Captain James Stewart Commissioned to Raise a Company of Highlanders.
The Records of the New York Convention of July 25, 1775, contain the following:
"The Committee appointed to take into consideration and report the most proper mode for employing in the service of this State Mr. James Stewart, late Lieutenant in Colonel Livingston's Regiment, delivered in their Report, which was read; and the same being read, paragraph by paragraph, and amended, was agreed to, and is in the words following, to wit:
Resolved, That the said James Stewart is desiring a Captain's Commission in the service of this State, and that a Warrant be immediately given to him to raise a Company with all possible despatch.
That the said Company ought to consist of Scotch Highlanders, or as many of them as possible, and that they serve during the war, unless sooner discharged by this Convention, or a future Legislature of this State.
That the said Company shall consist of one Captain, one Lieutenant, one Ensign, four Sergeants, four Corporals, one Drum, one Fife, and not less than sixty-two Privates.
That a Bounty of fifteen dollars be allowed to each Non-Commissioned Officer and Private.
That they be entitled to Continental Pay and Rations, and subject to the Continental Articles of War, till further orders from this Convention or a future Legislature of this State.
That the said James Stewart shall not receive pay as a Captain until he shall have returned to this Convention, or a future Legislature of this State, a regular muster roll, upon oath, of thirty able-bodied men, duly inlisted.
That the Treasurer of this Convention be ordered to advance to the said James Stewart £144, in order to enable him to advance the bounty to those he may inlist taking his receipt to account for the same to the Treasurer of this State.