It was one of the lowest points for the Patriots in the Revolutionary War. The British had just defeated George Washington, again, at the Battle of Brandywine. The Commander-in-Chief was enduring a brutal winter at Valley Forge, where starvation and disease were causing thousands of deaths.
Horatio Gates wasn’t sympathetic. His recent victory at Saratoga had struck a stunning blow to the British, capturing Gen. John Burgoyne’s entire army. Yet, who commanded the Continental forces? It was a man who lost almost every battle. Perhaps it was time to change that—for the good of America, of course.
Thomas Conway voiced aloud what Gates thought. Conway, an Irishman who had served in the French Army, knew how to win. In a successful military career, he had been rapidly promoted. Now, he sought a new position in America: major general. Perhaps Gates was the man to make it happen, since Washington had denied his advancement. Conway began to openly criticize Washington as inexperienced, and some members of Congress were listening….