To George Washington from Charles Pettit, 12 October 1778
From Charles Pettit
Fredericksburg 12th Octr 1778
Sir
Pursuant to Your Excellency’s Desire, signified to me on Saturday last, I send inclosed a Return of the Cloathing on Hand in the Quarter Master General’s Store, procured for the Use of the People employed in that Department.1 I avoid sending it to the orderly Office lest it should lead to some Mistake, as your Excellency was pleased to say it was not meant to be included in the Genl Order of the 9th Instant. Returns are ordered to be made of the Artificers & Waggoners entitled to receive Cloathing, in order to make a proportionate Distribution of the Stock we have, there being not near a Sufficiency yet arrived to supply their Wants.
I do not find any Soldier’s Cloathing in the Custody of any Person acting in the Quarter Master General’s Department. I have the Honour to be very respectfully Your Excellency’s most obedient humble Servant
Cha. Pettit
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The previous Saturday was 10 October. Pettit enclosed a signed return of this date entitled “Cloathing purchased for the Artificers, Teamsters and other Persons employed in the Quarter Master Generals Department, and now in Store.” The listed items are: “165 Great Coats[,] 110 Coats[,] 103 Waistcoats[,] 90 pair Leather Breeches[,] 1984 pair of Stockings[,] 559 pair of Shoes[,] 800 Shirts[,] 473 Hats[,] 381 Blankets” (DLC:GW).