CHAPTER XXIX.

AID FROM ABROAD.

Sufferings of the Army at Valley Forge-Appeals of Washington to Congress-The British in Philadelphia—The Conway Cabal-Its Disgraceful Failure-Efforts to Improve the Army-Worthlessness of Continental Bills-General Lee Exchanged-Effect of Burgoyne's Surrender upon England-The King is Forced to Agree to Measures of Conciliation-Action of France-Louis XVI. Recognizes the Independence of the United States-Alliance Between the United States and France-Failure of the British Measures of Conciliation-Clinton Evacuates Philadelphia-Battle of Monmouth-General Lee Dismissed from the Army-Attack upon Newport-Its Failure-Withdrawal of the French Fleet to the West Indies-Outrages of the British on Long Island Sound-Massacre of Wyoming-The Winter of 1779-80-The Army in Winter Quarters-Robert Morris-Condition of Congress—Georgia Subdued by the British-Prevost Attempts to take Charleston-Siege of Savannah-Its Failure-Capture of Stony Point-Capture of Paulus Hook-The Indians Punished—Naval Affairs-Exploits of John Paul JonesEvacuation of Newport-Settlement of Kentucky-Conquest of the Illinois Country by George Rogers Clarke-Settlement of Tennessee.

HE sufferings of the American army during the long winter at Valley Forge were very great. Many were barefooted, and their marches through the frost and snow could be traced by the blood from their feet. They were without clothing, without food, and were utterly unable to keep the field. Yet in spite of these sufferings many persons severely censured the commander-in-chief for going into winter quarters without attacking Philadelphia. In reply to one of these remonstrances from the legislature of Pennsylvania, Washington wrote to Congress on the 23d of December, 1777: "Men are confined to hospitals or in farmers' houses for want of shoes. We have this day no less than two thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight men in camp unfit for duty, because they are barefoot and otherwise naked. Our whole strength in continental troops amounts to no more than eight thousand two hundred in camp fit for duty. Since the fourth instant our numbers fit for duty from hardships and exposures have decreased nearly two thousand men. Numbers still are obliged to sit all night by fires. Gentlemen reprobate the going into winter quarters as much as if they thought the soldiers were made of stocks and stones. I can assure those gentlemen that it is a much easier and less distressing thing to draw remonstrances in a comfortable room by a good fireside than to occupy a

cold, bleak hill, and sleep under frost and snow without clothes or blankets. However, although they seem to have little feeling for the naked and distressed soldiers, I feel superabundantly for them, and from my soul I pity those miseries which it is neither in my power to relieve nor prevent.'

Congress did little or nothing to relieve the sufferings of the army. It promised the troops one month's extra pay, but made no effort to provide food or clothing for them. It authorized Washington to impress whatever articles were needed, but he remonstrated against this arbitrary use of power, as he was convinced that it would not supply the wants of the army, but would certainly anger the people of the country. Congress towards the close of the winter manifested so much hostility to the army

because of its appeals for food and clothes, that Washington earnestly remonstrated against this feeling and reminded that body that the troops were "citizens, having all the ties and interests of citizens." It is not too much to say that the personal influence of Washington went

further than anything else in keeping the army together during this trying winter. Under any other commander the troops would have dispersed. Encouraged by the calm and lofty patience of Washington, the troops remained faithful to their cause and bore their sufferings with a heroic fortitude which their descendants will ever bear in grateful honor. All this while the British army was comfortably quartered in Philadelphia, and the officers were billeted upon the inhabitants. They were amply supplied with every comfort, and their leisure time was given up to pleasure and dissipation on a scale the Quaker City had never dreamed of. "By a proportionate tax on the pay and allowances of each officer a house was opened for daily resort, and for weekly balls, with a gaming table which had assiduous votaries, and a room devoted to the game of chess. Thrice a week plays were enacted by amateur performers.

The officers, among whom all ranks of the British aristocracy were represented, lived in open licentiousness." The contrast between the pleasures and ease of these well-fed troops and the sufferings and privations of the ragged patriots at Valley Forge was marked indeed; and when it is remembered that the comforts of the British could have been purchased by the patriots at the price of desertion their heroic constancy becomes more striking.

The patriotism of Washington was not appreciated by all parties. A number of discontented members of Congress and officers of the army were anxious that he should be removed or forced to resign in order. that their favorite General Gates might be promoted to the chief command of the army. One of the prime movers of the intrigue was an Irish adventurer named Conway, who had been promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, from which circumstance the plot is known as the "Conway Cabal." The entire truth concerning this plot will never be known, for after its failure the actors in it were only too glad to disavow their connection with it. The conspirators did not dare to make an open attack upon the commander-in-chief, but undertook by means of anony-. mous letters, underhanded appeals to the officers and men of the army, and comparisons between Gates' success and what they termed Washington's failure, to destroy the confidence of the troops in their leader, and to disgust him with his command and so drive him to resign it. Generals Mifflin and Gates were very active in this conspiracy, and even Sullivan and Wayne were in favor of the scheme of making Gates commander-in-chief. Dr. Benjamin Rush wrote a letter, to which he did not dare sign his name, to Patrick Henry, then governor of Virginia, representing the army of Washington as without a head, and disparaging Washington as no general. "A Gates, a Lee, or a Conway," he added, "would in a few weeks render them an irresistible body of men. Some of the contents of this letter ought to be made public in order to awaken, enlighten, and alarm our country." Patrick Henry took no notice of this paper save to forward it to Washington. A similar anonymous document was forwarded to Henry Laurens, the president of Congress, who also sent it to Washington. Great efforts were made to win over Lafayette to the plot, but without the least success.

Washington was to a great extent aware of the plot against him but took no public notice of it. He was deeply pained by the unjust censure to which he was subjected, but he never for a moment harbored the thought of laying down the great work he had assumed. He knew his course would bear the most rigid inspection. He knew that the capture of Burgoyne's army, which had made Gates the hero of the hour, was due

to no skill on the part of that officer, but was the result of the plan of defence Washington had long before arranged with General Schuyler. In his efforts to contend against General Howe he was under many disadvantages, not the least of which was the fact that his army was encamped in a region abounding in Tories who refused him any support and constantly aided the British. His army was imperfectly disciplined; it was inferior in numbers and equipment to the enemy; and was in no condition to meet Howe in the open field, still less to undertake the difficult task of driving him from his intrenchments at Philadelphia. "Had the same spirit pervaded the people of this and the neighboring States, as the States of New York and New England," said Washington, "we might have had General Howe nearly in the same situation of General Burgoyne." Washington knew that the salvation of the country demanded his presence at the head of the army. He trusted to time for his vindication, and was chiefly anxious that the enemy should not learn of the dissensions in the councils and camp of the Americans. He firmly opposed the appointment of Conway to the post of "inspector of the armies of the United States," but Congress, under the influence of the cabal, appointed Conway to that place with the rank of major-general.

In a little while the action of the conspirators became known and aroused such a storm of indignation from the officers and men of the army, from the legislatures of the States, and from the great mass of the people that Gates and Conway and their associates cowered before it, and Congress became heartily ashamed of having given the plot any encouragement. The only effect of the conspiracy was to raise Washington higher in the confidence and affection of his countrymen. The members of the conspiracy were ever afterwards anxious to deny their share in it, and exerted themselves to prevent the truth concerning it from becoming known.

The punishment of Gates came as soon as he was intrusted with an independent command, as we shall sec. As for Conway, he was despised by the better part of the officers of the army, and found his position so unenviable that he addressed a note to Congress complaining that he had been badly treated, and intimated his intention to resign because he was not ordered to the northern department. Congress was by this time ashamed of having bestowed upon him such undeserved honors, and gladly interpreted his letter as an actual resignation of his rank, and at once ended the difficulty by accepting it. Conway was profoundly astonished. He was confident that Congress would become terrified by his threat to resign, and urge him to remain in the service, and was utterly unprepared for the action of that body. He hastened to explain his

letter, but was not listened to. Some time after this he ventured to denounce the commander-in-chief, and was challenged to a duel by General Cadwallader, who had already charged him with cowardice at the battle of Germantown. Conway was wounded; and believing himself near death wrote to Washington, apologizing for his conduct towards him. "You are," he said, "in my eyes the great and good man. May you long enjoy the love, veneration, and esteem of these States whose liberties you have asserted by your virtues." His wound was not mortal as he had supposed, and he recovered, and soon left the country.

The winter was passed by Washington in an effort to increase the army, and render it more efficient. Baron Steuben, a Prussian officer, who had served under Frederick the Great, was appointed inspector, with the rank of major-general. He introduced into the army the drill and discipline of the Prussian service, and greatly increased its efficiency. The various States, save Georgia and South Carolina, were called upon by Congress to contribute their quota of troops to the army. In consideration of their large slave population, and the necessity of retaining their troops for their own defence, those States were excused from compliance with this demand. Count Pulaski succeeded in raising an independent body of cavalry, and Major Henry Lee organized a regiment of light horse, which under his command subsequently became noted as one of the most efficient corps of the army. Congress proposed to increase the force of the army to sixty thousand men, but was never able to bring it to more than half that number.

The inability of Congress to pay the troops compelled many of the officers to leave the army, in order to provide for their families, who were suffering. Congress called upon the States to raise money for the public expenses by taxing their people, but some of them neglected to respond to this appeal, and the remainder were too poor to render much assistance. Congress issued new bills of credit; but the value of the "Continental Currency," as this money was called, had depreciated so greatly that a pair of shoes could not be bought for less than from five to six hundred dollars in these bills. The Tories and the British depreciated them still further by flooding the country with counterfeits.

A great improvement was made in the supply of provisions furnished the army by the appointment of General Greene, at the request of Washington, to the post of quartermaster-general, which had been held by General Mifflin, who had neglected its duties on all occasions. At the urgent solicitation of the commander-in-chief, Greene assumed the distasteful position for one year, and discharged its duties with a skill and precision which kept the army so well supplied with provisions and