Gates professed himself entirely satisfied with the explanation he had received, and perfectly disposed to obey the commands of Schuyler. “I am confident,” added he, “we shall, as the Congress wish, go hand in hand to promote the public welfare.” Schuyler, too, assured both Congress and Washington, “that the difference in opinion between Gates and himself had not caused the least ill will, nor interrupted that harmony necessary to subsist between their officers.” Samuel Adams, however, who was at that time in Congress, had strong doubts in the matter. “Schuyler and Gates are to command the troops,” writes he, “the former while they are without, the latter while they are within, the bounds of Canada. Admitting these generals to have the accomplishments of a Marlborough, or a Eugene, I cannot conceive that such a disposition of them will be attended with any good effects, unless harmony subsists between them. Alas, I fear this is not the case. Already disputes have arisen, which they have referred to Congress; and, although they affect to treat each other with a politeness becoming their rank, in my mind, altercations between commanders who have pretensions nearly equal (I mean in point of command), forebode a repetition of misfortune. I sincerely wish my apprehensions may prove groundless.”[80] We have a letter before us, also, written to Gates, by his friend Joseph Trumbull, commissary-general, on whose appointment of a deputy, the question of command had arisen. Trumbull’s letter was well calculated to inflame the jealousy of Gates. “I find you are in a cursed situation,” writes he; “your authority at an end; and commanded by a person who will be willing to have you knocked in the head, as General Montgomery was, if he can have the money chest in his power.” Governor Trumbull, too, the father of the commissary-general, observes subsequently: “It is justly to be expected that General Gates is discontented with his situation, finding himself limited and removed from the command, to be a wretched spectator of the ruin of the army, without power, of attempting to save them.”[81] We shall have frequent occasion hereafter to notice the discord in the service caused by this rankling discontent. As to General Sullivan, who repaired to Philadelphia and tendered his resignation, the question of rank which had aggrieved him was explained in a manner that induced him to continue in service. It was universally allowed that his retreat had been ably conducted through all kinds of difficulties and disasters.