Letter from Colonel Clement Biddle, Deputy Quartermaster-General, to the Board of War: The troops begin to want many necessaries

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Perth-Amboy, September 8, 1776.

SIR : I find the troops here begin to want many necessaries that they will suffer for want of unless speedily supplied. Blankets will be much wanted. I have delivered out a number which I received from the Council of Safety of Pennsylvania, and have taken the order of the commanding officers of the battalions with receipts to be accountable for them. I beg to be instructed whether the blankets are to be paid for or not by the Flying-Camp.

The other articles which begin to be much wanted, are shoes, stockings, warm jackets, breeches, and shirts, and I would get a good number of them if I had orders, and that the Colonel or Commanding officers of the Flying-Camp were to stop the amount of what necessaries they took up from the men' s pay. I would not proceed farther than I have done from the necessity in this business, until I could receive the directions of the honourable Congress or of the Board of War on this subject. I beg you will lay this before your Board, that I may receive their directions herein.

I have ordered Mr˙ Risberg, A˙ D˙ Q˙ M˙ G˙, to apply to you when necessary in my department, and beg the favour of your assistance to him.

I am, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

CLEMENT BlDDLE, D˙ Q˙ M˙ G˙

To Richard Peters, Esq˙, Secretary of War Office, at Philadelphia.

Colonel Miles' s troops lost chief of their blankets. I have sent a number forward to supply them, but have few now left.