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.

156 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [JET. 45.
lay these matters before Congress. There are, besides, most of those in the hospitals more bare than
those in the field; many remain there for want of
clothes only.
Several general officers, unable to procure clothing
in the common line, have employed agents to purchase
up what could be found in different parts of the country.
General Wayne, among others, has employed Mr. Zantzinger of Lancaster, who has purchased to the amount
of four thousand five hundred pounds, for which he desires a draft upon the Treasury Board. Enclosed you
have a copy of his letter. I am not clear whether this
application should properly be made to the treasury,
or to the clothier-general, who should charge the money
to the regiments for whom the clothes are designed, as
so much advanced to them. If the latter should appear the most proper mode, I will order it to be done.
I am anxiously waiting the arrival of the troops from the
northward, who ought, from the time they have had my
orders, to have been here before this. Colonel Hamilton, one of my aids, is up the North River, doing all he
can to push them forward; but he writes me word, that
he finds many unaccountable delays thrown in his way.
However, I am in hopes that many days will not elapse
before a brigade or two at least will arrive. The want
of these troops has embarrassed all my measures exceedingly. I have the honor to be, &c.
TO BRIGADIER-GENERAL VARNUIM.
Head-Quarters, ten o'clock, P. M., 18 November, 1777.
DEAR SIR,
A body of the enemy marched last night from Philadelphia across the bridge at the Middle Ferry, and