Editing Conway Cabal (section)

==Conclusion==
Conway received his coveted promotion of Inspector General of the Army on December 13.{{sfn|Rossie|1975|p=193}} Eventually, Washington revealed Wilkinson as his source for the letter. Gates was forced to apologize and lie about his correspondence with Conway. General Conway submitted his resignation to Congress in April 1778, which accepted it. Washington, still unsatisfied, urged his supporters to challenge Conway and his allies to duels.{{sfn|Flexner|1974|pp=115-116}} Wilkinson turned on Gates and challenged him, but, according to Wilkinson,  Gates wept and apologized for any offense caused and the duel was called off for a time. A second duel was fought between them in August 1778, but neither party was injured.  On July 4, Conway engaged Brigadier General [[John Cadwalader (general)|John Cadwalader]] in a duel. Cadwalader shot him in the mouth and the bullet exited through his head. "I have stopped the damned rascal's lying tongue at any rate," he said.{{sfn|Chernow|2004|p=106}} As Conway suffered from his wound, he wrote an apology to Washington, which was never answered. After recovering, he returned to France.{{sfn|Flexner|1974|p=116}}

There is no evidence that any of the participants ever formally attempted to oust Washington.  It was not properly a "cabal."  Rather, it was a loose network of military leaders and congressmen who lacked confidence in Washington and, in at least some cases, wanted him replaced with General Gates.{{sfn|Ferling|2010|p=228}} After the Conway Cabal, the nation largely rallied behind Washington, who was seen more as a figure of national unity. No noticeable attempt was made to replace him for the remainder of the war.{{sfn|Flexner|1974|p=116}}