Adams was
all against a Fabian policy and wanted to settle issues forever
by a short and strenuous war. The idol, it was being whispered,
proved after all to have feet of clay. One general, and only one,
had to his credit a really great victory--Gates, to whom Burgoyne
had surrendered at Saratoga, and there was a movement to replace
Washington by this laureled victor.
General Conway, an Irish soldier of fortune, was one of the most
troublesome in this plot. He had served in the campaign about
Philadelphia but had been blocked in his extravagant demands for
promotion; so he turned for redress to Gates, the star in the
north. A malignant campaign followed in detraction of Washington.
He had, it was said, worn out his men by useless marches; with an
army three times as numerous as that of Howe, he had gained no
victory; there was high fighting quality in the American army if
properly led, but Washington despised the militia; a Gates or a
Lee or a Conway would save the cause as Washington could not; and
so on. "Heaven has determined to save your country or a weak
general and bad counsellors would have ruined it"; so wrote
Conway to Gates and Gates allowed the letter to be seen. The
words were reported to Washington, who at once, in high dudgeon,
called Conway to account.
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