an people. If, indeed, importing into the struggle views of a
later date, we look upon it as one between two nations, the
mismanagement of the war by the Americans, on all points save one--the
retention of Washington in the chief command--is seen to have been so
pitiable from first to last as to be in fact almost unintelligible. We
only understand the case when we see that there was no such thing as an
American nation in existence, but only a number of revolted colonies,
jealous of one another, and with no tie but that of a common danger.

Even in the army, divisions broke out. Washington, in a general order of
August 1, 1776, says: "It is with great concern that the general
understands that jealousies have arisen among the troops from the
different provinces, and reflections are frequently thrown out which can
only tend to irritate each other and injure the noble cause in which we
are engaged." It was seldom that much help could be obtained in troops
from any State, unless that State were immediately threatened by the
enemy; and even then these troops would be raised by that State for its
own defence, irrespectively of the general or "Continental Army."

"Those at a distance from the seat of War," wrote Washington in April,
1778, "live in such perfect tranquillity that they conceive the dispute
to be in a manner at an end; and those near it are so disaffected that
they serve only as embarrassments." In January, 1779, we find him
remonstrating with the Governor of Rhode Island because that State had
"ordered several battalions to be raised for the defence of the State
only, and this before proper measures were taken to fill the Continental
regiments." The different bounties and rates of pay allowed by the
various States were a constant source of annoyance to him. After the
first year, the best men were not returned to Congress, or did not
return to it. Whole States remained frequently unrepresented. In the
winter of 1777-1778 Congress was reduced to twenty-one members. But even
with a full representation it could do little. "One State will comply
with a requisition of Congress," writes Washington in 1780, "another
neglects to do it, a third executes it by halves, and all differ either
in the manner, the matter, or so much in point of time that we are
always working up-hill." At first Congress was really nothing more than
a voluntary committee. When the Confederation was completed--which was
only, be it remembered, on Ma