"But you do not take into account the time required to drill the army and march to the fort," answered Washington. "Winter will be upon us before we are ready to besiege the fort." "I hardly see the need of consuming as much time as you indicate in preparation," suggested the governor. "You would understand it if you had had the experience with a half-drilled army through one campaign, as I have had," replied Washington. "But your force was a very small one," suggested Governor Dinwiddie. "With two or three times as many men you will be able to reduce the fort without the drill." "My experience rather teaches me that the larger the army the more necessary the drill, in order to handle it efficiently," Washington replied. "Then you are opposed to such a campaign now, under any circumstances, if I understand you," continued the governor. "My judgment decides against the practicability of such an expedition; nevertheless, I am at your service. My duty is to obey." This was Washington's sincere reply. Governor Dinwiddie was a conceited man, jealous of his own authority, and he did not like to be opposed by such a stripling as Colonel Washington, much less was he willing to abandon a project of his own by the advice of an inferior officer. For this reason he adhered to his original plan, and instructed Washington to fill up his regiment to a thousand as soon as possible. With what feelings Washington undertook this task may be learned from his letter to William Fairfax, Esq., president of Governor Dinwiddie's council: "I have orders to complete my regiment, and not a sixpence is sent for that purpose. Can it be imagined that subjects fit for this service, who have been so much impressed with and alarmed at the want of provisions, which was a main objection to enlisting before, will more readily engage now, without money, than they did before with it?... To show you the state of the regiment, I have sent you a report, by which you will perceive what great deficiencies there are of men, arms, tents, kettles, screws (which was a fatal want before), bayonets, cartouch-boxes, and everything else. Again, were our men ever so willing to go, for want of the proper necessaries of life they are now unable to do it. The chief part are almost naked, and scarcely a man has either _shoes, stockings, or a hat_. These things the merchants will not credit them for. The country has made no provision. They have no money themselves, and it cannot be expected that the officers will engage for them again, personally having suffered greatly on this head already.... There is not a man that has a blanket to secure him from cold or wet." That the conceited provincial governor was bent upon having his own way is evident from the fact that he wrote privately to England, and secured the passage of an act that made provincial officers of the army inferior to the English officers in rank. Under this act, Washington's rank would be that of captain instead of colonel.