In March 1783, as negotiations to end the Revolution were well underway, an anonymous letter circulated through the Continental Army's camp near Newburgh, New York. It called for the officers to meet—outside the chain of command—strong-arm Congress into delivering the officers' long overdue pay and desperately needed pensions. Challenged to preserve civilian supremacy over the military, Washington rose to occasion, with an impassioned speech—and a little unexpected help from his glasses. The episode, now known as the Newburgh Conspiracy, reveals how Washington guided the army through the war's uncertain end.

David Head is associate lecturer of history at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Head received his B.A. from Niagara University and his Ph.D. from the University at Buffalo. His most recent book, A Crisis of Peace: George Washington, the Newburgh Conspiracy, and the Fate of the American Revolution, has received honors from the Journal of the American Revolution and the American Revolution Roundtable of Philadelphia. It was also a finalist for the 2020 George Washington Book Prize. In addition to his academic work, Head has written for USA Today, the Orlando Sentinel, and the History News Network on topics ranging from George Washington’s shopping habits to the musical Hamilton.