i have spoken myself with a man from cross creek , who was discharged ( honourably ) from the continental army on account of a festering wound in the arm-your mother has of course dealt with this ; he screamed a great deal and i was pressed into service to sit upon him-who tells me that washington has no more than a few thousand regular soldiers , all very poor in equipment , clothes , and arms , and all owed money , which they are unlikely to receive .