Not a day passes without "complaints and the most importunate and urgent demands, on this "head. As it may injure the service greatly, and the want of a reg- " ular supply of Cash produces consequences of the most fatal tendency, " I entreat the attention of Congress to this subject, and that we may "be provided, as soon as can be, with a sum equal to every present "claim." (General Washington to the President of the Congress, "New- "York, 6 September, 1776.")

In his letter to the Congress, on the eighth of September, the General said, "On every side, there is a choice of difficulties ; and every "measure, on our part, however painful the reflection is, from experience, is to be formed with some apprehension that all our troops " will not do their duty." After the experience of the General had been mado more complete, by the cowardice of the troops at Kip'sbay, he thus wrote, also to the Congress, " We are now encamped, with ' ' the main body of the Army, on the Heights of Haerlem, where I should " hope the enemy would meet with a defeat, in case of an attack, if the "generality of our troops would behave with tolerable bravery. But "experience, to my extreme affliction, has convinced me that this is "rather to be wished for than expected. However, I trust that there "are many who will act like men, and show themselves worthy of the "blessings of freedom." (Letter to tke Congress, "Head-quarters, at " Comnel Morris's house, 16 September, 1776.") On the day after the date of the Returns of the Army which are referred to in the text, the General wrote to his brother, " the dependence which the Congress have "placed upon the Militia has already greatly injured and, I fear, will " totally ruin our cause.