The Congress at York

This book expands on the biographies of the men who met in York, Pennsylvania, as members of the Continental Congress, at what was both the darkest hour of the American Revolution and its turning point. During this period, although Philadelphia was lost for a while, the Congress devised the nation’s first constitution and negotiated the key treaty that buttressed the American army for the remainder of the war. Given the key victory of General Gates and General Washington’s loss of the capital, the Conway Cabal took root at this time, seeking to replace Washington with Gates. Some of these events also occurred in York during this time. Of course, Washington survived this innuendo while also preserving the army during the bitter winter at Valley Forge. The leadership of the Continental Congress leads off the book. President of Congress, John Hancock, was in York briefly, until October 29, 1777, when he resigned to return to Massachusetts. South Carolinian Henry Laurens was then elevated to the role for the remainder of the York Congress, and beyond. Secretary Charles Thomson, of course, was present throughout, as he was for the entire period of the Continental Congress. The delegates then follow, in order of their arrival in York. Sixty-two members of the Continental Congress served at least some portion of their time in exile in York. Most of the original arrivals were replaced at some point with new delegates. Nearly all complained about the rustic character and difficulties of the place, removed from the bustling markets of Philadelphia, New York, Boston, or Charleston. Henry Laurens quipped that making him president at least placed him closer to the woodstove. The appendices include a list of delegates and their arrival dates and a copy of the text from the Articles of Confederation. In this volume: THE PRESIDENTS          Hancock, John          Laurens, Henry THE SECRETARY          Thomson, Charles THE DELEGATES          Adams, John          Adams, Samuel          Adams, Thomas          Banister, John          Bartlett, Josiah          Brownson, Nathan          Burke, Thoms          Carroll, Charles          Chase, Samuel          Clark, Abraham          Clingan, William          Collins, John          Dana, Francis          Drayton, William Henry          Duane, James          Duer, William          Dyer, Eliphalet          Ellery, William          Elmer, Jonathan          Folsom, Nathaniel          Forbes, James          Frost, George          Gerry, Elbridge          Hancock, John          Harnett, Cornelius          Harrison, Benjamin          Harvie, John          Henry, John Jr.          Heyward, Thomas Jr.          Holten, Samuel,           Hosmer, Titus          Huntington, Samuel          Hutson, Richard          Jones, Joseph          Langworthy, Edward          Laurens, Henry          Law, Richard          Lee, Francis Lightfoot          Lee, Richard Henry          Lewis, Francis          Livingston, Philip          Lovell, James          Marchant, Henry          Mathews, John          McKean, Thomas          Middleton, Arthur          Morris, Gouverneur          Morris, Robert          Penn, John          Plater, George          Reed, Joseph          Roberdeau, Daniel          Rumsey, Benjamin          Scudder, Nathaniel          Sherman, Roger          Smith, James          Smith, Jonathan Bayard          Smith, William          Walton, George          Wentworth, John          Williams, William          Witherspoon, John          Wolcott, Oliver          Wood, Joseph APPENDICES          The List of Delegates          The Articles of Confederation   by Farrell, Farley, & Knorr Page Count: 308 Trim Size: 6 x 9 Publish Date: August 5, 2025 Imprint: Sunbury Press Genre: History BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Historical HISTORY / United States / Revolutionary Period (1775-1800)