Washington, however deeply in his own bosom he might have felt hurt at unworthy suspicions, was not moved for a moment from the course which he knew must be pursued, if he hoped for success; and his patience and forbearance and fortitude were put to a severe test. Congress could only sanction and aid his exertions; the labor of inventing, combining, organizing, establishing, and sustaining a proper military system, must fall upon him. "To this end he kept up an unremitted correspondence with Congress during the whole war. His letters were read to the House in full session, and almost every important resolution respecting the army was adopted on his suggestion or recommendation, and emanated from his mind. He was thus literally the centre of motion to this immense and complicated machine, not more in directing its operations than in providing for its existence, and preserving from derangement and ruin its various parts. His perplexities were often increased by the distance at which he was stationed from Congress, the tardy movements of that body, and the long time it took to obtain the results of their deliberations. By a constant watchfulness and forethought, and by anticipating the future in his communications, he contrived to lessen this inconvenience as far as it could be done."[1] Besides this severe task upon his energies, the commander-in-chief was obliged to correspond very extensively with various public bodies throughout the colonies, and as far as possible stimulate their zeal, rouse their patriotism, and prevail upon them to give immediate and efficient aid. And this, too, despite the necessity which he felt laid upon him to refuse to detach troops at various points to protect the sea coast from the ravages of the English navy.
Early in August, 1775, Washington having heard that the prisoners taken by the British at Bunker's Hill were treated with severity and harshness, unworthy of civilized warfare, deemed it a duty to write to General Gage on the subject. They had both served as aides to General Braddock, and had fought side by side at the bloody battle of the Monongahela. Ever since a friendly correspondence had been maintained between them; and now they were occupying a position of antagonism in support of principles and views diametrically opposite. Gage denied the charge of ill-usage, and took occasion to speak in rather insulting terms of the "rebels," and of those "whose lives by the law of the land were destined to the cord." Washington felt compelled to order retaliatory
- ↑ Sparks, "Life of Washington's," p. 139.
tion of the relations between the colonies and the mother country, upon a constitutional basis. No such idea was entertained by Washington from the beginning. He entertained no thought of accommodation, after the measures adopted in consequence of the battle of Bunker's Hill. But at the time of which we are treating, the issue had not been made, as Washington would have made it, and, when we consider the state of things before the Declaration of Independence was adopted, and look attentively at the objects for which Congress had been assembled, and at the nature of their powers, we may perceive how they came to make the mistake of not organizing a military establishment on a more permanent footing."—Curtis's "History of the Constitution," vol. p. 61.
