Westholme Publishing
384 Pages
More and more of these reviews in the George Washington part of my reading project are focusing on minor events in Washington’s life that could have had a major effect on the course of his life and our nation if the outcomes had been different. Cabal! by Mark Edward Lender explores one of these events in great detail. This event had more teeth to it than the conspiracy that Brad Meltzer wrote about, but both were intriguing to learn more.
In 1778, factions within the Continental Army were covertly working to undermine George Washington’s command. While the conspiracy in Meltzer’s book was specifically about an attempt on the general’s life, this cabal was about removing him from command and replacing him with the hero of Saratoga, Horatio Gates. Lender’s book uncovers and details how the effort to usurp Washington went beyond what we’ve always been told about the so-called “Conway Cabal.” There were tendrils of treachery deep into the political powers of the day.
Efforts to neuter Washington’s power came shortly after the victory at Saratoga. At the time, Washington had no major wins in his column and was in near constant retreat. Gates’ victory over Burgoyne lent momentum to the idea of replacing the head of the colonists’ military. Echoes of dissent rang in the ears of those who could make the changes at the top of the hierarchy. Efforts were made to form a Board of War which would have taken much of Washington’s power away and put it instead in a group of people to whom Washington would have to answer and to whom he would be required to ask permission for his military decisions. It would have made his rank meaningless.
Throughout these machinations, Washington was able to maneuver himself into a place where these challenges could be met head on. With the same tenacity and seeming diplomacy, he was able to fend off the efforts of the cabal and retain his place as the supreme commander of the colonial forces. Lender explains how, over time, the impact of this cabal was given less credence as a threat to Washington’s position than the people who were there gave it. Over time, it was virtually dismissed by more modern historians. Lender reopens the research to find that it was, in fact, a significant threat to Washington, and could have changed the course of the history of the United States. If George Washington had been removed from command, or even been reduced to a hollow command, would he have been able to overcome that to step into the role as our first president? Without Washington’s calculated decisions as our first leader, would we as a nation have survived?
Let’s think about that for a moment. If George Washington had been removed as General, would Gates have replaced him? Would Gates have had the same temperament to become the Father of our country? If not George Washington, who could have stepped into those shoes? These questions arise from the efforts of the Conway Cabal. Because of these questions, historians need to take a closer look at what was going on behind the scenes. The impact of a successful coup could have had far ranging and far lasting consequences on how we live today. Lender recognizes that and brings us the research that shows how deeply the unrest spread, and how Washington, yet again, was able to make the decisions to put us on the path to success.
Mark Edward Lender’s Cabal! should be read by all of us. Political ambitions can make or break a nation. This political ambition could very well have broken this country before we even took our first real steps. Because of that, this book should be well regarded by historians and lay people alike. In our current political environment, we have to recognize that some people are about themselves and others are about others. The same things could be happening today. Educating ourselves makes us stronger.
Craig Bacon liked this book for the fact that it kind of gave a ‘what if’ scenario. It will at least make you think a little more about it.
UP NEXT: A Crisis of Peace by David Head