The Compact History of the Revolutionary War (Compact Histories Book 1) by Dupuy Trevor N. & Dupuy R. Ernest

Author:Dupuy, Trevor N. & Dupuy, R. Ernest [Dupuy, Trevor N.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Media
Published: 2019-10-23T16:00:00+00:00

20

Valley Forge

IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER OF 1777 Washington began to discern that he had enemies within the American army more dangerous to him and to the Revolution than all of General Howe’s redcoats. A whispering campaign was circulating disparaging comparisons between Washington’s two recent defeats and Gates’ victories over Burgoyne. Some members of Congress were involved in these quiet criticisms, as well as a few disgruntled officers. Washington, busy devoting every possible effort to providing rations and clothing for a starving, threadbare army, while at the same time keeping a close watch on the British in Philadelphia, had neither the time nor the inclination to pay any attention to these murmurs.

Then, in November, loyal Lord Stirling brought to Washington’s attention the fact that French-Irish Brigadier General Thomas Conway had been slandering him in correspondence with General Horatio Gates. This information had reached Stirling either through the inadvertence, or the sly machinations, of Wilkinson, Gates’ aide-de-camp.

Gates, Conway and Wilkinson had recently, in various ways, added to Washington’s administrative and personal burdens. Conway, with 30 years’ service in the French army, was arrogantly demanding promotion to major general, and attempting to become Inspector General of the army at the same time. There were twenty-three American brigadier generals in the army, all senior to Conway in date of rank, who were incensed that Congress would even consider promoting the foreigner over their heads.

Gates, after Saratoga, had not deigned to send a report of his victory to Washington, his Commander-in-Chief, but had instead submitted it directly to Congress. Though Washington was both hurt and insulted, he did not complain about this either to Gates or to Congress.

When Gates had sent his message of victory to Congress after Burgoyne’s surrender at Saratoga, he had requested that the messenger – his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Colonel Wilkinson – be rewarded by a promotion to brigadier general. When Congress complied, practically every colonel in the army threatened to resign. It has never been clear what part, if any, Wilkinson played in the mysterious intrigues of the following months. As his entire life was one of conspiracy and treachery, it is hard to avoid the assumption that clever Wilkinson was probably involved.

The exact nature and extent of this intrigue has never been fully established. There is no question, however, that, beginning in October, 1777, Conway was slandering Washington, as one way of suggesting his own superior military genius. At the same time he was doing everything in his power to have Washington replaced by Gates, believing this would further his own selfish ambitions. In this he seems to have been closely associated with Major General Thomas Mifflin, the Quartermaster General, who had become alienated from Washington during the summer of 1777. Many of Washington’s supply difficulties during the fall of 1777, and the terrible winter months that followed, were due directly to Mifflin’s dereliction in the performance of his duties. Since Mifflin had early proven himself an able and efficient man, it is hard not to believe that his shortcomings during this critical period were part of a deliberate effort to discredit Washington.

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