1. See Circular to the New England States, 10 May; see also GW to Heath, 9 May, and n.9 to that document.

Heath had written Connecticut governor Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., from Hartford on 14 May: “The Object of my Commission to the Eastern States at this time is to present the address of His Excellency General Washington, representing the alarming State of the army on account of the want of Provisions to entreat immediate temporary relief and endeavour the establishment of some more permanent and effectual mode of Supply in the future, to obtain the first which cannot admit of any the least delay, without the inevitable evacuation of Fort Schuyler & exposing the army to a disolution, Beef Cattle fully equal to the late demand of Mr Commissary Stevens must be immediately Sent on together with all the Salted meat in the western parts of the state, of Connecticut in the 2nd place, a regular and effectual mode must be adopted and uniformly carried into execution for Supplying the army during the Campaign, without this the Same perplexing wants irregularities and distresses will continue which have existed in time past—The Quantity of Fresh Beef which will be wanted from the State of Connecticut from the first of June during the present Campaign is pointed out in the Estimate of the Commissary General of Issues Coppy of which I have the honor to present here with, the best mode for ensuring the Supplies and whether it may not be best for the Legislatures of the four New England States by Committees appointed for that purpose to confer thereon, can be best determined by your Honorable assembly, but in the mean time to prevent the impending disolution of the army I earnestly entreat that the State of Connecticut would without a moment’s delay precisely Comply with the requisitions of the Quarter master and Commissary which have been lately made it may be impracticable at present to transport the Salted meat from the Eastern parts of the State of Connecticut, I request to be informed, what Quantities have been procured, at what places and under whose Charge it actually is, and if any part of the provisions yet remain uncollected they may be ordered without loss of time to the place or places which have been pointed out for their deposit.

“a Supply of rum is also essentially necessary, when I left the army men on the Severest Fatigue had nothing But water to drink, this will not only dispirit your army but Soon Injure their health, I am instructed to enquire what Quantities of rum are in store and at what places and in what manner it may be forwarded The arrangments of Transportation should be so made as to have the articles carried entirely through to the army, with out having them Stoped on the Road, I am also instructed to urge the forwarding of the Summer Clothing and wish to be informed in what readiness it is at present.

“on the whole as the continuance of the army in the Field and its being of any real Service after the great expence which has been incurred in raising and recruiting of it, rest entirely on the Supplies being Seasonably and amply furnished, I flatter myself that notwithstanding all the embarrassments under which the State labors that Zeal for the public Service which on every emergency has been so apparant will now prompt to those exertion, which alone can retain the army in existance” (MHi: Heath Papers; a note appears in a margin: “and the Beef cattle must be Sent on precisely at the times that have been perfixed”). The enclosed estimate called for 7,000 pounds of fresh beef from Connecticut (see Charles Stewart to GW, 10 May).

2. Heath later wrote in his memoirs for 14 May that he had “found the Legislature in session. The dispatches to Governor Trumbull were immediately presented to him, with an earnest request for speedy relief. This venerable patriot gave assurance of his immediate attention and exertions, and accordingly laid the dispatches from Gen. Washington before the Legislature, who also discovered the same noble patriotism. They inquired into the state of their treasury, and finding it was destitute of money, except a sum appropriated to another purpose, they ordered this money to be taken, and directed Col. Champion, one of their number, (a gentleman remarkable for his knowledge in the state of provisions in all the towns, skill in purchasing, and expedition in forwarding) immediately to purchase and forward on to the army 160 head of beef cattle, and 1,000 barrels of salted provisions from their stores; and resolved to make every other exertion in their power, to comply with the requisitions of the Commander in Chief as they respected both fresh and salted provisions, by appointing a Committee for a general arrangement of supplies” (Wilson, Heath’s Memoirs description begins Rufus Rockwell Wilson, ed. Heath’s Memoirs of the American War. 1798. Reprint. New York, 1904. description ends , 301–2). For details regarding these legislative actions, see Trumbull to GW, 20 June, and n.7; see also GW to Timothy Pickering, 10 May, and n.2.

While at Hartford, Heath wrote a note on 16 May to indicate that Nathaniel Stevens, deputy commissary of issues, had estimated 120 hogsheads of rum were necessary per month “from the Several States, it is desired that the State of Connecticut would have their proportion in readiness” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also GW to Heath, 9 May, n.10).

3. At Hartford on this date, William Adams, assistant deputy quartermaster, prepared “A Return of Publick provision deposited at this Post.” It shows 932 barrels of beef, with 33 “not Stored Repack’d” and 6 “not repackd, nor Stored.” The return also shows 170 barrels of pork, with 109 “Repack’d not Stored” and 8 “not repackd nor Stord.” A postscript reads: “N.B. The Pork is exchanged with Col. Wadsworth ⅌ order of his Excely Govr Trumbull for other pork lying in the more Western Towns in this State” (MHi: Heath Papers).

4. For a report on salted meat and fish in Connecticut, see Heath to GW, 29 May.

5. Heath wrote Trumbull from Hartford on 16 May: “permit me to express the highest Satisfaction of the Zeal discovered by your Honorable assembly for the Public Service, at this Critical moment in granting the necessary relief for the prevention of a disolution of the army, I rest assured that the Same Spirit will prompt the assembly to take the earliest opportunity to Compleat the great plan of supply in all its parts for the Campaign which will Soon open upon us, Heaven grant it may be a Successful one, to the honorable Compleation of the war, I shall proceed immediately to the Other Eastern States, and request that your Excellency would be pleased as Soon as the Several arrangments are Completed to honor me with an official State of them by Letter at Boston, that I may make a General report to his Excellency General Washington conformable to my instructions” (MHi: Heath Papers). Heath again wrote Trumbull from Roxbury, Mass., on 30 May with a “request to be informed” that actions had been taken to ensure a future supply of provisions and rum. “Duty to my Country and the army and fidelity to my General who has enjoyned on me the most assiduous endeavours to have this great business on which the Support of the army entirely depends accomplished as Soon as possible Constrain me to be importunate for its Completion, and I pray your candor if I have, or should hereafter on any instance appear particularly Sollicitous” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also “Heath Papers,” description begins “The Heath Papers.” Parts 1–3. Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, 5th ser., 4:1–285; 7th ser., vols. 4–5. Boston, 1878–1905. description ends 5:203–4, and GW to Heath, 8 June, n.2).

Trumbull replied to Heath from Hartford on Wednesday, 20 June: “Your favor of 30th May last is before me; & in answer to it have to inform you, that in addition to the doings of the General Assembly while you was in Town, they have ordered all the Salted provisions on the West side of Connecticut River to be Transported to Fish Kill or the Army. The whole of our Salted meat & fish will be about 8,000 Barrells. Between fifty & Eighty head of Cattle were sent on to Camp last week, in consequence of a supply of £500 in specie furnished to Commissary Champion. To Morrow he will receive £500 more in like money, which will be immediately applied to the same use, & the Cattle sent on. Besides he is to receive as soon as it can possibly be Collected £1800 more in hard Cash, which is to be expended in the same way. In addition to this mode of supply, the Assembly have laid a Tax of one penny on the pound which will raise about £7,600. … Beef Cattle are plenty. The only difficulty is the means to purchase them. My greatest anxiety is how we shall get them on regularly to Camp; we shall exert ourselves in the best manner in our power with the means in our hands. Col. Champion is appointed to join a Committee of the New England States at Providence next Monday, to consult and devise measures for forwarding on provisions to the Army in a regular manner. I have made his Excellency the Commander in Chief acquainted with these things by a Letter of this date. I have not as yet obtaind an exact return of the Salted Beef, nor has the Quarter-Master acquainted me with the places of deposit, but orders have gone out for repacking the Beef with the greatest care. …

“Fifteen Hogsheads of Rum belonging to this State have been ordered from Philadelphia which I trust have arrived in Camp before this. Twenty more will be furnished & sent on soon from this to Camp” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also “Heath Papers,” description begins “The Heath Papers.” Parts 1–3. Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, 5th ser., 4:1–285; 7th ser., vols. 4–5. Boston, 1878–1905. description ends 5:214–16; Trumbull to GW, 20 June; and Heath to GW, 27 June and 4 July).

6. Heath had written Oliver Phelps, superintendent of purchases in Massachusetts, from Hartford on 14 May: “I am now here on my way to the Several Eastern States to represent the present alarming State of the army on account of the want of Provision which threaten its disolution unless Supplies are immediately forwarded—I am vested with a Commission from the Commander in Chief not only to endeavour to Obtain immediate Temporary Supplies but also to establish some more ample and certain supply in future, from the New England States, in the mean time I request, you will forward on without a moments delay all the Beef Cattle you now have at Command, at lea[s]t fully equal to the late Demand of Mr. Commissary Stevens, I met a drove from you the day before yesterday of upwards forty head this however is but a trifle I am urging on the General assembly here the most vigorous exertions, and assure myself of yours, they were never more wanted, If you have heretofore Sent any Certain proportion of Beef Cattle to Albany please Still to pay attention to that Quarter it is equally necessary” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also GW to Heath, 9 May, n.10).

Phelps replied to Heath from Granville, Mass., on 15 May: “I have had the honor of receiving your favour of the 14th—I am exceeding happy that any measures are adopted, in order to arouse the States to a more careful attention in supplying the army; I can assure you that the Resources of the Massachusetts are by no means exhausted; I only want the means to get hold of them; Money alone must do it: Yet notwithstanding the many embarresments I labour under I sent on one drove last week and shall send on another drove of about fifty head, this week and shall endeavour to forward that number weekly—As to the many embarresments I labour under on account of Supplies, money &C I will do myself the honor to write you more particularly so that you will receive it in Boston” (MHi: Heath Papers; the cover is addressed to Heath “Now at Hartford”; see also Heath to GW, 29 May, n.2).