Yesterday afternoon I received the enclosed from Colonel Hull—The News papers are sent up by the Bearer.1

It gives me pain so frequently to represent to your Excellency our wants, but necessity compels me. No beef Cattle have arrived since I had the honor last to write you on that head,2 nor do I hear of any comeing—The beef salted in bulk is all gone—Yesterday the Commissary began to issue the corned barrell beef (a few days will exhaust the whole of it[)]. nothing remains after that but the Irish beef and even if that could be broken in upon, is but a triffle. I some days since wrote Colonel Blaine, Colo. Hay, & Mr Stevens our situation, and urged that if beef Cattle could not be obtained, the beef salted in bulk at Fish Kill, the Landing, & Poughkeepsie, should be forwarded;3 such of those Gentelemen as I have received answers from, have advised the sending boats up the river, to fetch down the beef from Poughkeepsie[.]4 orders have been given for the purpose, but I am informed that it is impossible for boats to get up the river as far as Poughkeepsie. this will render it indispensibly necessary, that the Q. Master should immediately have recourse to land transportation; at least to such place, or places, as the river is yet open, from which the boats may take it to the Fort;5 the waggons should also convey, what will be necessary for the Connecticutt & New Hampshire Lines immediately to them they all at present depend on the Magazines here, as do all the other Posts below. I directed the Commissary at Kings Ferry to draw his flour from Ringwood, which would save a considerable length of transportation;6 inclosed is a line I have this morning received from him.7 I have enjoyned the utmost attention, & every exertion on the Commissary, & G[arrison] Q.M. to draw in supplies; but circumscribed as they are, both as to place and powers; but little can be done by them, we must depend on those who have greater powers, and without whose uncommon exertions at this time a time of extreme distress here is not far distant. as Your Excellency has the returns before You, it is almost needless to observe, that the whole of the salted beef in Colonel Hays hands, is but about sixteen days subsistance for the Troops. The ration cannot be diminished—there is at present great complaints of its scantiness since the salt meat has been issuing, & representations from the Officers of several Brigades, that the pound of salted meat, which in general is exceedingly lean, consequently a large proportion of bone, is not sufficient to subsist the Troops—The pound of fresh beef usually issued has been cooked in soup, which has afforded much more nourishment, than can be derived from the pound of salt meat.

The Troops suffer exceedingly on account of the want of rum, be the duty, or fatigue what it may, not a drop of rum can be issued to them, altho a quantity has for some time been laying at Claverack. I have the honor to be With the greatest respect Your Excellencys most Obedient Servant