Much difficulty arose from the different rules adopted by the various colonies for the regulation of their soldiers.  Nor was this the only source of trouble.  Besides its war committee, the Assembly of each of the four New England colonies chose another committee “for clothing, arming, paying, victualling, and transporting” its troops.  They were to go to the scene of operations, hire wagons, oxen, and horses, build boats and vessels, and charge themselves with the conveyance of all supplies belonging to their respective governments.  They were to keep in correspondence with the committee of war at home, to whom they were responsible; and the officer commanding the contingent of their colony was required to furnish them with guards and escorts.  Thus four independent committees were engaged in the work of transportation at the same time, over the same roads, for the same object.  Each colony chose to keep the control of its property in its own hands.  The inconveniences were obvious:  “I wish to God,” wrote Lord Loudon to Winslow, “you could persuade your people to go all one way.”  The committees themselves did not always find their task agreeable.  One of their number, John Ashley, of Massachusetts, writes in dudgeon to Governor Phipps:  “Sir, I am apt to think that things have been misrepresented to your Honor, or else I am certain I should not suffer in my character, and be styled a damned rascal, and ought to be put in irons, etc., when I am certain I have exerted myself to the utmost of my ability to expedite the business assigned me by the General Court.”  At length, late in the autumn, Loudon persuaded the colonies to forego this troublesome sort of independence, and turn over their stores to the commissary-general, receipts being duly given.[393]

[Footnote 393:  The above particulars are gathered from the voluminous papers in the State House at Boston, Archives, Military, Vols.  LXXV., LXXVI.  These contain the military acts of the General Court, proclamations, reports of committees, and other papers relating to military affairs in 1755 and 1756.  The Letter and Order Books of Winslow, in the Library of the Massachusetts Historical Society, have supplied much concurrent matter.  See also Colonial Records of R.I., V., and Provincial Papers of N.H., VI.]

From Winslow’s headquarters at Half-Moon a road led along the banks of the Hudson to Stillwater, whence there was water carriage to Saratoga.  Here stores were again placed in wagons and carried several miles to Upper Falls; thence by boat to Fort Edward; and thence, fourteen miles across country, to Fort William Henry at Lake George, where the army was to embark for Ticonderoga.  Each of the points of transit below Fort Edward was guarded by a stockade and two or more companies of provincials.  They were much pestered by Indians, who now and then scalped a straggler, and escaped with their usual nimbleness.  From time to time strong bands of Canadians and Indians