At a Council held in the Council Chamber
at Pensacola on Wednesday the 18^th. day of March 1778—
at 6 oClock P.M.

His Excellency mentioned to the Board that as Colonel Stuart Superintendant¹ (who is a Member of this Board) is so much Indisposed as to be unable to give attendance and assist with his advice at the Council He thought it very proper that a Depution of four Members should be sent to him, to acquaint him with what had been done at this Board, in the Forenoon and to request his advice and opinion upon the Steps necessary to be pursued on the present occassion to the intent he may be enabled to Cooperate by Adopting such measures in his department as may Tend most to the Security and protection of the Province and in dispersing the Rebels—Accordingly Lieut: Governor Durnford² M^r Livingston³ L^t. Col: Dickson⁴ & Captain Johnstone⁵ being nominated for this Service waited on Colonel Stuart and after sometime returned with Extracts of the orders Colonel Stuart had already given to the different officers in his Department which are as follows.

M^r Stuart the SuperintendantsInstructions and Letters to his different oecers as follows

Wrote M^r Charles Stuart the 2^d March 1778—To Assist M^r Bethune⁶ who is now dispatched to March with as many white People as he can Collect together with the Chactaw Six Towns and Chickasaw Indians also to assist him with Provisions and to advise M^r John M^cIntosh of the same

M^r Bethunes Instructions as follows—To employ the Six Town Indians and the Chickasaw Hayes with all the Traders he can Collect & M^r Charles Stuart either to lead them or employ a Trusty Person so to do.

18^th March 1778. Wrote M^r Bethune to Post himself with what Traders white People and Indians he can Collect on the Banks of the Mississippi./—

And a General assurance from that Gentleman that he would chearfully comply with any proposition that might be made for the good of the Service

His Excellency then mentioned to the Board that Colonel Stuart and some other Gentlemen had acquainted him that John M^cGillivray Esq^r. of Mobile had expressed a desire to be employed at this time and to exert his Influence in raising a Number of Men to Act against the Rebels who have penetrated into the Western parts of the Colony Whereupon the Board unanimously advised His Excellency that M^r John M^cGillivray Should be thanked for his Zeal & laudable Exertions upon this Occassion and also that he be appointed Lieutenant Colonel Commandant of a Provincial Corps to be forthwith raised by him & employed for the defence and Protection of this Province as His Majestys Service may require to consist of five Captains (whereof the Lt. Colonel to be one) five Lieutenants five Ensigns Ten Sergeants and 250 Rank & File that M^r Alexander M^cIntosh of the Natchez be appointed First Captain of the said Corps—that the pay of the said Officers be the Same as that of Officers of the like Rank in the Regular Troops—and the mens the same as Colonel Stuarts Rangers; that their Provisions be the same allowance as the Troops have That Arms & Ammunition be furnished to the said Corps—and that Exclusive of their Pay the said Corps of Provincials Shall be entitled to Gratuitous Grants of the like Quantities of Land in the Province (upon the termination of the Rebellion) as the Provincial Troops serving under General Howe⁷ are to have And that they shall continue Embodied during the present Invasion, or if they can be engaged longer for such time as the Kings Service may require—and the better to enable Lt: Col: M^cGillivray to Compleat his Corps The Board Recommend that a Number of Blank Commissions be sent to be filled up by him with the names of such persons as officerswhom he may think can be depended upon and have influence to raise the men—and that whatever Contingencies may be requisite for the said Corps to be defrayed. It was farther recommended that His Excellency do write to Lt Colonel M^cGillivray on the Subject and that their Corps be ordered to the Natchez with what Number of Indians M^r. M^cGillivray can Collect to assist and Protect the Inhabitants of that District and those of the Western parts of this Colony and to Cut off the retreat of the Rebels upon the Channel of the Mississippi.

The Board also advised His Excellency to make applications to Colonel Stuart for the use of His Sloop She being a Vessel of an Easy Draught of Water & well Calculated for this Service to be sent to reinforce Lieut: Burdon⁸ of West Florida in the Lakes And that the Commanding officer of the Navy be applied to (in Case Col: Stuart Comply with this Requisition) to order Lieut: Osborn⁹ and the Seamen of the Armed Sloop Florida (lately Condemned as unfit for Service) to go on Board the said Sloop and that another Vessel be hired by Government to carry round M^r Stuarts Indian presents to Mobille—in Lieu of his said Sloop—if Agreed to be lent whereupon Lieut: Governor Durnford offered to wait on Colonel Stuart to make the above Requisition.

His Excellency the Governor was then pleased to mention to the Board that he thought it absolutely necessary at this time when the Province is actually Invaded by a Party of the Rebels that the Inhabitants of this Town & of Mobile do Evince their Loyalty & Firm Attachment to His Majesty & Government and do give the Strongest Proofs of the dependence that can be put on them in Case the Rebels should penetrate farther into the Colony The Board unanimously concurring with His Excellency upon the Expediency of the Measure It was therefore ordered that the Clerk of the Council do by Publick Advertisement Notify & require all and every the Inhabitants of this Town of Pensacola personally to appear before Two or more of His MajestysJustices of the Peace for this District at the Court House within the Fort on Monday the 23^d. Instant at Eleven oClock in the Forenoon there to take the oath of Allegiance to His Majesty His Heirs & Successors and also to give in a Muster Roll of themselves and Families & what arms & ammunition they are respectively Possessed of and that all defaulters will be deemed disaffected to His Majestys Person & Government—

That the Clerk of this Board do request M^r Martin the Clerk of the Peace to notify the Magistrates of this District thereof and that they are desired to attend at the Court House for that purpose and that he (the Clerk of the Peace) do make a return of all such Persons who have paid due obedience to this order to the Clerk of the Council to be laid before this Board. It was farther directed that a Similar advertisment be published at Mobille & that the Clerk of the Council do write to the Magistrates of that District requesting them to appoint a Short day and some Convenient place for the like purpose and do make a return thereof to him to be also laid before the Board, and then the Board adjourned to tomorrow morning Ten oClock