8 The followiDg is a specimen of a multitude of such testimonials of the speculative propensities of the New England troops, in the Army of the Revolution, and of their too frequent dishonesty in their Operations, which are accessible to every one. Every careful student can command many such evidences ; but this, written by the Commissary-general of Provisions of the Continental Army, himself a Connecticutman, to his father, Jonathan Trumbull, who was, then, the Governor of Connecticut, will be sufficient, for the purposes under consideration.
"North-Castle, 4th December, 1776. "Honoured Sir:
"Enclosed I send you Returns of some of the Regiments of Con- "necticut Militia under command of Major General Wooster, such as " I can get ; though I have called and called again and again for them, " I believe there are but one of them really true, that is Major Brins- " made's, who seems to be the honestest man. The fact is, they can't "make their Weekly and Provision Returns agree; for this reason, " they have made a number of Brevet Officers. They doubt whether " these Officers will be allowed extra rations : to avoid that, they re- "turn so many more men as to cover the extra rations of those Offi- *' cers. You'll see by adverting to the Returns, that some Companies "have more Officers than Privates, at best ; hut not content with that, *' and instead of sending home the Officers who have very few men, " almost none, and turning over those few men into other Companies, " they add Brevet Officers, not only to pick the pockets of the pub- "lick, here, but, also, those Brevet Officers are to be dismissed from " the Militia Rolls, at home ; and, in a few times more being called " forth, there will be no Militia left in the State.