[sethrin]

"Later on" being what? 1777 is year 2 of 8. All of the sources that I've been able to find give the number of foreign-supplied arms as being significantly greater than those of US manufacture. For example, the first shipment of French rifles was equal in number to more than half of the Kentucky Long Rifles ever produced, and I believe also greater than the number of rifles that the Continental Army possessed at the time. Perhaps you can supply some better numbers.

Few if any of the supplied ships were warships, fewer answered directly to the Continental Navy, and none were Ships of the Line, which meant their combat utility was, shall we say, limited. What I read here[0] about the supply of cannon is pretty dismal and does not really support your claim. It is rather abundantly clear that, to the degree that arms and equipment were contributed freely by private citizens, this happened very early in the war, and had no effect on the outcome. You may feel free to show otherwise.

[0] http://www.history.army.mil/books/RevWar/risch/chpt-12.htm