The Ordeal of Philip Schuyler

This chapter discusses the issue of Major General Philip Schuyler’s command of the Northern Department after the fall of Fort Ticonderoga. Schuyler handled the army quite well as he ordered the obstruction of the routes Burgoyne had to use to move the army toward their ultimate goal of Albany. However, Schuyler was not popular among the militia, and so he struggled to convince them to join the army. In addition, Schuyler’s reports to Washington and Congress did not convey how well he was doing. In fact, despite Washington’s many attempts to provide both moral and material assistance to Schuyler, his reports were so pessimistic that both the commander-in-chief and Congress ultimately lost confidence in his ability to lead the Northern Department. He was relieved of his command by Congress and replaced by Horatio Gates.