The Newburgh Conspiracy – Dissension in the Ranks

In December 1782, the Continental Army had been fighting the British Army for over seven years. With peace negotiations underway, the soldiers were garrisoned near Newburgh, New York. Congress had passed a resolution in 1780 when the outcome of the war was still in doubt that promised Army officers a lifetime pension of half-pay upon discharge from the service. However, as peace talks progressed and the need for the Army decreased, Congress and the states began to waffle on their promise. The nation’s treasury was empty, and the Confederation Congress was helpless to do anything about it.

Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, explores how dissension in the ranks of the Continental Army led to the Newburgh Conspiracy, and why it still matters today.

Photo Credits:
Metropolitan Museum of Art
New York Public Library
Library of Congress
Brown University Library
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields
Wikimedia