I can assure those gentlemen, that it is a much easier and less distressing thing to draw remonstrances in a comfortable room, by a good fireside, than to occupy a cold bleak hill, and sleep under frost and snow, without clothes or blankets.
However, although they seem to have little feeling for the naked and distressed soldiers, I feel superabundantly for them, and from my soul pity those miseries which it is not in my power either to relieve or to prevent." The representations made in this letter were not exaggerated.

The distresses of the army, however, so far as respected clothing, did not arise from the inattention of congress.

Measures for the importation of clothes had been adopted early in the war, but had not produced the effect expected from them.

Vigorous but ineffectual means had also been taken to obtain supplies from the interior.

The unfortunate non-importation agreements which preceded the commencement of hostilities, had reduced the quantity of goods in the country below the ordinary amount, and the war had almost annihilated foreign commerce.