Pickering, Timothy (1745-1829) to Henry Knox

Camp Phillipsburgh July 17, 1781
Sir,
I informed you that the Jersey line were expected to join the army by a certain day last week. I was told by the Conductor who brought some teams from Morristown that the Jersey troops were on their way to King's ferry, & would probably cross [inserted: so as to reach the army] on the day referred to. The Jersey troops have not yet arrived, but are encamped on the other side of the river; & the 52 horses delivered them at Morristown are with them. The Seven teams, making 28 horses, which were brought from Morristown with close waggons, have been chiefly distributed by Major Cogswell, part of them to the staff, before I had notice of them, & part since by my order to complete the artillery & [inserted: one] spare ammunition waggon to each division. - These are the reasons which have prevented the horses being sent to King's ferry according to the arrangement proposed last week.
You now desire "explicit information when the horses for the light artillery will be furnished." This it is impossible for me to give. I am disappointed in regard to horses from every quarter. I have represented the whole matter to the Commander in Chief, and asked his advice & direction. Every means in my power to obtain horses, I have attempted, but in vain. I can now rely only on the horses coming from Pennsylvania, and their numbers I cannot certainly determine. On the 3d of June there were according to Colo Miles' return - at Philadelphia - 30
Lancaster County - 21
York County - 50
Northampton - 80
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total 181 horses fit for service; be -
[2] besides 104 that would be fit [struck: on] [inserted: when] farther recruited. I do not know that more than 33 of those fit for service have been forwarded, & these were from Northampton. In regard to the residue, Colo Miles on the 29th ulto wrote me that he had given orders to have [strikeout] [inserted: them] sent to the army so as to arrive by the 5th inst. agreeably to my directions: but adds, "my assistants could not do it for want of money." He then says that he had saved enough out of a sum procured for other purposes to defray the expences of the horses to camp, & was sending it off to the different posts. The horses of consequence must be now on their way to camp; but how soon they will arrive I cannot determine. About 50 appear to have been at that time under the care of Turner & Coldclough.
Since the representation made to the General of the state of horses, I have desired Colo Hughes to endeavour to purchase 100, for which number I have engaged payment at a certain day: whether he can get them on that credit is doubtful, for the promises of a public officer are [inserted: now] of small avail.
I am Sir
your most obedt servant
Tim Pickering
QMG
[address leaf] (Public Service)
General Knox at camp

[docket] From Colonel Pickering
17 July 1781