. His salary was so
small that he feared that he must sell his property in Kentucky to support
himself while in public service. He regarded Kentucky as a much better
place than Illinois for the ambitious man, the retired farmer, or the
young merchant.(30) He had been scarcely more than three months in office
when he wrote to the governor of Virginia: "I expected to have been
prepared to present to your excellency some amendments upon the form of
Government for Illinois, but the present will be attended with no great
inconveniences till the Spring Session, when I beg your permission to
attend and get a Discharge from an Office, which an unwholesome air, a
distance from my connexions, a Language not familiar to me, and an
impossibility of procuring many of the conveniences of Life suitable; all
tend to render uncomfortable."(31) This letter was intercepted by the
British and did not reach the governor.

Great difficulty was experienced in securing supplies for the soldiers. At
times, both troops and people suffered from lack of clothing. The Spanish
refused to allow the Americans to navigate the Mississippi, Virginia money
entirely lost its credit, hard money was scarce, and peltry was difficult
for the military commissaries to obtain. Col. Todd, in desperation,
refused to allow the commander at Kaskaskia to pay the people peltry for
provisions as had been promised, and calling the inhabitants in council,
he told them that if they would not sell on the credit of the state they
would be subject to military discipline.(32) The fall of 1779 saw the
garrison at Vincennes without salt, and starving; while at Kaskaskia the
money was worthless, troops were without clothes and deserting daily.(33)
This great lack of supplies resulted in the impressment of supplies, in
disagreement among the officers, and was a prominent factor in a
resolution to withdraw the troops from their several situations and
concentrate them at a single point on the Ohio River. The discontent of
the French was extreme, and it was increased by the departure of Col. Todd
for Virginia. The officers who were left in command ruled with a rod of
iron and took cattle, flour, wood, and other necessaries, without
payment.(34) Capt. Dodge, of Kaskaskia, refused to honor a draft
presented, apparently, by the government of Virginia, and when sued in the
civil court, he declared that he had nothing but his body and that could
not be levied upon; besides, he was an offic