This affair settled, he returned to take up again the old disheartening struggle, and his outspoken condemnation of Dinwiddie's foolish schemes and of the shortcomings of the government began to raise up backbiters and malcontents at Williamsburg.

"My orders," he said, "are dark, doubtful, and uncertain; to-day approved, to-morrow condemned.

Left to act and proceed at hazard, accountable for the consequences, and blamed without the benefit of defense." He determined nevertheless to bear with his trials until the arrival of Lord Loudon, the new commander-in-chief, from whom he expected vigor and improvement.
Unfortunately he was destined to have only fresh disappointment from the new general, for Lord Loudon was merely one more incompetent man added to the existing confusion.

He paid no heed to the South, matters continued to go badly in the North, and Virginia was left helpless.

So Washington toiled on with much discouragement, and the disagreeable attacks upon him increased.