Acknowledging Washington’s rank would mean recognizing America as a sovereign nation, and that was a nonstarter. The Howe brothers, for all their guns and ships, and ships with guns, didn’t have much bargaining power. The Royal Army was open to reconciliation or battle, and nothing else. They could offer Washington pardon, but only in exchange for a total and complete “dissolution of all rebel political and military bodies, surrender of all the forts and posts, and restoration of the King’s officials.”6 It was a bad offer for Washington as an individual and for America as a country. He
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