Washington took the matter into consideration and wrote congress "I find the Army in general and the Troops raised in Massachusetts in particular very deficient in necessary clothing upon Inquiry there appears no probability of obtaining any supplies in this quarter and the best consideration of this matter I am able to form I am of the opinion that a number of hunting shirts not less than ten thousand would in a great Degree remove this difficulty in the cheapest and quickest manner I know nothing in a Speculative view more trivial yet if put in practice would have a happier Tendency to unite the men and abolish those provincial Distractions which lead to jealousy and dissatisfaction".[67]
He suggested the hunting shirt because it was cheap and "besides it is a dress justly supposed to carry no small terror to the enemy who think every such person a complete marksman".[68]
It was decided that the hunting shirt should be used and also that the continental government should supply the clothing and then ten per cent of each man's wages should be withheld each month.[69] The quartermaster general had charge of the clothing supply and at regular intervals he was supposed to distribute clothing to the soldier, but the supply varied to such an extent that no regular plan could be followed.
The following was considered an ordinary man's outfit for a year:
- Two linen hunting shirts,
- Two pairs of overalls,
- A leathern or woolen waist coat with sleeves,
- A pair of breeches,
- A hat or leathern cap,
- Two shirts,
- Two pair of hose,
- Two pair of shoes.[70]
The whole was to amount to about twenty dollars.
The soldier was considered in full uniform when he appeared on parade with "a clean shirt, leggings or stockings, hair combed, shirt collar buttoned with stock. Hunting shirt, well put on hat".[71]
Since the material for the hunting shirts was difficult to get, the officers as well as the men were to dye their shirts in a uniform manner.[72]
The different ranks of a soldier were shown by the hunting shirt. A captain's was short and fringed, the private's short and plain, the sergeant's was to have a small white cuff and be plain, and the drummer's was to have a dark cuff. Both officers and soldiers were to have hats cut round and bound with black, the brims of the hats were to be two inches deep and cocked on one side with a button and a loop, and a cockade which was to be worn on the left side. There was also a distinction made by the wearing of a certain colored cockade in the hat. The field officers were red or pink, the captain yellow or buff, and the subaltern green.[73]