General Washington to the President of Congress September 24, 1776 Heights of Harlem, September 24, 1776 "An army formed upon good officers moves like clockwork; but there is not situation on earth less enviable, nor  more distressing, than that person's who is at the head of troops who are regardless of order and discipline, and who are unprovided with almost every necessary. In a word, the difficulties which have forever surrounded me since I have been in the service, and kept my mind constantly upon the stretch; the wounds which my feelings as an officers have received by a thousand things which have happened contrary to my expectation, so little pleasing to my self as to render it a matter of no surprise (to me) if I should stand capitally censured by Congress; added to a consciousness of my inability to govern an army composed of such discordant parts, and under such a variety of intricate and perplexing circumstances, induces not only a belief, but a thorough conviction in my mind, that it will be impossible, unless there is a thorough change in our military system for me to conduct matters in such a manner as to give satisfaction to the publick, which is all the recompense I aim at, or ever wish for." American Archives 5, Vol. 2, column 498