http://tspwiki.com/index.php?title=1778
Here are some one liners...
A Winter in Valley Forge -- 2,500 die that winter and Congress blames Washington. Washington tells them to kiss off.
The Franco-Franklin Alliance -- France Loves Benjamin Franklin. He manages to negotiate 2 treaties with France without the aid of John Adams which will torque off Adams.
Joshua Tetley is Born -- Beer. Ale. Nuf said.
A Winter in Valley Forge
The Continental Army settled down for winter encampment in December 1777 . His Excellency General George Washington (yes, they call him that) chooses Valley Forge for its ready food supply. It is also easily defended. Unfortunately, the British are paying the farmers better for food than the Continental Army which leaves Washington's troops cold and hungry. Desertions are up. Men without shoes are threatening to walk home. (About 700 horses are missing and presumed... eaten.) Over 100 officers have resigned their commissions, so Washington arranges for his favorite inspirational play to be performed: "Cato, a Tragedy" (KAY-toe'). General Greene is confiscating food from helpless farmers to feed the troops. George Washington feels ashamed but he is getting no response from Congress for supplies. His troops are eating "firecake" (wet wheat poured over a hot rock). Women are suffering too since wives have accompanied their men to the winter encampment, including Martha Washington. Then a swarm of spawning fish (shad) move up the river. It helps. By spring over 2,500 soldiers are dead out of the original 12,000. Congress is calling for Washington to resign but he is telling them in a gentlemanly way to KISS OFF! So they do. [1] [2]
My Take by Alex Shrugged
OK, there are a couple of questions. First, they had previous winter quarters. Why move to Valley Forge? Because the British had moved too close to the previous winter camp. Second, why didn't patriotic farmers sell food to the troops? Because the Continental money wasn't worth the paper it was printed on. (In the modern day, Venezuela's money is literally not worth the paper it is printed on, so they have stopped printing paper money.) There was also a social safety problem. Armies move. Farms stay put, so if you are a farmer supporting the Continental Army, you might get hurt by your Crown loyalist neighbors once the Continental Army moved out. It was safer to remain neutral. Finally, the backstabbing in Congress was intense, and shocking, but no worse than what happens in the modern day. John Adams was once congratulated by a younger man for his role in the American Revolution, but Adams would not accept hero-worship. He replied, "I have no reason to believe we were better than you are." FYI, Adams was saving his letters for posterity. That means he knew we would be looking over his shoulder, so he was speaking to our generation as well. [3] [4]
OK, there are a couple of questions. First, they had previous winter quarters. Why move to Valley Forge? Because the British had moved too close to the previous winter camp. Second, why didn't patriotic farmers sell food to the troops? Because the Continental money wasn't worth the paper it was printed on. (In the modern day, Venezuela's money is literally not worth the paper it is printed on, so they have stopped printing paper money.) There was also a social safety problem. Armies move. Farms stay put, so if you are a farmer supporting the Continental Army, you might get hurt by your Crown loyalist neighbors once the Continental Army moved out. It was safer to remain neutral. Finally, the backstabbing in Congress was intense, and shocking, but no worse than what happens in the modern day. John Adams was once congratulated by a younger man for his role in the American Revolution, but Adams would not accept hero-worship. He replied, "I have no reason to believe we were better than you are." FYI, Adams was saving his letters for posterity. That means he knew we would be looking over his shoulder, so he was speaking to our generation as well. [3] [4]
The Franco-Franklin Alliance
France LOVES Benjamin Franklin! He wears this fur hat that looks like a large beaver climbed onto his head and died, but in France his hat has become all the rage in fashion. Everyone is copying his rustic garb. He is also on the A-list for all the parties. Why is he there? He is a diplomat attempting to get France to commit to helping the United States in commerce and in its fight for independence. And we might as well get this out of the way. Franklin's confidant and the secretary to the American delegation is Dr. Edward Bancroft. He is also a spy working for Great Britain. Does anyone know this? Yes. Franklin knows it and he is using Bancroft to feed information to the British and to get information from the British. He is using a British spy to spy on the British! (No wonder Franklin is on the 100 dollar bill. This guy is a hoot!) Benjamin Franklin has been negotiating two treaties with France. The first is a mutual defense treaty against Great Britain. (Cheers can be heard all the way from Valley Forge right now!) The other treaty involves mutual commerce and opening ports for the Americans. It also protects American commerce from French privateers. By the time John Adams arrives in France to begin negotiations, the work is done. Adams is a little torqued off now that he has nothing to do and frankly, the French don't like him. [5] [6]
My Take by Alex Shrugged
For centuries France and Great Britain have had this love-hate relationship going on. If you will recall, the King of Great Britain can actually make a claim to the crown of France and the British still take pleasure in pointing this out on occasion. (The claim is thin but its there.) In 1777, France didn't want to get involved with the USA if it was going to fall apart soon, but after the American win at the Battle of Saratoga there were rumors that Great Britain would settle their differences with the USA. That rumor forced France to make alliance with the USA in order to divide British military attention and thus weaken it. In this case, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I wonder how France heard a rumor that the USA was seeking an alliance with Great Britain? FRANKLIN! [7]
For centuries France and Great Britain have had this love-hate relationship going on. If you will recall, the King of Great Britain can actually make a claim to the crown of France and the British still take pleasure in pointing this out on occasion. (The claim is thin but its there.) In 1777, France didn't want to get involved with the USA if it was going to fall apart soon, but after the American win at the Battle of Saratoga there were rumors that Great Britain would settle their differences with the USA. That rumor forced France to make alliance with the USA in order to divide British military attention and thus weaken it. In this case, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I wonder how France heard a rumor that the USA was seeking an alliance with Great Britain? FRANKLIN! [7]
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