Meanwhile, as the Commander in Chief noted in another letter of nearly
the same date, his few remaining troops were “absolutely perishing” for
want of clothing, “Marching over Frost and Snow, many without a Shoe,
Stocking or Blanket.” Nor, due to certain inefficiencies in the supply
services, was the food situation any better. “The Cry of want of
Provisions come to me from every Quarter,” Washington stormed angrily on
February 22 to Matthew Irwin, a Deputy Commissary of Issues: “Gen.
Maxwell writes word that his People are starving; Gen. Johnston, of
Maryland, yesterday inform’d me, that his People could draw none; this
difficulty I understand prevails also at Chatham! What Sir is the
meaning of this? and why were you so desirous of excluding others from
this business when you are unable to accomplish it yourself? Consider, I
beseech you, the consequences of this neglect, and exert yourself to
remove the Evil.” Even in May, near the end of the 1777 encampment,
there was an acute shortage of food.