1. GW’s aide-de-camp David Humphreys had written Stevens from New Windsor on 2 May: “His Excellency directs me to inform you, that he has just received a Letter from Col. Udny Hay, inclosing one from the Bd of War, in which the same measure of putting up a quantity of Fish on this River is advised, which has been already adopted: Col. Hay mentions that Mr Morrell, Major Wyckoff, Judge Wyncoop of Esopus & Col. Stoukenburgh of Albany, would be proper persons to be employed in the execution of this business, & that it will be necessary the Barrells & salt should be immediately furnished. The General only observes on this subject, that it is indifferent to him whether the Contracts are made with public or private Persons, but that it is a matter of the greatest importance that the Contracts should be faithfully executed, & the Public & not Individuals benefitted by them.

“General Heath, will give directions how frequently the Fish shall be issued at prest. … P.S. Yours of Yesterday, is this moment recd” (DLC:GW; see also Stevens to GW, 1 May; Udny Hay to GW, 29 April; and Board of War to GW, 25 April, found at GW to the Board of War, 1 May, n.4).

2. Stevens enclosed the letter he had written Dirck Wynkoop and James Monell, assistant state agents under Lt. Col. Udny Hay, from Fishkill on 28 April: “His Excellency General Washington being desirous of having a quantity of shad fish procured for the Army, by Exchangeing salt for the same, I have to request that you will immediately proceed to the several fishing places up the North River & procure to the amount of three hundred Barrels, or more if they can be had for three pecks of salt for two hundred and twenty pound of Cleaned fish, You will apply three pecks for the cure of every Barrel of the fish, or to every 220 pound.

“You will call on Mr McCullen for Barrels and the Commissary at Clavarack for salt.

“His Excellency is very anxious to have carefull and trusty persons employed to see to the putting them in the casks, and the application of the salt, which I wish You to look well to. … N.B. Monnel was not to fish at Esopus, The instructions were given to them seperately, and each to procure three hundred barrels, or more, of fish” (DLC:GW).

Richard Platt, deputy quartermaster general of the main army, wrote Maj. Gen. William Heath from Newburgh, N.Y., on the same date: “In Consequence of Orders from his Excellency, the Commissary is directed to put up a Quantity of shad for the Army.

“There are not new Casks sufficient for this purpose & the season is so far advanc’d as not to admit of their being made.

“Mr McCullen Superintendant of the Coopers will put in Order all of the old Casks in the possession of the Commissaries: in Case he can obtain your Orders for their Delivery: and I wish you may think proper to afford him your patronage as well in obtaining, as causing them to be transported where necessary” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also GW to the Board of War, 1 May, postscript, and Heath to GW, 1 May, and n.2).

Hugh Hughes, deputy quartermaster general for New York, wrote Heath from Fishkill on 29 April: “Major Campbell waits on you with this, in order to obtain proper Authority for impressing a Number of Teams in the Vicinity of the [Continental] Village, for the Transporting of the empty Casks at the different Cantonments in the Highlands, to the Landing, as they are greatly wanted at this Time to put Fish in for the Use of the Army, which I beg you will please to favour him with.

“Whenever it suits with your Conveniency & Pleasure I shall be glad to be honour’d with your particular Directions, relative to the Provost, on which I shall give Orders immediately” (MHi: Heath Papers). For construction of a new provost, see GW to Heath, 15 April, and n.3 to that document.

3. For this meat, see Heath to GW, 1 May, and n.3; see also GW to Timothy Pickering, 4 May.