That, from Age, wounds or Infirmities, the Officers of the Royal Garrison Battalion can have no Prospect of ever returning into the Service. And that consequently, as these Circumstances and the Habits of their past Lives must render them incapable of adding to their Incomes, they will be exposed, during their remaining Existence, to all the Miseries of Poverty and Distress, should they be unfortunately doomed to retire upon half Pay.

   That, having the fullest Confidence in the Benevolence & Humanity of Your Excellency, they presume to believe it was your Intention that the R. G. Battalion (when you had the Goodness to exalt it from the Provincial Line) should be admitted to all the Advantages of British Establishment.

   That this Battalion, having been formed by General Sir H Clinton from the worn out & wounded Soldiers of the British Regular Regiments in America, and officered by Persons, whose Characters for Zeal & Experience and Constitutions broken by a long & arduous Service had recommended to his Protection, was in its original Nature an Invalid Corps, and has been thro’ your Excellency’s Favor admitted as such, on this Establishment.

   That it has been hitherto the usual custom, upon the Reduction of Invalid Corps, to continue Officers thereof upon full Pay, until opportunities might occur of providing for them in the Standing Invalids, or they should be otherways disposed of.

   Your Memorialists therefore humbly take the Liberty of imploring your Excellency’s Interposition to obtain for them the same Indulgence which other reduced Invalids have had, and they will ever retain the most grateful Sense of your Protection.

   Which is submitted with the utmost Defence & Respect by Your Excellency’s
                        Most Obedient &
                              Most humble Servant
                                    (Signed) Robert Donkin

[an undated draft, c-1783.]

Archives of Ontario, Peter Russell Fonds, F 46, Microfilm MS 75, Reel 3.

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