wn.
He had a grudge against Washington, as Charles Lee had. He thought he
could get on better if Washington were out of the way. So he busied
himself in organizing a kind of conspiracy against Washington, which
came to be known as the "Conway Cabal." The purpose was to put forward
Gates to supersede Washington, as he had lately superseded the noble
Schuyler. Gates, of course, lent himself heartily to the scheme; such
intrigues were what he was made for. And there were some of our noblest
men who were dissatisfied with Washington, because they were ignorant of
the military art, and could not understand his wonderful skill, as
Frederick the Great did. Among these were John and Samuel Adams, who
disapproved of "Fabian strategy." Gates and Conway tried to work upon
such feelings. They hoped by thwarting and insulting Washington to wound
his pride and force him to resign. In this wretched work they had
altogether too much help from Congress, but they failed ignominiously
because Gates's lies were too plainly discovered. The attempts to injure
Washington recoiled upon their authors. Never, perhaps, was Washington
so grand as in that sorrowful winter at Valley Forge.

When the news of the French alliance arrived, in the spring of 1778,
there was a general feeling of elation. People were over-confident. It
seemed as if the British might be driven from the country in the course
of that year. Some changes occurred in both the opposing armies. A great
deal of fault was found in England with Howe and Burgoyne. The latter
was allowed to go home in the spring, and took his seat in Parliament
while still a prisoner on parole. He was henceforth friendly to the
Americans, and opposed the further prosecution of the war. Sir William
Howe resigned his command in May and went home in order to defend his
conduct. Shortly before his appointment to the chief command in America,
he had uttered a prophecy somewhat notable as coming from one who was
about to occupy such a position. In a speech at Nottingham he had
expressed the opinion that the Americans could not be subdued by any
army that Great Britain could raise!

[Sidenote: Howe is superseded by Clinton.]

Howe was succeeded in the chief command by Sir Henry Clinton. His
brother, Lord Howe, remained in command of the fleet until the autumn,
when he was succeeded by Admiral Byron. During the winter the American
army had received a very important reinforcement in the person of Baron
vo