Those with many other Inducements, which might be added, Well known to their Worthy Superiours, they humbly hoped would gain them a favourable Audience, and stir up in the minds of their Honble Legislature, a Generous Ardour, to prevent a blow, they had so much reason to expect the approaching Spring, which thro' the Blessing of Providence might Also save the lives of many a helpless Infant, who by the said Providence might live to express their grateful acknowledgment by their future readiness to serve their KING and COUNTRY. As a delay in this matter might be of ill consequence in Sundry Shapes They therefore Humbly Prayed His Excellency and Honble Council, with the Honble House of Assembly would take into Consideration, and Grant their Humble Petition. The council approved the petition and sent it to the Commons House of Assembly which, on February 7, 1755, passed a resolution providing a troop of fifty men to range the country from the Broad to the Savannah rivers. The Assembly recommended one William Gray as captain. Glen rebuked the Assembly for interfering with his executive prerogatives and commissioned Captain Francis (one of the petitioners) to lead the rangers. The Assembly requested the governor to reconsider; he then recalled the commission and issued one for Gray. Gray served for only six days before he abandoned the command and went home. Captain Francis was restored to command. In 1759, two small troops were enlisted under Captains Fairchild and Hunt to range the area between the Broad and Saluda rivers. Of the eighty-eight petitioners, Thomas Gary, Charles Gary, Robert Box and Thomas Johnson are identifiable as settlers on Bush River while Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Pennington, John Gordon, Benoni Fowler, John Odell, John Casey, and Joseph Duckett are of the Enoree settlement. Others lived south of the Saluda River and some in the Dutch Fork. The fact that the petition bore that many names is indicative that the area between the rivers was rapidly being settled. The backcountry had a population of nearly seven thousand whites and only three hundred slaves in 1759. The manner of distributing land is interesting. For those poor Protestants induced to come to Carolina from German, Switzerland, and Ireland, the provincial government provided inducements in the form of transportation, free land, and some provisions and farm tools. The head of each such family was allowed 100 acres of land for himself and 50 acres for each member of his family.. These grants were called "bounties," and a distinction was made between "bounty" grants and other grants. The grantee of a bounty grant received his land for nothing, and it was exempt from quitrents for ten years. Naturally the coastal planters encouraged such immigration because it provided a buffer between them and the Indians; it also increased the white population and thus contributed to their safety from slave revolt. next: continued ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com