On  the  21st  February,  1777,  he  was  appointed  by  Congress  one
of  ten  Brigadier-Generals,  but  declined  the  appointment.  He  then
was  in  service  under  the  State,  with,  sometimes,  about  eighteen
hundred  of  the  Pennsylvania  troops  under  his  command.  If  he
could  keep  such  a  force  in  the  field,  this  was,  perhaps,  at  that
period,  the  more  useful  service.  In  September,  1778,  he  was  cho-
sen, unanimously,  by  Congress,  Brigadier-General  of  the  cavalry  of
the  United  States,  nominally  composed  of  three  regiments.  This
appointment  he  likewise  declined,  believing,  with  many  others,  that
the  war  was  very  near  to  its  close,  and  preferring  civil  to  military  life,
unless  his  country  needed  the  active  services  of  a  soldier.  He  was
of  opinion  that,  in  consequence  of  the  recognition  by  France  of  the
nationality  of  the  United  States,  Great  Britain  could  not  withhold
the  acknowledgment  of  their  independence.  The  evacuation  of
Philadelphia  by  the  British  army  had  been  followed  by  overtures
of  peace  from  the  British  Government.  The  failure  of  the  British
Commissioners  in  the  attempted  negotiation  which  ensued,  showed
that  negotiations,  in  order  to  succeed,  must  be  reopened  on  the
basis  of  a  recognition  of  American  Independence.  He,  and  others,
thought  that  motives  of  self-interest  would  induce  an  acquiescence
bv  the  British  Government  in  this  necessity.  The  error  was  not

J

in  these  opinions,  but  in  the  measurement  of  the  length  of  time
required  for  such  political  causes  to  produce  their  effects.  General
Washington  was  of  opinion  that  the  war  would  not  be  so  soon  ter-
minated. General  Cadwalader,  two  years  afterwards,  wrote  to
General  Washington  that  he  had  since  found  reason  to  regret  that
he  had  not  accepted  the  command  of  the  cavalry.  General  Wash-
ington wTrote  in  reply,  giving  his  reasons  for  having,  himself,  at  an
intervening  period,  entertained  an  opinion  ';  that  'the  hour  of  deli-
verance was  not  far  distant,  since,  however  unwilling  Great  Britain
might  be  to  yield  the  point,  it  would  not  be  in  her  power  to  con-
tinue the  contest.  But,"  he  added,  "  These  prospects,  flattering  as
they  were,  have  proved  delusory."  General  Washington,  who  had
earnestly  solicited  General  Cadwalader  to  accept  the  appointment,
repeated,  in  this  letter,  the  expression  of  regret  that  he  was  not  in


GENERAL    JOHN    CADWALADER.  ]i',r,

the  army,  and  of  a  desire  to  see  him   there  ai^ain.     Their  imitu;il

•/   7

friendship  was  unabated  while  they  lived.
