Circular to the General Officers, 8 September 1775
Cambridge Septr 8th 1775
Gentn ...
The Season is now fast approaching when warm, and confortable Barracks must be erected for the Security of the Troops, against the inclemency of the Winter — large & costly provision must be made in the article of wood, for the Supply of the Army — and after all that can be done in this way, it is but too probable that Fences, woods, orchards, and even Houses themselves, will fall Sacrifices to the want of Fuel, before the end of the winter — a very considerable difficulty, if not expence must accrue on acct of Cloathing for the Men now ingaged in the Service, and if they do not inlist again, this difficulty will be Increased to an almost insurmountable degree — Blankets I am inform’d are now much wanted, and not to be got, how then shall we be able to keep Soldiers to their duty, already impatient to get home, when they come to feel the Severity of winter without proper Covering? If this army should not Incline to engage for a longer term than the first of Jany what then is to be the consequence, but that, you must either be obliged to levy new Troops and thereby have two Setts (or partly so) in pay at the same time, or, by disbanding one set before you got the other, expose the Country to desolation, and the Cause perhaps to irretrievable Ruin. These things are not unknown to the Enemy, perhaps it is the very ground they are building on, if they are not waiting a reinforcement; and if they are waiting for succours, ought it not to give a Spur to the attempt? Our Powder (not much of which would be consumed in such an enterprize) without any certainty of Supply, is daily wasting: and to sum up the whole, in spite of every saving that can be made, the expence of supporting this army will so far exceed any Idea that was form’d in Congress of it, that I do not know what will be the consequences ...
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