America turns 250. It wasn’t a foregone conclusion.

America turns 250. It wasn’t a foregone conclusion.

"The Resignation of General Washington, 1783" by John Trumbull. (Yale University Art Gallery 1832.8, Public Domain)As I wrap up an Army training deployment, I’ve been going back over some required reading in military history and ethics. One moment in our country’s early days struck me to the core on our 250th birthday as a nation: George Washington’s response to the Newburgh Conspiracy in 1783. If it doesn’t ring a bell, here’s a quick account. …