Gen. Horatio Gates
York, York County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
This building was the residence of Gen. Gates in 1778. At that time he was President of Board of War. It was said that the "Conway Cabal" was thwarted here by Lafayette's loyalty to Washington.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
In 1778, while the Continental Congress sat in nearby York, General Horatio Gates—hero of the American victory at Saratoga and then President of the Board of War—kept his residence here. It was a fraught moment: the so-called "Conway Cabal," a murky swirl of criticism aimed at General Washington's leadership, was said to have unraveled in these rooms, thwarted in part by the young Marquis de Lafayette's steadfast loyalty to the commander-in-chief.
Why it matters
The episode marks a quiet but crucial turning point in the Revolution, when the fragile unity of the American command survived a challenge that might have toppled Washington himself.
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Related people
- · Horatio Gates
- · Marquis de Lafayette
- · George Washington
Related events
- · Conway Cabal
Themes & tags
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