Of the officers thus honored with the confidence of their Sovereign and his Government, Lieut.-Colonel John Doyle (afterwards General Sir John Doyle, Bart., and G.C.B.) was selected, to whom a letter of service was addressed on the 18th of September 1793, authorising him to raise a regiment, to consist of ten companies of sixty rank and file in each company. The corps was speedily completed, and was designated the Eighty-seventh, or The Prince of Wales’s Irish Regiment.
The following is a copy of the Letter of Service, addressed by the Secretary-at-War to Major John Doyle, on the half-pay of the late One hundred and fifth regiment, dated
“War Office,
“18th September 1793.
“Sir,
“I am commanded to acquaint you, that His Majesty approves of your raising a regiment of foot, without any allowance of levy money, to be completed within three months, upon the following terms, viz.:
“The corps is to consist of one company of Grenadiers, one of Light Infantry, and eight battalion companies. The Grenadier company is to consist of one captain, two lieutenants, three serjeants, three corporals, two drummers, two fifers, and fifty-seven private men. The Light Infantry company of one captain, two lieutenants, three serjeants, three corporals, two drummers, and fifty-seven men; and each battalion company of one captain, one lieutenant, and one ensign, three serjeants, three corporals, two drummers, and fifty-seven private men, together with the usual staff officers, and with a serjeant-major and quartermaster-serjeant, exclusive of the serjeants above specified. The captain-lieutenant is (as usual) included in the number of lieutenants above mentioned.
“The corps is to have one major with a company, and is to be under your command as major, with a company.
“The pay of the officers is to commence from the dates of their commissions, and that of the non-commissioned officers and privates from the dates of their attestations.
“His Majesty is pleased to leave to you the nomination of the officers of the regiment; but the lieut.-colonel and major are to be taken from the list of lieut.-colonels or majors on half-pay, or the major from a captain on full pay. Six of the captains are to be taken from the half-pay, and the other captain and the captain-lieutenant from the list of captains or captain-lieutenants on full pay. All the lieutenants are to be taken from the half-pay; and the gentlemen recommended for ensigns are not to be under sixteen years of age.
“No officer, however, is to be taken from the half-pay who received the difference on going upon the half-pay, nor is any officer coming from the half-pay to contribute any money towards the levy, but he may be required to raise such a quota of men as you may agree upon with him.