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.

PART I.] THIE FRENCH WAR. 159
post assigned, their pay might be sent to them, and
necessaries always provided in due season. We could
also have the same advantages were we collected into
one place. But there are. now so many detachments
out, that one officer may command men of every company of the regiment, and when necessaries are sent, he
may be removed from his command, and those things
cannot be stopped out of their pay. By this method
the country loses money, the men are badly supplied,
and always discontented.
I find the act of Assembly against mutiny and desertion quite insufficient, except in those two particular
crimes. No court-martial can be held, by virtue of this
act, for trying any officer or soldier charged with cowardice, holding correspondence with the enemy, quitting
or sleeping upon his post, nay, many other crimes,
which are provided against in the articles of war. I
think, at this time, it would be for the good of the service to make an act to enforce the articles of war in
general, except two or three particular ones, such as impressing wagons, and the like. They are in force in our
mother country, where they are thought best calculated
for keeping soldiers under discipline; and none of them
would prove burthensome, or inconvenient, either to the
public or any individual.
About one hundred and fifty of the Fairfax -militia are
now in town. Three hundred are expected from Prince
William. With the soldiers and militia now here, I intend to go out and scour the woods hereabouts for three
or four days until the others arrive.
Clothes for the men are very much wanted. We
have none in store, and some men, who have been enlisted these two months, and to whom we could give
nothing but a blanket, shoes, and shirt, are justly dissatisfied at having two pence per day stopped from their