Varick transcript, DLC:GW.

On this date, GW dined with Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene. At the dinner, Greene presented GW with a letter of this date from Joseph Lewis, assistant deputy quartermaster at Morristown, informing the quartermaster general that many wagoners had quit due to Lewis’s inability to supply them with cash or forage. As a result, the army at Morristown would, Lewis feared, soon be “destitute of Teams” (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 5:431–32).

On this date, Azariah Dunham, superintendent of purchases for New Jersey, wrote to GW’s aide-de-camp Alexander Hamilton from Morristown: “The Commissary General when he went Eastward desired me on Mr Flints leaveing Camp to give some attention to his department and represent to head Quarters the state of stores and resourses of Provissions. and to inable me to do it wrote to his agents or Assistants to westward Instructing them to write me from time to time what stores they had and when they might be expected but they have not yet made me any return. on enquiry, found there was little or no flour in the Magazine. I immediately dispatched a Messenger to the several Mills in Sommerset County to know what we might expect from there as it was the nearest place where any considerable quantity of public grain had been taken in and last night recevd the inclosed return verry litle of which is manufactored. the reason given is that while the hard frost continued they had no water and since are obstructed by back water, they now begin to grind and have my orders to send it on to Camp without delay. have had no exact return from Middlesex and Monmoth Counties but expect there is more then twice the quantity mentioned in the inclosed return. presume it is needless to give account of the state of our Magazine and the grain in the several mills in Morris Town as that Information is given you by Mr [James] Gamble there is about 1300 Bushels of Corn in a mill near Chatham and near 200 barrels flour at the white house and more daily expected.” Dunham added the following postscript: “[I] am going to Amboy to make the provision requested for the Commissioners Mr [Moore] Furman or Mr [John] Voorheis will give any further information they may receive in my absence” (DLC:GW).

The enclosed “Acco[un]t of Grain stored in the several mills in Sommerset County for use of the army,” dated 28 Feb., named eleven persons storing grain in mills. All except four were storing grain by contract, order, or commission. The return indicated that 3,665 (actually 3,565) bushels of wheat, 4,504 bushels of corn, 35 bushels of rye, 229 bushels of oats, and 334 bushels of buckwheat were stored in the county.