"George Washington Versus the Continental Army: Showdown" Topic

… at the New Windsor Cantonment, 1782-1783

"The Revolutionary War was nearing its end in early 1783. In his Hudson Highlands stronghold, General Washington kept a wary eye on the British force in New York City, 60 miles away. His army, owed months of back pay, and his officers frustrated by the negotiations over their promised pension, chafed under martial authority.

A nationalist faction in Congress seized upon this discontent to instigate the Newburgh Conspiracy, a plot by Continental Army officers to menace civil officials who opposed the Impost, a 5% tax on imports to be collected by the central government, to satisfy the nation's debts. The army--by this time a formidable force of seasoned veterans--was provoked into threatening the very liberties it had fought to defend. This book examines this last major crisis of the Revolution, when Washington stood between his men and the American people."

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Armand

This incident is highlighted in the book 1794 by Dave Palmer.

The book is a little steep at $39.95 USD for a paperback.

This is GW's greatest moment, politically. (Trenton and Princeton are his greatest, militarily.)

GW was NOT Cromwell nor Bonaparte, and might easily have been. One result of and also cause of American exceptionalism.

That IS a lot for a book. This episode is so famous, you can read about it in any of the many biographies of GW.

I read this, had some interest, didn't want a whole book and then went to Wikipedia to learn all I wanted to know about the incident and the major players involved as well as the arguments for and against the story.
Interesting.

Regards
Russ Dunaway

Thanks

Armand

I would suggest that Washington giving up, resigning, as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army voluntarily as at least as great a 'moment' as when he stopped the Newburgh conspiracy.

Interestingly, one of Napoleon's subordinates during the Consulate and during the period of his great civil and political reforms asked him if he would step down when he was finished, he replied, 'Who do you think I am? George Washington?

And when news of Washington's death reached France, Napoleon ordered the French army into mourning for ten days.

(smile)

Armand