the army. It was decided to reduce the
number of regiments from thirty-eight to twenty-six. This meant not so
much to reduce the number of men as the number of officers. The term of
reenlistment was to be one year, and the delegates assured Washington
that he could count on twenty thousand men from Massachusetts, eight
thousand from Connecticut, three thousand from New Hampshire, and
fifteen hundred from Rhode Island. The regiments were to be uniform in
size, consisting of eight companies each; besides regular infantry,
there were to be riflemen and artillery. A system for clothing and
supplying the army was agreed upon. When the little convention had
broken up, the Committee from Congress remained for a few days, revising
the articles of war, considering the disposition of naval prizes, and
discussing a number of minor topics. Upon the committee's return to
Philadelphia, its actions were ratified by Congress.[138]

Washington then set himself with new assurance to his task. Thanks to
the convention, he felt that he had a united country at his back, and
that much had been done to dissipate colonial jealousies. These are
surprising to us of to-day: one is astonished to find Greene seriously
assuring "the gentlemen from the southward" that the four New England
colonies, as soon as they had conquered King George, would not turn
their arms against the South. Yet had there been any such intention, the
New Englanders already had their hands full with the British, and
Washington was by no means out of the woods. On paper he had an
excellent organization; but in fact, everything was still to be done.

With the approach of winter, the first task was to house his army. This
was gradually accomplished, and the regiments went into their winter
quarters. For a time, however, there was a scarcity of food and fuel.
This was due, not to a lack of either, but to the weakness in the system
of providing for them. For some weeks there was distress and discontent;
at times we are told that the troops ate their provision raw, and most
of the orchards and shade trees within the camp were cut down for fuel.
Washington vigorously represented the state of the case to the
Massachusetts congress; he gave permission to cut wood in private
wood-lots, promising payment; and finally the need was met. The towns
sent generous supplies of wood to the camp, rations were provided in
plenty, and the only period of hardship which the Americans endured was