1. Congress adopted this motion after having “22d” inserted in the first blank and “April last” in the second (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XXII, 319). The purport of the motion is difficult to establish. If, as seems most likely, it related to General Greene’s plea for food, clothing, and military supplies, referred by Congress to the superintendent of finance and secretary at war “to take order,” the date inserted within the blank spaces should have been 20 April (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XXII, 202). Not only had Greene’s need been of concern to JM (Motion on Supplies for Southern Army, 7 May 1782), but the published journal of Congress for 6 June contains immediately below the JM-Bland motion a letter of that date stating that the secretary at war had been delayed by lack of transportation facilities from forwarding “the whole of the clothing provided for the Southern Army.” Further, on 7 June Congress resolved “That the Secretary at War and Superintendant of finance be directed to take such means as they may think proper to convey in the speediest manner, by land or by water, cloathing and other necessaries to the southern army” (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, 1904–37). description ends , XXII, 319–21, 342–43, 363–65; NA: PCC, No. 186, fol. 33).

On the other hand, the “22d day of April last” in the printed version of the JM-Bland motion is correct if that motion related to Congress’ referral on that date of a letter from Morris, written two days earlier, to a committee which was instructed to confer with the secretary at war. Although the printed journal for 22 April omits mention of this action, Thomson recorded it in his “Committee Book, 1781–1785” (NA: PCC, No. 186, fol. 23). In his letter of 20 April Morris had recommended that Washington’s “Moving Army” be accompanied by a “superintendent,” not subject to military discipline, who would be charged with overseeing the private suppliers of food, holding them to their contracts and providing rations himself in cases of emergency (NA: PCC, No. 137, I, 405–8; No. 185, III, 24). Congress accepted this proposal but, as already mentioned, Morris was long delayed in finding a qualified superintendent (Motion on Supplies for Southern Army, 7 May 1782, n. 1; Clarence L. Ver Steeg, Robert Morris, pp. 144–50). From Washington’s “Moving Army,” Morris excluded the units stationed mainly in the lower Hudson River valley under General William Heath’s command.