Moreover, besides the purely physical difficulties in the lack of men, money, and supplies, there were others of a political and personal kind, which were even more wearing and trying, but which, nevertheless, had to be dealt with also, in some fashion.  In order to sustain the courage of the people Washington was obliged to give out, and to allow it to be supposed, that he had more men than was really the case, and so Congress and various wise and well-meaning persons grumbled because he did not do more and fight more battles.  He never deceived Congress, but they either could not or would not understand the actual situation.  In March he wrote to Robert Morris:  “Nor is it in my power to make Congress fully sensible of the real situation of our affairs, and that it is with difficulty, if I may use the expression, that I can by every means in my power keep the life and soul of this army together.  In a word, when they are at a distance, they think it is but to say, Presto, begone, and everything is done.  They seem not to have any conception of the difficulty and perplexity attending those who are to execute.”  It was so easy to see what they would like to have done, and so simple to pass a resolve to that effect, that Congress never could appreciate the reality of the difficulty and the danger until the hand of the enemy was almost at their throats.  They were not even content with delay and neglect, but interfered actively at times, as in the matter of the exchange of prisoners, where they made unending trouble for Washington, and showed themselves unable to learn or to keep their hands off after any amount of instruction.

In January Washington issued a proclamation requiring those inhabitants who had subscribed to Howe’s declaration to come in within thirty days and take the oath of allegiance to the United States.  If they failed to do so they were to be treated as enemies.  The measure was an eminently proper one, and the proclamation was couched in the most moderate language.  It was impossible to permit a large class of persons to exist on the theory that they were peaceful American citizens and also subjects of King George.  The results of such conduct were in every way perilous and intolerable, and Washington was determined that he would divide the sheep from the goats, and know whom he was defending and whom attacking.  Yet for this wise and necessary action he was called in question in Congress and accused of violating civil rights and the resolves of Congress itself.  Nothing was actually done about it, but such an incident shows from a single point the infinite tact and resolution required in waging war under a government whose members were unable to comprehend what was meant, and who could not see that until they had beaten England it was hardly worth while to worry about civil rights, which in case of defeat would speedily cease to exist altogether.