Hello and welcome to this day in esoteric political history from Radiotopia.

My name is Jody Avergan.

This day, March 14th, 1783, March 15th, 1783, George Washington delivers an address

at Newburgh, New York, to stave off a revolt that he potentially had on his hands.

1783, of course, the year that the war ended, the British were ultimately defeated later that summer.

So it's maybe a bit surprising that there were rumors of a coup within the

continental troops that would depose George Washington just as victory was in

their grasp so here to discuss the Newburgh conspiracy folks we will do anything with the word conspiracy in its name so here to discuss the Newburgh conspiracy are as always

Nicole Hammer of Columbia and Kelly Carter Jackson of Wellesley. Hello, Jody.

Hey there.

So I want to start, we'll get into the,

what the Newburgh conspiracy was,

but I want to start with this moment itself

in this address that Washington gives that seemingly totally undermines

this brewing coup attempt.

And you know, if you read some of the history, both written by Washington himself, but also, you know,

written over time, it's presented as this

moment where kind of through the sheer power of his words Washington was able to single

handle the convince his troops not to revolt there's not a dry eye in the room.

There's birds that come on the shoulder.

The clouds start parting.

Unicorns are frolicing in the back.

...