George Washington passed through many trials during the long winter at Valley Forge. He watched his men suffer from a lack of clothing and food, and by early 1778 he was convinced his army would simply dissolve as his cold and hungry soldiers headed for
George Washington passed through many trials during the long winter at Valley Forge. He watched his men suffer from a lack of clothing and food, and by early 1778 he was convinced his army would simply dissolve as his cold and hungry soldiers headed for home. But perhaps the greatest trial that he endured came from the complaints that made their way to his camp about failed leadership.
Many in Congress compared Washington's losses at Brandywine and Germantown unfavorably to the stunning victory of General Horatio Gates at Saratoga. Some even argued that Washington should be replaced as the Commander in Chief since his defeats on the battlefield had opened the way for the British to occupy Philadelphia. Even worse, there were rumors that Washington had styled himself as a modern day Caesar who was preparing to march on York, Pennsylvania where the Continental Congress had retreated. Here, it was believed, he would depose the duly elected representatives of the American people and rule the army and the United States as a dictator.
When he learned that the Congress had appointed a committee to investigate the army at Valley Forge, Washington decided neither to defend himself against his critics no