The fight for American independence did not end with early victories or dramatic battles; it evolved into a protracted struggle that tested the limits of courage, strategy, and endurance. Drawing on primary sources, historian Christopher Hamner continues exploring the pivotal turning points and strategic choices that shaped the course and the conclusion of the war.

Session Information

The Newburgh Conspiracy: Civil–Military Tensions in the Early Republic

The British surrender at Yorktown ended major fighting in North America, but the war itself lingered for nearly two more years until the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During this uncertain period, the Continental Army encamped at Newburgh, New York, keeping a wary eye on British-occupied New York City.

Frustration mounted when officers learned Congress was debating whether to honor promised back pay and pensions. Anonymous letters, attributed to the mysterious “Brutus,” hinted that the army might refuse to disband unless its demands were met. Hamner explores this tense standoff and George Washington’s dramatic intervention in March 1783, a moment that averted potential mutiny and left a lasting imprint on American fears of standing armies, shaping the debate over the new nation’s military and political future.

Additional Sessions of the American Revolution, Part 2 Series

• August 20: Valley Forge: Soldier’s Life in the Continental Army
• September 24: Turning Point: The Battle of Saratoga
• October 22: Cowpens and Yorktown: The Final Campaigns of the Revolution

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