Liberty Without Anarchy

"The society was founded in May 1783 at Steuben's headquarters near Newburgh, N.Y., by officers of the Continental army and navy. They had not been paid for over four years, and considerable unrest had developed over this issue. Rumors of a military coup began to circulate among the angry men. Washington quickly put down this nascent rebellion, and the society, with George Washington as president general, was formed to exert political pressure on Congress to guarantee payment"--Book jacket.