The Newburgh Conspiracy, Part 1: Widespread Unrest at Newburgh Encampment
On March 10, 1783, an anonymous letter circulated through the Continental Army’s encampment at Newburgh encouraging the soldiers take action against Congress, who had begun to waffle on their promise of a lifetime pension of half-pay upon discharge from the service.
Watch the first video in our three-part series on the Newburgh Conspiracy as Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, explores the issues that led to the conspiracy, George Washington’s role in averting a mutiny, and why it still matters today.
Images courtesy of Mount Vernon, Library of Congress, The Library Company of Philadelphia, National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution, Wikipedia.
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The Newburgh Conspiracy represents a time when our nation came closest to deviating from our core revolutionary principles of representative government with civilian control of the military. Because of a weak Confederation Congress and unhappiness within the officer ranks of the Continental Army, the stage was set for our new nation to drift into a military dictatorship or monarchy.