ABSTRACT
In Benjamin Franklin’s mind the Americans had now no choice but to free themselves from Britain, if necessary by war. Franklin designed a special pike as the best answer to the British bayonet, and had it issued to defensive boats on the river Delaware. As an inventor Franklin must have been fascinated by these things, but he was even more badly needed as a statesman and diplomat. Most of the soldiers were militia, taken on for a period of months and liable to melt away at the end of that time or perhaps before, though at one point, in 1776, a whole batch agreed among themselves to extend their term. John Jay realized that nothing good could come now of last-minute appeals to King George. For as long as there was the slightest hope of avoiding war, Congress was chary of ordering any aggressive move.
