This Day in History: January 9

On January 9, 1777, Congress, without consulting Washington and without holding any hearing, passed a resolution dismissing both Morgan and Stringer from the army. Thus ended the army career of a man who never had a chance of a success. A man of high character and ability, of tireless energy under every discouragement, he made a gallant struggle against the impossible. If the medical service of this period of the war was a failure, so was every other service of the army, and the army command itself. An army of amateurs was pitted against professionals and only the costly lessons of failure could equalize them. Morgan retired a disappointed and broken man, the victim of public clamor against failures which were more chargeable to Congress than to any army service.