-
Dorothea Graham Jensen
a book bubble about
A Buss from Lafayette
Teens
Author Insight
Pots, Kettles, and Cabals
I have been reading a terrific book by Thomas Fleming entitled "The Strategy of Victory," in which I have learned many details about the Revolution that I had not encountered before. One interesting bit was in a letter from one of the plotters in the "Conway Cabal," General Mifflin. In this missive, Mifflin refers to Washington and his top generals as—you guessed it—a CABAL. Of course, I knew that Conway, Gates, et al were bona fide plotters hoping to put Gates in command of all Patriot forces. For them to refer to the legitimate commander-in-chief with this term, however, clearly shows how Washington was being undermined by some of his own officers. Here's the quote from Mifflin's letter: "The list of our disgusted patriots is long and formidable—their resentments keen against the reigning cabal..." Fleming goes on to explain thus: "An explorer of this thicket of words will soon see that the men being trashed were General Washington and his two closest advisors, Generals Nathanael Greene and Henry Knox." - Thomas Fleming, The Strategy of Victory
Book Excerpt
A Buss from Lafayette
Major Weeks went on. “If all that shared suffering at Valley Forge was not terrible enough to endure on its own, there was also backbiting and plotting enough to make your stomach turn!”
“Why, I have never heard of that, sir!” exclaimed Joss.
The major snorted with outrage at the memory. He explained that an Irish adventurer named Conway had gotten himself appointed inspector general at their encampment at Valley Forge. While there, he had plotted to get Congress to throw out Washington as commander-in-chief and replace him with the so-called “hero of Saratoga,” General Gates.
“But young Lafayette was one of the first to alert General Washington about this so-called Conway Cabal,” said the major. “Such deceit—not to mention wrong-headed foolishness! The only thing holding our troops together at that time was loyalty to Washington!
Amazon
Barnes&Noble
Apple Books
Kobo
Click Follow to receive emails when this author adds content on Bublish
Comment on this Bubble
Your comment and a link to this bubble will also appear in your Facebook feed.