No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Reserve & National Guard

Newburgh: That one time veterans were upset with Congress

AmeriForce Exclusive
by AmeriForce Exclusive
October 17, 2016

Throughout the bulk of the Revolutionary War, Congress faced ongoing struggles to support pay and supplies for the Continental Army.

They had no power to tax under the Articles of Confederation. Instead, Congress as a “federal” body had to rely on each state to raise revenue in support of the common cause. They payments, called “requisitions”, were completely given voluntarily at the will of the state and often irregular in their coming. In 1780, a law passed by Congress to at least provide soldiers with half-pay, was still not being honored by the states at the end of the war in 1783.

Our army of volunteers had on many occasions during our struggle for independence been subjected to borrowing supplies instead from citizens. Even the immediate threat of British pressing upon some localities during the war did not always influence the speed of requisitions. With the war coming to a close, states were even less inclined to support any law of levy that gave power to a centralized government.

RELATED: Military intelligence reserve units called up for Berlin crisis

Having given of themselves to the cause of liberty, the lack of pay and support left veterans throughout the army frustrated. General George Washington notoriously wrote regularly to Congress as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, entreating them for the supplies and support his men needed. In 1782, the Continental Army was encamped at Newburgh. Among the ranks there, the discord grew that Congress would not be able to make good on its promises and obligations to those who fought for the new United States of America. Talk of mutiny arose, perhaps even spurred on by leaders within the army itself — notably General Horatio Gates — who had grown tired of waiting on Congress and Washington’s insistence on giving Congress the chance.

Gates’ aide-de-camp circulated an anonymous letter at Newburgh imploring the soldiers to take more drastic action to force Congress into an ultimatum. The hand they were prepared to play was to threaten the army would disband and leave the country unprotected or worse, a military takeover once the peace treaty with the British was signed. The letter further asked the officers to take part in an unauthorized meeting  to set the mutiny in motion. General Washington got wind of the letter and issued a general order declaring such talk to be conduct unbecoming. He instead directed all to assemble a few days later at a regular meeting of his officers where they could discuss coolly and vent the matters at hand.

The day of the meeting arrived and General Gates was prepared to chair it. He stood to make remarks, but was interrupted when suddenly Washington himself walked in. Looking across the room at his weary soldiers, the Commander in Chief addressed them, defining himself foremost as devoted to them and their common country; as one of them, he himself had neither been ignorant of their sufferings or immune from the same.

 He then staunchly dismissed the reckless call to mutiny.

My God! What can this writer have in view, by recommending such measures? Can he be a friend to the army? Can he be a friend to this country? Rather, is he not an insidious foe? Some emissary, perhaps, from New York, plotting the ruin of both, by sowing the seeds of discord and separation between the civil and military powers of the continent?

This article was written by Claire Henline.

Read comments
Tags: Articles of ConfederationhistoryMilitary HistoryNewburghRevolutionary War
AmeriForce Exclusive

AmeriForce Exclusive

Related Posts

Marine Corps Reserve veteran reflects on ‘fly on the wall’ view of Iraq War

by Kari Williams
9 hours ago
0
Iraq

When talk of the Iraq War began, retired Marine Corps Capt. Matthew Hoh was a junior officer for the Secretary...

Read more

Our Military Kids shines light on ‘hidden helpers’ with annual contest

by Kari Williams
4 days ago
0
Our Military Kids

When reviewing nominations for the Our Military Kids Courageous Kids contest in 2022, one child’s story spurred the creation of...

Read more

4 history-making women of the reserve component

by Amanda Huffman
1 week ago
0
Col. Ruth Cheney Streeter

Women account for more than 20% of service members in the National Guard and reserves – a number that has...

Read more

The last World War II veteran on active duty served for nearly 55 years after the war

by Military.com
1 week ago
0
World War II

Dr. Earl Russell Fox spent most of his life in and around the military, joining the Navy during World War II.

Read more

Meet the Medical Reserve Corps doctor who established new inoculation approach for smallpox vaccine

by Alexandra Vollman
3 weeks ago
0
Vaccinating the poor of New York City against smallpox in 1872. In 1863, mass production of smallpox vaccine was developed, allowing for broad immunization of North American and European populations.

A WWI vet & Medical Reserve Corps member developed an approach to administering the smallpox vaccine that more than quadrupled...

Read more

50 years later, Operation Homecoming a ‘symbol of the last warriors’ returning from Vietnam

by Ben Greene
1 month ago
0
Operation Homecoming

Operation Homecoming freed now-retired Col. Tom McNish and more than 600 prisoners of war from Vietnam 50 years ago this...

Read more

Ads

Let's get social

The RNG Drill

News delivered directly to your inbox

Let's connect!

ABOUT US

  • OUR STORY
  • OUR TEAM
  • OUR WRITERS

MAGAZINE

  • GET PRINT
  • GET DIGITAL
  • GET THE NEWSLETTER

GET RESOURCES

  • VETERANS TOOLKIT

ADVERTISE

  • GET OUR MEDIA KIT
  • PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

SUBMISSIONS

  • PITCH US
  • SUBMIT YOUR STORY

Never miss out on the latest stories.

© 2021 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Privacy Policy | Terms | Site by Swiss Commerce

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
  • YOUR CAREER
    • UNIT TRAINING
    • DEPLOYMENT
    • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • RECRUITING & RETENTION
    • ENTREPRENEUR
    • TRANSITION
  • EDUCATION
  • MILITARY LIFE
    • MILITARY SPOUSES
    • MILITARY KIDS
    • PARENTING
  • OFF DUTY
    • ENTERTAINMENT
    • TRAVEL
  • HEALTH
    • FITNESS
    • MEDICINE
    • MENTAL HEALTH
  • SPORTS
  • OPINION
  • HISTORY
  • MONEY
    • PERSONAL FINANCE
    • BENEFITS
  • GET THE MAGAZINE
    • PRINT MAGAZINES
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINES
    • GET THE NEWSLETTER
  • RESOURCES
    • VETERANS TOOLKIT
  • ABOUT US
    • MEET OUR TEAM
    • OUR AUTHORS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
    • PITCH US
    • CONTACT

© 2022 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW

Skip to toolbar
  • About WordPress
    • WordPress.org
    • Documentation
    • Support
    • Feedback
  • AMP
    • View AMP version