http://tspwiki.com/index.php?title=1777
Here are some one liners...
The Articles of Confederation and the United States of America -- The document defining the national government called the United States of America is sent out for ratification
Washington Switches to a Fabien Strategy - He's had a couple of good battles but they weren't good enough. This is going to be a longer war than most people appreciate, so Washington changes to a Fabian strategy.
Turn, Turn, Turn... Spies in Review -- The man who will lead Washington's Culper Ring will have an adventure this year.
The Articles of Confederation and the United States of America
Last year, when the Continental Congress appointed a committee to draft the Declaration of Independence, another committee was assigned to the Articles of Confederation. The Articles are a set of rules under which the former colonies of the British Empire will join in mutual defense against Great Britain for the purposes of securing independence from the British monarchy and to make sure that no other monarchy is installed in its place. The name of this new government entity shall be the United States of America. It may seem ridiculous that the Continental Congress would wait until this year to send out the approved draft for ratification by the states. After all, the "shot heard around the world" at Concord was two years prior, but every endeavor has its process. The Articles will not be ratified until 1781 but they are the defacto rules for the government right now. It defines a very weak government so it will be replaced by the United States Constitution in 1788. [1]
My Take by Alex Shrugged
It's a good thing that the Articles went out for ratification fairly quickly since the British came through Philadelphia and chased Congress out that year. George Washington sent Lt. Colonel Alexander Hamilton to destroy the flour mills in order to deny them to the enemy. Hamilton was nearly killed and sent word to John Hancock to evacuate Philadelphia, but beyond those efforts, Washington was forced by his Fabian strategy to let the British have Philadelphia. He had more valuable things to do with his time than saving politicians who couldn't agree on how to pay his troops or feed them. The Articles of Confederation lacked the authority necessary to DEMAND payment from the states... only beg. That is why a lot of states didn't pay. (There were always good excuses.) I've come to realize that there is no constitution that one could devise that could keep the balance between the power to tax and the power to be left alone. It takes constant vigilance to maintain the balance. A single document cannot do it without the people supporting it and watching with an eagle-eye. [2] [3]
It's a good thing that the Articles went out for ratification fairly quickly since the British came through Philadelphia and chased Congress out that year. George Washington sent Lt. Colonel Alexander Hamilton to destroy the flour mills in order to deny them to the enemy. Hamilton was nearly killed and sent word to John Hancock to evacuate Philadelphia, but beyond those efforts, Washington was forced by his Fabian strategy to let the British have Philadelphia. He had more valuable things to do with his time than saving politicians who couldn't agree on how to pay his troops or feed them. The Articles of Confederation lacked the authority necessary to DEMAND payment from the states... only beg. That is why a lot of states didn't pay. (There were always good excuses.) I've come to realize that there is no constitution that one could devise that could keep the balance between the power to tax and the power to be left alone. It takes constant vigilance to maintain the balance. A single document cannot do it without the people supporting it and watching with an eagle-eye. [2] [3]
Washington Switches to a Fabien Strategy
His Excellency George Washington (that is what they call him) wants a straight up fight just like it says in the Book, but he has been losing more than winning going by the Book. Crossing the Delaware on Christmas evening 1776, to surprise the German mercenaries was a major morale-boaster, but even after the Battle of Princeton (a big win for Washington) it is clear that the Continental Army cannot hurt the British enough to force them to agree to the United States (plural) independence. George Washington has three major virtues: 1. He is fearless in battle. (No BS. No hero-worship. Just fact.) 2. He knows his failings and works to control them. (This is probably why he speaks only when he has something to say.) And 3. He listens. He doesn't always like what he hears, but he faces facts. The fact is that Congress wants glorious victories, but General Washington wants to win the war. He will engage in battle only when he has an opportunity for a decisive victory, and a way to escape if he doesn't. He is going to lead the British troops on a merry chase. Split them up. Waste their resources. This is called a Fabian strategy, a slow wearing down of an opponent, and denying him a victory. Circumstances make this the only option. A lot of his troops have smallpox, so he requires that the military get inoculated. That means downtime for his troops. Disease is still the number one killer of the military in the field due to unsanitary conditions and exposure to the elements. That fact won't change until World War 2. [4] [5]
My Take by Alex Shrugged
The British were reluctant to address George Washington as "Your Excellency" because it would acknowledge Washington as a legitimate head of state. Of course, Washington's officers insisted on using the title "Your Excellency" to tweak the British but also to build an American aristocracy out of the officer corp. Obviously, it didn't work out. Regarding the troops, if Washington had a standing army to train and command, he might have tried more aggressive tactics which would have been disastrous. Luckily the whole American Revolution was initially about the British taxation of the colonies to pay for a standing army, so Washington was denied such requests because it would have started a riot. 1777 was also the year that Lafayette arrived in America over the objection of the French government. He had to pay his own way from France since the money of the Continental Congress was "not worth a Continental." The Continental dollars were not backed by anything.... not even the promise of future tax revenues. The old Continental Airline's frequent flyer miles had more substantial backing. [6] [7] [8] [9]
The British were reluctant to address George Washington as "Your Excellency" because it would acknowledge Washington as a legitimate head of state. Of course, Washington's officers insisted on using the title "Your Excellency" to tweak the British but also to build an American aristocracy out of the officer corp. Obviously, it didn't work out. Regarding the troops, if Washington had a standing army to train and command, he might have tried more aggressive tactics which would have been disastrous. Luckily the whole American Revolution was initially about the British taxation of the colonies to pay for a standing army, so Washington was denied such requests because it would have started a riot. 1777 was also the year that Lafayette arrived in America over the objection of the French government. He had to pay his own way from France since the money of the Continental Congress was "not worth a Continental." The Continental dollars were not backed by anything.... not even the promise of future tax revenues. The old Continental Airline's frequent flyer miles had more substantial backing. [6] [7] [8] [9]
Turn, Turn, Turn... Spies in Review
- There is a spy in the midst of Washington's camp. He is probably an officer.
- People speculate that the wife of British General Gage is a spy for the Revolution. Probably not.
- Nathan Hale was hung as a spy last year. "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." [10]
- Benedict Arnold is not yet a spy but he is passed over for promotion and he resents it... a lot. So it begins.
- Next year, Washington will form the Culper Ring. Colonel Benjamin Tallmadge will lead it. This year he meets a woman spy in a tavern. The British are on to them and they barely escape with their lives as he lifts her onto his horse and gallops away with her. She has nerves of steel.
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- During the whole ride, although there was considerable firing of pistols, and not a little wheeling and charging, she remained unmoved, and never once complained for fear after she mounted my horse. [11]
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