1. See GW to Greene, 19 July (first letter).

2. Greene enclosed a copy of his letter to the Committee at Headquarters dated 20 July, marked “No. 1,” which reads: “I do myself the honor to inclose you a copy of his Excellency General Washingtons letter to me desiring my opinion of the practicability of furnishing the number of teams necessary to be employed in transporting the Stores that will be requisite to support the operations in the Seige of New York, supposing we are deprived of the benefit of water carriage except in the eastern sound. You have also inclosed an estimate of the number of teams that will probably be wanted to perform this service in New Jersey, with observations of the States from which the same may be most conveniently drawn; and I have not the least doubt, but those States can furnish the proportion alotted to each.

“I am to request of the Committee, whether they can give me full assurances, that such Aid will be given in the business of transportation, both with respect to teams and forage, and all other matters of Contingency dependant on the same, as will authorise me to engage to the General to perform the transportation required.

“The Committee have already been informed with respect to the difficulty of obtaining the smallest supply of money for the most pressing emergencies, they are also sensible that the present mode of drawing out teams and providing of forage is no ways dependant on me or my Agents, nor are those employed for either purpose accountable for any neglect of duty except to the State by which they are appointed. I wish the Committee not to loose sight of these circumstances in their answer. Unless the Committee can provide ways and means of furnishing the carriages and the forage necessary for them the operations which the General has in contemplation cannot be prosecuted, without we have recourse to military force for obtaining them, and even this would be precarious and uncertain, as well as unequal and distressing to those who lay most within reach of the Army.

“The Committee are already possessed of my sentiments respecting the policy as well as utility that would result from giving the present public creditors some Assurances respecting their demands, in order to quiet their apprehensions and prepare their minds for a further confidence in public faith. Was this measure taken and proper supplies of money furnished I imagine the people could be engaged voluntarily to perform the greater part of the service that would be necessary on this important occasion” (DLC:GW; 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 , 6:129–30).

Greene also enclosed a copy of the committee’s reply to him. Sent by committee members Philip Schuyler and Nathaniel Peabody, and dated 21 July at “Camp Precaness,” it reads: “We are honored with your letter of yesterday’s date covering an estimate delivered you by General Knox, stating the weight of ordinance stores for which he requires the means of transportation, with one of yours exhibiting what number of carriages will be necessary to move those stores and others you mention from Trenton to Dobb’s ferry.

“You wish to be informed ‘Whether the Committee can give’ you ‘full assurances that such aid will be given in the business of transportation, both with respect to teams and forage, and all other matters of contingency dependant on the same, as will authorise,’ you ‘to engage to the General to perform the transportation.’ Convinced of the impracticability of prosecuting extensive military operations without ample means of transportation, the Committee have long since recommended it to the attention of the States individually. New Jersey Pena and Delaware seem to be the only States from which carriages can be drawn for what stores may be moved from Trenton to Dobb’s ferry, and any intermediate or adjacent places South of the Highlands, and West of Hudson’s river. The Government of this State has empowered the Majistrates to empress teams when required, but on a recent occasion, they could not be procured in that manner[;] the Government has not advised us of their intention on this, or any other subject; the Governor of Delaware has promised that the State will exert itself to the utmost, generally to comply with the requisitions of this Committee, hence we are not sufficiently informed to decide what reliance can be made on their aid, or how far the Governments of those States will interpose to procure it. The Committee in a late letter to Congress, have been very explicit on the subject of the various supplies requisite to put the Army in a state of activity, and impressed as that body undoubtedly is with the importance of having matters of such high moment to the weal of their constituents ascertained with every possible degree of precision, they will probably come to an ecclaircisment with the States, and it seems impossible that the latter should not be impelled to adequate exertion, when they shall be convinced that the General cannot avail himself of any advantage which may offer, or commence an operation, whatever his force may be, unless supplied with the requisite Stores, and that an inactive campaign will involve the States in a series of distress, which no friend to his Country can contemplate without the deepest anxiety; nor will the Committee fail to reiterate their observations on the subject. But should those States in whom a reliance must be more immediately placed for this aid, and which you assure us they are competent to, be capable of a measure so injurious as to withold it, we shall certainly not hesitate to advise and request that the Military be employed to assist you in obtaining the necessary carriages, persuaded that men who have entered into that profession to preserve their dearest rights as citizens, will execute the disagreeable duty with every possible degree of tenderness, and relying that we shall stand justified with the virtuous part of the community, who, whilst they with us, lament the necessity of the measure, will decide that of the two evils, we had avoided the greater.

“The Committee, Sir, are sensible that providing the arms and forage under the present plan of procuring supplies and aid, through the medium of State Agents not immediately dependant on your department as Qr Mr General, does not render you accountable for their mal-conduct. We consider it however your duty to make the requisitions to the States, and to prosecute every means in your power, to obtain both.

“The Committee see, with anxious concern, the embarrassments which incessantly arise from such extensive dependance on the States for every supply. That it is productive of partial burthens on particular States from their local situation. That it will forever create a reluctance in the individuals of such States to the public service. That whilst a want of money compels Government to commit their affairs to persons not accountable to those whose reputation, in a great measure depends on the conduct of such persons, it is impossible business should be prosecuted with either propriety or œconomy. And persuaded that nothing can remedy this evil and confine business to its proper channel, unless the confidance of the inhabitants is regained by adequate assurances that the debts due, or such as may become due, will be discharged without loss to the creditors; and unless the Qr Master General’s department be supplied with money to pay for the necessary contingencies thereof—Under this persuasion, the Committee will earnestly entreat Congress to turn their attention to both.

“As many of the Stores included in General Knox’s estimate are at West Point, and places east of Hudson’s river, and others much nearer to Dobb’s ferry than Trenton, and as the whole quantity required will not be procured in time on this side of Hudson’s river, we concieve the calculation of carriages on his estimate very considerably too high. We also believe a diminution might take place in the others, as the whole quantity of forage will not be carried on to Hudson’s river, that of Virginia being directed another way, and that a substitute for it will in all probability be drawn from New York and the more eastern States, we wish you to reconsider the estimate that the application may be the least that will effectually suffice, as it will diminish the difficulty in obtaining them, and evince that every attention is paid to the ease and convenience of the States” (DLC:GW; 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 , 6:134–37).

The enclosed estimate of ordnance stores sent by Brig. Gen. Henry Knox to Greene, marked “No. 3,” reads: “An undecided estimate of the weight of the Cannon and stores intended to be employed in the siege of New York, calculated upon a scale of sixty days—20th July 1780[:] 30,000 ten inch shells at 70 lbs. each 2,100,000[;] 18,000 eight [inch shells] @ 40 lbs. [each] 720,000[;] 72000, 18 pound shot 1,296,000[;] 72000, 12 [pound shot] 864,000[;] 5 or 600 Tons of powder—say—1,100,000[;] 20. 18 pounders with carriages at three tons each 120,000[;] 20. 12 [pounders with carriages at] 2½ [tons each] 110 000[;] 20 Mortars different sizes averaged at 1 Ton each 40,000[;] 6 Howitzers 8 Inch 3 tons each 36,000[;] Timber plank and other materials of which no particular estimate can be made 400,000 [Total in] lbs. 6,776,000 [and] Tons 3388.

“The above is agreeable to the estimate which I have formed for the siege of New York; but it is probable that the different species of Cannon and shot may be changed for others, although the aggregate may remain nearly the same.

“Possibly one half of the aforegoing Cann[o]ns, shot and Shells are to be expected from Pena 400 Tons of the Shells and shot from this State [New Jersey] and the remainder from West Point Providence, and Boston.

“It is impossible at this moment when the greatest part of the cannon and stores are unfurnished, to say decidedly from what places they will be drawn and whether by water or land; but the above are the points from which they are expected” (DLC:GW).

Greene also enclosed his undated “Estimate of Teams necessary for transportation between Trenton and Dobbs’s Ferry,” which explained the number of “Four horse Teams” required daily to move various supplies and stores. A monthly supply of 8,500 barrels of flour required 486 teams; 225 hogheads of rum required 45 teams; 41,666 lbs. of bacon required 11 teams; 500 bushels of salt required 7 teams; 63,998 bushels of grain forage required 853 teams; the hospital stores required 12 teams; the quartermaster general’s stores required 30 teams; the “State Stores” required 10 teams; the clothier’s stores required 12 teams; and the ordnance stores, “formed on Brigadier General Knox’s Estimate—having deducted for the Lumber to be procured near to Camp by the army-Teams,” required 500 teams. The total came to 1,966 teams required daily.

After giving the above list, Greene continued: “In the above Estimate, no deduction is made for the flour and rum to be provided and sent on by the Merchants of Philadelphia, as the carriage thereof will be required from the different States—tho the expence will be paid by the merchants.

“N.B. 12 days allowed for a four horse team to make the journey from Trenton to Dobbs’s ferry and to return; with an average load of 15 Cwt of provisions—Grain &c.—and 16 Cwt for Ordnance Stores.

“The said 1.966 Teams to be furnished in the following proportion—Maryland to furnish for the transportation from [Head of] Elk [Md.] to Christiana [Del.;] Delaware 200[;] Pennsylvania 1.066[; and] Jersey 700 [total:] 1.966.

“New-jersey, in cases of emergencies, can supply two or three hundred teams, more than are included in this Estimate” (DLC:GW; 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 , 6:128–29).