George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8

[218] their own arms; those whose time expired, were com-

Chap. LV.} 1775. Dec.

pelled to part with theirs at a valuation; for blankets the general appealed to the families of New England, asking one or more of every household; the villages, in their town meetings, encouraged the supply of wood to the camp by voting a bounty from the town treasuries.

The enlistments for the new army went on slowly, for the New England men, willing to drive the enemy from Boston, were disinclined to engagements which would take them far from home, on wages paid in a constantly depreciating currency: besides, the continental bills were remitted so tardily and in such inadequate amounts that even those wages were not paid with regularity; and the negligence threatened ‘the destruction of the army.’ For want of funds to answer the accounts of the commissary and quartermaster, the troops were forced to submit to a reduced allowance. Washington himself felt keenly the habitual inattention of congress and its agents; and the sense of suffering wrongfully and needlessly, engendered discontent in his camp. He would have had the whole army like himself rise superior to every hardship; and when there were complaints of unfulfilled engagements, angry bickerings about unadjusted dues, or demands for the computation of pay by lunar months, he grieved that the New England men should mar the beauty of their self-sacrificing patriotism by persistent eagerness for petty gains.

The Connecticut soldiers, whose enlistment expired early in December, were determined to leave the service. They were entreated to remain till the end of the year, and were ordered to remain at least