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 1.] THE FRENCH WAR. 227
presented, to send for clothing. The clothes were to
have been here by the middle of October, but no advice
is received of them yet, which gives the soldiers Some
pretence to suspect they are deceived. It is to this irregular pay, and the causes aforementioned, that their
late disobedience ought to be ascribed. For I can truly
say, and confidently assert, that no soldiers ever were
under better command than these were before.
Perhaps it may be asked, by gentlemen not thoroughly
acquainted with the nature of our service, why the officers do not see that their men's pay is more properly
applied? In answer I must beg leave to observe, that,
after the soldiers have appropriated a part for purchasing reasonable and fit necessaries, the remainder is
barely sufficient to keep them in shoes, owing, in the
first place, to the very great consumption the seivice occasions, and, in the next, to the exorbitant price, which
this article bears. I have known a soldier go upon
command with a new pair of shoes, which perhaps have
cost him from seven shillings and sixpence to ten shillings, and return without any; so much do they wear in
wading creeks, fording rivers, and clambering mountains
covered with rocks.
As great a grievance as any I have mentioned is yet
unnoticed, and that is the present regulation of the militia; but a representation of this matter will come better
and more properly from others.
To point out all the causes, which combine to make
our service infinitely hard and disagreeable, would swell
these observations into a volume, and require time, and
a more able pen than mine. But there are yet some
things, that should be mentioned.
An ill-judged economy is shown in raising men. We
are either insensible of danger, till it breaks upon our
heads, or else, through mistaken notions of economy,