George Washington versus the Continental Army
Showdown at the New Windsor Cantonment, 1782-1783
Michael S. McGurty, McFarland, 2023, 237 pages
Book Review published on: May 20, 2025
In George Washington versus the Continental Army: Showdown at the New Windsor Cantonment, 1782-1783, Michael S. McGurty, the site manager of the New Windsor Cantonment, offers a thorough examination of the daily struggles experienced by George Washington and his men as they navigated the harsh realities of winter encampment in the waning years of the American Revolution. McGurty's purpose is to fill a gap in the historical literature by using the New Windsor Cantonment to show how military-societal factors in the final years of the war threatened the success of the Revolution. McGurty's historical focus is on the events leading up to the Newburgh Conspiracy and the continued struggles and deprivations faced by Washington's army after that pivotal event. McGurty makes a convincing case that despite the victory at Yorktown, the goals of the Revolution were still at risk.
McGurty begins by providing context for the reader about the strategic and logistical difficulties confronting the Continental army in the winter of 1782 and the spring of 1783 and then moves into his examination of the military society that is the Cantonment. He refers to the Cantonment as a contrived community forced together by the necessities of war. In the New Windsor Cantonment, Washington coped with issues ranging from supply shortages and desertions to the broader strategic objective of securing victory against the British. With the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781, many soldiers expected a swift resolution to their service and a return to civilian life. However, as peace negotiations faltered and financial woes plagued the fledgling nation, discontent festered among the troops. McGurty examines the issues arising from this situation, such as unpaid wages, inadequate supplies, food shortages, tensions between officers and soldiers, mutinies, and the looming uncertainty of demobilization, offering valuable insights into the challenges Washington faced leading up to and after the Newburgh Conspiracy.
McGurty's detailed examination of the New Windsor Cantonment is the greatest strength of the book. As the site manager, McGurty brings a wealth of firsthand knowledge and expertise to the subject, offering readers a detailed depiction of the daily life and struggles of the soldiers. His intimate knowledge of the site and its historical significance is evident throughout the book as he meticulously reconstructs the events that unfolded there. McGurty leverages a wide range of primary sources, including diaries, letters, and official records, to construct a comprehensive account of the challenges faced by the Continental army. This rigorous research and use of primary sources enhances the credibility of the book.
The book begins with a brief overview of the Revolutionary War up to the winter of 1782, setting the stage for the events that would transpire at New Windsor. McGurty then describes the camp's physical organization, examines the army's different regiments, and discusses the logistical and financial challenges faced by Washington. McGurty then describes the Newburgh conspiracy. However, after describing the conspiracy in chapter 7, McGurty uses chapter 8, "Manning the force and Training for Battle," to describe the challenges of sourcing revolutionary regiments, making no connection to the previous chapters. Organizationally, this chapter would be a better fit before the Newburgh conspiracy, complementing the comprehensive examination of the military-societal factors of the revolutionary army, which he provides in his earlier chapters. This minor shortfall forces the reader to mentally reorder the chapters within the chronological narrative. He concludes the book with a very detailed account of the disbandment of the Continental army and the challenges inherent in the demobilization. These final chapters and his depiction of the challenges Washington faced with the disbandment of the Continental Army are a major strength of the book.
There are, however, moments in this book when the level of detail is excessive. His paragraphs are very long and filled with immense detail. This excessive detail sometimes obscures the book's contribution. Some unfortunate stylistic choices make this book unnecessarily difficult to read, but the merits of the book will inspire the reader to put in the effort. The fascinating history which is not widely known will reward the effort of a patient and attentive reader.
McGurty offers a valuable contribution to the study of Revolutionary War history. His book adds to the scholarly literature by providing a detailed examination of the military society that was the New Windsor Cantonment and the final challenges the leaders faced as they disbanded the army. The book's value is in its details and its focus on the other factors besides Newburgh that were essential elements of the final years of the eight-year struggle for independence. Despite the writing style and organizational shortcomings, military professionals and historians will find valuable information in its pages. McGurty was successful in augmenting the historiography of this pivotal time in American history, offering unique insights and details that enrich our understanding of the Revolutionary War.
Book Review written by: Col. Ken Turner, U.S. Army, Retired, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas