The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

278 LIFE OF WASHINGTON. [1778.
as much as if they thought the soldiers were made of
stocks or stones, and equally insensible of frost and
snow; and moreover, as if they conceived it easily practicable for an inferior army, under the disadvantages I
have described ours to be, which are by no means
exaggerated, to confine a superior one, in all respects
well-appointed and provided for a winter's campaign,
within the city of Philadelphia, and to cover from depredation and waste the States of Pennsylvania and
Jersey. But what makes this matter still more extraordinary in my eye is, that these very gentlemen,who were well apprized of the nakedness of the troops
from ocular demonstration, who thought their own soldiers worse clad than others, and who advised me near
a month ago to postpone the execution of a plan I was
about to adopt, in consequence of a resolve of Congress,
for seizing clothes, under strong assurances that an
ample supply would be collected in ten days agreeably
to a decree of the State (not one article of which, by
the by, is yet come to hand), - should think a winter's
campaign, and the covering of these States from the
invasion of an enemy, so easy and practicable a business. I can assure those gentlemen, that it is a much
easier and less distressing thing to draw remonstrances
in a comfortable room by a good fireside, than to occupy a cold, bleak hill, and sleep under frost and snow,
without clothes or blankets. However, although they
seem to have little feeling for the naked and distressed
soldiers, I feel superabundantly for them, and, from my
soul, I pity those miseries, which it is neither in my
power to relieve nor prevent."
After the immediate wants of the army in camp were
provided for, he next employed his thoughts in devising a new and improved system for the future. The
experience of three campaigns had proved the necessity