George Washington
Soldier, General, 1st President of the United States
George Washington
"First in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen."
~ Revolutionary War hero and Congressman
Henry Lee who wrote
upon learning of the death of his close friend George Washington ~
Perhaps the one indispensable man among the founders. It is hard to imagine any of the others commanding the respect needed to lead the Continental Army to victory over Great Britain, preside over the Constitutional Convention, and serve the United States as its first president.
"It is impossible to conceive that greater honor can be conferred on any man, than to receive the united acknowledgements of three millions of people, assembled by their representatives, declaring to all the world, that he has been the temporal savior of his country! His mind was powerful and enlightened, his devotion to his country fervent, his sacrifices great and important, and his triumphs noble and splendid; and his memory will be blessed and immortal!"
From the Revolutionary Annals of Surgeon General James Thacher Journal entry ...
~ George Washington ~
By Gilbert Stuart
Yale University Art Gallery
George Washington ... A man who symbolized our country at the dawn of a bold new age. A man whos name is synonomous with words like democracy and freedom. He lead our fledgeling country into a seemingly hopeless war against what was, at that time . . .
A Mighty Superpower!
"And it may be truly said,
that never did nature and fortune
combine more perfectly
to make a man great."
~ Thomas Jefferson about
George Washington, 1814 ~
Washington as a Youth
As a boy, a great future president, Abraham Lincoln, looked up to the achievements of our first President, George Washington. One of Lincoln's favorite books was a biography of Washington. The book referred to the first President:
"Washington is the mightiest name on earth . . . To add brightness to the sun or glory to the name of Washington is alike impossible. Let none attempt it. In solemn awe pronounce the name, and its naked deathless splendor, leave it shining on."
George Washington was born on Feb 22, 1732 to Augusta and Ball, members of the Virginia Elite descendence of English Gentry.
"Father, I cannot tell a lie, I cut the tree."
(Sweet story ... but believed to be just folklore)
Whether or not the story actually happened, the biography was wildly popular. As Washington was already largely regarded as being a man of such sterling honesty and integrity. The image stuck.
Washington surveyed his half brother's turnip field at 16 years of age.
George spent most of his time at beautiful Mt. Vernon plantation. The death of his father prevented Washington from crossing the Atlantic to receive an education at England's Appleby School, as his older brothers had done. He attended school in Fredericksburg until age 15. George Washington learned the morals, manners, and knowledge required of an 18th century Virginia gentleman. Despite his lack of formal education, young George learned the valuable science of land surveying. He would spend countless hours on horseback making measurements and taking calculations.
George Washington learned the morals, manners, and knowledge required of an 18th century Virginia gentleman.
A youthful George Washington copied out these 110 simple "Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation" as a school training exercise. This code of conduct is a simplified version of Francis Hawkins' Youths Behavior, or Decency in Conversation Amongst Men, which was based on a sixteenth-century set of rules compiled for young gentlemen by Jesuit instructors. Washington's handwriting, grammar, and spelling reflect his youth, and the "Rules" reflect his strong desire to be a gentleman planter.
"Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Public"
In the Seven Year War
George Washington - The Soldier
Soon his skills and abilities were widely known. There wasn't anybody who could navigate this back country like George. It wasn't long before the skills that he developed would serve him well as he was soon called upon to serve great Britain during the Seven Year War with the French. The war known today as the French and Indian War. By 1755, it was clear that the growing tensions between the English and French over disputed land in American would not be resolved except through war. So the British and the Americans, who were still British citizens at the time, prepared to do battle with the French. General Braddock, commander-in-chief of the British forces invited young colonel Washington and his Virginia buckskins to join his forces with Washington serving as General Braddock's aide.
George Washington - The Soldier
As the English marched, a group of Shawnee and Delaware indians appeared and offered to join the forces against the French. Washington urged Braddock to let them join but he foolishly rejected their offer. Instead, Braddock decided to march their entire army into an open field and try to impress the French and indians with the size of his army and lead an attack against them. It was a horrible idea. The stubborn Braddock marched 1300 troops for Fort DeQuesne located in, what is now, Pittsburg. The French commander had an army of only 855 men but was prepared to use the tactics of ambush and guerilla warfare. They cunningly set up in the woods seven miles from the fort. The British army, as they marched through, was a sitting duck. Suddenly a storm of bullets from an invisible army in the woods pounded the British. They returned fire but with little effect. The indians on the French side moved from tree to tree easily picking off British soldiers, perfect targets in their bright red uniforms. Nevertheless, Washington bravely rode over every part of the the field carrying the general's orders.
Two horses were shot from under him and his coat was torn 4 times by musket balls, but he escaped without injury. Amazingly, of the 86 officers on horseback, Washington was the only one not shot down. As he later explained,
"by the all powerful dispensations of providence
I have been protected beyond all human expectations."
Casualties were high and the battle was brutal and although the British lost hundreds of men, Braddock would not allow his men to retreat. Finally, Braddock himself, was shot and fell to the ground wounded. With their leader down the British turned and ran. The battle was over. The British abandoned everything to the enemy, even the private papers of the general. It was a horrible defeat to the English and the Americans. 714 troops, over half of the total, were shot down, compared to only 30 on the French and Indian side.
Now, after the battle, the indians testified that they had singled out Washington on repeated occasions and shot at him many times, but never injured him. As a result they thought that some sort of an invisible force was protecting him and therefore described him as "the man who was the particular favorite of heaven, one who could never die in battle". It was a bitter defeat of George Washington, but at the same time, this campaign, along with others during the French and Indian war served to highlight his growing stature as a soldier, a patriot, and as a gentleman.
George Washington and his Family by Gilbert Stuart
Washington married a wealthy widow, Martha Dandridge Custis, in January 1759. The couple had no children of their own, but raised Martha’s together. Inheriting Mt. Vernon, a family plantation on the Potomac River, in 1761, Washington spent the next 15 years as a planter, also serving in the House of Burgesses (the colonial legislature in Virginia). He took the patriot side in the disputes with Great Britain in the 1760s and 1770s, and was elected to the first Continental Congress in 1774.
Washington takes Command of the American Continental Army, 1775
Washington taking command of the American Army, 1775
With the coming of open war with Britain in 1775, on June 15, George Washington came to his country's aid yet again. The congress had appointed George Washington as Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. Washington taking command of the American Army at Cambridge. Washington had as much military experience as anyone in the colonies, and his selection helped gain the allegiance of Virginia, by far the most populous of the 13 colonies. He had a sterling reputation and demonstrated abilities as a soldier and leader. But keep in mind the honor he enjoyed in this role wasn't all it was cracked up to be. In rebelling against the English in such a prominent role he was quite literally putting everything on the line. His life, his family's life, and his wealth, success, as we shall soon see, was not assured.
The "Ragtag" army Washington commanded wasn't the crack cutting edge military that the united States currently enjoys. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Washington's troops consisted of untrained, undisciplined farmers, fisherman, and merchants. He had the almost impossible task of training these novices to take on the best trained and greatest military power in the world, at that time. Not only were Washington's troops inexperienced, but they were also heavily outnumbered. British General Howe commanded a force of 30,000 profession British troops along with German hired fighters while Washington's troops numbered fewer than 10,000.
The great purpose of God here is a religious purpose. He brought pious and devoted men here to found a religious empire. Our fathers planted the tree of liberty with faith, and prayer, and fasting, and moistened its roots with their tears and their blood. They planted it for the glory of God, and committed it to his holy keeping, therefore he blessed it and caused it to grow. It still lives and grows, because he blesses it. If we forsake the God of our fathers, and deny their faith, he will smite it with a curse, and wither it from the root. Fear God and serve him; be honest men, and good citizens, and humble Christians, and God will bless our country to the latest generation. More here.
move this about Battle of Long Island to Washington commander-in-chief page but leave a para about Washington's belief in Divine Providence here Story of Divine Providence. On August 27, 1776, only a few months after the American Revolution had begun, General Howe trapped Washington and his troops on Long Island. With Washington trapped, Howe planned to attack and destroy the Americans the following morning expecting an easy victory. the storm, fog The revolution continued on for eight more long years and, as it turned out, trapping the Americans on Long Island was the best chance the British had to defeat them, but General Washington's skillful maneuvering and strategic retreat, along with a providential intervention saved the continental army.
Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutz
Washington soon turned the tables on the British and crossed the Delaware River with his troops on December 26, 1776. This was the first move in a surprise attack organized by George Washington against the Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey. Planned in partial secrecy, Washington led a column of Continental Army troops across the icy Delaware River in a logistically challenging and dangerous operation. Other planned crossings in support of the operation were either called off or ineffective, but this did not prevent Washington from successfully surprising and defeating the troops of Johann Rall quartered in Trenton. The impossible had been accomplished, Washington had won a decisive victory over the German mercenaries at the famous battle of Trenton. The puny nation of nobodies had defeated the world's most powerful military despite barely having an army. The army crossed the river back to Pennsylvania, this time burdened by prisoners and military stores taken as a result of the battle.
The surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, October 19, 1781
Towards the end of 1781 at the Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 Washington had a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis. The culmination of the Yorktown campaign, it proved to be the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War in North America, as the surrender of Cornwallis' army prompted the British government eventually to negotiate an end to the conflict. A number of smaller battles ensued after that day but the revolutionary war was over!.
General George Washington
General George Washington
The self-control of George Washington was an example to his men, teaching them when to fight and when to retreat. That kind of wisdom characterized Washington's leadership throughout the revolution and final ended in a complete victory and independence from the British.
Washington did not participate in any great battles during 1779 and 1780, but in 1781 he besieged Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. The British surrendered on October 19, 1781, and this act destroyed the last hope of England's ever being able to subdue America. Britain Acknowledged without reserve the independence of the United States.
Throughout the war the labors of Washington were incessant. He lost more battle than he won, but through his untiring efforts, his self-sacrifice and perservearance, he won the love and respect of all Americans, and when the colonies became free and independent, he was acclaimed as the "Father of his Country". For eight weary, toilsome, suffering years he held the command of the patriot forces, taking leave of the army on December 4, 1783, and retiring to private life. His retirement was short lived .... When the confederacy of states was formed into a nation, he was the unanimous choice for its first President, and wisely directed its affairs for two terms of four years each.
Since they had thrown off tyranny and oppression, a new nation needed a new leader. When the confederacy of states was formed into a nation, he was the unanimous choice for its first president.
Washington understood that everyone of his actions as the nation's first president set a precedent, not only for the new nation, but also for the presidents who came after him. He therefore flatly refused to be called the "King" and even publicly rebuked those who considered it. He therefore chose the title "Mr. President" making it clear that his office was different that that of a king or a governor.
Washington Retires
In 1796 he sent a farewell address to Congress and refused another re-election. Again he retired to Mount Vernon, but when war with France was imminent he was called to be again Commander-in-Chief of the army. Washington dies before the French question was settled.
At Mount Vernon at home around 10 pm on Saturday on December 14, 1799, after an illness of two days, Washington died. The last words in his diary were,
"Tis Well."
Henry "Light-Horst Harry" Lee, a Revolutionary hero and Congressmen eulogized Washington in this statement that is famously eulogized:
"First in war—first in peace—and first in the hearts of his countrymen, he was second to none in the humble and enduring scenes of private life; pious, just, humane, temperate, and sincere; uniform, dignified, and commanding, his example was as edifying to all around him as were the effects of that example lasting. To his equals he was condescending, to his inferiors kind, and to the dear object of his affections exemplarily tender; correct throughout, vice shuddered in his presence, and virtue always felt his fostering hand; the purity of his private character gave effulgence to his public virtues. His last scene comported with the whole tenor of his life—although in extreme pain, not a sigh, not a groan escaped him; and with undisturbed serenity he closed his well-spent life. Such was the man America has lost—such was the man for whom our nation mourns."
Washington worked for unity and he inspired the Americans with his integrity, his bravery, and his self-control. In many ways, he set the standard for what it means to be the president of the United States. Even now, millions of Americans consider him to be the greatest American who's ever lived.
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