During the period 1775-78 General Washington commanded three separate armies: the New England army of 1775; the one year army of the United Colonies, renamed Army of the United States in July 1776; and the forces established by the Continental Congress to serve for three years from January 1777, or for the duration. In this, the first of two studies by Marko Zlatich (Men-at-Arms 290 continues the treatment, covering 1779-83), the systems used by the state and Contineal authorities to procure clothing materials, the quantities they obtained and the specifications of the uniforms themselves are all examined in detail.