorts, so that the largest body to be seen together would not perhaps exceed twenty
Accident at length gave [added text: birth ] to a circumstance which brought about a different mode in their operations the accident alluded to happened at the Cowpens where for the first time during the whole war the American Cavalry were suffered to act [unclear text: unjunctly ] in line of action. General Morgan then ingenuously confessed he did not know the use of Cavalry in action, having never had any body of them with him before and therefore informed Colo. [Colonel] Washington he might act just as he thought proper
The consequence was our Cavalry broke those of the Enemy the first onset & afterwards rode through and stopped the whole of their retreating Infantry, from that time forward the Cavalry were allowed to act collectively and seldom after ever met with a disaster -- but on many occasions rendered signal services -- There is another very [unclear text: cogent ] reason why Cavalry ought to be


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reduced to some kind of order before they are taken to the Field. For of all pests that ever infested a Camp or its environs, horse under loose management is among the greatest, in that situation they at best render but little service & destroy double the quantity of forage & provisions which would support an equal number of regular Cavalry -- I have been prolix on this occasion however it is still far short of what might be said on the Subject

I have the honor to be with perfect respect -- Sir Your Excellency's most Obed [Obedient] . Servant
[Signed] Richd. [Richard] Call

21st. March 1791
Governour [Governor] Telfair



Letter

21 March 1791
Military



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Proposals for forming a Cavalry in the State of Georgia vizt.

Each district shall furnish one complete Regiment to consist of Three Field Officers six Captains twelve Subalterns, one Adjutant. One Regimental Quartermaster. One Serjeant [Sergeant] Major one Trumpet Major and Two hundred and Eighty Eight non Commissioned Officers and privates --
Each Regiment to be divided into three Squadrons. Each Squadron Two Troops & to be commanded by a Field Officer --
Each Troop to consist of one Captain one Lieut. one Cornet one Quartermaster Serjeant [Sergeant] four Serjeants [Sergeants] four Corporals 1 Sadler [Saddler] and Farrier [added text: or Trumpeter ] and thirty six private Dragoons-
The men to find their own horses and enroll themselves for two years --
They shall be regularly encamped and disciplined twice in each year - vizt Spring & Autumn and six days successively at each encampment
They shall hold themselves in readiness when called upon by


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[word(s) omitted] to march to any part of the District and in time of alarm or immanent [imminent] danger to any part of the State
They shall while on duty or called out by order of a superior Officer be entitled to the same pay rations & forage as the Continental Cavalry with an addition of [word(s) omitted] per day as a compensation for the use of their horses
They shall be armed and accoutred at Public expence [expense] -
Each non commissioned Officer & private shall receipt to the Regimental Quartermaster for [document damaged] arms & accoutrements at the time of delivery. to be [document damaged: ac ] countable for the same and to make good all de [document damaged: pend ] encies - if any there be
They shall be mustered and inspected on [document damaged: ce ] during each Encampment and a certified retur [document damaged: n ] of the deficiencies given in to the Pay Master previous to the pay being issued --
Each Troop after being enrolled shall be insp [document damaged: ected ] and the men & horses approved of previous to their [document damaged] Regimented
Each squadron shall have a separate


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rendezvous, where they shall assemble and be exercised under the direction of their respective Field Officers at least one day in every other month -- & in order to introduce regularity in discipline the Adjutant is to attend each Squadron parade as well as the Regimental
They shall when convened either in Squadron or Regiment be exercised at least four hours in each day-
Each Regiment & Troop to be divided into three Classes one of which only is to be called out at the same time for duty, except on urgent occasions and the times already mentioned, so that on detachment of one third of each Troop will constitute one Squadron & one Squadron from each District one complete Regiment
The Cavalry shall be subject to and governed by the same rules and regulations with the Militia of the State - and on any Officer or private being convicted before a court martial of any act which may be deemed punishable by such regulations he shall be dismissed from


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the Cavalry without pay-
Each noncommissioned Officer & private shall deliver to the Regimental Quartermaster his arms & accoutrements and produce his certificate of their being returned in good order, previous to obtaining his discharge. in which on a recital being made of his having gone through his duty and term of service with fidelity &c [et cetera] - shall be considered as a recommendation towards his [unclear text: after ] filling vacancies &c [et cetera] --