<P> As the siege dragged on, the matter of expiring enlistments became a matter of serious concern . Washington tried to convince Congress that enlistments longer than one year were necessary to build an effective fighting force, but he was rebuffed in this effort . The 1776 establishment of the Continental Army only had enlistment terms of one year, a matter that would again be a problem in late 1776 . </P> <P> Washington finally forced the British to withdraw from Boston by putting Henry Knox's artillery on Dorchester Heights overlooking the city, and preparing in detail to attack the city from Cambridge if the British tried to assault the position . The British evacuated Boston and sailed away, although Washington did not know they were headed for Halifax, Nova Scotia . Believing they were headed for New York City (which was indeed Major General William Howe's eventual destination), Washington rushed most of the army there . </P> <P> Washington's success in Boston was not repeated in New York . Congress insisted that he defend it and recognizing the city's importance as a naval base and gateway to the Hudson River, Washington delegated the task of fortifying New York to Charles Lee in February 1776 . The faltering military campaign in Quebec also led to calls for additional troops there, and Washington detached six regiments northward under John Sullivan in April . The wider theaters of war had also introduced regional frictions into the army . Somewhat surprised that regional differences would be a problem, on August 1 he read a speech to the army, in which he threatened to punish "any officers or soldiers so lost to virtue and a love of their country" that might exacerbate the regional differences . The mixing of forces from different regions also brought more widespread camp diseases, especially dysentery and smallpox . </P> <P> Washington had to deal with his first major command controversy while in New York, which was partially a product of regional friction . New England troops serving in northern New York under General Philip Schuyler, a scion of an old patroon family of New York, objected to his aristocratic style, and their Congressional representatives lobbied Washington to replace Schuyler with General Gates . Washington tried to resolve the issue by giving Gates command of the forces in Quebec, but the collapse of the Quebec expedition brought renewed complaints . Despite Gates' experience, Washington personally preferred Schuyler . To avoid a potentially messy situation, General Washington gave Schuyler overall command of the northern department, but assigned Gates as second in command with combat authority . The episode exposed Washington to Gates' desire for advancement, possibly at his expense, and to the latter's influence in Congress . </P>

Discuss the reasons for the american victory in the revolutionary war