While I was at the camp, supping one evening with the officers of Colonel Dunbar’s regiment, he represented to me his concern for the subalterns, who, he said, were generally not in affluence, and could ill afford, in this dear country, to lay in the stores that might be necessary in so long a march, thro’ a wilderness, where nothing was to be purchas’d.  I commiserated their case, and resolved to endeavor procuring them some relief.  I said nothing, however, to him of my intention, but wrote the next morning to the committee of the Assembly, who had the disposition of some public money, warmly recommending the case of these officers to their consideration, and proposing that a present should be sent them of necessaries and refreshments.  My son, who had some experience of a camp life, and of its wants, drew up a list for me, which I enclos’d in my letter.  The committee approv’d, and used such diligence that, conducted by my son, the stores arrived at the camp as soon as the waggons.  They consisted of twenty parcels, each containing

6 lbs. loaf sugar. 1 Gloucester cheese. 6 lbs. good Muscovado do. 1 kegg containing 20 lbs. good 1 lb. good green tea. butter. 1 lb. good bohea do. 2 doz. old Madeira wine. 6 lbs. good ground coffee. 2 gallons Jamaica spirits. 6 lbs. chocolate. 1 bottle flour of mustard. 1-2 cwt. best white biscuit. 2 well-cur’d hams. 1-2 lb. pepper. 1-2 dozen dry’d tongues. 1 quart best white wine vinegar 6 lbs. rice.
                                  6 lbs. raisins.

These twenty parcels, well pack’d, were placed on as many horses, each parcel, with the horse, being intended as a present for one officer.  They were very thankfully receiv’d, and the kindness acknowledg’d by letters to me from the colonels of both regiments, in the most grateful terms.  The general, too, was highly satisfied with my conduct in procuring him the waggons, etc., and readily paid my account of disbursements, thanking me repeatedly, and requesting my farther assistance in sending provisions after him.  I undertook this also, and was busily employ’d in it till we heard of his defeat, advancing for the service of my own money, upwards of one thousand pounds sterling, of which I sent him an account.  It came to his hands, luckily for me, a few days before the battle, and he return’d me immediately an order on the paymaster for the round sum of one thousand pounds, leaving the remainder to the next account.  I consider this payment as good luck, having never been able to obtain that remainder, of which more hereafter.

This general was, I think, a brave man, and might probably have made a figure as a good officer in some European war.  But he had too much self-confidence, too high an opinion of the validity of regular troops, and too mean a one of both Americans and Indians.  George Croghan, our Indian interpreter, join’d him on his march with one hundred of those people, who might have been of great use to his army as guides, scouts, etc., if he had treated them kindly; but he slighted and neglected them, and they gradually left him.