1. In a memorial to Congress dated 11 July, the army’s general officers, writing for themselves and for the officers and soldiers under their command, claimed that lack of compensation for “the depreciation of the money, and the restrictions with respect to rations” had made their situation “intollerable.” They asked that the depreciation of pay “be settled and paid off,” that in future the army receive pay at the “real value” of the money “when established,” that all officers be allowed to draw the number of rations they were originally entitled to or be paid their full value, that a provision be made for the widows and children of soldiers who died in service, and that each general officer receive an extra allowance “to support a table suitable to the rank he holds.” The memorial is signed by Knox and sixteen other generals (one by proxy), including major generals Nathanael Greene and Alexander McDougall (DNA: PCC, item 43; see also Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 6:80–84). On 11 July, the general officers gave instructions to McDougall for presenting the document to Congress (see Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 6:84). The officers also presented the Committee at Headquarters with a copy (DNA: PCC, item 39). Another copy is in DLC:GW.

Congress read the memorial on 3 Aug. and assigned it to a committee (see JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 17:689). For McDougall’s reports on his meetings with the committee, see McDougall to Greene, 8 and 15 Aug., in Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 6:192–94, 216–17. In August, Congress took action to meet some of the general officers’ demands, granting them increased pay, land grants for compensation, provision for widows and orphans, and increased rations for officers commanding corps (see JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 17:725–27, 770–73). For an earlier memorial of the general officers to Congress, see GW to Robert Howe, 27 Sept. 1779, and n.2 to that document.

2. See GW to Council of War, 6 June, and McDougall to GW, 24 July.