He had been fifteen days on the road and three days getting his papers in order, and when it was proposed to give him a sword, Roger Sherman suggested that they had better "give the lad a pair of spurs." This thrust and some delay seem to have nettled Wilkinson, who was swelling with importance, and although he was finally made a brigadier-general, he rode off to the north much ruffled.

In later years Wilkinson was secretive enough; but in his hot youth he could not hold his tongue, and on his way back to Gates he talked.

What he said was marked and carried to headquarters, and on November 9 Washington wrote to Conway:-- "A letter which I received last night contained the following paragraph,--'In a letter from General Conway to General Gates he says, "_Heaven has determined to save your country, or a weak general and bad counsellors would have ruined it_" I am, sir, your humble servant,'" etc.
This curt note fell upon Conway with stunning effect.

It is said that he tried to apologize, and he certainly resigned.

As for Gates, he fell to writing letters filled with expressions of wonder as to who had betrayed him, and writhed most pitiably under the exposure.
Washington's replies are models of cold dignity, and the calm indifference with which he treated the whole matter, while holding Gates to the point with relentless grasp, is very interesting.