The raising of this Brigade was very dissatisfactory to General Washington at first, who thought it would interfere with the Eighty-eight battalions ordered by Congress to be raised for three years or during the war; two of which were assigned to Rhode Island, and a correspondence took place between Gov. Cooke and the Commander-in-Chief on the subject. But after an explanation by Gov. Cooke of their necessity for the defence of Rhode Island, and when not necessary for that purpose, they could be marched into any other state, and that the raising of these was not intended and would not interfere with the filling up of the Continental battalions as apprehended, the General withdrew his objections, or at least he admitted that the "peculiar circumstances of Rhode Island, under an invasion, would furnish many apologies for the measure." Copies of these interesting letters, never before published, will be found in the subsequent pages of this book. They were found by the writer in his searches for evidence, in the office of the Secretary of State, and were used as such to prove that this Brigade was of such a "continental" character, that the balances for depreciation of pay were justly due from the United States. But see more on this point hereafter.

The following are the names of the officers and soldiers of the Brigade, commanded by Colonels Robert Elliott, John Topham, and Archibald Crary, with the balances of depreciation reported to be due by a committee, in October, 1785.This Roll is not now to be found in the archives of the State -the original having been sent to the war department, and probably burnt, when the war office was destroyed by fire many years ago, and no copy retained; a copy however was taken by an officer before it was sent, and there is no doubt of its correctness, and it is the best list extant to prove who belonged to the Brigade and to whom depreciation of pay is due, whether Officer, Non-Commissioned Officer, or Private, and is often referred to as evidence in pension cases, under late Acts of Congress. The names in each regiment are arranged in alphabetical order :