1780, next summer a starving man would scarcely eat the beef they were about to put up, after the falt had extracted the little fat and juices that were in it. The general faw about a hundred, and his information extended to about 800 more of the fame kind in the neighbourhood. He directed the commiffary to felect the best for falting, and to let the other be eaten, as it would be a waste of i falt, barrels and time, to put the fame up. Many other inftances of a fimilar impofition to what has been related might be given *.

The generous exertions of the American daughters of liberty in Philadelphia and the neighbourhood, to befriend the continental foldiers, are a perfect contrast to it. Mention was made of them in my last letter, p. 376. Their donations purchased a sufficient quantity of cloth, and their hands made the fame into two thousand one hundred and feven fhirts, which were delivered to the perfon appointed to receive them by gen. Washington. Pennsylvania furnished the whole quantity, except seventy-seven, which were the produce of the Jerfeys. The daughters of this last state made a further prefent of three hundred and eighty pair of stockings †.

The board of loyal refugees at New York have for many months back poffeffed something like a fleet of small privateers and cruisers; by the aid of which they have committed various depredations, and great exceffes in different places, from peculiar perfonal animofity; and thereby have irritated their adverfaries to retaliate in like manner. Thus the feelings of humanity have been fufpended on both fides; fcenes of waste and havock + The general's

*The general's letter of Dec. 26, 1780. papers.