Coercion could be employed only by the state governments; and it required all the influence of General Washington to induce the adoption of a measure so odious in itself, but so indispensable to the acquirement of means to meet the crisis of the war, which, in his judgment, had not yet passed away.

He enclosed to each state a return of its troops on continental establishment, thereby exhibiting to each its own deficiency.

To those who had not resorted to coercive means, he stated the success with which they had been used by others; and he urged all, by every motive which could operate on the human mind, to employ those means early enough to enable him to anticipate the enemy in taking the field.
To the causes which had long threatened the destruction of the army, the depreciation of paper money was now to be added.

It had become so considerable that the pay of an officer would not procure even those absolute necessaries which might protect his person from the extremes of heat and cold.

The few who possessed small patrimonial estates found them melting away; and others were unable to appear as gentlemen.