The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-05

now embraced by the State of YER
mont. There was intense Jealousy be-
tween the colonies. New York did not
have the preponderance in population
!; then that 1T has now. OF the thirteen
colonies 1t stood seventh In point OF
population. Virginia was first New
York was the richest colony, but III
had the largest proportion Of Tories.
and New England resented the placing
Of New York general in command OF
the Army Of the North. composed most
~ Of New England men. Added to this
colonial Jealousy was the racial ane.
The New Englanders were of English
extraction, and they scoffed at the
idea Of serving under man Of Dutch
blood.
queer force indeed was the CONT
mental army Of that early day. Later
after many mistakes and hardshlps It
was to be drilled by Steuben into one
or the finest fighting bodies in the
world, but 1t was a fractions, mutinous
crew at first. Unframed and unwilling
to accept discipline, 1t had its own
ideas of action. Each militia body
worked independently. For the rou-
tine OF camp and the monotony Of drill
1t had no love. 1t would enlist for a
short period, and then, regardless of
the stage of the campaign. Insist, when
us time was up, on Its rights to re-
The soldier had his fields to cultt-
vate, his crops to gather and his fam
lily to provide for. When Congress- in
Its poverty, FAILED to supply equipment.
there was rebellion and disorder. The
men were willing enough to fight, but
they chafed at delay. They wanted the
fight to be ready for them when they
Were ready to fight. They did not
want to lose any time.
To Schuyler. careful, precise. order
: ly man, the characterization of the
, militia was horror. He was a stick
Ter for military etiquette, but the MILL
tiamen had no respect for military
forms. They were sticklers for inde-
pendence. "A private considered himself
as good as an officer Weren't thew
fighting for liberty and eouality7
On duty they would obey orders, but
or duty the captain, major or COL
0nel was Jim, 1J Joe Or John.
Out OF his abundance Schuyler drew;
lavishly to equip and feed his troops
when Congress failed to provide
Then, when he had exhausted his re-
sources and could give no more. he
got the reward many others like him
received. He was accused Of mysteri-
ously doing away with great stores of
| goods and great sums of money. Next
| rumors We're circulated affecting his
LOYALTY to the patriotic cause These
naturally developed into reports that
| ne was a traitor. For a long time he
| Ignored all this. but the clamor grew
and he appealed to General Washing
ton ana 10 Congress for an investiga-
tioh. Washington wrote to him that
] law It,
was only in miniature what he him
| self had been undergoing. The COM
mander-in- chief laid bare his heart to
| his friend, told him of all the trials,
the disappointments, the vile ins.nu-
| atlons and the treachery he had to
meet, and begged him not to abate one
| particle in his work
! Schuyler. when he read the generals
letter, apologized for bothering him
with his troubles. they were so small
compared with those the commander
in-chief had to combat.
But Schuyler soon discovered that
behind all the attack upon him
there was one active agent New Eng
land had an idol. 1t was General
Gates. He was the soldier who. IL in
command OF the Army of the North,
would accomplish wonders. The New
Englanders would serve under him
with enthusiasm. He, like General
I charles Lee, was trained soldier He
had been In the English army. All he
| required was an opportunity to show
ms talents, But he required big
field. He was too big to waste his
talents in small theatre
| Gates was not averse to letting pco-
| pie know how much better he could
handle an army than could the gem
eral in command. He could write we'll
and he could talk well. He kept close
to Congress and pointed out how
Schuyler had failed to do this and
failed TO do that. Now and then he
gently explained how Washington had
failed to do this and failed to do that
WHAT was necessary, he explained. If
the cause was not to fail, was that
q competent general should command
The Army of the North was especial
ly in need of competent commander.
Congress. spurred on by tho New
England members, appointed Gates to
command the Army of the North in
Canada, Gates was delighted. Schuy
Ter had not been consulted and Wash
ington had not been consulted. There
was no Army Of the North In Canada,
all the American troops having re-
treated to Ticonderogn or gone home,
but Gates believed. and had private
assurances from his friends in Con-
gress that what was meant was that
he would he free to operate in the
North independent of Schuyler, and
that II SCHUYLER did mot resign in
.pique at the discourtesy shown hini
/ GATES would in due season supplant
him.
TO Albany went Gates and for a
time he was the guest of Schuyler.
| Not until weeks after Gates had pro-
/ ceeded to Ticonderoga to examine tina.
stronghold did Schuyler discover wha.
was designed. Then he went before
Congress and plainly but courteously
| insisted upon having absolute COM
mand or having the privilege oftIe-
| signing. Congress was a bit ashamed
and a bit lalarnled, ashamed of hay
ing gratuitously- affronted the COM
mander-in- chief, and the commander
1 OF the Army Of the North, and afraid
Of the erect Its unwarranted sup
!! planting of Schuyler would have on a
great and innuential. body Of his