pretty much appeared to be over, and peace negotiations were underway, the politicians started doing what politicians tend to do to the military when they don’t need them at the moment.”
“Screw ‘em over,” Roland said.
“Exactly,” Dane said. He nodded at Edith to pick up the story.
“Since they didn’t have the revenue from the states, Congress stopped paying the Army,” Edith said. “There were a considerable number of disgruntled officers. On 10 March, an anonymous letter began making the rounds of Washington’s camp at Newburgh. He was in that location, fifty miles up the Hudson, because the British still occupied New York City.
“Aware there were peace negotiations and that a treaty would soon be signed heightened tensions among the officers. They knew they were running out of time and leverage to get Congress to act. Once the treaty was completed and most of the officers cashiered out, they would have nothing they’d been promised for their service during the Revolution.”
Edith reached into her satchel and pulled out a file. “You’ll get this data in your download, but I think the original helps focus.” She pulled out an old document encased in hard plastic. She handed it to Eagle as if passing a fragile golden egg. “That’s the original letter written by Alexander Hamilton to George Washington asking him to ‘take the direction’ of the Army, particularly the officers. Hamilton was in Philadelphia getting the direction of the Congress.”
Eagle looked at the letter. “He was asking if they were going to munity?”
“In essence,” Edith said. “But there is more to Hamilton’s letter than concern for the officer’s welfare. He was implementing a clever political maneuver, using the threat of this mutiny, which had vast ramifications, to push for the formation of a stronger Federal government. He would use the threat to get Congress to enact the Articles of Confederation, which would eventually lead to the Constitution and the government as we know it.”
Eagle frowned. “So it worked?”
“It wouldn’t have worked if the officers had actually rebelled,” Dane said. “It was a very dangerous situation. On 15 March, Washington gave a speech. The Newburgh Address. It stopped the mutiny.”
“I’ve got the original transcript!” Edith’s excitement filled the room. The transcript was encased in plastic and she handed it to Eagle. Everyone waited while he read it through.
“Intriguing wording,” Eagle said when was done. “Quite brilliant.” He handed the two documents back to Edith. “I see why this is so important. But am I going back as a freedman or a slave? If it’s the latter, and the way I’m outfitted suggests that, then what could I possibly do?”
“You’ll figure it out.” Dane was already moving on, leaving Eagle fuming.
15 March 1493 A.D.—Palos de la Frontera, Spain
“Christopher Columbus arrives back in Spain,” Dane said, “via a two week detour in Portugal, which was a matter of some concern, given King John of Portugal hadn’t financed his expedition. On 15 March, he arrives at Palos de la Frontera, Spain, the small port town where he’d spent seven years trying to get the funding for the mission and from which he departed for the New World. That day he forwards his official report to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand and the Pope. That is the document, which sets in motion what will happen to the New World he’s discovered. People all across Europe and especially the Vatican, used it as the prompt for the future.”
“Thought the Vikings were there first,” Roland said.
“The Vikings were like you,” Mac said. “They didn’t write a report.”
“Actually,” Edith said. “That’s true. Knowledge that isn’t disseminated dies with time. Columbus’ report, especially after it was printed and widely read, opened the gate for European exploration and colonization of the Americas.”
“Genocide of the indigenous
“Screw ‘em over,” Roland said.
“Exactly,” Dane said. He nodded at Edith to pick up the story.
“Since they didn’t have the revenue from the states, Congress stopped paying the Army,” Edith said. “There were a considerable number of disgruntled officers. On 10 March, an anonymous letter began making the rounds of Washington’s camp at Newburgh. He was in that location, fifty miles up the Hudson, because the British still occupied New York City.
“Aware there were peace negotiations and that a treaty would soon be signed heightened tensions among the officers. They knew they were running out of time and leverage to get Congress to act. Once the treaty was completed and most of the officers cashiered out, they would have nothing they’d been promised for their service during the Revolution.”
Edith reached into her satchel and pulled out a file. “You’ll get this data in your download, but I think the original helps focus.” She pulled out an old document encased in hard plastic. She handed it to Eagle as if passing a fragile golden egg. “That’s the original letter written by Alexander Hamilton to George Washington asking him to ‘take the direction’ of the Army, particularly the officers. Hamilton was in Philadelphia getting the direction of the Congress.”
Eagle looked at the letter. “He was asking if they were going to munity?”
“In essence,” Edith said. “But there is more to Hamilton’s letter than concern for the officer’s welfare. He was implementing a clever political maneuver, using the threat of this mutiny, which had vast ramifications, to push for the formation of a stronger Federal government. He would use the threat to get Congress to enact the Articles of Confederation, which would eventually lead to the Constitution and the government as we know it.”
Eagle frowned. “So it worked?”
“It wouldn’t have worked if the officers had actually rebelled,” Dane said. “It was a very dangerous situation. On 15 March, Washington gave a speech. The Newburgh Address. It stopped the mutiny.”
“I’ve got the original transcript!” Edith’s excitement filled the room. The transcript was encased in plastic and she handed it to Eagle. Everyone waited while he read it through.
“Intriguing wording,” Eagle said when was done. “Quite brilliant.” He handed the two documents back to Edith. “I see why this is so important. But am I going back as a freedman or a slave? If it’s the latter, and the way I’m outfitted suggests that, then what could I possibly do?”
“You’ll figure it out.” Dane was already moving on, leaving Eagle fuming.
15 March 1493 A.D.—Palos de la Frontera, Spain
“Christopher Columbus arrives back in Spain,” Dane said, “via a two week detour in Portugal, which was a matter of some concern, given King John of Portugal hadn’t financed his expedition. On 15 March, he arrives at Palos de la Frontera, Spain, the small port town where he’d spent seven years trying to get the funding for the mission and from which he departed for the New World. That day he forwards his official report to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand and the Pope. That is the document, which sets in motion what will happen to the New World he’s discovered. People all across Europe and especially the Vatican, used it as the prompt for the future.”
“Thought the Vikings were there first,” Roland said.
“The Vikings were like you,” Mac said. “They didn’t write a report.”
“Actually,” Edith said. “That’s true. Knowledge that isn’t disseminated dies with time. Columbus’ report, especially after it was printed and widely read, opened the gate for European exploration and colonization of the Americas.”
“Genocide of the indigenous
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