At the behest of Gates's friends and the delegates from New England, Congress named Gates to President of the Board of War, a post he filled while retaining his field command —an unprecedented conflict of interest.
Por ordes de amigos de Gates e delegados de Nova Inglaterra, o Congreso nomeou a Gates para encabezar o Ministerio de Guerra, un posto que el tomou conservando a súa comandancia de campo - un conflito de intereses sen precedentes.