Ch 8 - Prepare to Hear the Worst

[Steve]

Please post discussion for Ch 8 here.

[Harold]

Paralysis of indecision. "Wait and things will get better." Faced by dire necessity, Washington had acted. Clinton and Cornwallis would not. Well presented by the author.

Wanting to refresh my memory of his contributions, I did a little reading today from a biography of Thomas Nelson. Replacing Jefferson as governor in June, Nelson had to deal with horrendous difficulites: lack of a credible currency, raising supplies for the armies, transporting the supplies, keeping together the Virginia militia, quelling uprisings. Virginia farmers had been supplying Greene in the Southern colonies. They wanted hard money, not worthless vouchers that were to be redeemed at a future date. Farmers much preferred selling their crops to the French, who gave them hard currency. Wagons were in short suppy, farmers frequently hiding them. Rivers had to be used much of the time for transport. Boats and crews, as well as wagons and food, were impressed. The militia of each county was usually divided into four groups and called up on a rotation basis. Each group was required to serve two months. Consequently, there were constant comings and goings and men simply quitting or not reporting. Although given expanded powers by the Assembly and Council, Nelson had to exceed his constitutional authority. After Cornwallis's surrender, Nelson was attacked by members of the House of Delegates. Subsequently, the House and Senate passed a bill that stated that his acts had been "productive of general good and warranted by necessity" and that they would be deemed legal.