War Office 19th Febry 1777

Sir

I have the honor to signify to you the King's Pleasure, that you do issue to Messrs. Ross and Gray, Agent to the 16th /or Queen's/ Regiment of /Light/ Dragoons, now on Service in North America, the Sum of 918 on being the amount of 153 days Stoppage for 240 horses from the 24th [of] September 1776 to the 23d of this instant February, at the rate of Sixpence per diem for each horse, which Sum you are to stop out of the next Issues of Subsistence to the said Regiment.

I am likewise to signify to you. It is His Majesty's further Pleasure that an Additional Sum of 1366 being 61 days stoppages for 240 horses at the rate above mentioned, be for the future retained by you, every Muster, out of the Subsistence Both of the 16th Sr 17th Regim[en]ts of /Light/ Dragoons now on Service in North America, which Sum you are to pay over to the respective Agents of those Regiments, with the usual musterly Stoppages.

I have the honor to be

Sir &c

Barrington

R[igh]t Hon[ora]ble

Richard Rigby

&c &c &c

[Source: David Library of the American Revolution, Microfilm Collection, P.R.O. W.O. 4/99, 143. As transcribed by Gilbert Riddle.]