For the time being, though the two monarchies had the same king, Ireland, in name at least, was free of England.
Washington's enemy thus had embarrassments enough.

Yet these very years, 1779 and 1780, were the years in which he came nearest to despair.

The strain of a great movement is not in the early days of enthusiasm, but in the slow years when idealism is tempered by the strife of opinion and self-interest which brings delay and disillusion.

As the war went on recruiting became steadily more difficult.

The alliance with France actually worked to discourage it since it was felt that the cause was safe in the hands of this powerful ally.