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GEORGE WASHINGTON 
 
LIFE OF 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 BY 
 
 M. L. WILLIAMSON 
 
 Author of Life of Lee and Life of Jackson 
 
 B. F. JOHNSON PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 Atlanta RICHMOND Dallas 
 

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 BY M. L. Williamson 
 
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 For Third Grade 
 
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 Life of Washington 
 
 
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 Copyrifshi, 1911, 
 
 BY 
 
 B. F. JOHNSON PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 ^CU:>8n953 
 
PREFACE 
 
 Although more than a century has passed since the 
 death of Washington, his name is still the most illustri- 
 ous upon the pages of American history. Living during 
 a period of expansion and changes, as ambassador, 
 statesman, captain-general, and President, he served his 
 country long and faithfully. Inasmuch as the question 
 of expansion is again rife and the conditions of our gov- 
 ernment are changing, it is well to review his life and 
 character and to place them anew before the youth of 
 our country. Let our young men imitate his unselfish 
 devotion to duty and to the broad and deep principles 
 of true liberty, and we need not fear for the future of 
 our great Republic. 
 
 In compiling this work, I have been forced to omit 
 much of interest in regard to Washington; yet I have 
 endeavored to include those incidents and facts which in 
 my opinion best bring out his life and delineate his 
 character. 
 
 M. L. WILLIAMSON 
 
 New Market, Va., 
 Feb. 22, 191L 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Chapter Page 
 
 I The Boy and Young Surveyor 9 
 
 II The Ambassador. . 22 
 
 III The Lieutenant-Colonel 38 
 
 IV The Alde-de-Camp 47 
 
 V The Commander of the Virginia Troops .... 68 
 
 VI The Legislator and Planter 74 
 
 VII The Commander-in-Chief 95 
 
 VIII The Commander-in-Chief 128 
 
 IX The Commander-in-Chief 150 
 
 X The Citizen and President 179 
 
 XI First in the Hearts of His Fellow-Citizens. . 199 
 
LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 THE BOY AND YOUNG SURVEYOR 
 
 George Washington was born in Westmore- 
 land county, Virginia, on Feb. 22, 1732. The 
 Washington family in Virginia came of good old 
 English stock which may be traced back to the 
 century following the conquest of England by 
 William of Normandy, A. D. 1066. 
 
 The feudal name of the family, De Wessyng- 
 ton, is found many times in chronicles of Eng- 
 land. In the lapse of time the name became 
 Washington; and in 1546 we find a certain 
 Lawrence Washington living at Sulgrove Manor, 
 Northampton. He was a man of property and 
 distinction, being Lord Mayor of Northampton. 
 The family continued to reside at Sulgrove 
 Manor until 1606, when Lawrence Washington, 
 
10 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 the grandson of the Lord Mayor, removed to 
 the village of Little Brington where his home 
 and tomb may yet be found. This place, 
 which is sometimes called the ''Cradle of the 
 Washingtons," is only two hours' journey by 
 rail from London. 
 
 The Washingtons were royalists, and as 
 England was an unsafe place for all friends of 
 the unfortunate Stuarts while Cromwell was 
 at the head of the government, we find the two 
 sons of the Rev. Lawrence Washington, John 
 and Lawrence, coming to Virginia. They ar- 
 rived in 1657 and bought lands in Westmoreland 
 county, between the Potomac and Rappahan- 
 nock rivers — the region called, the ''Northern 
 Neck." John, whom we afterwards find as 
 Colonel Washington leading the Virginia troops 
 against the Indians, became a noted planter, 
 a magistrate, and a member of the House of 
 Burgesses. Augustine, his grandson, ^was the 
 father of our Washington. 
 
 Augustine Washington is described as a tall 
 man of noble bearing, with a fair complexion 
 and fine gray eyes. He was a worthy man and 
 commanded the respect of his neighbors. He 
 
THE BOY AND YOUNG SURVEYOR 11 
 
 married Jane Butler and settled down as a 
 planter in Westmoreland county. In 1728 his 
 wife died, leaving him four children, of whom 
 only two, Lawrence and Augustine, lived to 
 manhood. Two years later he married Mary 
 Ball, the beautiful belle of the Northern Neck. 
 
 The young bride had passed her life quietly 
 at Epping Forest, her father's country seat, 
 where she had been carefully trained in all the 
 domestic duties of her day. Though she had 
 little book learning, she must have possessed 
 a commanding character, as we are told that 
 her sons, though ''proper, tall fellows," were 
 wont to sit as ''mute as mice" in her presence. 
 
 For several years after his second marriage, 
 Augustine Washington resided in the old home- 
 stead on Bridges Creek, where George, the eldest 
 child by his second marriage, was born. A few 
 years later the homestead was burned, and he 
 removed to an estate in Stafford county, oppo- 
 site Fredericksburg. Here he died in April, 
 1743. 
 
 Besides her stepsons, the young widow was 
 left with five children of her own — George, 
 Elizabeth, Samuel, John, and Charles. To 
 
12 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 these children she devoted her Hfe, being in- 
 trusted with the care of all their property until 
 they should each come of age. A charming 
 picture has been given us of Mary Washington 
 with her children gathered round her, reading to 
 them from her favorite volume, Sir Matthew 
 Hale's Contemplations, Moral and Divine. This 
 book, bearing her name written with her own 
 hand, may still be seen at Mount Vernon. 
 
 Augustine Washington's large possessions were 
 divided by will among his children; the home and 
 the estate on the Rappahannock was to become 
 the property of George when he should reach 
 the age of twenty-one. 
 
 During his father's lifetime George went to 
 school to an old man named Hobby, who 
 doubtless taught him to read, write, and cipher. 
 When he was about eight years old, his half- 
 brother Lawrence, who had been sent to Eng- 
 land to complete his education, returned home 
 an accomplished young gentleman. A remark- 
 able affection now sprang up between Lawrence 
 and his little brother, which lasted as long as 
 the 'former lived and which had great influence 
 upon the life of George, 
 
THE BOY AND YOUNG SURVEYOR 13 
 
 Lawrence Washington must have inherited 
 some of the mihtary spirit of his ancestors, for 
 we find him, when twenty-two years of age, rais- 
 ing a company and joining a mihtary expedition 
 to the West Indies, commanded by Admiral 
 Vernon, for the purpose of punishing the Span- 
 iards for interfering with British commerce. 
 Thus it came about that George received his 
 first lessons in military affairs. He saw the 
 preparations made for the expedition and after- 
 ward heard of the war through his brother. 
 
 Fighting mimic battles was at that time one 
 of the favorite amusements of the pupils of the 
 old-field school. George entered into this sport 
 with much pleasure. He was commander of 
 one army, while a schoolmate named William 
 Bustle led the opposing forces, and it is said 
 that George was always victorious. 
 
 After his father's death George was sent to 
 school to a Mr. Williams at Bridges Creek. 
 Here he learned to draft all kinds of deeds, 
 bonds, and mercantile papers, for his teacher 
 believed in giving boys a practical education. 
 His manuscript books, which are still to be 
 seen at Mount Vernon, are models of neatness. 
 
14 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 This training was of great service to him in 
 after life, as he was always able to draft legal 
 documents with the skill of a lawyer. While 
 still at school he collected and transcribed fifty- 
 four rules of etiquette which govern in good 
 society. 
 
 At this period of his life George grew up rapid- 
 ly into a tall, well-proportioned youth, and by 
 practicing himself in all kinds of athletic exer- 
 cises became noted for his agility and strength. 
 A place is still pointed out at Fredericks- 
 burg, where, when a boy, he threw a stone across 
 the Rappahannock river. He was also a fine 
 horseman. A story is told that when only ten 
 years old, he mounted a beautiful but vicious 
 colt, which belonged to his mother and which no 
 one could ride. The colt reared and plunged 
 and ran, but the young horseman kept his seat. 
 At last the animal made a furious plunge, 
 struck his head against a wall, and fell dead. 
 His companions were all frightened. What 
 would Mrs. Washington say to the killing of her 
 fine colt? Going to the house, George said to 
 his mother, "Your sorrel colt is dead, mother; 
 I killed him." Then he told just how it had 
 
GEORGE RIDING THE COLT. 
 
 [I 15] 
 
16 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 happened Mrs. Washington was of course 
 much grieved at the loss of her colt, but after 
 a few moments she said, '*I am very sorry to 
 lose my colt, but I am very glad to have a son 
 who is not afraid to speak the truth." 
 
 When our hero was fourteen years of age, 
 arrangements were made by his brother Law- 
 rence for him to enter the navy as a midship- 
 man. His mother at first consented to let him 
 go but after his trunks had been packed and 
 the time came to say good-by, she was so deeply 
 distressed that he gave up the idea and returned 
 to school. 
 > For the next two years he devoted himself 
 chiefly to the study of mathematics. He made a 
 special study of land-surveying, which in those 
 days was a very important profession. He learned 
 the "highest processes of the art," and spared 
 himself neither trouble nor fatigue to become 
 proficient. He made surveys in the neighbor- 
 hood and kept field books in which notes and 
 plots were entered with great neatness. ''Noth- 
 ing," says the historian Irving, ''was left half 
 done, or done in a hurried or slovenly manner. 
 The habit of mind thus cultivated continued 
 
THE BOY AND YOUNG SURVEYOR 17 
 
 throughout Hfe; so that however .compHcated 
 his tasks and overwhelming his cares, he found 
 time to do everything and to do it well." V 
 
 In 1747 George left school and went to live 
 with his brother Lawrence at Mount Vernon. 
 The latter had married Anne, the daughter of 
 Hon. William Fairfax, brother of Lord Fairfax, 
 and had settled on his estate upon the banks 
 of the Potomac river. This estate he called 
 Mount Vernon in honor of his beloved admiral. 
 
 While living with his brother, George was 
 constantly in the company of the most intelli- 
 gent and refined people, and by this association 
 the manners of the home-bred boy received 
 the stately polish of those colonial times. As 
 Lawrence Washington was a member of the 
 House of Burgesses and also adjutant-general 
 of the district, there were statesmen as well as 
 soldiers visiting at Mount Vernon. Their con- 
 versation relating to government and military 
 affairs must have made a deep impression upon 
 the mind of the thoughtful and manly boy. >- 
 
 When Washington was about sixteen, he was 
 engaged by Lord Fairfax to survey his lands 
 beyond the Blue Ridge. These lands had been 
 
18 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 taken up by lawless settlers, or ''squatters,** 
 and Lord Fairfax now desired to survey the vast 
 region and bring the whole under his own con- 
 trol. Though Washington was only a youth, 
 he possessed the necessary vigor, courage, and 
 ability to perform the task, and very soon we 
 see him ready to begin the difficult under- 
 taking. 
 N In March, 1748, Washington set out on horse- 
 back accompanied by George William Fairfax, 
 a nephew of Lord Fairfax. They entered the 
 Valley of Virginia through Ashby's Gap, a pass 
 through the Blue Ridge which then formed the 
 western boundary of Virginia settlements. Here 
 they found a beautiful region extending from the 
 Blue Ridge on the east to the North Mountain, 
 a spur of the Alleghanies, on the west, and 
 watered by the beautiful Shenandoah river, 
 which means in the Indian tongue ''Daughter 
 of the Stars." In his diary Washington dwells 
 with delight upon the magnificent forests and 
 fertile lands of this region. 
 
 The travelers first stopped at a kind of lodge 
 where the steward of Lord Fairfax lived, about 
 twelve miles from the town of Winchester. 
 
THE BOY AND YOUNG SURVEYOR 19 
 
 From there they followed the course of the 
 Shenandoah for many miles. Usually they 
 would camp out in the open air, but sometimes 
 they would be invited to share the scanty fare 
 of the woodman's cabin. 
 
 . When at last, having turned northward, they 
 reached the Potomac, they found it so swollen 
 by heavy rains that it was not fordable. Pro- 
 curing a canoe, they crossed over in it, swimming 
 their horses. They then traveled in a pouring 
 rain forty miles up the river to the home of 
 a Colonel Cresap. Here Washington saw for 
 the first time an Indian war dance. A party of 
 savages appeared at the settlement and were 
 induced by Colonel Cresap to dance for the 
 amusement of his guests. The horrid appear- 
 ance of the savages and their terrible yells and 
 whoops made a deep impression upon Washing- 
 ton, as he tells us in his diary. 
 
 Several weeks were now spent by the young 
 explorers in the mountains of Frederick county, 
 surveying lands and marking off the boundaries 
 of farms. The weather was stormy and their 
 trials were many. Once the straw in which 
 Washington wa§ sleeping caught fire and he 
 
^ 
 
 20 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 was awakened just in time to escape a burning. 
 Again their tent blew down and they were 
 driven out into the pitiless rain. In a letter to 
 one of his friends, Washington wrote: ''I have 
 not slept above three or four nights in a bed, 
 but after walking all day have lain down before 
 the fire upon a little straw or fodder or a bear 
 skin, whichever was to be had, with man, wife, 
 and children, like dogs and cats; and happy is 
 he who gets the berth nearest the fire." 
 
 About the middle of April, Washington was 
 again at Mount Vernon. For wages he had 
 received each day a doubloon (between $15 and 
 $16). He had done his work so well that Lord 
 Fairfax secured for him the appointment as 
 public surveyor. His surveys w^ere now re- 
 corded in the county offices and many of the 
 lines run by him remain unchanged to this day.-^' 
 
 The description of his possessions given by 
 the two young men was so pleasing to Lord 
 Fairfax that he moved across the Blue Ridge 
 and took up his residence at the lodge, known 
 afterwards as ''Greenway Court." The fine 
 manor house which he planned was never built;, 
 but th^ qM stone bouse, in which the steward 
 
THE BOY AND YOUNG SURVEYOR 21 
 
 had lived, served for the entertainment of his 
 guests. Here Washington was always welcome, 
 and here too he indulged in hunting and other 
 sports of the forest. Lord Fairfax was a man of 
 culture and varied experience and it is probable 
 that Washington derived both pleasure and 
 profit from the 'conversation of his lordship. 
 ^ He followed the occupation of surveying for 
 three years and found that it paid him well, 
 for there were then few surveyors for the vast 
 tracts of country then being thrown open to 
 adventurous settlers. -^ 
 
 Throughout the beautiful valley, there are 
 still colonial homes which claim to have shel- 
 tered Washington when yet a young surveyor. 
 
22 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 THE AMBASSADOR 
 
 Meanwhile some of the most enterprising 
 men of Virginia had formed a plan to settle 
 the vast region west of the Alleghanies. You 
 remember that both the English and the French 
 claimed the country from the Great Lakes to 
 the Ohio river. The French claim was based 
 upon the discovery of the Mississippi by 
 Marquette (mar ket^ and Joliet (zho lya') in 
 1673. According to an unwritten law of na- 
 tions, France had a right to claim not only the 
 lands bordering upon the Mississippi, but also 
 those drained by its tributary streams. 
 
 To this claim the English opposed that of a 
 purchase of the territory from the Indians. 
 In 1744 a treaty had been made at Lancaster, 
 Pennsylvania, between commissioners from Penn- 
 sylvania, Maryland, and Virginia and the Six 
 Nations. By this treaty the Indians gave up for 
 the sum of four hundred pounds all right to the 
 land west of the Alleghanies, which region, they 
 said, had been conquered by their forefathers. 
 
THE AMBASSADOR 23 
 
 It Is true that the treaty and purchase did take 
 place, but it is just as certain that the Six 
 Nations at that time possessed not a foot of 
 land west of the Alleghanies. 
 
 The time had now come for this great region 
 to be settled. Both France and England be- 
 gan to make known their shadowy claims to 
 it, and each of these nations prepared to fore- 
 stall the other by taking possession. 
 
 In 1749, to gain a foothold in tbat country 
 and to obtain wealth by its trade, an associa- 
 tion called the ''Ohio Company," was chartered, 
 and five hundred thousand acres of land west of 
 the Alleghanies was granted to it by the king of 
 England. Both Lawrence and Augustine Wash- 
 ington were members of the company and upon 
 the death of the president, Mr. Thomas Lee, 
 Lawrence Washington took his place. The com- 
 pany now began to make preparations to send 
 out settlers. 
 
 In the meantime the French under Bien- 
 ville (byaN vel) had taken possession of the 
 country. He gave presents to the Indians, and 
 after warning them not to trade with the English, 
 nailed great leaden plates to the trees and buried 
 
24 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1 
 
 others in the ground on which were inscribed 
 notices to the effect that the land belonged to 
 the king of France. 
 
 News of these proceedings was brought to 
 the members of the Ohio Company, but they 
 continued their preparations. In the fall of 
 1749 they sent Christopher Gist, a hardy 
 pioneer from the banks of the Yadkin, to ex- 
 plore their possessions and to find out something 
 about the native tribes. 
 
 Accompanied by several woodsmen, Gist 
 went northward until he reached Logstown, 
 the home of Tanacharisson, the Half King. 
 As he was absent on a hunt. Gist pushed on to 
 Muskingan, where he was well received and where 
 a council of the nation was held. He after- 
 wards visited the Delawares, the Shawnees, 
 and the Miamis, all of whom expressed their 
 friendship for the English and promised to 
 attend a meeting at Logstown the next spring 
 to make a treaty with Virginia. Logstown was 
 situated a little below the site of the present 
 city of Pittsburg. 
 
 Upon hearing of the proposed meeting of the 
 western tribes at Logstown, the governor of 
 
THE AMBASSADOR 25 
 
 Canada sent another embassy to the Indians, 
 but to no purpose. The savages not only re- 
 fused to Hsten to the French, but rejected the 
 offered belt of wampum, the sign of peace and 
 friendship. The embassy then left, making 
 threats against the English and all others who 
 might venture to trade upon those lands. In 
 spite of all these warnings, Gist, under the pro- 
 tection of the Virginia legislature, surveyed 
 the lands south of the Ohio river that belonged 
 to the Ohio Company. 
 
 The French now prepared for war. The 
 English colonies also began to make ready for 
 the contest which they saw approaching. There 
 was quite a stir in Virginia, for the territory in 
 dispute was within her boundaries. The colony 
 was divided into military districts, in each of 
 which there was an adjutant-general, with the 
 rank of major, whose duty was to organize and 
 equip the militia. 
 
 Through the influence of Lawrence Wash- 
 ington, his brother George was appointed adju- 
 tant-general of his district. The compass and 
 surveyor's chain were now laid aside for the 
 sword and manual exercise, A veteran, Adju- 
 
26 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 tant Muse, instructed the young officer in the 
 art of war, while Jacob Van Braam, a fencing- 
 master, gave him lessons in the use of the sword. 
 
 In the midst of this excitement, Lawrence 
 Washington's health became so delicate that 
 by the advice of his physicians he determined 
 to pass a winter in the West Indies, taking 
 George as a companion. They reached Barba- 
 does in the fall of 1751, and were charmed with 
 the tropical fruits and balmly climate of the 
 island. Here Washington for the first time 
 visited a theatre, and here, too, he was taken 
 down with smallpox. After an illness of three 
 weeks, he was restored to perfect health. He 
 then visited various sections of the island and 
 enjoyed greatly the strange scenes of a tropical 
 country. 
 
 Lawrence Washington did not improve in 
 health as it had been hoped, so he determined 
 to visit Bermuda in the spring. George re- 
 turned to Virginia to escort Mrs. Washington 
 to her husband at Bermuda. But before the 
 plan could be carried out, his brother's condition 
 had become w^orse and the invalid hastened 
 home to die under his own roof. On July 26, 
 
28 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1752, at the age of thirty-four, this accomplished 
 and noble-hearted gentleman passed away, 
 beloved and lamented by all. His infant daugh- 
 ter was left heiress to his wealth, but in the event 
 of her death and that of her mother, the prop- 
 erty was bequeathed to his brother George. 
 
 While Washington had been lingering at 
 the bedside of his brother, stirring events had 
 taken place along the Ohio. The treaty had 
 been made at Logstown with the Delawares, 
 Shawnees, and Mingoes; and Gist had been in- 
 structed to build a fort on the east side of the 
 Ohio, not far from where Pittsburg now stands. 
 The Ohio Company had also a trading post 
 at Will's Creek (now Cumberland, Maryland.) 
 
 The French, however, refused to give up the 
 territory, and by various means induced some of 
 the tribes friendly to the English to join them. 
 They had even advanced to Piqua,the great town 
 of the Miaimis, sacked the place and raised the 
 French flag. 
 
 Hearing of these events. Governor Dinwid- 
 die sent Captain Trent to warn the French 
 not to trespass on British soil. Trent found 
 affairs so threatening along the frontier that 
 
THE AMBASSADOR 29 
 
 he became discouraged and returned home 
 without having deHvered his message. 
 
 As it was necessary to send another am- 
 bassador to the French, Governor Dinwiddie 
 began to look about for a person better fitted 
 for the task than the unlucky Captain Trent. 
 George Washington was recommended as hav- 
 ing the necessary courage and determination, 
 and Governor Dinwiddie chose him at once for 
 the mission. He was directed to go to Logstown 
 and there interview the Half King and the rest 
 of the sachems. He was to tell them his mis- 
 sion and ask for an escort to conduct him to the 
 French commander. He was to deliver to the 
 commander a letter written by Governor Din- 
 widdie and in the name of the king of England 
 demand an answer. It was also his duty to 
 gain all the information possible about the forts 
 and forces of the French and also about the 
 Indians. 
 
 Washington left Williamsburg on Oct. 30, 
 1753. Going by Alexandria and Winchester, 
 he pushed on to Will's Creek, where he was met 
 by Gist. He engaged the latter as guide and 
 one Johu Davidsgn ^s iaterpr^ter.. His old 
 
30 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 friend Van Braam and four frontiersmen also 
 accompanied him. On Nov. 15 the Httle party 
 set out on their long and wearisome journey. 
 
 Winter had now set in with storms of rain 
 and snow which rendered the trails almost 
 impassable and the rivers past fording. After 
 many hardships they reached Logstown on 
 Nov. 24. Half King was absent at his hunting 
 lodge fifteen miles distant. Washington, how- 
 ever, sent out runners and invited the Half 
 King and other chiefs to a meeting on the next 
 day. The Half King came promptly and gave 
 Washington much information about the French. 
 
 The next morning the chiefs came to the 
 council where W^ashington made his first speech. 
 He told them that their brother, the governor 
 of Virginia, was sending a letter to the French 
 commander and that he needed the services of 
 some of their young men to guide his party and 
 to guard them against the French Indians, who 
 were on the warpath. He then gave the chiefs a 
 string of w^ampum, the emblem of peace. 
 
 The Half King replied that they would help 
 their brothers, the English, but that three 
 days would be necessary to prepare for the 
 
THE AMBASSADOR 
 
 81 
 
 journey. Washington protested at the delay, but 
 soon found that to hurry the departure would 
 offend his savage allies. He, therefore, awaited 
 their pleasure. After much discussion it was 
 determined that, for fear of arousing the sus- 
 picions of the French, only the Half King and 
 two others should 
 go as guides. 
 
 So stormy was 
 the weather that it 
 was not until De- 
 cember 4 that they 
 reached Venango, 
 the first French 
 post. There Wash- 
 ington was told that 
 he must deliver the 
 governor's letter to 
 the officer at the next fort. A storm detained 
 them at Venango for three days, during which 
 time Washington gained much information 
 about the French; and the Half King and his 
 brother sachems consumed more of the French 
 liquor than was good for them. 
 
 On Dec. 12 the party at last reached Fort 
 
 KLESSO CO 90 120 150 180 210 240 
 
32 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 Le Boeuf (le bef) on French Creek, about fifteen 
 miles south of Lake Erje. Washington im- 
 mediately presented the letter of Governor 
 Dinwiddie to the commander, Chevalier de 
 St. Pierre (she va lya'de saN pyar). Two days 
 later St. Pierre delivered his reply. 
 
 His mission having been accomplished, 
 Washington now made ready to leave. The 
 wily Frenchman, however, detained the party 
 for another day, during which he did all that he 
 could to win the Half King to the side of the 
 French. It was a time of great anxiety to 
 Washington, but at last he prevailed upon the 
 Half King to start upon the return journey. 
 
 They had gone to the fort from Venango 
 in canoes and now began their return in like 
 manner. The creek was swollen and full of 
 broken ice. Often the canoes were in danger 
 of being dashed against the rocks, and again 
 the travelers would have to leap into the icy 
 water in order to draw them over shoals. At 
 one place where the river was dammed by ice, 
 they carried their canoes for a quarter of a mile 
 across a neck of land. Finally, however, they 
 reached Venango on Dec. 22, and on Christ- 
 mas Day set out for home. 
 
THE AMBASSADOR 3S 
 
 The weather was bitterly cold and the earth 
 was covered with a deep snow. The pack- 
 horses were weak from exposure and lack of 
 food, and it was feared that they would give 
 out. Washington and his companions dis- 
 mounted and gave up their saddle horses to 
 assist in carrying the baggage. For three 
 days they toiled on in this way, when Wash- 
 ington, impatient to complete his mission, de- 
 cided to hasten in advance of the party by tak- 
 ing the nearest trail through the forests. Leav- 
 ing Van Braam in charge of the party, he, with 
 his pack upon his back and a rifle in his hand, 
 stepped out into the wilderness accompanied 
 only by Gist. 
 
 When night came on, they made a fire and 
 rested for a few hours. Starting again long be- 
 fore day, they pushed forward until they reached 
 a place called Murdering Town. Here they 
 came upon a party of Indians and employed one 
 of them to act as guide through the trackless 
 forests which no\^ lay before them. 
 
 After traveling some distance, they came 
 about twilight to an opening in the forest. 
 The Indian, who was ahead, turned suddenly 
 
34 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 and fired at them. Washington was startled, 
 but, finding that neither he nor Gist was 
 wounded, pursued the Indian and seized him as 
 he was reloading his gun. Gist would have 
 killed him on the spot, but Washington inter- 
 fered and saved his life. 
 
 They took his loaded gun from him and 
 made him march in front. Gist now concluded 
 that it would be best to get rid of him; so 
 Washington said to the Indian in a friendly way, 
 ''I suppose that you had lost your way and fired 
 your gun merely as a signal. Now as you are 
 near your home, you can go there for the night." 
 *'Yes," said Gist, ''as we are tired, we will re- 
 main here and follow your track in the morn- 
 ing. Here is some bread and you must have 
 meat ready for us early to-morrow." 
 
 As soon as the guide had left them, they kindled 
 a large fire and set their compass by the light 
 of it. They then began their journey again. 
 Fearing pursuit by the Indians, they traveled 
 all night and the next day until nightfall, when 
 they reached the Alleghany river. 
 
 After passing an anxious night, they arose in 
 the morning to contrive some way to cross the 
 
THE AMBASSADOR 35 
 
 river. At last they determined to build a raft. 
 Though they worked with all speed, they could 
 not complete it before the sun had gone down. 
 They launched it in the gathering darkness, and 
 tried to push it across the river with poles. 
 Before they were half way over, the raft was 
 caught between cakes of ice, and in trying to get 
 it loose, Washington was jerked into the water 
 by the force of the current. Fortunately he was 
 able to grasp one of the logs and by his great 
 strength to climb back upon the raft. 
 
 They were now unable to reach either shore. 
 At length they drifted near a small island on 
 which they took refuge. Here they spent a 
 most miserable night. The cold was so severe 
 that Gist's hands and feet were frozen. When 
 morning came, the river was so gorged with ice 
 cakes that they easily made their way to the 
 opposite shore. 
 
 Before night they had reached the house 
 of Frazier, an Indian trader on the Monon- 
 gahela. They left these comfortable quarters 
 on January 1, and arrived at the home of Gist 
 on the next day. 
 
 Having bought a horse, Washington con- 
 
36 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 tinued his way alone and reached Williamsburg 
 on January 16. He lost no time in delivering 
 to Governor Dinwiddie the letter of the French 
 commander and in making a full report of his 
 journey. The letter was evasive; it indicated, 
 however, no intention of giving up the territory. 
 
 The report of Washington convinced all 
 parties that the French would take possession 
 of the Ohio Valley in the spring. It was pub- 
 lished and sent throughout the colonies and to 
 the mother country in order to arouse the people 
 and make them take measures to forestall the 
 French. 
 
 There were then stirring times in the Old 
 Dominion. Captain Trent was ordered to 
 raise a company of one hundred men on the 
 frontier, and then to march to the Fork of the 
 Ohio and complete the fort begun by the Ohio 
 Company. Washington was sent to Alexandria 
 to raise another company and to forward sup- 
 plies to the forces under Captain Trent. 
 
 The journey from Williamsburg to Fort 
 Le Boeuf and back again was fully one thousand 
 miles, across streams, through dense forests, 
 ^nd regions frequented by hostile Indians, The 
 
THE AMBASSADOR 87 
 
 fidelity with which Washington executed his 
 dangerous commission was the foundation of his 
 future greatness and caused him to be regarded 
 as the "rising hope of Virginia." " 
 
38 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 THE LIEUTENANT-COLONEL 
 
 Governor Dinwiddie now appealed to the 
 governors of the other colonies for help. He also 
 convened the House of Burgesses and demanded 
 a grant of money to equip troops and fortify 
 the frontier against the French. The governors 
 all sent excuses, but the House of Burgesses 
 voted ten thousand pounds for defense of the 
 disputed territory. 
 
 A regiment of six companies of volunteers 
 were called out, and Washington was offered 
 the command; but with his usual modesty he 
 refused it, assigning as a reason that he was too 
 young and inexperienced. Colonel Joshua Frye 
 of North Carolina was then placed in command, 
 and Washington was made second officer with 
 the rank of lieutenant-colonel. 
 
 With two of these companies, numbering 
 in all about one hundred and fifty men, Wash- 
 ington at once set out for the new fort at the 
 Fork of the Ohio. While waiting at Will's 
 Creek for baggage wagons, he learned that the 
 
THE LIEUTENANT-COLONEL 39 
 
 French, after driving away the men sent to build 
 and guard the fort, had strengthened it and 
 renamed It Fort Du Quesne (doo kan'). Re- 
 gardless of this bad news, Washington marched 
 on, making a road for his baggage wagons and 
 artillery as he advanced. 
 
 The Half King now sent two warriors to 
 assure Washington that he was friendly to the 
 English and to ask help against the French 
 and their Indian allies. They w^ere reported 
 to be over a thousand strong. News was also 
 received that another French force was ascending 
 the Ohio river and that six hundred Chippewas 
 and Ottawas were marching to join them. 
 
 One of the warriors was sent to Williamsburg 
 to see Governor Dinwiddle, and the other was 
 Instructed to inform the Half King that Wash- 
 ington was on his way with a part of the army, 
 and to invite the Indians to meet him as soon 
 as possible. He also wrote to the governors 
 of Pennsylvania and Maryland informing them 
 of his perilous situation and asking aid. In a 
 council of war. It was decided to march to the 
 Ohio Company's storehouse at the mouth of 
 Redstone Creek and fortify themselves. There 
 
40 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 they could watch the enemy and await rein- 
 forcements. 
 
 On May 23, this message came from the 
 faithful Half King: *'It is reported that the 
 French army is coming to meet Major Wash- 
 ington. Be on your guard against them, my 
 brethren, for they intend to strike the first 
 English they see. They have been on the march 
 two days. I know not their number^ The 
 Half King and the rest of the chiefs will be 
 with you in five days to hold a council.'* 
 
 That evening the French were reported only 
 eighteen miles distant. The youthful comman- 
 der therefore halted in a place called the Great 
 Meadows and threw up hasty fortifications. 
 
 Having been informed by the Half King that 
 an advance guard of about fifty Frenchmen 
 were lurking in the forest nearby, Washing- 
 ton immediately set out by night with a band 
 of men led by Indian scouts to drive off or cap- 
 ture them. This was done with great prompt- 
 ness. Jumonville (zhii moN vel ), the young 
 French commander, was killed at the first of the 
 attack. The balls fell thick around Washing- 
 ton, but he escaped unhurt. Only one of his 
 
THE LIEUTENANT-COLONEL 41 
 
 men was killed and two we:e wounded. Ten 
 of the French were killed and twenty-one cap- 
 tured. The prisoners were at once sent on to 
 Governor Dinwiddie, at Winchester, and letters 
 were forwarded to both Colonel Frye and the 
 governors urging them to hurry to the front 
 both men and supplies. 
 
 It was afterwards claimed by the French that . 
 Jumonville and his party had been sent forward 
 by the commandant at Fort Du Quesne merely 
 to meet Colonel Washington, to advise his re- 
 turn, and to assure him that the French goveriT- 
 ment would not consent to the building of a 
 fort upon territory belongi^ig to France. If 
 Jumonville had advanced on a mission of peace, 
 it was very unfortunate that he did not approach 
 Washington's camp under a flag of truce instead 
 of lurking in the forest. The force was reported 
 to Washington as the advance of the French 
 army; and, as he had no reason to think other- 
 wise, it became his duty to attack it. The 
 affair created great excitement throughout Amer- '^ 
 ica, France, and England; but under the cir- 
 cumstances, no blame could be attached to 
 Washington, 
 
42 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 But let us return to the camp at Great 
 Meadows. Colonel Innes, who upon the death 
 of Colonel Frye had succeeded to the com- 
 mand, had not yet arrived. The promised sup- 
 plies were not forwarded; and to make matters 
 worse the Half King and forty or fifty warriors 
 with their wives and children joined Washington. 
 He completed the fort and called it Fort Neces- 
 sity, from the hard times which had been ex- 
 perienced while building it. His little army 
 in the meantime was reinforced by one 
 hundred and fifty men, who had been under 
 Colonel Frye, and by an independent company 
 of one hundred men from South Carolina. 
 
 With these reinforcements Washington con- 
 tinued his march to Redstone Creek. When 
 about thirteen miles from Fort Necessity, the 
 scouts reported that a large body of troops 
 had been sent out from Fort Du Quesne to 
 attack him. Coming to a halt, he held a council 
 of war, in which it was thought best by all to 
 retire before such superior numbers. A rapid 
 retreat now began. Washington and his officers 
 gave up their horses to aid in transporting the 
 baggage and ammunition. 
 
THE LIEUTENANT-COLONEL 43 
 
 When the httle army reached Fort Necessity 
 the men were worn out by hunger and fatigue, 
 and Washington was forced to halt contrary to 
 his intentions. He sent back to Will's Creek 
 for reinforcements and supplies; but before they 
 could arrive, the fort was surrounded on July 
 3 by five hundred French and one hundred 
 Indians under Captain de Villiers (de ve ya'), 
 who w^as anxious to avenge the death of his 
 brother-in-law, Jumonville. 
 
 Washington had exerted himself to the utmost 
 to put the fort in a state of defense, felling trees 
 and rolling logs for the barricade himself. 
 When the French appeared, he drew up his 
 little army outside of the fortifications to give 
 battle, but the foe remained under cover of the 
 forest, which was not more than sixty yards 
 distant on one side of the fort. 
 
 Washington then retired into the trenches 
 and a fierce fight was kept up until eight in the 
 evening. "Scarcely since the days of Leonidas 
 and his three hundred deathless Spartans," says 
 Trumbull, in his Indian Wars, ''had the sun 
 beheld its equal. With hideous whoops and 
 yells the enemy came on like a host of tigers. 
 
44 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 The wood and rocks and tall tree tops, as the 
 Indians climbed into them to pour down their 
 bullets into the fort, were in one continued 
 blaze and crash of firearms." 
 
 Nor were Washington and his brave Carolin- 
 ians and Virginians idle. For full nine hours 
 they fought with so much spirit that their little 
 fort seemed like a volcano, roaring and flashing 
 forth sheets of death-bearing flame. At eight 
 o'clock De Villiers, discouraged by such re- 
 sistance, sent a flag of truce offering to treat 
 with Washington and his men on honorable 
 terms. 
 
 The situation in the fott had become desper- 
 ate. A pouring rain had set in rendering many 
 muskets unfit for use and filling the trenches 
 with water; besides the ammunition was almost 
 exhausted and the stock of provisions low. 
 
 Knowing that further resistance was useless, 
 Washington finally agreed to the terms pro- 
 posed. His troops were to abandon the fort, 
 but they were to be permitted to march away 
 with all the honors of war, carrying with them 
 their stores and baggage. He agreed also that 
 the prisoners taken in the skirmish with Jumon- 
 
JIETjR^AT from gREAT MSAPQWS, f 46 } 
 
46 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1 
 
 ville should be returned. Captain Van Braam 
 and Captain Stabo were to remain with the 
 French as hostages until the prisoners should be 
 restored to their countrymen. De Villiers had 
 promised that the Indians should not molest 
 the retreating forces. That promise, however, 
 was not kept, for the savages pursued them and 
 harassed them severely. 
 
 When the regiment reached Williamsburg, 
 a vote of thanks was given to Washington and 
 his officers, and a pistole (about $3.60) was 
 granted to each of the men who had undergone 
 so many hardships. Though the expedition 
 had failed, the bravery and good judgment of 
 Washington were not questioned by his fellow- 
 countrymen. 
 
THE AIDE-DE-CAMP 47 
 
 CHAPTER I V 
 THE AIDE-DE-CAMP 
 
 After a brief rest Washington returned to his 
 regiment which Governor Dinwiddie wished him 
 to recruit to three hundred men. While he was 
 doing this, the governor received information 
 that the French had become less watchful at 
 Fort Du Quesne and that it could easily be 
 captured by a band of resolute men. Accord- 
 ingly he decided to order a forced march across 
 the mountains for the purpose of taking the 
 fort at a single blow. He wrote Washington to 
 set out at once for Will's Creek with such com- 
 panies as were complete. 
 
 Washington fully realized the rashness of such 
 an expedition with so small a force at that season 
 of the year, and be did not hesitate to express 
 his opinion to his fr'end, William Fairfax, then 
 a member of the House of Burgesses. The latter 
 doubtless brought such influence to bear upon 
 Governor Dinwiddie that the project was aban- 
 doned. 
 
 As the House of Burgesses had voted a grant 
 
48 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 of twenty thousand pounds for military purposes, 
 the governor issued instructions that the army 
 be increased to ten independent companies. 
 Under this plan no officer could rank higher 
 than a captain. "This regulation," says Irving, 
 "drove Washington out of the service, for he 
 thought derogatory to his character to accept a 
 lower commission than that under which his 
 conduct had gained him a vote of thanks from 
 the legislature." 
 
 Washington was also thoroughly vexed with 
 Governor Dinwiddle because he refused to give 
 up the French prisoners in accordance with the 
 agreement made at Fort Necessity. He had 
 tried in vain to persuade the governor to return 
 the captives. Feeling keenly the governor's 
 refusal, he resigned his commission and retired 
 to private life. 
 
 His first care was to visit his mother and ren- 
 der her all the assistance due her from an eldest 
 son. He then went to Mount Vernon, which 
 upon the death of little Sarah, his brother's 
 daughter, had become his property. Here he 
 entered upon the duties and pleasures of a coun- 
 try gentleman with the same zest with which he 
 
THE AIDE-DE-CAMP 49 
 
 had gone to war. But he was not permitted 
 to remain long in seclusion. 
 
 The British government, at last aroused, de- 
 termined to aid the colonies in resisting the 
 advance of the French. Early in 1755 General 
 Braddock and two regiments, each five hundred 
 men strong with all the munitions of war, were 
 sent to Virginia. 
 
 Four expeditions had been planned by the 
 British. The most important of them was 
 against the French in the Ohio Valley. It was 
 to be commanded by General Braddock in 
 person. Fort Du Quesne was first to be reduced, 
 after which he would proceed against Niagara 
 and Frontenac. 
 
 Alexandria was chosen as the place where the 
 troops should disembark and be joined by the 
 colonial soldiers and their Indian allies. There 
 the troops would encamp and rest while all the 
 details for their march through the wilderness 
 could be arranged. 
 
 From the heights of Mount Vernon, Washing- 
 ton looked down upon the ships-of-war bristling 
 with guns, and the troop ships swarming with 
 red-coated soldiers as they passed up the Poto- 
 
50 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 mac to the place of encampment. The fighting 
 spirit of his forefathers again seized him and 
 he declared his desire to join the expedition. 
 This desire was reported to General Braddock, 
 who soon learned from Governor Dinwiddle and 
 others that our hero, because of his character, 
 his knowledge of the country, and his experience 
 in frontier warfare, was the very man he needed 
 to accompany him as an aide-de-camp in the 
 coming war. 
 
 When an invitation to join the general's 
 staff arrived at Mount Vernon, Washington did 
 not hesitate to accept it. As volunteer aide he 
 would receive no pay and would be at great 
 personal expense; on the other hand, his passion 
 for military life could be gratified without loss 
 of dignity; moreover, he longed for the opportu- 
 nity of gain'ng military experience under the 
 eye of so distinguished a commander as Brad- 
 dock. He therefore went as soon as possible 
 to Alexandria, where he was cordially received 
 by Captain Orme and Captain Morris, the other 
 aides of the general. 
 
 General Braddock was also most courteous. 
 Washington soon found, however, that he was 
 
THE AIDE-DE-CAMP 51 
 
 a stern military man, very proud, and one of the 
 sort that could be taught nothing new. He had 
 great contempt for the lank, poorly equipped 
 American troops who cut such a sorry figure 
 by the side of the scarlet-coated English with 
 their fine weapons and perfect drill. He would 
 listen to no warnings of danger from Indian 
 ambuscades. "The savages may be feared by 
 raw American militia," he said, ''but they are 
 not formidable to the king's regulars." 
 
 After remaining at home for a few days to 
 arrange his business, Washington hastened to 
 Frederictown where he found affairs in great 
 confusion. The horses and wagons which had 
 been promised had not arrived ; neither was there 
 a sufficient quantity of provisions for the men. 
 In this dilemma, Benjamin Franklin, who had 
 come to Frederictown to see General Braddock, 
 undertook to furnish one hundred and fifty 
 wagons, with four horses to each wagon, and 
 fifteen hundred pack or saddle horses, all of 
 which were to be delivered at Will's Creek by 
 May 20. In the end these wagons and horses 
 were lost and Franklin was sued by the owners. 
 But the government at last paid the debt, 
 
52 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 which amounted to about one hundred thousand 
 dollars. 
 
 Having scoured the country around for pro- 
 visions, Braddock set out for Will's Creek (Fort 
 Cumberland) by way of Winchester. We are 
 told that he travelled in great state in a chariot, 
 and that when he reached Will's Creek, a salute 
 of seventeen guns was fired in honor of his ar- 
 rival. Says Irving, ''By the 19th of May all of 
 the troops had arrived at Fort Cumberland, 
 the two royal regiments, increased to fourteen 
 hundred by men chosen from the Maryland and 
 Virginia levies, two companies of carpenters, 
 or pioneers, a company of guides, the troop of 
 Virginia light-horse, commanded by Captain 
 Stewart, the thirty sailors detached to assist 
 in dragging the cannon over the mountains, and 
 the remnants of two companies from New York, 
 one of which was commanded by Captain 
 Horatio Gates." 
 
 A long halt was now made at Fort Cumber- 
 land until the roads could be opened and sup- 
 plies collected. In the meantime Washington 
 was sent back to Williamsburg for four thousand 
 pounds for the military chest- 
 
THE AIDE-DE-CAMP 53 
 
 Upon his return he found General Braddock 
 fretting because the horses and wagons had not 
 arrived. Washington advised him to use, when- 
 ever possible, packhorses Instead of wagons. 
 But knowing as yet little about mountain roads, 
 Braddock did not heed the advice. 
 
 Another cause of anxiety was the desertion 
 of his Indian allies. They complained that they 
 were slighted In not being consulted in regard 
 to the war; and one by one they disappeared 
 from camp, until at last only nine warriors were 
 left. 
 
 At last, on June 10, the ill-fated expedition 
 again began its onward march. The crossing 
 of the mountains with the heavily ladened 
 wagons was indeed a tremendous undertaking. 
 When, on June 16, the army had reached 
 Little Meadows, General Braddock had become 
 so worn out and discouraged that he humbled 
 himself sufficiently to ask the advice of Wash- 
 ington as to the best manner of proceeding. 
 The latter with great modesty advised him to 
 divide his forces — to leave one part as a rear 
 guard with the baggage, and with the other to 
 hasten forward In person to attack the fort. 
 
54 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 This plan was adopted. It was decided that 
 twelve hundred men and ten field pieces should 
 form the first division. The ammunition and 
 baggage were to be carried on packhorses. 
 Washington gave up his best horse for the public 
 service and never again heard of him. 
 
 While the army was encamped at Little Mea- 
 dows, Captain Jack, a famous Indian fighter, 
 with his band of rangers made his appearance 
 and offered the services of his men to General 
 Braddock. The assistance of the scouts would 
 have been invaluable to the general, but he 
 replied with great haughtiness that he had 
 experienced troops upon whom he could rely for 
 all purposes. So Captain Jack and his rangers, 
 highly indignant, shouldered their rifles and left 
 the doomed commander to his fate. 
 
 Once more, June 19, the first division of the 
 army began its march. To Washington's dis- 
 gust, however, it moved forward as slowly as 
 before, taking four days to march twelve miles. 
 
 Just at this time, Washington was taken with 
 a fever, and had to be left behind with a guard 
 and Dr. Craik at the great crossings of the 
 Youghiogeny (yok'6 ga'ni) river. But he was 
 
THE AIDE-DE-CAMP 55 
 
 impatient to be at the front, and as soon as he 
 was able, he set off in a covered wagon and ar- 
 rived at Braddock's camp on July 8. 
 
 The army was now only seven miles from Fort 
 Du Quesne, and arrangements were being made 
 for the attack on the next day. Washington, 
 who knew the nature of the country and the 
 probability of an attack by Indians, begged that 
 the Virginia rangers, being expert in savage war- 
 fare, be placed in the advance. The request threw 
 General Braddock into a great rage. He said 
 that things had come to a strange pass when a 
 young Virginian should presume to tell him, 
 a British general, how to fight. 
 
 Leaving the general, Washington, who was 
 still weak from his illness, mounted his horse 
 and joined the other staff officers. He soon for- 
 got his wounded feelings in the splendid sight 
 before him. The army was marching in perfect 
 order along the bank of the Monongahela 
 (mo non ga heia). He said afterwards that he 
 had never seen anything more imposing than the 
 march of the army on that bright morning. 
 All were dressed in full uniform with bayonets 
 fixed, colors flying, and drums beating. 
 
56 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 After crossing the river, the road led up a 
 gradual ascent and on each side was a deep 
 ravine, concealed by trees and underbrush. 
 In front was a working party supported by a 
 detachment of three hundred and fifty men un- 
 der Lieutenant Colonel Gage (afterwards gen- 
 eral). They had just begun to ascend the hill, 
 and Braddock was about to follow with the main 
 army, when very quick and heavy firing was 
 heard in front. 
 
 The two ravines before mentioned, after run- 
 ning parallel to the road for some distance 
 converged until they met, and just at this point 
 the French attacked the advance guard of the 
 English. As soon as the attack began, the 
 French and Indians extended their lines down the 
 ravines and thus from the bushes and trees 
 poured a murderous fire upon the English. The 
 advance guard was driven back upon a regiment 
 which had just come up. The terrible warwhoop 
 of the Indians was heard on right and left and 
 from the front, and the experienced troops of 
 Great Britain saw their brave comrades fall on 
 all sides by shots from an invisible foe. 
 
 Colonel Gage ordered his men to fix bayonets 
 
58 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 and form in line of battle. Then the order was 
 given to charge and clear the ravines of the enemy, 
 but not a man would obey. The whoops of the 
 savages so terrified the soldiers that they shot 
 wildly, killing some of their own men who were 
 retreating from the front. 
 
 In the meantime General Braddock ordered 
 forward eight hundred men under Colonel Bur- 
 ton, leaving four hundred to guard the artillery 
 and baggage. As the uproar continued, he 
 himself rode forward and arrived just as Colonel 
 Burton was forming his men to charge. Just 
 then the troops in front fell back in great con- 
 fusion upon Burton's command, which also 
 gave way. 
 
 Braddock tried in vain to check the retreat; 
 he ordered the officers to divide the troops into 
 small bodies and to advance against the enemy. 
 But neither entreaties nor commands could pre- 
 vail upon the men to leave the main road. 
 
 The Virginia rangers alone broke ranks and 
 fought the savages in their own fashion. Wash- 
 ington begged Braddock to post the regulars 
 behind trees; but to the last he persisted in 
 forming them into platoons so that they were 
 
THE AIDE-DE-CAMP 59 
 
 shot down by the lurking foe as fast as they went 
 forward. 
 
 Throughout the deadly fray Washington 
 displayed the greatest courage and presence of 
 mind. The other aides had been wounded early 
 in the action, and he alone was left to carry the 
 orders of the general. Two horses were shot 
 under him and four bullets passed through his 
 coat. The Indians singled him out for death, 
 but in vain. He rode on as if protected by 
 enchantment. Not long after this battle, an 
 Indian warrior is reported to have said that 
 Washington was not born to be killed by a bullet; 
 for he had seventeen fair shots at him with his 
 rifle during the fight and yet could not kill him. 
 
 At one time Washington was sent to bring the 
 artillery into action. The Indians had extended 
 down the ravines, flanking even the reserves, 
 and there too the greatest confusion prevailed. 
 The gunners were stricken with fear and refused 
 to serve the guns. A well-directed fire upon the 
 ravines might have saved the day. Washington 
 dismounted and wheeled and fired a brass field- 
 piece with his own hands, but his example was 
 of no avail. 
 
60 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 In the meanwhile Braddock remained in the 
 center of the field trying to rally his men. Five 
 horses v/ere shot beneath him, but still he kept 
 his ground hoping to turn the tide of battle. 
 At last a ball struck his arm and passed through 
 his lung. As he was being placed in a cart by 
 Captain Stewart, he faintly asked Washington, 
 ''What is to be done?" 'We must retreat," 
 was the reply. "The regulars will not fight 
 and the rangers are nearly all dead." 
 
 The order to retreat was now given, and the 
 rout became general. Baggage, stores, and 
 artillery were left behind. The flight continued 
 after the Monongahela had been crossed. About 
 one hundred men halted near the ford of the 
 river where a hospital was established. Here 
 Braddock was tenderly cared for. 
 
 Washington was soon sent in haste to Colonel 
 Dunbar, forty miles distant, who commanded 
 the rear division, with orders to hurry forward 
 wagons and supplies for the wounded. The 
 tidings of the defeat, however, had preceded 
 him and all was in confusion. Colonel Dunbar 
 retreated after having destroyed stores and ar- 
 tillery, worth not less than one hundred thousand 
 
THE AIDE-DE-CAMP 61 
 
 pounds. Braddock died the fourth day after 
 the battle, July 13, at the Great Meadow. 
 Washington had returned from Dunbar's camp 
 and was with him at the last. It is said that 
 he expressed to Washington his regret at scorn- 
 ing his advice during the campaign, and left 
 to him his favorite charger and his faithful ser- 
 vant Bishop. 
 
 He was buried before the break of day, 
 Washington read the burial service. Some his- 
 torians tell us that the grave was purposely 
 located in the middle of the road and that the 
 retreating wagons were ordered to pass over it, 
 so as to conceal his resting place from the savages. 
 The spot is still pointed out by the residents of 
 that locality. 
 
 In this battle the English had twenty-six 
 officers killed and thirty-seven wounded, and 
 over seven hundred privates killed and wounded. 
 The French had only three officers and thirty 
 privates killed, and as many wounded. The 
 destruction of the grand army, from which so 
 much had been expected, caused much excite- 
 ment throughout America and Great Britain, 
 ^nd reproach is still heaped upon the memory 
 
62 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 of poor Braddock for his obstinacy and military 
 conceit. 
 
 On July 17, 1755, Washington again reached 
 Fort Cumberland, saddened by defeat and weak- 
 ened by disease. After having been in service 
 for two years, he found himself with a very little 
 ready money and in bad health; yet the trying 
 scenes through which he had passed proved to 
 be a training-school to prepare liim for greater 
 deeds. 
 
COMMANDER OF VIRGINIA TROOPS 63 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 THE COMMANDER OF THE VIRGINIA 
 TROOPS 
 
 The frontier of Virginia was now laid open to 
 invasion, and though Washington was still 
 suffering from ill health and the depressing 
 effects of defeat, his military labors were not 
 at an end. As adjutant-general of the northern 
 district, it became his duty to put the frontier 
 in a state of defense against the expected raids 
 of the French and Indians. He Immediately 
 Issued orders that the militia meet and drill, 
 and that volunteer companies be formed. 
 
 The House of Burgesses met and, thorough- 
 ly alarmed, voted a grant of forty thousand 
 pounds for defense. It also appointed George 
 Washington commander-in-chief of all the Vir- 
 ginia forces and voted him three hundred 
 pounds for his services. 
 
 As soon as his mother heard of his probable 
 return to military life, she wrote begging him 
 not to risk his life in another frontier war. He 
 replied with great deference, but insisted that, if 
 
64 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 called by the voice of his country, it would be 
 his duty to obey. 
 
 It seems strange that a man who had already 
 twice suffered defeat should have been intrusted 
 with the defense of the Commonwealth. ''But," 
 says a noted writer, ''it remains an honorable 
 testimony of Virginia intelligence that the ster- 
 ling, enduring, but undazzling qualities of Wash- 
 ington were thus early appreciated, though only 
 heralded by misfortune." 
 
 Washington was indeed the hero of his 
 people, not because he had been victorious, but 
 because he had known how to bear defeat. 
 Having consulted Governor Dinwiddle, he has- 
 tened to Winchester, his headquarters. He then 
 visited the frontier forts and took all possible 
 measures of safety. 
 
 Now happened an incident which \^ould 
 have been ludicrous had it not been for the anxi- 
 ety which it produced, and the evidence which 
 it afforded of the state of panic prevailing along 
 the frontier. Washington was on his way to 
 Williamsburg, when he was overtaken by a mes- 
 senger from Colonel Stephens, the commander 
 at Fort Cumberland, bringing the news that a 
 
COMMANDER OF VIRGINIA TROOPS 65 
 
 large body of Indians was advancing up the 
 Shenandoah Valley burning and killing as they 
 went. 
 
 Washington returned in haste to Winches- 
 ter, where he found the citizens in great distress 
 and alarm. News had come that the Indians 
 were only four miles distant. With about forty 
 men, Washington sallied forth and found to his 
 great relief that the supposed savages were only 
 a few drunken troopers who had alarmed the 
 people by yelling and firing off their pistols. 
 The party of savages which had alarmed Colonel 
 Stephens, had advanced but a short distance and 
 then retreated across the Alleghany Mountains. 
 
 Washington now bent all his energies to the 
 defense of the frontier and the drilling and dis- 
 cipline of both officers and men in the militia 
 service. 
 
 In the meantime a dispute arose between 
 Maryland and Virginia as to the possession of 
 Fort Cumberland. It was agreed that Major- 
 General Shirley, who had succeeded Braddock 
 in command of the king's forces, should deter- 
 mine the matter, and Washington was ordered 
 to Boston to obtain his decision. 
 
66 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 He set out for that place on horseback, ac- 
 companied by his aides, Captain George Mer- 
 cer, of Virginia, and Captain Stewart, of the 
 Virginia Hght-horse. These officers traveled in 
 great style on fine horses and attended by their 
 negro servants attired in livery. Washington's 
 commanding person, splendid horsemanship, and 
 widespread reputation made him the lion of the 
 party. 
 
 Arriving at Boston, he explained his mis- 
 sion to General Shirley, who decided that Fort 
 Cumberland belonged to the king; and that, as 
 Washington was a field officer, he outranked 
 the Maryland captain, who claimed the com- 
 mand of the fort. So Fort Cumberland was 
 again placed under the command of Washing- 
 ton. 
 
 As he passed through New York City, he 
 met at the house of a friend Miss Mary Philipse, 
 a lovely wom.an, whose fortune was said to equal 
 her beauty. It is certain that she gained 
 Washington's admiration, and by some it is 
 claimed that he offered her his hand in marriage 
 and was refused. It is more probable, however, 
 that he was called away by military duties be- 
 
LEAVING MOUNT VERNON 
 
 [67] 
 
68 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 fore his suit had progressed far enough to war- 
 rant a proposal. Be that as It may, It Is re- 
 corded In the chronicles of the times that 
 Captain Morris, his former fellow aide to 
 Braddock, finally carried off the rich prize. 
 
 Although for about two years the French 
 and the English colonies had been at war, It 
 was not until May, 1756, that war was openly 
 declared by Great Britain against France. The 
 conflict In America, known In history as the 
 French and Indian War, now burst forth with 
 renewed violence. In this sketch only those 
 movements In which our hero took part will be 
 mentioned. 
 
 The year 1756 was one of great trouble and 
 trial to Washington. As laws relating to the 
 militia service were not strict, the commander- 
 in-chief had much trouble in raising troops to 
 garrison the forts and to drive off the savages. 
 He was also much worried by the obstinacy of 
 Governor Dinwiddle, who Insisted upon keep- 
 ing a garrison at Fort Cumberland. According 
 to Washington's opinion, that fort, being in 
 Maryland, was too far removed from the track 
 of the Indians to protect Virginia. He sue- 
 
COMMANDER OF VIRGINIA TROOPS 69 
 
 ceeded, however, in building a strong fort at 
 Winchester, which was called Fort Loudoun 
 (lou'dun). 
 
 In 1757 Washington attended a meeting 
 in Philadelphia between Lord Loudoun, the 
 British commander-in-chief, and the Southern 
 governors. At this meeting he set forth the de- 
 fects in the militia laws of Virginia and sub- 
 mitted several plans which he wished adopted. 
 Only one of his measures was carried — that of 
 giving up Fort Cumberland to Maryland, and 
 making Fort Loudoun at Winchester the center 
 of operations in Virginia. 
 
 The great plan of operations outlined at 
 Philadelphia by Lord Loudoun, the details of 
 which are told in general history, was an utter 
 failure, for Montcalm (montkam'), the French 
 general, proved himself more than a match for 
 his British opponents. 
 
 While these disastrous events were happening, 
 Washington .was defending three hundred and 
 fifty miles of the frontier with only seven hundred 
 men. So great were the toils and anxieties of 
 his situation that he was again seized by disease 
 and was forced to retire for a time to Mount 
 
70 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 Vernon. In consequence of his ill health, he 
 thought of resigning his commission. Just 
 then Governor Dinwiddle's term of office ex- 
 pired and he was succeeded by Mr. Francis 
 Fauquier. Mr. Pitt, who was now made prime 
 minister of England, adopted many measures 
 satisfactory to Washington, and, as his health 
 was improving, he resumed his command at 
 Fort Loudoun early in April, 1758. 
 
 To his great delight, the reduction of Fort 
 Du Quesne was now determined upon. He was 
 ordered to march with two Virginia regiments, 
 nineteen hundred strong, and join the expedition 
 under General Forbes, who was collecting 
 troops at Raystown, in Pennsylvania. 
 
 While assembling his forces at Winchester, 
 he found them in need of both arms and cloth- 
 ing. As letters to the authorities at Williams- 
 burg were of no avail, he went there in person 
 to procure the necessary equipments. 
 
 While on the journey he was invited to dine 
 at the home of Mr. Chamberlayne, on the 
 Pamunkey river. There he met a young and 
 lovely widow, Mrs. Martha Custis, daughter of 
 Mr. John Dandridge. Her husband, Mr. Cus- 
 
COMMANDER OF VIRGINIA TROOPS 71 
 
 tis, a man of great wealth, had died three years 
 before, leaving her with two small children. 
 
 Washington seemed to be enchanted by the 
 charms of the beautiful widow. According to 
 orders, Bishop, his military servant, led the 
 horses around to the door as soon as the noon- 
 tide meal was over; but his master lingered at 
 the shrine of beauty. The horses pawed and 
 champed their bits, impatient to be off, and 
 Bishop wondered at the delay. At last the 
 steeds were ordered back to the stable, and not 
 until the next morning did Washington resume 
 his journey to Williamsburg. 
 
 This time he was no ''laggard in love." 
 His stay at Williamsburg was short, but before 
 he returned to his command, he had wooed 
 and won the fair widow. It was agreed that 
 their marriage should take place the next winter. 
 Saying farewell to his betrothed, he again set 
 out for Winchester, where he arrived July 
 2, 1758. 
 
 The war in the North had been favorable to 
 the English, and the French had been compelled 
 to reduce the garrison at Fort Du Quesne. So 
 Washington was impatient to press on, feeling 
 
72 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 confident that the fort could now be taken. 
 But it was not until September that he received 
 marching orders from General Forbes, who had 
 been detained at Philadelphia by illness. 
 
 When about fifty miles from Fort Du 
 Quesne, General Forbes, contrary to the advice 
 of Washington, sent a body of eight hundred 
 picked troops under Major Grant to reconnoiter 
 the country. This detachment was ambushed 
 and routed with great slaughter. The Virginia 
 regiment which had been sent forward under 
 Major Andrew Lewis, lost in the fight six officers 
 and sixty-two privates. 
 
 Washington, after having been publicly com- 
 plimented upon the bravery of his men, was 
 now chosen to lead the van and to throw out 
 scouting parties to repel any attacks of the sav- 
 ages. Thus tardily were the soldierly qualities 
 of Colonel Washington recognized by a British 
 general. All went well with the advance 
 guard. When it was within one day's march of 
 the fort, the French commander embarked his 
 men at night in boats, set fire to the fort, and 
 floated down the Ohio. 
 
 The next day the colonial and British troops 
 
COMMANDER OF VIRGINIA TROOPS 73 
 
 marched up to the deserted fort and Wash- 
 ington planted the flag of England upon the 
 smouldering ruins. The power of the French in 
 the Ohio Valley was now broken, and the Indian 
 tribes of that region hastened to make treaties of 
 peace with the English. 
 
 During Washington's absence upon the last 
 campaign, he had been elected to the House of 
 Burgesses by the voters of Frederick county. 
 At the close of the year, he gave up his commis- 
 sion and retired from military life. 
 
 On January 6, 1759, his marriage with Mrs. 
 Custis was celebrated with all the pomp of 
 colonial style. The writers of the times failed 
 to record the place where the marriage was per- 
 formed. Though they gave minute descriptions 
 of the costumes imported from London, of the 
 bride and groom, of the bridal party, and of the 
 coach-and-six, in which the bride rode after the 
 ceremony, with the groom following on his fa- 
 vorite charger, they failed to say whether the cere- 
 mony took place at church or at the bride's home, 
 the historic White House on the Pamunkey river. 
 
74 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 THE LEGISLATOR AND PLANTER 
 
 Soon after his marriage, Washington went to 
 WilHamsburg, and took his seat in the House 
 of Burgesses. Mr. Robinson, the speaker, took 
 occasion to thank him pubhcly for his distin- 
 guished services to his country. Rising to 
 reply, Washington blushed, stammered, and 
 was too much overcome to utter a word. **Sit 
 down, Mr. Washington," said the speaker, 
 "your modesty equals your valor, and that sur- 
 passes the power of any language I possess.** 
 So graceful an apology for his weakness could 
 not help placing the youthful statesman at 
 his ease. 
 
 Washington was now only twenty-seven years 
 old. His figure was commanding and his face 
 handsome. The life which he had led in the open 
 air had given a ruddy hue to his cheeks and vigor 
 to his movements, and thought and resolution 
 were written upon his brow. Such was tha 
 man who now retired to the quiet of domestic life 
 
THE LEGISLATOR AND PLANTER 75 
 
 after a youth devoted to promoting the safety 
 and growth of his beloved Virginia. 
 
 Washington's Hfe was still a busy one. Be- 
 sides his own plantation of Mount Vernon, he 
 had in charge the large landed estates of his 
 wife and her two children. We are told by 
 Irving that he rose early, often before daylight 
 when the nights were long; then he would kindle 
 his own fire and read or write until breakfast. 
 After breakfast he visited on horseback the 
 various parts of the plantation where work was 
 going on, often assisting with his own hands. 
 He dined at two o'clock. He took tea, of which 
 he w^as very fond, early in the evening and re- 
 tired for the night about nine o'clock. 
 
 From a private wharf on the Potomac river, 
 he shipped the produce of his plantation to 
 various ports. He also kept upon the river a 
 fine barge, which was rowed by six stalwart 
 negroes. The flour ground at his mill at Mount 
 Vernon was famous in its day. The mill still 
 stands, but it is in such a ruinous condition 
 that visitors are forbidden to enter it. 
 
 Washington was an active member of the 
 Masonic order, and belonged to the lodge at 
 
76 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 Alexandria. He was also vestryman of two 
 churches, Fairfax and Truro, and was a devout 
 Christian. Both Mrs. Washington and himself 
 attended regularly the Episcopal church. 
 
 With all his duties Washington found time 
 for recreation. He was fond of fishing, hunting, 
 and riding. He was not averse to dancing, 
 and was particularly fond of theatrical exhibi- 
 tions. The family would sometimes go to 
 Williamsburg and enter upon the round of 
 pleasures and hospitalities for which that far- 
 famed city was noted. The situation of Mount 
 Vernon and the reputation of its owner brought 
 many visitors to his home w^here they were en- 
 tertained with true Virginia hospitality. Mrs. 
 Washington and her lady visitors rode in a 
 chariot and four, with black postilions in livery, 
 but Washington always appeared on horseback. 
 
 His entire time, however, was not given to his 
 personal affairs, for as judge of the county court 
 and merhber of the House of Burgesses, he was 
 still actively employed in public life. 
 
 In behalf of a company of enterprising gentle- 
 men, he undertook to explore the Dismal Swamp 
 with a view to draining it and rendering it fit 
 
VIRGINIA PLANTATION WHARF 
 
 [77i| 
 
78 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 for cultivation. This great marsh in the south- 
 eastern part of Virginia is about thirty miles 
 long and ten miles wide. With his usual energy 
 and boldness, he penetrated its dark and dismal 
 recesses and found in the center of it the ''Lake 
 of the Dismal Swamp," a sheet of water six 
 miles long and three miles broad. The follow- 
 ing winter the company for which he had made 
 the explorations was chartered by the Virginia 
 legislature as the Dismal Swamp Company. 
 This company soon began improvements based 
 upon his discoveries and suggestions. 
 
 In 1763 a treaty between France and England 
 closed the bloody French and Indian War. 
 Settlers again began to push out into the western 
 wilds. Peace and prosperity now smiled upon 
 the colonies, and it was hoped that savage war- 
 fare was at an end. The conspiracy of Pontiac, 
 however, again deluged the frontier settlements 
 with blood ; and scarcely had the uprising been 
 quelled, when trouble arose with the mother 
 country. 
 
 The recent war in America had cost Great 
 Britain large sums of money, and the govern- 
 ment now thought that the colonies should help 
 
THE LEGISLATOR AND PLANTER 79 
 
 to pay the heavy debt. Accordingly, in 1764, 
 Mr. Grenville, who was then at the head of the 
 government, informed the American agents 
 in London that he should introduce during the 
 next session of Parliament a bill for taxing 
 America — which tax was to begin with certain 
 stamp duties. 
 
 This raised a howl of indignation throughout 
 the colonies. Massachusetts, New York, and 
 Virginia each sent addresses to the king and 
 Parliament protesting against such treatment. 
 In March, 1765, however, the act was passed. 
 It required that all deeds, bonds, and business 
 papers of every description should be written 
 upon stamped paper brought from the British 
 government. It was also provided that any 
 violation of this law should be tried without 
 a jury by any royal court throughout the col- 
 onies. 
 
 Previous to the passage of the Stamp Act, the 
 Navigation Laws (1660) had closed the ports 
 of the colonies to foreign vessels and compelled 
 them to trade only with England in English 
 ships. The trade between the colonies was also 
 subject to duties; and all manufactures that 
 
80 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1 
 
 competed with those of England were either 
 suppressed or made to pay heavy taxes. In 1760 
 an attem.pt had been made to collect duties on 
 sugar, molasses, and rum imported into the 
 colonies from the West Indies. To assist officers 
 in collecting these duties, a kind of search-war- 
 rant, called '\vrit of assistance," had been 
 authorized. With one of these in hand, any 
 petty constable could enter any place searching 
 for and seizing goods which were suspected of 
 being contraband. 
 
 The enforcement of these laws produced 
 great excitement, particularly in New England 
 where most of the importing was carried on. 
 In 1761 James Otis, and two years later Samuel 
 Adams, made powerful speeches showing that 
 the American colonies should not be taxed un- 
 less they were allowed to send representatives 
 to Parliament. 
 
 In the meanwhile vessels of the British navy 
 hovered around the coast, and almost destroyed 
 the trade with the West Indies by seizing a 
 large number of merchantmen bearing cargoes 
 of sugar and spirits. 
 
 All of these proceedings had been pronounced 
 
THE LEGISLATOR AND PLANTER 81 
 
 unjust and tyrannical, but the news of another 
 method of taxation, the Stamp Act, was Hke 
 a spark of fire in a magazine of powder. "The 
 very night," says the historian Botta, ''that the 
 Stamp Act was passed, Doctor FrankHn, who 
 was then in London, wrote to Charles Thompson, 
 afterward secretary of Congress, 'The sun of 
 liberty is set; the Americans must light the lamps 
 of industry and economy.' To which Mr. 
 Thompson answered, 'Be assured we shall light 
 torches of quite another sort!' " 
 
 The resistance to the Stamp Act began in 
 Virginia, whose people at once declared it an 
 outrage upon their rights. In the House of 
 Burgesses, Patrick Henry introduced five reso- 
 lutions which declared that the legislature of 
 Virginia alone had power to tax its people; and 
 In the discussion which followed made an elo- 
 quent speech for colonial rights, closing with 
 these warning words: "Caesar had his Brutus, 
 Charles I his Cromwell, and George the Third" — 
 'Treason! treason!' resounded from the chair — 
 **may profit by their examples," added Henry. 
 *'Sir, if this be treason, make themostof it." The 
 resolutions were passed with some modifications. 
 
82 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 Lieutenant-Governor Fauquier, amazed at 
 the boldness of the assembly, dissolved it, and 
 the delegates returned to their homes; but the 
 war cry of freedom had been sounded and soon 
 it reechoed from Maine to Georgia. 
 
 Washington, from his seat in the assembly, 
 had heard the speech of Henry and had returned 
 home deeply interested in public affairs. From 
 letters to friends in England and his agents 
 there who attended to the selling of his tobacco 
 and the shipping of goods in return, we see that 
 he had fully determined to oppose all taxation. 
 To be brief, the colonists now gave the British 
 government to understand that they would 
 never submit to pay the stamp duty unless 
 compelled by force of arms; and on March 18, 
 1766, the act was repealed. 
 
 Various other acts of Parliament continued 
 to give causes of complaint. Duties were im- 
 posed on tea, glass, pasteboard, lead, and tin. 
 The Mutiny Act was also extended to America, 
 and a clause was added requiring the provincial 
 assemblies to provide the British troops with 
 quarters and to furnish them with fire, beds, 
 candles, and other necessaries. The assembly 
 
THE LEGISLATOR AND PLANTER 83 
 
 of New York refused to carry out this law, and 
 its power was at once suspended by Parliament. 
 
 In 1769 George Mason, a friend of Washing- 
 ton, drafted the plan of an association, the mem- 
 bers of. which were to pledge themselves not to 
 use any article upon which a tax was placed. 
 This paper Washington promised to present 
 to the House of Burgesses when it convened in 
 May. 
 
 Lord Botetourt, who had recently come over 
 from England, opened this session of the legisla- 
 ture with great pomp, riding from his palace 
 to the capitol in a coach and four and making 
 his speech as if he were a king. The members 
 then passed resolutions denouncing the imposi- 
 tion of taxes and protesting against the trial of 
 any person outside of his own colony. 
 
 Lord Botetourt was filled with wrath at the 
 passage^ of these resolutions and the next day 
 at high noon dissolved the House. But the 
 members, filled with firm resolve, adjourned to 
 a private house, elected Peyton Randolph 
 chairman, and proceeded to business. 
 
 Washington now brought forward the draft 
 of the pledge drawn up by George* Mason. This 
 
84 LIFE OF WASHINGTON ^^ 
 
 was signed by all present and sent throughout 
 the country. The signers pledged themselves 
 neither to import nor use any goods taxed by 
 Parliament. This pledge was rigorously kept 
 by Washington who directed his agents in Lon- 
 don to send him nothing upon which a tax was 
 levied. 
 
 Washington and other fine gentlemen put 
 on homespun American clothes, and the ladies 
 gave up their much-loved tea-drinking. His 
 only sister, Elizabeth or Betty, had married 
 Colonel Fielding Lewis, of Fredericksburg, who 
 was an ardent patriot. Colonel Lewis was such 
 a violent partisan of liberty that he could not 
 endure to have tea used by the ladies of his 
 family, so he locked up all that he could lay 
 hands on. Mrs. Betty, however, must have 
 reserved some; for one day, becoming very, very 
 thirsty and forgetting her patriotism, she brought 
 out her tea-caddy and was enjoying a cup of tea 
 with a lady friend when her husband appeared 
 upon the scene. Mrs. Lewis used to be very fond 
 of telling how quickly their innocent mirth was 
 changed to mortification, and how they prom- 
 ised never again to break the pledge. 
 
THE LEGISLATOR AND PLANTER 85 
 
 We are told by George Washington Parke 
 Custis in his memoirs of Washington that Mrs. 
 Lewis was a most majestic looking woman and 
 so strikingly like her brother that it was a 
 matter of frolic to throw a cape around her and 
 to place a military hat on her head in order to 
 intensify the likeness. Then she resembled her 
 illustrious brother so much that battalions 
 would have presented arms and senates risen 
 to do homage to the chief. 
 
 In 1770 W^ashington made another journey to 
 the Ohio Valley. This time his mission was 
 a peaceful one. He had been appointed one of 
 the Virginia commissioners to settle the military 
 debt of the colony, and in company with his 
 friend, Dr. Craik, he crossed the mountains and 
 transacted the business to the satisfaction of all 
 concerned. In 1774 he again visited the Ohio 
 region for the purpose of exploring a route for 
 a road to connect the Potomac and Youghiogheny 
 rivers. 
 
 Upon his return, he found Miss Custis ex- 
 tremely ill. Her health, which had always been 
 delicate, at last succumbed to the ravages of 
 consumption and she expired on June 19, 1773. 
 
LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1 
 
 This was a heavy blow to both Washington 
 and his wife. All their hopes now centered in 
 her son, John Parke Custis. This young man, 
 being also of frail constitution and having a large 
 fortune in his own right, was allowed to follow 
 his inclinations more than Washington, his 
 guardian, thought proper. His mother, of 
 course, indulged her only son, and w^hen he an- 
 nounced his engagement to Miss Calvert, daugh- 
 ter of Benedict Calvert, she at once gave her 
 consent. Washington, seeing that opposition 
 was useless, also yielded, and the young people 
 were married on Feb. 3, 1774 — before the 
 bridegroom had reached his majority. 
 
 In the meanwhile. Governor Dunmore had 
 succeeded Botetourt, and public affairs were 
 going from bad to worse. The tax upon tea 
 still remained and the people still refused to use 
 it. In order to reduce the large amount of tea 
 thus left stored up in its w^arehouses, the East 
 India Company, being exempt from export 
 duties, sent large shiploads of tea to various 
 American ports to be sold at a low price hoping 
 thereby to induce the people to buy it. But 
 the Import tax was still upon the tea and the peo- 
 
THE LEGISLATOR AND PLANTER 87 
 
 pie were angry at this attempt to force them 
 to pay it. 
 
 At Boston, citizens disguised as Indians, 
 boarded the ships at night and threw the tea 
 into the waters of the bay. At Wihrtington, N. 
 C, a vessel loaded with tea was boarded in the 
 open day by a band of resolute patriots who 
 threw the whole cargo into the sea. At An- 
 napolis, Md., the ship, Peggy Stewart, was burned 
 with her entire cargo of tea. In fact, the people 
 were determined to show Great Britain that 
 they would not buy articles which were taxed. 
 
 The "Boston tea party," as it was called, so 
 enraged the British government that a bill called 
 the Boston Port Bill was at once passed by 
 Parliament. This bill closed the port of that 
 city to all commerce on June 1, 1774. Nor was 
 this all. Another law altered the charter of the 
 commonwealth and decreed that its governor, 
 judges, and magistrates should be appointed 
 by the king. Still another provided that any 
 person indicted for a capital offense should be 
 tried either in England or in some colony other 
 than the one in which it was committed. 
 
 In Virginia, the House of Burgesses convened 
 
88 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 in May. The rich planters and the legislators 
 had arrived with their families, and the town|' 
 of Williamsburg was preparing for a ball in 
 honor of Lady Dunmore, who had just arrived 
 from England. Just at this time a letter came 
 announcing that the port of Boston would be 
 closed on June 1 . This news came like a flash 
 of lightning from a clear sky. Nothing else 
 was talked of. The House entered a protest, 
 and a resolution was adopted making the first 
 of June a day of fasting and prayer. 
 
 The next morning, May 25, the House was 
 dissolved by Lord Dunmore. The members 
 dispersed only to meet again in Apollo Hall in 
 old Raleigh tavern. There they passed even 
 stronger resolutions against King George HI 
 and his Parliament. They also proposed that a 
 general congress of all the colonies be held and 
 that the delegates elected to the next House 
 of Burgesses should meet in Williamsburg on 
 August 1, and appoint deputies to this general 
 congress, to be held in Philadelphia. 
 
 The ball in honor of Lady Dunmore came off 
 as planned (May 27, 1774). The rebellious Bur- 
 gesses bowed low before Lord Dumore and his 
 
THE LEGISLATOR AND PLANTER 89 
 
 lady, and danced the stately minuet to the 
 strains of witching music; but when the dance 
 was over and the lights were out, they turned 
 to weightier matters. 
 
 The first of June was observed throughout 
 Virginia as a day of fasting and prayer to im- 
 plore that "God would arrest the evils which 
 threatened, and give them one heart and one 
 mind firmly to oppose, by all just and proper 
 means, every injury to American rights.'* Flags 
 draped in crepe were hung at half-mast and 
 funeral bells were tolled. 
 
 Washington states in his diary that he kept 
 the fast and attended divine services. Being 
 well-informed about military affairs, he must 
 have been fully alive to the odds against the 
 colonies. Less than three million people were 
 preparing to oppose the most powerful nation 
 of the world. They were without money and 
 the munitions of war, and could rely only 
 upon their own brave hearts and the help of 
 God. But they had thrown down the gauntlet 
 and were resolved not to endure taxation unless 
 they were allowed to send representatives to 
 Parliament. Washington, with many others, 
 
90 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 hoped that the misery produced in Great Britain 
 by the refusal of the colonies to buy British goods 
 would lead Parliament to a sense of justice 
 before too late. 
 
 Events succeeded each other in rapid succes- 
 sion. The proposed convention met at Williams- 
 burg on Aug. 1, 1774. It was composed of the 
 best men of Virginia. In presenting the resolu- 
 tions passed in his county of Fairfax, Washing- 
 ton made a truly patriotic speech. '*I am 
 ready," said he, ''to raise one thousand men at 
 my own expense and march to the relief of 
 Boston." 
 
 The delegates appointed from Virginia to the 
 general Congress were Peyton Randolph, Ben- 
 jamin Harrison, Patrick Henry, Richard Bland, 
 Richard Henry Lee, Edmund Pendleton, and 
 Geo rgc Wa sh i n g to n . 
 
 On Monday, Sept. 5, 1774, the first Conti- 
 nental Congress met at Philadelphia. "It is 
 such an assemi)ly," wTote John Adams, "as 
 never before came together of a sudden in any 
 part of the world." All of the colonies were 
 represented except Georgia. The action of 
 this Congress was calm and deliberate. Pevton 
 
THE LEGISLATOR AND PLANTER 91 
 
 Randolph was elected president and Charles 
 Thompson, secretary. 
 
 One address was sent to the king, a second to 
 the English people, and a third to the people of 
 Canada. The colonists were not yet ready for 
 independence, but they asked a redress of 
 grievances. They also resolved to hold no 
 commercial intercourse with Great Britain. 
 
 Patrick Henry, upon being asked whom he 
 considered the greatest man in the Congress, said, 
 *'If you speak of eloquence, Mr. Rutledge, of 
 South Carolina, is by far the greatest orator; 
 but if you speak of solid information and sound 
 judgment. Colonel Washington is by far the 
 greatest man on that floor." This testimony 
 from so great a man speaks volumes for Wash- 
 ington. 
 
 At the close of Congress, Washington lost 
 no time in returning to Mount Vernon, for Mrs. 
 Washington was alone and impatient at his 
 continued absence. 
 
 Meanwhile events moved rapidly in Massa- 
 chusetts. A fleet and ten thousand soldiers had 
 been sent from England to General Gage at 
 Boston, with orders to reduce the colonists by 
 
92 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 force. Boston Neck^was seized by the British 
 and the mihtary stores at Cambridge and Char- 
 lestown were removed to Boston, and the legisla- 
 ture was ordered to disperse. Instead of obey- 
 ing this order, however, the members voted to 
 raise and equip an army of twelve thousand men, 
 and also sent a protest to General Gage calling 
 him to account for his actions. 
 
 The news of the state of affairs at Boston 
 spread throughout the colonies, and, making 
 common cause with that long-suffering town, 
 they flew to arms. In Virginia during the 
 winter and spring of 1775, Washington was fre- 
 quently called from home to review companies 
 of volunteers and give them military advice. 
 
 In March, 1775, he attended as a delegate 
 from Fairfax the second Virginia convention, 
 which was held in St. John's church, Richmond. 
 There Patrick Henry delivered the grandest 
 of all his orations, ending with these words, 
 "Give me liberty, or give me death!" He suc- 
 ceeded by his eloquence in carrying his resolu- 
 tions that "steps should be taken for embody- 
 ing, arming, and disciplining the militia." 
 Washington sided with Patrick Henry and was 
 
THE LEGISLATOR AND PLANTER 93 
 
 one of a committee that drew up a plan for pro- 
 viding for the defense of the colony. 
 
 On April IS, a British force marched out of 
 Boston to destroy at Concord some arms and 
 ammunition that belonged to the colony. Early 
 next morning a company of armed colonists, 
 known as *'minute-men," met the British ad- 
 vance-guard at Lexington. The British opened 
 fire and in a short time the colonists were dis- 
 persed with a loss of sixteen killed or wounded. 
 The British marched on to Concord where they 
 had a skirmish with another band of minute- 
 men. After destroying five hundred pounds of 
 bullets at Concord, they retreated, closely pur- 
 sued to Boston. Men now armed themselves 
 and flocked to that city. Within a few days an 
 army of ten thousand patriotic soldiers had sur- 
 rounded it and were threatening to cut off 
 the British army from provisions. 
 
 The news of the battle of Lexington was car- 
 ried speedily throughout all the colonies and 
 the whole country was fired with the "passion 
 of war." The news reached Virginia at a time 
 when she was involved in trouble similar to 
 that of Massachusetts. Lord Dunmore had 
 
94 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 seized upon all the powder in the "Old Magazine'* 
 at WilHamsburg, and removed it to the man-of- 
 war Magdalen, lying in the James river. Patrick 
 Henry advanced towards the capital at the head 
 of a band of resolute men, and Dunmore, in 
 terror, paid three hundred and thirty pounds 
 for the powder. He and his family at last took 
 refuge on board the man-of-war Fowey and 
 never returned to Williamsburg. 
 
 Washington was preparing to attend the meet- 
 ing of the second Congress at Philadelphia, 
 when the tidings from Lexington reached him. 
 Joining a rebellion against the mother country 
 would be a great risk for a man of his wealth 
 and influence, but he did not hesitate in his 
 choice. He declared that he was a foe to all 
 tyranny and that he was ready to die for the 
 cause of liberty. 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 95 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 
 
 On May 10, 1775, the second Continental 
 Congress met at Philadelphia. As Peyton Ran- 
 dolph, the president, was obliged to return to 
 Virginia as speaker of the Virginia assembly, 
 John Hancock, of Massachusetts, was chosen 
 to succeed him as its presiding officer. 
 
 One of the first measures of this Congress 
 was to send another petition to the king. 
 The mother country was still dear to the hearts 
 of the colonists, and they yet hoped for con- 
 cessions from the British government. But 
 this hope was blasted when news came that re- 
 inforcements for the British had reached Bos- 
 ton and that on June 12 General Gage had 
 proclaimed martial law in Massachusetts, and 
 offered pardon to all who would return to their 
 allegiance, except John Hancock and Samuel 
 Adams. < 
 
 John Adams was now for "prompt and 
 vigorous action." He headed the war party 
 and, influenced by his eloquence. Congress be- 
 
96 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 gan to prepare for the coming conflict. A fed- 
 eral union of the colonies was formed. In this 
 union each colony had charge of its own affairs; 
 but to Congress was given the right of making 
 peace or war, of regulating commerce, and of 
 enacting laws for the common safety. 
 
 Just here, it is proper to note the weakness 
 of the federation with which our nation began 
 its existence. Under the agreement, Congress 
 could collect neither revenues nor supplies 
 necessary for carrying on war. These impor- 
 tant functions were left to the individual colo- 
 nies; therefore. Congress and Washington, as 
 we shall see, were constantly hindered and har- 
 assed by this fatal defect in the government, 
 which has often been called ''no government at 
 all." 
 
 Congress next voted to raise and equip an 
 army of twenty thousand men and to issue 
 notes to the value of three millions of dollars, 
 bearing the inscription, 'The United Colonies." 
 The question of filling the important post of 
 commander-in-chief was then taken up, and 
 the eyes of all at once turned to Washington. 
 Several delegates, however, thought that a New 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 97 
 
 England man should be chosen. The army 
 encamped around Boston was composed chiefly 
 of men from that section of the country and it 
 seemed most fitting to select one of the dis- 
 tinguished men already in command. The 
 matter was postponed until June 15, when 
 John Adams rose and in an eloquent speech pro- 
 posed that Congress appoint George Washing- 
 ton, of Virginia, commander-in-chief. The vote 
 was then taken and he was unanimously elected. 
 
 When, the result was announced, Washing- 
 ton arose and made a brief speech, closing with 
 these words: ''I beg it may be remembered by 
 every gentleman in the room that I this day de- 
 clare that I do not think myself equal to the 
 command. As to pay, I beg leave to assure 
 the Congress that as no pecuniary considera- 
 tion could have tempted me to accept this ardu- 
 ous employment to the expense of my domestic 
 ease and happiness, I do not wish to make any 
 profit of it. I will keep an exact account of my 
 expenses. Those, I doubt not, you will dis- 
 charge, and that is all I desire." 
 
 A noted writer says of Washington: ''He 
 was now in the vigor of his days, forty-three 
 
98 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 years of age, stately in person, noble in his 
 demeanor, calm and dignified in his deport- 
 ment; as he sat on his horse with manly grace, 
 his military presence delighted every eye, and 
 wherever he went, the air rang with acclama- 
 tions." 
 
 As it was necessary for the commander-in- 
 chief to set out at once for the army around 
 Boston, he could not return to Mount Vernon. 
 This is a part of a letter which he wrote to 
 Mrs. Washington just before starting on his 
 journey: ''I shall rely confidently upon that 
 Providence which has heretofore preserved and 
 been bountiful to me. I shall feel no pain from 
 the toil or danger of the campaign. My 
 unhappiness will flow from the uneasiness I 
 know you will feel from being left alone. I, 
 therefore, beg that you will summons 3^our whole 
 fortitude and pass your time as agreeably as 
 possible. Nothing will give me so much sincere 
 satisfaction as to hear this and to have it from 
 your own pen." 
 
 Our curiosity as to Mrs. Washington's mind 
 upon the subject is satisfied by the follow- 
 ing extract from a letter to a friend: ''Yes, 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 99 
 
 I foresee consequences, dark days and darker 
 nights. But my mind is made up; my heart is 
 in the cause. George is right; he is always 
 right." 
 
 While Congress had been adopting these 
 measures of defense, stirring events had taken 
 place in the North. The forts of Ticonderoga 
 and Crown Point, which commanded commu- 
 nications with Canada, had been captured by 
 Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen, and vast 
 military stores had fallen into the hands of the 
 Americans. At Boston, the battle of Bunker 
 Hill had been fought on June 17, 1775. Though 
 this battle was a victory for the British, it had 
 greatly encouraged the Americans. The result 
 had proved that the colonial militia, armed with 
 their own rifles and fighting without discipline, 
 were able to cope with the veteran troops of 
 Great Britian; and from the blood of the slain 
 patriots sprang a brighter hope of liberty. The 
 news of this battle aroused great enthusiasm 
 throughout the colonies. Everywhere the cry 
 was repeated, "To arms! to arms!" 
 
 Washington set out from Philadelphia on 
 horseback on June 21, 1775, accompanied by 
 
100 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 Major- Generals Lee and Schuyler (skF ler). 
 They had gone scarcely twenty miles when they 
 met a courier coming posthaste to inform Con- 
 gress of the battle of Bunker Hill. Washing- 
 ton listened with great interest to the tidings 
 and inquired into all the particulars. When 
 told that the Americans had not retreated until 
 their ammunition was exhausted, he exclaimed, 
 ''The liberties of our country are safe!'* 
 
 As Washington hurried onward, he was re- 
 ceived w^th the greatest honor, and the most 
 distinguished persons formed themselves into 
 a bodyguard to escort him. The assemblies 
 of both New York and Massachusetts went to 
 meet him and to express their joy at his election. 
 He answered with his usual modesty. From 
 these speeches it is plainly to be seen that Wash- 
 ington at that time did not aim at independence, 
 but merely desired an honorable peace. 
 
 He arrived at Cambridge on July 2. As 
 he entered the camp, the shouts of the soldiers 
 and the booming of cannon informed the be- 
 sieged British that some wonderful event had 
 happened. 
 
 In the midst of these acclamations Washing- 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 101 
 
 ton realized more than ever the greatness of 
 his undertaking. He found the American army 
 of fourteen thousand men "a. multitude of 
 people under very little discipline," scattered in 
 rough encampments around the city for a dis- 
 tance of about twelve miles. The army was 
 scantily provided with arms and equipment and 
 its operations were greatly delayed by a want of 
 skillful engineers. 
 
 On the other hand, the Britivsh army, ten 
 thousand strong, provided with all the muni- 
 tions of war, was perfectly drilled and disci- 
 plined. It was also protected by powerful 
 ships-of-war and fortifications constructed with 
 the greatest skill. 
 
 Washington took formal command on July 
 3, 1775. His presence immediately infused 
 great energy into the army. His engineering 
 skill was brought into use, and new forts were 
 thrown up and the lines so extended that it be- 
 came impossible for the British to cut through 
 them. 
 
 In the midst of these preparations Wash- 
 ington found out that his ammunition was near- 
 ly exhausted. Couriers on swift horses were 
 
102 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 at once sent to various places begging immediate 
 supplies of powder and lead. Meanwhile it 
 seemed almost marvelous that the British did 
 not find out the state of affairs in the Ameri- 
 can camp and make an assault before supplies 
 came. For nearly two weeks Washington suf- 
 fered the greatest anxiety. Supplies were then 
 forwarded from the Jerseys and other places. 
 
 Washington now directed his attention to 
 the expedition being sent into Canada by way 
 of the Kennebec river. In the hope of per- 
 suading the people of that province to join the 
 Americans in their struggle for liberty, Congress 
 had formed a plan of sending a force to take 
 Quebec. The main expedition under General 
 Montgomery was to proceed by way of Lake 
 Champlain; the other under General Benedict 
 Arnold, by way of the Kennebec river. 
 
 Arnold's troops were detached by Washing- 
 ton from the army at Cambridge and consisted 
 of ten companies of New England infantry 
 and Daniel Morgan's mounted riflemen from 
 the Valley of Virginia. It is not important to 
 give here the details of this ill-fated expedition. 
 Suffice it to say that, though well planned and 
 
fp^. 
 
104 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 boldly executed, it was in the end an utter 
 failure. 
 
 After the departure of Arnold, attention was 
 given to the enlistment of a new army. None 
 of the soldiers in the American army were 
 enlisted beyond Jan. 1, 1776, and at that time 
 they would be free to return to their homes. 
 Congress therefore ordered that a new army 
 be recruited and that as many men as possible 
 from the army in the field be persuaded to re- 
 enlist. 
 
 The siege of Boston continued during the 
 winter with very little to enliven military life. 
 Washington was almost overwhelmed with 
 anxious cares. The supply of powder was al- 
 ways short and the troops whose time of service 
 had expired were leaving in great numbers. So 
 few came to take their places that on Jan. 1, 
 1776, the army surrounding Boston did not 
 exceed ten thousand men. 
 
 As Mount Vernon was thought an unsafe 
 place for Mrs. Washington, the general wrote 
 her to join him at Cambridge. She arrived in 
 midwinter. We are told that she traveled in 
 her coach-and-four, accompanied by her son, 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 105 
 
 Mr. Custis. Her presence was quite a relief 
 to Washington, for she presided at headquarters 
 with dignity and grace, and attended to the 
 social affairs of his mihtary family. 
 
 As the spring advanced, it was resolved at a 
 council of war held by Washington and his gen- 
 erals to seize Dorchester Heights and plant 
 batteries in such a position as to command the 
 city and thus drive the British from their for- 
 tifications. For two days their attention was 
 attracted by a constant fire from the American 
 batteries. Then,' on the night of March 4, 
 a detachment of two thousand men with three 
 hundred wagons was thrown forward and 
 reached Dorchester Heights unperceived by the 
 British. 
 
 The next morning, when General Howe, the 
 new British commander, saw the forts on the 
 Heights bristling with cannon, he exclaimed, 
 ''Those rebels have done more work in one night 
 than my whole army would have done in a 
 month!" Instantly, every gun which could be 
 brought to bear upon the American works 
 commenced a fierce bombardment, and an 
 assault was ordered. But a violent storm which 
 
106 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 arose beat such surges ypon the shore that 
 boats could not land that night. When the 
 storm had passed, the Americans had rendered 
 their works so strong that General Howe gave 
 up all thoughts of an assault, and found him- 
 self compelled to evacuate Boston. 
 
 After a parley, it was agreed that General 
 Howe should retire from Boston unmolested, on 
 condition that the city should not be injured by 
 either plundering or the torch. On March 
 17, 1776, the whole British army went on board 
 the fleet and sailed away; and on the 20th, 
 Washington made his triumphal entry into the 
 city. 
 
 The skill and patience displayed by Wash- 
 ington in the siege of Boston placed him at 
 once in the highest rank of military commanders. 
 The country was wild with joy at the expulsion 
 of the British. Congress ordered a gold medal 
 to be struck in honor of the event and also ten- 
 dered Washington and the army a unanimous 
 vote of thanks. 
 
 Expecting that New York would be the 
 next point of attack, Washington began to con- 
 centrate his forces at that place. The patriot 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 107 
 
 army now numbered about twenty-six thousand 
 men, only half of whom were fit for service. 
 The recruits were untrained, poorly equipped, 
 and poorly supplied with provisions. Many of 
 the patriot officers were untrained, and worse 
 than all, disease was making sad havoc upon the 
 already thin ranks. 
 
 Major General Putnam was placed in im- 
 mediate command of the army at New York. 
 Under the direction of Washington the work of 
 fortifying the city and harbor was carried on 
 with great rapidity. 
 
 In the midst of these duties Washington 
 was summoned to Philadelphia to advise with 
 Congress as to the coming campaign. The 
 king had paid no attention to the appeal of 
 Congress; but in his speech to Parliament he 
 accused the Americans of rebellion and declared 
 that they had taken up arms to establish an 
 independent empire. He also insisted that 
 vigorous measures should be taken to subdue 
 them. 
 
 An act was soon passed by Parliament pro- 
 hibiting all trade with the colonies and authoriz- 
 ing the capture of American vessels and the 
 
108 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 imprisonment of their crews. Another act 
 provided for the hiring of seventeen thousand 
 German troops (Hessians), and the transporta- 
 tion of twenty-five thousand additional Eng- 
 hsh soldiers to subdue the colonies. 
 
 These harsh measures convinced Congress 
 that there was no hope of making an honorable 
 peace and that it must prepare for a vigorous de- 
 fense. Military stores were collected and pow- 
 der was bought in foreign countries. At Wash- 
 ington's request, Congress provided for a three- 
 year enlistment and offered a bounty of ten 
 dollars to each recruit. A war office to take 
 charge of military affairs was also estab- 
 lished. 
 
 As soon as possible, Washington hurried 
 back to New York to give his personal attention 
 to the defenses and to the distribution of his 
 scant forces. He was very anxious to prevent 
 the British from getting possession of the Hud- 
 son river. To this end he stationed General 
 Schuyler and General Arnold at Fort Ticon- 
 deroga to watch events in the North and to col- 
 lect a naval force on Lake George. He then 
 directed his attention to the building of two 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 109 
 
 forts above New York on the Hudson river. 
 They were called Fort Washington and Fort 
 Lee. 
 
 Meanwhile, Congress at Philadelphia was 
 discussing with closed doors the question of 
 independence. On June 7, 1776, Richard 
 Henry Lee, of Virginia, moved that ''these 
 United Colonies are and of right ought to be 
 free and independent States." This resolu- 
 tion was passed on July 2, and on July 4 the 
 ''Declaration of Independence" was adopted 
 by Congress. 
 
 Everywhere the "Declaration" was re- 
 ceived with joy; bells were rung, cannons fired, 
 bonfires kindled, and processions formed. 
 Though Washington foresaw the terrible con- 
 flict through which the Americans must pass, 
 he hailed its passage with joy. He caused it 
 to be read at the head of each brigade and in his 
 order of the day said, "The general hopes that 
 this will serve as a fresh incentive to every 
 officer and soldier to act with courage and 
 fidelity, as knowing that now the peace and 
 safety of his country depends, under God, solely 
 on the success of our arms." 
 
110 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 Great Britain was astounded by this stand 
 for freedom. She had considered herself as 
 bringing under control a lot of stingy and re- 
 bellious colonists whom she would punish severe- 
 ly for their obstinacy. Now, she found that a 
 nation had sprung into existence — a nation 
 willing to fight and die for its rights. 
 
 It Is a curious fact that Congress should 
 have taken this important step at a time when 
 Great Britain was making a supreme effort to 
 regain her dominion. Those grand men were 
 building better than they knew. Looking back 
 from the dawn of the twentieth century, w^e 
 see that they were laying the broad and deep 
 foundations of a mighty republic ''before whose 
 expanding national glory all nations stand 
 amazed." 
 
 The British now began to concentrate 
 their forces about New York for the purpose 
 of getting possession of that city and of the 
 Hudson river, thereby dividing the northern 
 colonies from the southern. Clinton and Corn- 
 wallis had arrived from the South and Admiral 
 Lord Howe, the brother of General Howe, had 
 come from England bringing strong reinforce- 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF HI 
 
 ments. General Howe had now an army of 
 thirty-five thousand of the best troops of Eu- 
 rope. 
 
 Lord Howe had been instruced by his gov- 
 ernment to make peace with the Americans 
 by pardoning all who would lay down their 
 arms. The British refused to give to American 
 officers their titles and treated them with the 
 greatest scorn. Lord Howe sent a dispatch 
 concerning the terms of peace to the American 
 camp directed to ''George Washington, Es- 
 quire." Washington refused to receive the 
 letter which ignored his position as commander 
 of the American armies. Howe then sent 
 another communication addressed to ''George 
 Washington, etc., etc., etc."; saying that the 
 ^'and so forth'' might mean any title at all. 
 But Washington handed back the letter with 
 the information that he would receive no com- 
 munications which were not directed to him as 
 commander-in-chief. We are told that Wash- 
 ington received the thanks of Congress and the 
 nation for thus sustaining their dignity. 
 
 In the midst of the storm gathering around 
 the patriot army at New York, good news came 
 
112 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 from Charleston, South Carolina. On June 
 28, the patriot army, under General Charles 
 Lee, successfully repulsed the attack of a large 
 British fleet on Fort Moultrie. Finding that 
 no impression could be made by bombarding 
 the palmetto walls of the fort, the fleet sailed to 
 New York, having lost more than two hundred 
 men. 
 
 Lord Howe now realized that there was no 
 prospect of making peace with the Americans 
 on the terms proposed by his government, and 
 he at once began hostilities. Under his orders 
 General Sir Henry Clinton crossed over to 
 Long Island with ten thousand men and forty 
 cannon. The British landed without oppo- 
 sition and prepared to advance against the 
 Americans. 
 
 The American army under General Putnam, 
 nine thousand strong, had been stationed near 
 Brooklyn to guard the heights which com- 
 manded the city of New York. The two armies 
 were separated by a chain of hills covered with 
 woods called the heights of Guan. Putnam 
 expected to arrest the enemy upon these heights 
 and stationed his troops accordingly. 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 113 
 
 To inspect the preparations that had been 
 made to check the British, Washington crossed 
 over to Brooklyn on August 26, and remained 
 all day with General Putnam. In the evening, 
 he returned to New York, for a night attack by 
 the British warships was feared, and it was 
 thought best that the commander-in-chief in 
 person direct affairs about the city. It was a 
 most anxious night for Washington. There 
 were so many points that the enemy might at- 
 tack, and so few men to defend them. 
 
 At break of day on August 27, the battle 
 began. The attack of the British was gallantly 
 repelled until the noise of battle was heard in the 
 rear of the Americans. Sir Henry Clinton had 
 found an unguarded road and by a rapid march 
 had fallen upon their rear. 
 
 The patriots fought bravely and many of 
 them escaped through the British lines, but 
 many more were killed or taken prisoners. 
 General Lord Stirling's division was in the great- 
 est danger and suffered heavily. Some of his 
 men escaped by casting themselves into the 
 waters of the bay and swimming across to 
 Brooklyn. The three generals, Sullivan, Stir- 
 
114 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 ling, and Woodall, were taken prisoners, and 
 about one thousand Americans were killed or 
 missing. The British loss was slight. If Gen- 
 eral Clinton had followed up his victory and 
 assaulted the works around Brooklyn, he would 
 doubtless have captured the remainder of the 
 American army. 
 
 From the thundering of the cannon and 
 rattle of musketry about dawn Washington 
 knew that the battle had commenced. He 
 hurried across the river and arrived in time to 
 to see the disaster, but was unable to prevent it. 
 From a neighboring hill, he watched the retreat 
 and dreadful slaughter of General Lord Stirling's 
 command. Wringing his hands in agony at 
 the sight he cried, ''Good God, what brave fel- 
 lows must I have this day lost!" He could not 
 even attempt their relief with men from the 
 fort, for the garrison was already too small for 
 its defense. 
 
 "Had he engaged all his forces in the ac- 
 tion," says the historian Botta, *'it is probable 
 that the entire army would have been destroyed 
 and America reduced to subjection." Great 
 praise is therefore due to Washington for his 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 115 
 
 prudence, which preserved both himself and his 
 army for a happier future. 
 
 On the next morning, August 28, the 
 British commenced firing at the fort, but did 
 httle damage. At midnight a dense fog arose 
 which hid the armies from each other during the 
 next day. Seeing that he could not hold the 
 position, Washington resolved to save the rem- 
 nant of his little army by crossing the river that 
 very night. 
 
 It was a perilous undertaking. Seven thou- 
 sand men were to be withdrawn from the pre- 
 sence of a watchful foe "so near that every 
 stroke of the spade and pick-ax from their 
 trenches could be heard." 
 
 About midnight the men began to embark. 
 The boats moved noiselessly with muffled oars, 
 and in six hours, aided by the darkness and fog, 
 the whole army with its baggage and artillery 
 had crossed in safety to New York. Washing- 
 ton remained at the ferry until the last man had 
 embarked, though he had neither rested nor 
 slept for two days and nights. This retreat is 
 regarded as one of the most remarkable mili- 
 tary manoeuvers recorded in history, and re- 
 
116 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 fleets great credit upon the coolness and courage 
 of the commander-in-chief. 
 
 At sunrise General Howe discovered that the 
 Americans had escaped and great was his 
 astonishment and chagrin. Long Island was 
 now in full possession of the British, who were 
 ready to attack New York. 
 
 Washington felt that with the means at 
 hand he could not successfully oppose so power- 
 ful an enemy. He, therefore, removed all the 
 sick and wounded to Orangetown in the Jer- 
 seys, and retreated with his stores and munitions 
 of war to Harlem Heights, north of the city, 
 establishing his headquarters at King's Bridge. 
 
 The condition of the American army was 
 now alarming. Until the defeat at Brooklyn 
 they had flattered themselves that, because their 
 cause was just, they would be protected by 
 Providence. They had also persuaded them- 
 selves that personal bravery was better than 
 discipline and had even sneered at Washington's 
 endeavor to drill them according to European 
 tactics. Now they had lost all confidence "in 
 Heaven, in their commander, and in them- 
 selves." 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 117 
 
 Many deserted, others did not reenllst 
 when their time expired, and ''those who re- 
 mained were dejected and afraid of their own 
 shadows"; indeed, a total dissolution of the 
 army was threatened. At this critical moment 
 Washington used all his powers of persuasion 
 to revive the drooping spirits of his men. He 
 wrote a stirring letter to Congress in which he 
 begged that no more men be enlisted except 
 for the duration of the war, adding that it would 
 be impossible to gain independence with an 
 ever changing army. 
 
 To induce men to enlist, a bounty of twenty 
 dollars was offered by Congress and portions of 
 unoccupied land were promised to the officers 
 and soldiers. At present, however, Washing- 
 ton had only a few dispirited and ill-fed troops 
 with whom to contend against a large and 
 victorious army. In this situation, he adopted 
 the wise policy of harassing and retreating 
 before his enemy without risking a general 
 engagement. By this policy, the Roman gen- 
 eral, Fabius Maximus, had saved Rome when 
 threatened by Hannibal two thousand years be- 
 fore. Washington has, therefore, been called by 
 
118 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 many students of history, the * 'American 
 Fablus." 
 
 The British entered New York on Septem- 
 ber 15, and Washington withdrew to White 
 Plains. Here the enemy attacked him late In 
 October. The conflict lasted several hours 
 without any decided advantage on either side. 
 At night the two armies lay within cannon 
 shot of each other, the campflres lighting up 
 the landscape with their lurid glare. 
 
 During this anxious night, Washington, ex- 
 pecting a bloody conflict on the morrow, re- 
 moved his sick and wounded to a safer place. 
 He also threw back the right wing of his army to 
 stronger ground, doubling his entrenchments and 
 throwing up works as If by magic. These re- 
 doubts were made partly of the stalks of Indian 
 corn taken from a neighboring field and piled 
 up with the earth clinging in masses to the 
 roots. The next morning the Americans seemed 
 so strongly Intrenched that Howe deemed It 
 prudent to wait for reinforcements. 
 
 On the next night Washington made another 
 move which greatly perplexed his watchful 
 foe. Protected by the darkness and leaving 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 119 
 
 a strong rearguard on the heights, he retired 
 with his main army about five miles to 
 the high and rocky hills around Northcastle. 
 Here he again set to work so entrench himself, 
 his chief weapons being at this time the ''mat- 
 tock and the spade." 
 
 All was quiet for a few days, when during 
 the night of November 4, a mysterious rum- 
 bling sound was heard, and when the dawn ap- 
 peared, it was seen that the enemy was retiring 
 towards New York. Washington now left seven 
 thousand five hundred men at Northcastle under 
 the command of General Charles Lee, and hur- 
 ried south through the defiles of the mountains 
 to Fort Lee to watch the movements of General 
 Llowe. There was no doubt that Howe in- 
 tended to besiege Fort Washington, but it was 
 feared that he intended also to send an expedi- 
 tion to capture Philadelphia. 
 
 When Washington reached Fort Lee on the 
 right bank of the Hudson, just opposite Fort 
 Washington, he found the latter closely in- 
 vested by the enemy. He was much disap- 
 pointed to find that General Greene, instead of 
 withdrawing the garrison, had actually rein- 
 
120 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 forced it with nearly one thousand men. Throw- 
 ing himself into a boat, he had partly crossed 
 the river when he met General Greene and 
 General Putnam returning from the fortress. 
 They reported the garrison in high spirits and 
 sure of making a successful defense. 
 
 The next morning the assault w^as made by 
 the British in four columns, and after a fierce 
 fight. Colonel Magaw and his garrison of three 
 thousand men were forced to surrender. 
 
 Washington, from the opposite side of the 
 Hudson, witnessed the fierce combat without the 
 fort and saw his men, while begging quarter, cut 
 down and bayoneted by the cruel Hessians. 
 It is said that overcome by the terrible scene he 
 wept ''with the tenderness of a child," 
 
 Fort Lee had now to be abandoned in 
 haste. To save the remainder of his army 
 and to protect Philadelphia, Washington re- 
 treated into the Jerseys. Orders were sent to 
 General Lee at Northcastle to join him with his 
 detachment, but he failed to obey. 
 
 Washington was followed leisurely by Corn- 
 wallis with all the "pomp and circumstance" of a 
 victorious army. The American army was now 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 121 
 
 reduced to three thousand men without tents and 
 clothing and in the midst of people hostile to the 
 patriot cause. Many of them had no shoes and 
 left blood-stained tracks on the frozen ground. 
 At last they reached the Delaware river at 
 Trenton, slowly pursued by Cornwallis. Happi- 
 ly they were here favored by fortune. All the 
 boats for several miles along the river had been 
 secured and in these the Americans crossed over. 
 
 Cornwallis came up soon after, and finding 
 no boats on the Jersey shore, he stationed 
 detachments in Princeton, New Brunswick, and 
 Trenton. He expected before long to cross 
 upon the ice. 
 
 This was indeed the darkest hour of the 
 patriot cause. The army of Washington was 
 too small to cope with the victorious force of 
 the British, and the whole country was dis- 
 pirited. Congress adjourned in haste from 
 Philade'phia to Baltimore, for it was known that 
 the British intended, as soon as the Delaware 
 was frozen over, to march on Philadelphia, 
 capture that city, disperse the little army of 
 Washington, and restore the authority of the 
 king. But they had not counted upon the wise 
 
122 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 measures of Congress nor the resolute resistance 
 of George Washington. He had no thought 
 of yielding. About this time he wrote to Gen- 
 eral Mercer, ''We must retire to the mountains 
 of West Augusta county in Virginia. Numbers 
 will repair to us for safety. We will try a preda- 
 tory war. If overpowered, we must cross the 
 Alleghanies." 
 
 Washington now sent General Mifflin and 
 General Armstrong through Pennsylvania to 
 arouse the people to fight in the defense of 
 their capital. He also ordered General Gates 
 to join him promptly with the best of the troops 
 which he commanded in Canada. This order 
 General Gates obeyed at once, reaching Wash- 
 ington's camp on December 20. 
 
 About this time, tidings came to Washing- 
 ton that General Lee had been captured by the 
 British. Though a fearless, dashing officer, Lee 
 had become jealous of Washington, whom he 
 abused both to Congress and to private persons 
 of influence. It was thought by some that Lee 
 himself had planned to be captured and that he 
 afterward disclosed to General Howe the woeful 
 condition of the Americans. 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 123 
 
 However that may be, General Sullivan now 
 took command of Lee's division and hastened 
 to join the army on the Delaware. Just 
 before this Washington had been reinforced by 
 fifteen hundred militia from Philadelphia and 
 five hundred Germans from Pennsylvania, so 
 that he had now between five and six thousand 
 men fit for duty. 
 
 He at once decided to attack some of the 
 British forces, which were scattered along the 
 Jersey side of the Delaware river. Ho e was 
 In New York, and Lord Cornwallis, believing the 
 war to be over, was also there preparing to re- 
 turn to England. The river was now full of 
 floating Ice. In a few days it would be frozen 
 over and then the foe would cross over and 
 march on Philadelphia. There were three regi- 
 ments of Hessians at Trenton commanded by 
 Colonel Rahl. Knowing that on Christmas 
 night the Hessians would be carousing, Wash- 
 ington determined to surprise them and if 
 possible carry them off as prisoners. 
 
 The night selected for the attack was dark 
 and stormy and it was with difficulty that the 
 boats were driven through the drifting ice. 
 
124 LIFE OF WASHINGTON V 
 
 Two divisions were unable to cross, but the 
 third under Washington and Sullivan effected 
 a landing nine miles above Trenton. Washing- 
 ton crossed over In one of the first boats and 
 waited patiently on the icy bank until the ar- 
 tillery had been brought over. 
 
 It was nearly four o'clock in the morning 
 before the troops began the march in a storm of 
 sleet and rain. It was then impossible to reach 
 Trenton before daylight, but it was equally 
 impossible to return. So the llt^ile band of 
 about two thousand pressed on and burst into 
 the tow^n from tw^o directions just as the Hessians 
 were beginning to stir in their quarters. 
 
 Washington commanded one division and 
 Sullivan the other. The advance guard was 
 led by a gallant young officer, William A. 
 Washington, assisted by Lieutenant James Mon- 
 roe, who in after years w^as President of the 
 United States. 
 
 Aroused by the approach of the Americans, 
 the Hessians sprang into the streets and at- 
 tempted to form in line. The American cannon 
 began to roar and muskets to flash sending 
 deadly volleys Into their ranks. Colonel Rahl 
 
126 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1 
 
 was mortally wounded at the first onset. 
 Having lost their commander, over one thou- 
 sand Hessians soon threw down their arms. 
 Only a troop of light horse made its escape to- 
 wards Princeton. 
 
 As Washington knew that he could not 
 hold Trenton against the force which w^ould be 
 hurried there in a few hours, he recrossed the 
 Delaware with his prisoners and spoils. He had 
 lost only four men, two of whom had been 
 frozen. He had captured twelve hundred fine 
 muskets, six brass cannon, and all the flags and 
 standards of the brigade. 
 
 This brillant victory filled the despondent 
 patriots with joy and the British with amaze- 
 ment. General Howe, who was taking his 
 ease in winter quarters at New York, in great 
 alarm ordered Lord Cornwallis back to Prince- 
 ton to reinforce General Grant. 
 
 Congress now gave Washington absolute con- 
 trol of the war. "Happy is the country/' 
 wrote the committee, ''that the general of their 
 forces can be intrusted with the most unlimited 
 power.'* 
 
 About fourteen hundred veteran soldiers 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 127 
 
 whose terms were about to expire were induced 
 by Washington to remain six weeks longer. 
 With the return of victory to the Americans, 
 many tories in the Jerseys declared themselves 
 patriots and began to enlist. The bow of hope 
 began to gleam once more between the clouds of 
 adversity. So closed the year of Independence, 
 1776. 
 
128 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 
 
 Four days after the capture of the Hessians, 
 Washington, with four thousand men, again 
 crossed the Delaware through the floating ice 
 and halted at Trenton. It was almost madness 
 to venture within the grasp of Lord Cornwallis, 
 who had moved forward so rapidly that by 
 Jan. 1, 1777, he was in front of Washington 
 with seven thousand men. The American offi- 
 cers, however, felt that another effort should 
 be made to defeat the enemy and save Phila- 
 delphia before General Howe should come up 
 with reinforcements. 
 
 A sharp skirmish took place outside of Trenton 
 on the evening of the first of January. Wash- 
 ington then deemed it more prudent to with- 
 draw from the tow^n and take a stronger po- 
 sition behind Assunpink Creek. 
 
 The British at once took possession of the 
 town and attempted to force the passage of 
 the stream, but were driven back. Washing- 
 ton, mounted on a noble white charger, sta- 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 129 
 
 tioned himself at the south end of the stone 
 bridge across the creek and issued his orders. 
 Each time the British were repulsed loud shouts 
 arose along the American lines. 
 
 Washington and his officers met in haste 
 to consider their desperate situation. Only a 
 small stream separated them from the enemy 
 vastly superior in numbers and discipline, 
 while behind them flowed the Delaware filled 
 with floating ice and impassable in the face of 
 the foe. 
 
 In the darkest hour a bold plan suggested 
 itself to Washington. The forces of the enemy 
 were advancing by detachments from Prince- 
 ton. Would it be possible by a rapid night 
 march to pass around these forces and surprise 
 the troops at Princeton? His officers at once 
 agreed to the movement. The campfires were 
 kept burning brightly throughout the night in 
 order to deceive the enemy. About midnight 
 the little army was marching swiftly and si- 
 lently towards Princeton, and the morning 
 light showed the British sentries a deserted 
 camp. 
 
 At the very moment Cornwallis found out 
 
130 LIFE OF WASHINGTON ^^ 
 
 that the camp on the Assunpink had been de- 
 serted, the Americans were entering Princeton. 
 They met the British division beginning its 
 march to Trenton and the battle at once began. 
 At first the raw American mihtia gave way, but 
 they were ralHed by Washington who galloped 
 forward and placed himself at their head. In- 
 spired by his noble example, the men rushed 
 forward and soon put the foe to flight, inflicting 
 upon them a loss of four hundred and thirty 
 men killed, wounded, and missing. The Amer- 
 icans lost the brave General Mercer, who, 
 struck down by a blow from the butt of a mus- 
 ket, refused to surrender and was bayoneted 
 to death. They also lost about thirty men 
 killed and wounded. 
 
 Washington then collected his little army and 
 pressed the enemy along the road to Brunswick 
 where there were valuable stores. But his men 
 were so fatigued by marching and fighting in 
 a half-starved condition that he gave up the pur- 
 suit. Destroying the bridge behind him, he 
 pushed on to the wooded heights of Morris- 
 town. There he was safe from Cornwallis who 
 was already marching to attack him; and he was 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 131 
 
 also In position to fall upon the rear of the ene- 
 my should they proceed to Philadelphia. 
 
 Cornwallis retired to Brunswick and con- 
 tinued to contract his lines until all his forces 
 were collected at that place and at Amboy. 
 
 The whole aspect of the war in the Jer- 
 seys had now changed. The people, aroused 
 by the outrages of the Hessian and British sol- 
 diers and encouraged by the successes of Wash- 
 ington, openly declared themselves patriots. 
 Congress returned to Philadelphia and confi- 
 dence was restored throughout the country. 
 "Achievements so great," says Botta, "gained 
 for the American commander a very great repu- 
 tation. All declared him to be the savior of 
 his country, and proclaimed him equal to the 
 most renowned commanders of antiquity." 
 
 Meanwhile Congress was making arrange- 
 ments for carrying on the war with greater 
 vigor. Three commissioners — Benjamin Frank- 
 lin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee — were sent 
 to France to borrow money of that government, 
 and also, if possible, to prevail upon it to ac- 
 knowledge the independence of the American 
 colonies. These men excited at the court of 
 
132 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 France great interest in the American cause. 
 Several gentlemen of rank and fortune came 
 forward and offered their services. The most 
 distinguished of these was the Marquis de 
 Lafayette (de la fa yetO, a young nobleman. 
 He fitted out a vessel at his own expense and, 
 eluding the officers of the French ports, reached 
 South Carolina in April, 1777. His arrival 
 caused great joy. Washington received him 
 as a friend, and Congress, in July of this year, 
 commissioned him a major-general. 
 
 Congress now made a blunder which brought 
 a train of serious consequences to the cause 
 and to Washington. Generals Stirling, Mif- 
 flin, St. Clair, Stephens, and Lincoln were all 
 advanced to the rank of major-general, while 
 Arnold, their senior in service, who had per- 
 formed so many brilliant exploits, was passed 
 over and left a brigadier. Through the in- 
 fluence of Washington, Congress afterward 
 gave Arnold the desired rank, but his haughty 
 spirit never forgave the slight, and from that 
 time he sought revenge. 
 
 Early in 1777, it became evident to Wash- 
 ington that the British were going to invade 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 133 
 
 New York from Canada. For this purpose an 
 army of about ten thousand men under Gen- 
 eral Burgoyne was being organized. General 
 Schuyler was in command of the American 
 forces in eastern New York, and Washington 
 sent him all the reinforcements that could pos- 
 sibly be spared. 
 
 In July, 1777, General Howe with eighteen 
 thousand men sailed from New York for an at- 
 tack upon Philadelphia. As they were unable 
 to ascend the Delaware river because of forts 
 and obstructions placed near the mouth of 
 that river by the Americans, the fleet sailed 
 southward and, entering the Chesapeake, pro- 
 ceeded to Elk river in Maryland. There the 
 troops disembarked and began to march to- 
 ward Philadelphia. 
 
 Washington, who had been anxiously watch- 
 ing their movements, advanced to meet them. 
 He selected the river Brandywine about seventy 
 miles from Philadelphia as his line of defense. 
 He knew that his poorly equipped army of 
 eleven thousand men was no match in the open 
 field for the eighteen thousand British regulars; 
 but neither the public mind nor Congress it- 
 
134 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 self would have been satisfied without at least 
 one attempt to prevent the British from enter- 
 ing Philadelphia. 
 
 The American commander had sent to the 
 aid of General Schuyler several of his best regi- 
 ments, among them Col. Daniel Morgan's de- 
 tachment of mounted riflemen from Virginia. 
 He now felt the need of these daring troopers, 
 for in their absence it was difficult to find out 
 the movements of the enemy. In doubt as 
 to where the enemy would cross, Washington 
 stationed the left wing of his army at a crossing 
 on the Brandywine called Chadd's Ford, while 
 the right, under General Sullivan, was extended 
 for some distance up the river. 
 
 Early on the morning of September 11, the 
 British reached the Brandywine and the battle 
 was begun. The Hessians attacked the left 
 wing of the Americans at the ford; but the 
 main division of the British marched by a cir- 
 cuitous route and crossed at a point beyond the 
 American right. Howe had repeated his tac- 
 tics of the battle of Long Island and had again 
 outflanked the Americans. Their right wing 
 was thrown into confusion and crushed by the 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 135 
 
 attack on its rear, and the battle was lost. 
 Washington retreated during the night to West 
 Chester, and later on crossed the Schuylkill 
 (skoor kill) to Germantown. 
 
 The loss of the Americans in this battle was 
 about one thousand men; that of the British 
 was five hundred and eighty-four. Major- 
 General Lafayette was severely wounded and 
 barely escaped capture. 
 
 Finding that his men were in good spirits 
 and that they deemed the recent affair a check 
 rather than a defeat, W^ashington resolved to 
 risk another battle in defense of the capital. 
 On September 15, he recrossed the Schuylkill 
 and attacked Howe's forces at Warren's Tav- 
 ern. Just as the battle began, a terrific storm 
 swept over the field. The cartridges of the com- 
 batants were soaked with rain, and fighting was 
 impossible. Washington therefore withdrew his 
 forces and retreated to a safe place on French 
 Creek. 
 
 After a briei rest, Washington again sallied 
 forth to harass General Howe and if possible 
 to save Philadelphia. But, after several skir- 
 mishes, Howe succeeded in evading the weary 
 
136 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1 
 
 and barefooted American troops, and by a 
 forced march threw his forces across the river. 
 On September 26, 1777, the splendidly arrayed 
 British army entered the city, stepping proudly 
 to the music of ''God save the King." The 
 tories were wild with joy, and the British re- 
 garded the taking of the capital as the end 
 of the war. 
 
 But they did not reckon upon the wisdom 
 and patience of the "American Fabius" who, 
 undismayed, advanced toward Germantown 
 where the main division of the British was 
 quartered. On October 4, Washington attempted 
 to surprise this force, but owing to the rough- 
 ness of the roads, the attack could not be made 
 as he had planned it. On the approach of the 
 Americans the British sprang to their arms and 
 a liard fight began. In a short time, however, 
 the enemy was forced to retreat in disorder. 
 
 In the meantime a dense fog had arisen' — 
 so dense that it was impossible to distinguish 
 friend from foe. This fog caused a sudden and 
 singular panic among the victorious Americans. 
 In 'the darkness, Wayne's division, which had 
 driven a part of the enemy's forces several 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 137 
 
 miles from their camp, became alarmed by the 
 advance of a large body of troops upon its rear. 
 Imagining that they were being surrounded by 
 the British, his men fell back in confusion upon 
 the supporting columns, which in turn retreated. 
 Then, in spite of the efforts of the officers to 
 rally the broken ranks, our army fled in the 
 moment of victory. 
 
 Finding that they were not being pursued, 
 the British recovered from their surprise and 
 rallied. About this time, the rising sun dis- 
 pelled the mist and they beheld the Americans 
 retreating in good order, carrying with them 
 their wounded and baggage. 
 
 The Americans lost in this engagement about 
 one thousand killed, wounded, and missing. 
 The total British loss was only five hundred and 
 thirty-five. General Sullivan in writing of 
 this battle says: 'T saw with great concern our 
 brave commander-in-chief exposing himself to 
 the hottest fire of the enemy in such a manner 
 that regard for my country obliged me to ride 
 to him and beg him to retire." 
 
 The battle of Germantown, though a de- 
 feat for the patriots, had the effect of a victory. 
 
138 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1 
 
 The boldness of the attack and the nearness 
 of victory convinced both America and Europe 
 that Washington was a formidable foe. With 
 great skill and care, he now drew nearer to 
 Philadelphia and entrenched his army at White 
 Marsh. In this position he was able to cut off 
 many supplies intended for the British. 
 
 To save their army from starvation, the 
 Howes now resolved to destroy Fort Mifflin 
 and Fort Mercer which commanded the Dela- 
 ware river below Philadelphia and prevented 
 the entrance of the fleet. After a fierce bom- 
 bardment both forts were captured, and by 
 November 20 General Howe had at last ob- 
 tained full control of the Delaware. 
 
 While these movements had been going 
 on around Philadelphia, the American army 
 under General Gates, who had superseded Gen- 
 eral Schuyler, had captured at Saratoga, New 
 York, on October 17, the entire British army 
 under General Burgoyne. The victory, which 
 was largely due to the bravery and daring 
 of Arnold, gained for the Americans a fine 
 train of artillery, seven thousand stands of 
 arms, military stores of all kinds, and undis- 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 139 
 
 puted possession of the eastern part of the State 
 of New York. 
 
 Let us return to Washington at White Marsh. 
 The recent victory at Saratoga had rendered 
 the pubHc impatient for something equally 
 brilliant from the army of the commander- 
 in-chief. Great pressure was now brought to 
 bear upon him to attempt the storming of 
 Philadelphia. But knowing the strength of 
 the British fortifications, he refused to risk 
 his army for the satisfaction of the public and 
 the favor of the press. 
 
 About this time arrangements were made by 
 Howe to surprise Washington in his camp at 
 White Marsh. The plan was revealed to the 
 commander by Mrs. Darrah, a Quaker lady, at 
 whose house Howe had held a council of war. 
 When the British approached the American 
 camp, they found the patriots in order of battle. 
 So complete were the preparations for defense 
 that Howe did not dare attack. 
 
 Winter now set in with great severity and 
 Washington sought winter quarters for his army 
 at a place called Valley Forge, twenty-two 
 miles from Philadelphia. From this place he 
 
140 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 could watch that city and also protect a large 
 extent of country from the ravages of the Brit- 
 ish. 
 
 A town of log huts was soon built and 
 Washington strove by every means possible 
 to secure the necessaries of life for his suffering 
 men. The colonies had not sent the promised 
 supplies to their soldiers, and Congress was un- 
 able to buy provisions with its paper money. 
 Food was scarce and thousands of soldiers 
 had no shoes. Many were without clothes and 
 even straw was wanting to raise them at night 
 from the cold, wet earth. Disease attacked 
 them, and the hospitals were filled as fast as 
 the dead were carried out. The pay of the 
 officers was not sufficient to buy food and cloth- 
 ing, and many of the bravest and best resigned. 
 
 Amidst the griefs and cares to which Wash- 
 ington was subjected, a plot was formed to 
 have Congress remove him and place General 
 Gates at the head of the army. These were per- 
 haps the darkest days of Washington's life. 
 But he paid no attention to the malice of his 
 private enemies. Calm and resolute, be bent 
 all of his energies to improve the condition of 
 
WAgHINGTON AND ST^EUBEN AT VALLEY FORGE [141] 
 
142 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 vs of 
 
 his army and camp. When at last the news 
 the plot to remove him spread abroad through- 
 out the land, the people took his part, and the 
 army was so indignant that all who had aided 
 in the foul conspiracy were so afraid of its 
 righteous anger that they kept out of camp. 
 
 After much delay on the part of Congress, 
 Baron Steuben was appointed inspector-gefieral 
 of the army, and General Greene, quartermas- 
 ter-general. Under the supervision of these 
 officers the condition of affairs at Valley Forge 
 improved wonderfully. The soldiers were reg- 
 ularly and carefully drilled by the inspector- 
 general, and the arrival of provisions and sup- 
 plies of all kinds as the result of the efforts of 
 the quartermaster-general removed the dread 
 of famine from the hearts of the heroic band. 
 
 On Feb. 6, 1778, a treaty of defensive 
 alliance was concluded between France and the 
 United States. The king of France acknowl- 
 edged the independence of the United States 
 and sent money, stores, and a fleet to aid the 
 Americans. 
 
 Great was the rejoicing throughout the 
 colonies, for all felt that with so powerful an 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 143 
 
 ally the British would at last be defeated. 
 The treaty was celebrated at Valley Forge with 
 solemn thanksgiving by a chaplain at the head 
 of each*brigade, a grand parade, and a national 
 salute of thirteen guns. A banquet followed, at 
 which Washington dined in public with all his 
 officers. Upon his return from the banquet 
 he was greeted with the wildest applause from 
 both officers and men. 
 
 The news of the sailing of the French 
 fleet so alarmed the British government that 
 orders were sent to the army at Philadelphia 
 to join the forces at New York. General 
 Howe at his own request had been recalled to 
 England, and Sir Henry Clinton had been put 
 in command at Philadelphia. On June 18, 
 1778, he evacuated the city and began to make 
 his way across the Jerseys. 
 
 Washington at once marched into the capi- 
 tal and then followed the retiring British. He 
 came up with them at Monmouth on June 27. 
 The following morning General Charles Lee, 
 who had been recently exchanged for the British 
 general, Prescott, was ordered to commence the 
 attack with five thousand men. Washington 
 
144 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 promised to come to his assistance with the 
 main army. 
 
 The British turned to meet the attack of 
 the Americans. Surprised at the determina- 
 tion of CHnlon to give battle with his whole 
 army, Lee w^as forced to form his troops upon 
 unfavorable ground. Behind him was a morass 
 over which it would have been difficult to re- 
 treat in case of defeat. It has been suggested 
 that he was angry at being forced to an engage- 
 ment which he had opposed in the council 
 of war held previously by Washington. How- 
 ever that may be, instead of advancing, at the 
 first charge of the British he ordered a retreat; 
 and his men ran pellmell across the morass 
 followed by the enemy. 
 
 In the meantime Washington, ignorant of 
 the shameful retreat, was coming up with the 
 other divisions of the army. As the first sound 
 of firing burst upon the air, his troops eager for 
 battle, threw aside their knapsacks and pressed 
 forward. The heat was so intense and the dust 
 and sand so deep in the roads that many fell 
 exhausted upon the way. 
 
 Washington had dismounted and was stand- 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 145 
 
 ing with his arm thrown across the neck of his 
 snow-white charger listening to the firing in 
 front and watching his men as they marched 
 past to battle, when a farmer dashed up to 
 him and exclaimed that Lee's division was in 
 full retreat and near at hand. 
 
 With one terrible look of anger and despair, 
 Washington mounted his horse and galloped 
 swiftly to meet the retreating men. The mo- 
 ment that he was seen, a ringing shout, "Long 
 live Washington," burst upon his ears. Gal- 
 loping to the rear, he reined up beside Lee 
 and in a voice full of passion said, ''General 
 Lee, I desire to know what is the reason, and 
 whence this disorder and confusion." Greatly dis- 
 concerted, Lee stammered a reply, but Washing- 
 ton galloped on ordering the officers and en- 
 couraging the men until they wheeled and formed 
 in splendid order to meet the approaching foe. 
 
 He then rode back to Lee and pointing 
 to the line of battle said, "Will you, sir, com- 
 mand in that place?" He replied, "Yes." 
 ''Well then," said Washington, "I expect you 
 to check the enemy at once." "Your orders 
 shall be obeyed," replied Lee, "and I shall 
 
146 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1 
 
 not be the first to leave the field." He imme- 
 diately put himself at the head of the columns, 
 while Washington returned to lead up the 
 second division. But Lee found it impos- 
 sible to remedy his fatal mistake. Both he 
 and his men fought bravely, but they were 
 gradually pressed back by the British. Wash- 
 ington then came up rapidly with troops under 
 Wayne and Greene, and by nightfall the 
 the British had been driven back across the 
 morass to the high ground beyond. Darkness 
 now came on and the battle ceased. 
 
 Although worn out by the excessive heat 
 and fatigue of battle, the Americans slept upon 
 their arms so that they might attack the enemy 
 at early dawn. Washington, having visited 
 his outposts, lay down beneath a tree with 
 Lafayette by his side. But when morning 
 came, they found that Sir Henry Clinton had 
 quietly withdrawn during the night to the 
 heights of Middletown. 
 
 The loss of the Americans in the battle of 
 Monmouth was two hundred and twenty- 
 seven; that of the enemy was much greater. 
 
 The British forces pursued their way to New 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 147 
 
 York. Washington followed them and, cross- 
 ing the Hudson, once more took up his quarters 
 at White Plains. 
 
 On the day after the battle of Monmouth 
 Washington received an insulting letter from 
 Lee demanding an apology for his hasty words 
 on the field of battle. Washington replied se- 
 verely that his language on the previous day 
 had been warranted by the circumstances and 
 that he had no apology to make. Lee answered 
 in a still more insulting manner, and was there- 
 upon arrested. He was tried by court-martial 
 and dismissed from the army for twelve months. 
 He then retired to his estate in Virginia and 
 never more entered the service. 
 
 On July 11, 1778, the French fleet under 
 Count D'Estaing (des taN') arrived. It was his 
 intention to attack the British squadron in 
 New York harbor; but as the large warships 
 of the line could not cross the bar, the plan was 
 abandoned. The fleet then sailed to Newport, 
 R. I., where the British had established them- 
 selves in force. 
 
 Washington had sent to Newport General 
 Sullivan and Marquis de Lafayette with two 
 
148 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 !et. 11 
 
 brigades to cooperate with the French fleet 
 Quartermaster-general Greene was also ordered 
 there, as he was a native of the island on which 
 Newport is situated and was well acquainted 
 with its shores and people. 
 
 Before operations had fairly commenced, 
 Admiral Lord Howe appeared with a part of his 
 squadron. D'Estaing sailed forth to meet the 
 enemy, but a terrific storm separated the com- 
 batants. Howe made for New York and the 
 French fleet returned to Newport battered 
 and crippled by the storm. D'Estaing now re- 
 fused to assist General Sullivan, so the latter 
 had to raise the siege and retreat, which he did 
 in a masterly manner. 
 
 The failure of this expedition was a great 
 disappointment to Washington; for the country 
 expected much from the cooperation of the 
 French, and was bitter in its denunciation of 
 D'Estaing. 
 
 Before the winter had begun, Washington 
 distributed his troops in a line of strong en- 
 campments from Long Island Sound to the 
 Delaware. In this way the country was better 
 protected and the troops were made more com- 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 149 
 
 fortable. Sir Henry Clinton still kept posses- 
 sion of New York and contented himself with 
 sending out expeditions for the purpose of 
 plundering. 
 
 Washington now lost the assistance and com- 
 panionship of the generous Lafayette. Seeing 
 no prospect of immediate warfare, Lafayette ob- 
 tained a furlough from Congress and returned 
 to France promising to come back to America, 
 ''whenever he should find it convenient." 
 
 Much of the commander-in-chief's time this 
 winter was passed in Philadelphia planning for 
 the campaign of 1779. 
 
150 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 
 
 When the spring of 1779 opened, Sir Henry 
 Clinton sent an expedition up the Hudson and 
 took possession of Stony Point and Verplanck 
 Point, the lower gates to the Highlands. On 
 June 1, Governor Tryon made a sudden de- 
 scent on New Haven, Connecticut, and com- 
 pelled a surrender. Several towns were burned 
 to ashes and quantities of plunder were carried 
 off. Norfolk and other towns in Virginia were 
 burned. 
 
 These raids caused Washington much vexa- 
 tion, though of course with his small army it 
 was impossible for him to meet every attack 
 of the British, who moved up and down the 
 coast with their powerful squadrons. 
 
 It was very important, however, to the 
 Americans that Stony Point should be retaken. 
 Washington at last decided to intrust the task 
 to General Wayne, "Mad Anthony" as he was 
 sometimes called. That brave officer marched 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 151 
 
 against the fort and in the evening of July 
 15, 1779, halted his force of one thousand men 
 in the woods near by. 
 
 From this point they were guided by a 
 negro named Pompey, who knew the British 
 countersign. The pickets were surprised and 
 gagged in the darkness. The muskets of the 
 Americans were then unloaded and the bayo- 
 nets fixed in utter silence. At midnight the 
 patriots charged and scaled the ramparts. 
 The British, finding themselves between two 
 lines of glittering steel, surrendered. 
 
 General Wayne secured the ammunition and 
 stores, destroyed the fort, and marched off 
 with more than five hundred prisoners. This 
 was one of the most brilliant victories of the 
 war. 
 
 About a month later, the heart of Washing- 
 ton was cheered by another victory. Major 
 Henry Lee, of the Virginia Dragoons, in the 
 course of his scouting, had discovered that the 
 British post at Paulus Hook (Jersey City) just 
 opposite New York City, was very negligently 
 guarded. He proposed to take this fort by 
 surprise and Washington gave his ready as- 
 
152 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 sent. Favored by the darkness of the night, 
 Lee with about five hundred men, surprised the 
 fort within gunshot of New York and carried 
 off its garrison of one hundred and fifty-nine 
 men. 
 
 Washington now estabHshed his headquarters 
 at West Point, the mountain fortress on the 
 Hudson, where he superintended in person the 
 fortifications of the Highlands. Here he received 
 the news that Count D'Estaing with a powerful 
 fleet, after having made a successful cruise 
 against the English in the West Indies, had ar- 
 rived off the coast of Georgia. He hoped that 
 the Count would sail north and that they could 
 arrange to make a combined attempt to take 
 New York City. But D'Estaing was pursuaded 
 to assist General Lincoln, who was now in com- 
 mand of the Southern army, to retake Savan- 
 nah from the British. The attempt, however, 
 failed through the obstinacy of the French 
 admiral. 
 
 Seeing that no dependence could be placed 
 upon D'Estaing's cooperation, Washington sent 
 the militia and Southern troops home and pre- 
 pared for the winter of 1779-80. The war this 
 
 I 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 153 
 
 year had languished and the patriotism of the 
 people seemed to wane. 
 
 One division of the army was left at West 
 Point; the other under Washington wintered 
 in huts along the heights of Morristown. This 
 winter was but a repetition of that at Valley 
 Forge. The weather was unusually severe. 
 The commissaries had neither money nor credit 
 with which to purchase supplies for the suf- 
 fering men. The beginning of the year 1780 
 found the army in a famishing condition. ''For 
 a fortnight past," wroteWashington/'the troops, 
 both officers and men, have been almost per- 
 ishing with want. Yet they have borne their 
 sufferings with a patience that merits the appro- 
 bation, and ought to excite the sympathy, of 
 their countrymen." 
 
 The depreciation of the currency was the 
 chief cause of trouble. Forty dollars in paper 
 was worth only one in gold or silver. The pay of 
 a colonel would not buy a bushel of oats for 
 his horse, and four months' pay of a private 
 soldier would not procure for his family one 
 bushel of wheat. In this emergency Congress 
 promised to make good to the troops the differ- 
 
154 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 ence in the value of their pay caused by this 
 depreciation. 
 
 Washington was compelled to obtain grain 
 and cattle by calling upon the counties of New 
 Jersey for supplies. Whenever the call was 
 unheeded, the articles required were impressed 
 — that is, taken by force. In this way the army 
 was kept from dissolution and starvation. 
 
 In this gloomy time a letter came to Wash- 
 ington from Lafayette announcing his arrival 
 at Boston. We are told that tears came into 
 Washington's eyes as he read this most welcome 
 letter, telling that his friend was coming and 
 that help was at hand; for Lafayette brought 
 the news that another French fleet and an 
 army under Count Rochambeau (ro shaN' bo') 
 would soon come to the assistance of the 
 Americans. 
 
 Washington's attention was now drawn to 
 affairs in the South. Leaving a large body of 
 men at New York, in January, Sir Henry Clin- 
 ton sailed south and moved upon Charleston. 
 After a brave resistance General Lincoln was 
 forced to surrender the city with about two thou- 
 sand troops. 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 155 
 
 This was a sad time for the patriots. Georgia 
 and South Carohna were overrun by the Brit- 
 ish, the money troubles were growing worse, 
 and two regiments from Connecticut had mu- 
 tinied in Washington's camp. He again ap- 
 pealed to Congress for prompt assistance. 
 But having no credit, Congress could not pro- 
 cure even provisions for the famishing army. 
 In the midst of this distress, Robert Mor- 
 ris and a few other wealthy patriots came for- 
 ward with their private fortunes and saved the 
 country from impending ruin. 
 
 About this time the patriotic women of 
 Philadelphia, headed by Mrs. Washington, 
 sent about seven thousand dollars to Washing- 
 ton to spend as he thought best for his men. 
 Everywhere, but chiefly in the Carolinas, the 
 women now rekindled the fires of patriotism 
 which had burned so brightly in the beginning 
 of the Revolution. Their parting injunction 
 to husband and lover was, 'Trefer prisons to 
 infamy and death to servitude." 
 
 Sir Henry Clinton, after capturing Charles- 
 ton, had overrun the whole State of South Car- 
 olina. He left Lord Cornwallis and Lord Row- 
 
156 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 don to hold the conquered territory and re- 
 turned to New York, landing on June 17, 1780. 
 But almost immediately his troops were re- 
 embarked, as if for an expedition up the Hud- 
 son. 
 
 Fearing for the safety of West Point, Wash- 
 ington set off towards that place, leaving 
 General Greene to protect the stores and camp 
 at Morristown. As soon as his departure was 
 reported to Sir Henry Clinton, he sent a large 
 body of infantry and cavalry to capture Mor- 
 ristown. But General Greene had so posted 
 his little force in the mountain defiles that the 
 British troops were beaten back and forced to 
 retreat in haste, pursued and harassed by the 
 American dragoons and the yeomanry of the 
 country. The next morning the British crossed 
 over to Staten Island, and New Jersey was at 
 last freed from their presence. 
 
 Keeping a strict watch upon [the Highlands 
 of the Hudson, Washington turned his atten- 
 tion to the army of the South. He decided to 
 send General Greene to assume command in 
 place of General Lincoln who had been cap- 
 tured. But Congress, with undue haste and 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 157 
 
 without consulting Washington, gave General 
 Gates, the conqueror of Burgoyne, that impor- 
 tant command. 
 
 In the meantime the insolence of the British 
 troops had aroused the people of the Carolinas. 
 They flocked to the standards of Marion and 
 Sumter, who now came forward as protectors 
 of the cause of liberty. They kept their head- 
 quarters in thick swamps, from which they would 
 suddenly issue by night or day and attack the 
 enemy with such fury as to sweep all before 
 them. During the whole summer and autumn 
 of 1780, Colonel Marion continued to sweep 
 around Cornwallis's encampments, cutting his 
 lines of communication and keeping him in a 
 constant state of uneasiness. 
 
 Early in August Washington directed Gen- 
 eral Gates, who had now collected his forces, 
 to advance to meet Cornwallis. The hostile 
 armies, each making an attempt to surprise 
 the other, met near Camden in the darkness 
 of the night. By mutual consent they waited 
 for the dawn before beginning the fight. The 
 Americans were defeated with a loss of more 
 than one thousand men, among whom was the 
 
158 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 brave Baron de Kalb. General Gates was 
 recalled and General Greene was placed in 
 command of the scattered and disheartened 
 patriot army. 
 
 We have now arrived at one of the saddest 
 episodes of our revolutionary history and one 
 which gave the keenest anguish to our revered 
 commander-in-chief — the treason of Arnold. 
 
 Having received a severe wound at the 
 battle of Saratoga in the fall of 1777, Arnold 
 had been made commandant of Philadelphia. 
 While living there, he married Miss Shippen, 
 the beautiful daughter of a wealthy tory re- 
 siding in that city. He then entered upon a 
 career of extravagance which soon overwhelmed 
 him with debt. 
 
 In order to obtain money, he made false 
 entries in his accounts with the government. 
 When they were discovered, eight charges 
 were preferred against him by Congress, and 
 he was convicted by a court-martial and sen- 
 tenced to be reprimanded by Washington. 
 Believing that Arnold had been badly treated, 
 Washington performed his task as gently as 
 possible; but Arnold was deeply mortified and 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 159 
 
 enraged. Pressed down by his debts and burn- 
 ing for revenge, he entered into a secret corre- 
 spondence with Sir Henry CHnton, at New 
 York, and finally agreed to betray his country 
 for British gold. 
 
 Disguising his real feelings and professing 
 unaltered devotion to his country, he applied 
 for the command of West Point, the key to 
 the Highlands of the Hudson. As Washington 
 knew his great merit as an officer and did not 
 doubt his patriotism, he was placed in command 
 of that important fortress. 
 
 Arnold was now in a position not only to 
 demand from Sir Henry a reward for betraying 
 his country but also to satisfy his desire for 
 revenge. At last it was secretly agreed that 
 the British fleet should ascend the Hudson and 
 that the garrison and fortress of West Point 
 should be surrendered without a struggle. 
 
 Clinton, who believed that the loss of this 
 fort would put an end to ''the rebellion," sent 
 Major Andre (an' dra), his adjutant-general, 
 to confer with the traitor on the terms of the 
 surrender. Andre sailed up the Hudson on 
 board the Vulture, a British sloop-of-war, and 
 
160 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 ^ 
 
 landed on the evening of July 21 a few miles 
 below West Point. Shortly after midnight 
 he was met by Arnold in a thicket near the shore. 
 Here their plans were discussed until daylight 
 compelled them to withdraw to a house within 
 the American lines. Andre, being in full Brit- 
 ish uniform, was now obliged to disguise him- 
 self, and by so doing he assumed the character 
 of a spy. 
 
 The day was spent by Arnold and Andre in 
 completing the bargain. Arnold agreed to 
 surrender West Point for ten thousand pounds 
 and a commission as brigadier-general in the 
 British army. Andre received from Arnold 
 papers containing plans of West Point and a 
 statement of its condition, which he concealed 
 in his stockings. 
 
 In the meantime, the Vulture, lying at an- 
 chor in the Hudson, had been discovered by some 
 American gunners who planted a battery and 
 drove it down the river. This forced Andre 
 to set out for New York on foot. Crossing the 
 river, he passed the American outposts in safety, 
 bearing Arnold's passport and giving the name 
 of John Anderson. 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 161 
 
 Near Tarrytown, almost within sight of 
 the British lines, he was stopped by three 
 patriots, John Paulding, David Williams, and 
 Isaac Van Wort. Supposing that they were 
 tories, Andre confessed himself a British offi- 
 cer; but on discovering his mistake he produced 
 Arnold's pass and begged that he might con- 
 tinue his journey. But as the suspicions of 
 the patriots had been aroused, they searched 
 him and found the papers in his stockings. 
 They delivered him to Colonel Jameson at 
 Northcastle who at once notified Arnold that 
 "John Anderson" had been taken with his pass- 
 port and some papers relating to West Point. 
 
 Arnold was at breakfast when the Jameson's 
 letter was handed him. He sprang up from the 
 table, exchanged a few hurried words with 
 his wife, and fled to the river. He succeeded 
 in reaching the Vulture in a small boat. 
 
 Washington attended by General Lafayette 
 and General Knox reached Arnold's headquar- 
 ters shortly after the traitor's flight. When 
 Washington was informed of the deep-laid 
 treachery, he was at first dumb with amazement. 
 But, recovering his usual calmness, he at once 
 
162 , LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 began the work of strengthening the garrison] 
 and completing the works about the fortress; 
 for none knew so well as Arnold its weak places. 
 Though outwardly calm, Washington's trustl 
 in those around him was greatly shaken. He 
 said privately to Lafayette and Knox^ in tones of 
 great distress, "Whom can we trust now?" 
 
 Arnold had escaped, but Andre was left to 
 his fate. He was tried by a court-martial 
 and condemned to death as a spy. Sir Henry 
 Clinton made every effort to save his favorite 
 aide, but in vain. On Oct. 2, 1780, he was 
 led to the scaffold and hanged. Arnold, safe 
 with the British, received the payment agreed 
 upon for his treachery, and afterward, as we 
 shall see, inflicted great injuries upon his native 
 country. 
 
 The year 1781 opened ingloriously for the 
 patriot cause. The army was again without 
 food, pay, or clothing. Its condition was so 
 desperate that the Pennsylvania troops broke 
 from their barracks on New Year's Day and 
 marched on Philadelphia. They were met by 
 commissioners of Congress who promised to 
 fulfil all their demands. Knowing how shame- 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 163 
 
 fully his men bad been treated, Washington 
 was not unwilling that Congress should reap the 
 reward of its neglect. Not long after, a New 
 Jersey brigade revolted. This movement Wash- 
 ington thought necessary to punish. The men 
 were overpowered and subjected to severe dis- 
 cipline. After this the army was no more trou- 
 bled by mutiny. 
 
 Early in January Arnold, now a British 
 officer, was sent with an 'army to devastate 
 southern Virginia. Having desolated the banks 
 of the James, he landed near Richmond and 
 succeeded in burning and destroying a large 
 amount of public and private property in that 
 city and vicinity. One of the plundering expe- 
 ditions reached Mount Vernon and would 
 have burned it had not the manager of the 
 place ransomed it by bringing out large quanti- 
 ties of forage and provisions. When Washing- 
 ton heard of this, he was much displeased, and 
 wrote that he would have been less vexed to 
 hear that his home was in ruins than that he 
 had furnished aid to the enemy. 
 
 As soon as Washington found out that 
 active warfare was being waged in Virginia, he 
 
164 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 sent Lafayette with a force of twelve hundred 
 men to defend that colony. Virginia was at 
 this time helpless, as most of her fighting men 
 were absent in Greene's and Washington's 
 armies. 
 
 In the meantime Cornwallis had arrived 
 from North Carolina and taken charge of the 
 campaign in Virginia. After capturing Rich- 
 mond, he began to plunder and pillage the coun- 
 try north of the James river. 
 
 As the young marquis had too small a 
 force to meet Cornwallis in the field, he skill- 
 fully eluded him until reinforced by General 
 Wayne with about nine hundred Pennsylvania 
 troops. He then changed his tactics and as- 
 sumed the aggressive. On the approach of 
 the forces under Lafayette, Cornwallis moved 
 eastward towards Williamsburg followed and 
 harassed by the Americans. After a stay of 
 nine days there, he moved to Portsmouth. 
 
 According to orders from Sir Henry Clin- 
 ton, Cornwallis, in the early part of August, 
 moved his army from Portsmouth to York- 
 town on the York river a few miles from its 
 entrance into the Chesapeake. The York river 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 165 
 
 is here about one mile wide and deep enough for 
 the largest ships to ride at anchor. 
 
 Lafayette, supported by General Wayne, 
 quickly moved his little army into the peninsula 
 between the York and the James and took his 
 position only eight miles from the enemy. A 
 powerful French fleet under Count De Grasse 
 was hourly expected in the Chesapeake, and 
 Lafayette saw at a glance that if the York 
 river could be blockaded by a friendly fleet and 
 a sufficient land force be brought to bear upon 
 Yorktown, Cornwallis would be forced to sur- 
 render. 
 
 To carry out this plan Washington de- 
 termined to leave a small force .to guard the 
 Hudson and to proceed to Virginia with the 
 American and French troops. He took the 
 precaution to mislead Sir Henry Clinton by 
 making him believe that an assault was about to 
 be directed against New York. His forces were 
 pressed as closely as possible to the city. So 
 well were his plans laid that Clinton did not 
 know that Washington was marching south 
 until he had reached the Delaware. It was 
 then too late for him to give chase. 
 
166 ^ LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 I 
 
 In order to divert Washington, Sir Henry 
 sent Arnold to devastate New London, Connect- 
 icut, his native place. This he did in a most 
 horrible manner. But Washington did .not 
 change his plans, knowing full well that it was 
 all important to capture Cornwallis. 
 
 When in Philadelphia, he procured through 
 Mr. Robert Morris twenty thousand dollars 
 in silver to pay off some of the northern regi- 
 ments that objected to going south. This 
 amount was really furnished by Count Rocham- 
 beau and was repaid in October with money 
 given to the American cause by the king of 
 France. 
 
 On the way southward Washington tarried 
 two days at Mount Vernon. It had been six 
 long years of toil and anxiety since the beloved 
 roof had covered his head. Count Rocham- 
 beau and other French officers joined him there 
 and were entertained in true old Virginia style. 
 
 At Williamsburg he was met by Lafayette 
 who reported that Count De Grasse had en- 
 tered the Chesapeake with twenty-eight ships 
 of the line with nearly four thousand infantry, 
 and was already blockading the mouth of the 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 167 
 
 York river. At last Washington had obtained 
 the cooperation of the land and naval forces. 
 On September 28, the allied armies encamped 
 closely around Yorktown and the siege was reg- 
 ularly begun. 
 
 Up to this time Cornwallis had felt very 
 secure, being sure that he could not be hurt by 
 Lafayette, whom he styled "the boy.'* But 
 when he found himself surrounded both by 
 land and water, be began to build fortifications; 
 he also sent off messengers to Sir Henry Clin- 
 ton to inform him of the situation. 
 
 About October 1, the Americans threw up 
 two redoubts, which were severely cannon- 
 aded. We are told that while Washington 
 was superintending their defense, a shot struck 
 the ground near by, covering him with dust. 
 The Rev. Mr. Evans, chaplain in the army, was 
 greatly frightened. Taking off his hat, he 
 found it covered with sand. "See here, general!" 
 said he in an excited manner. "Mr. Evans," 
 said Washington, with grave humor, "you had 
 better carry that home and show it to your 
 wife and children." 
 
 "When the batteries of the first line of en- 
 
168 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1 
 
 trenchments were ready to fire upon the town," 
 says an eye-witness, "Washington put the first 
 match to the gun, and a furious cannonade 
 commenced along the American line." After 
 this firing had been continued for several days, 
 Washington decided to make a night assault 
 on two advanced redoubts held by the British. 
 
 The American detachment, commanded by 
 Lafayette and headed by Alexander Hamilton, 
 aide to Washington, led the attack on the 
 right; the French attacked the left. The Amer- 
 icans, relying upon their bayonets, rushed for- 
 ward with unloaded guns and quickly took the 
 redoubt. The French on their side proceeded 
 more scientifically; but at length, animated 
 by their leaders, they carried the enemy's 
 works with the bayonet. Cornwallis made no 
 effort to retake the redoubts and they were 
 included in a second line of entrenchments, 
 which the allies completed before dawn. 
 
 Cornwallis now foresaw that when the be- 
 siegers should open fire upon him from their 
 new works there would be no hope of escape. 
 The greater part of his artillery had been dis- 
 mounted and his fortifications were in ruins. 
 
170 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 Nevertheless he ordered a night assault. His 
 soldiers made a brave but unsuccessful attempt 
 to drive the allies from their advanced position. 
 He then attempted to escape by crossing the 
 river and trying his fate upon the opposite 
 shore. But a terrible storm arose and the at- 
 tempt was unsuccessful. The very elements 
 seemed to unite their strength with that of 
 the allied armies. Seeing no hope of aid, 
 Cornwallis sent a flag of truce to Washington 
 and the terms of surrender were very soon 
 agreed upon. 
 
 At two o'clock on the afternoon of Oct. 
 19, 1781, Major-General O'Hara led out the 
 whole British army from the trenches into the 
 open field, where in the presence of the allied 
 ranks of America and France, seven thousand 
 two hundred and forty-seven English and Hes- 
 sian soldiers laid down their arms and became 
 prisoners of war. Lord Cornwallis did not 
 appear, but sent his sword by General O'Hara. 
 As a solace for the mortification he had felt at 
 the surrender of Charleston the year before. 
 General Lincoln was selected by Washington to 
 receive it. 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 171 
 
 The conquered were treated with great 
 kindness by their conquerors. Lord Corn- 
 walHs, however, felt deeply his great misfor- 
 tune. It is said that on one occasion when he 
 was standing before Washington with his hat 
 off, the latter remarked, "My lord, you had 
 better be covered from the cold." "It matters 
 not, sir," replied Cornwallis, raising his hand 
 to his brow, "it matters not what becomes of 
 this head now." 
 
 On the morning after the surrender Wash- 
 ington issued a general order congratulating 
 the allied armies on their recent victory. He 
 also celebrated the event by releasing all who 
 were under military arrest and by ordering 
 divine services to be held throughout the camp. 
 
 News of this important victory spread rap- 
 idly through the country. One of Washington's 
 aides, young Tench Tilghman, carried the glad 
 tidings to Congress at Philadelphia. When 
 the sentinels of the city called the hour of ten 
 o'clock on the night of his arrival they shouted, 
 "Ten o'clock, starlight night, and Cornwallis 
 is taken." The next morning Congress joy- 
 fully assembled and voted thanks to the com- 
 
i 
 
 172 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 ♦ l 
 mander-in-chief, to Rochambeau and De GrasseJ 
 
 and to the officers and men of both armies. 
 
 The surrendered army of Cornwallis was 
 marched under guard to Lancaster, Pennsyl- 
 vania, there to await exchange; and the Ameri- 
 can army went into camp once more on the Hud- 
 son and in New Jersey. The French army 
 wintered in Virginia with headquarters at 
 WilHamsburg. 
 
 Having attended to all the arrangements' 
 for the comfort of both armies, Washington 
 left Yorktown and hurried to Eltham, the home 
 of his friend Colonel Barrett. Here his be- 
 loved stepson, John Parke Custis, was lying 
 very ill. Only a short while after his arrival, the 
 young man breathed his last. As a consola- 
 tion to Mrs. Washington, the general adopted 
 the two youngest of the children, George 
 Washington Parke Custis and Eleanor, better 
 known as ''Nellie Custis." 
 
 The surrender at Yorktown was really the 
 end of the war, though the treaty of peace 
 made at Paris was not signed until February, 
 1783. Until peace had been concluded, Wash- 
 ington remained with the army, keeping it in- 
 
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 173 
 
 tact and preventing quarrels and discontent 
 among the officers and men. Writing of the 
 discontent that prevailed in the spring of 1782 
 in the camp at Newburg, an eminent historian 
 says, "Nothing but their love of Washington 
 restrained the army from asserting their rights 
 by violence; and never did Washington display 
 more judgment than in dealing with his poor, 
 unpaid soldiers at this critical moment." 
 
 In May, 1782, Washington received a letter 
 from Colonel Nicola through whom the troops 
 generally made their complaints, setting forth 
 the belief of the army that Congress would 
 never redress their wrongs, and begging that 
 Washington would allow them to place him 
 as king at the head of the nation. Filled with 
 grief and alarm, Washington rejected the of- 
 fer and told them that ''the reestablishment of 
 royalty would be fatal to those liberties which 
 were more precious than life." 
 
 On Nov. 25, 1783, the last of the British 
 left New York and on the next day the Ameri- 
 cans marched in. General Washington and 
 Governor Clinton with their suites rode at 
 the head of the procession. 
 
174 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 A few days previous to this the army ha( 
 been disbanded by order of Congress. A1 
 Washington's request the men were permittei 
 to take with them the arms with which the] 
 had fought. He issued a touching farewell 
 address to his soldiers, and after the departure 
 of the British he bade his officers a final adieu. 
 
 "It was," says Headly, ''an affecting scene. 
 There were Greene and Knox and Stueben and 
 Hamilton and others who had stood shoulder 
 to shoulder in the deadly fray, and who with 
 equal courage had faced disaster and famine. 
 All that they had undergone together rushed 
 into their minds." 
 
 Standing in the midst of them, Washing- 
 ton said slowly: ''With a heart full of love and 
 gratitude, I now take leave of you, most de- 
 voutly wishing that your latter days may be as 
 prosperous and happy as your former ones have 
 been glorious and honorable." He then added 
 with emotion: "I cannot come to each of you to 
 take my leave, but shall be obliged if each of 
 you will come and take me by the hand." 
 
 General Knox was nearest and was the 
 first to advance. Washington grasped his hand 
 
176 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 and clasped him in his arms. Their emotions 
 were too deep for utterance — not a word was_ 
 spoken. The others followed. Then in si- 
 lence their beloved commander preceded thei 
 from the room. Escorted by a corps of lighi 
 infantry, they walked slowly to Whitehall 
 Ferry. Having entered the barge, Washing- 
 ton turned to them, took off his hat, and waved 
 a silent farewell. 
 
 On his way to Annapolis, Washington 
 stopped in Philadelphia and adjusted with the 
 comptroller of the treasury his accounts from 
 the commencement of the war. The total 
 amount was about fourteen thousand five 
 hundred pounds sterling, every item being 
 entered by his own hand. This sum had act- 
 ually been expended by him during the war 
 from his own purse. It must be remembered 
 that he would receive no pay for his own ser- 
 vices. "This account," says one of his biog- 
 raphers, "stands a touchstone of honesty in 
 office and a lasting rebuke on that lavish ex- 
 penditure of the public money too often in- 
 dulged in by military commanders." 
 
 Having arrived at Annapolis, it was set- 
 
«»^ 
 
 THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 177 
 
 tied that at twelve o'clock on Dec. 23, 1783, he 
 should offer to Congress his resignation. At that 
 hour, the gallery and a greater part of the floor 
 of the hall of Congress were filled with ladies, 
 members of Congress, and general officers. 
 
 "Washington entered," says Irving, "con- 
 ducted by the secretary of Congress, and took 
 a seat in a chair prepared for him. After a 
 brief pause, the president. General Mifflin, in- 
 formed him that the United States in Congress 
 assembled were prepared to receive his commu- 
 nication." 
 
 Washington then arose and, while a silence 
 like that of death filled the chamber, made a 
 brief speech concluding thus: "Having now 
 finished the work assigned me, I return from 
 the great theater of action, and bidding an 
 affectionate farewell to this august body, under 
 whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer 
 my commission and take my leave of all the 
 employments of public life." He then ad- 
 vanced and laid his commission in the presi- 
 dent's hand. 
 
 General Mifflin replied in a most touching 
 manner, offering the commander-in-chief the 
 
178 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 I 
 
 homage of a grateful nation and invoking upM 
 him the blessing of the Almighty. 
 
 Seldom has such a sight been seen — a vic- 
 torious commander, with royalty within his 
 reach, gladly resigning his power and retiring 
 to private life. 
 
THE CITIZEN AND PRESIDENT 179 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 THE CITIZEN AND PRESIDENT 
 
 Upon leaving Annapolis, Washington has- 
 tened toward Mount Vernon where he arrived 
 on Christmas eve in time for the festivities of 
 that joyous season. For some weeks, he w^as 
 kept at home by the ice and snow of an unusu- 
 ally severe winter; but from letters written at 
 that time, we discover how much he enjoyed 
 the repose of domestic life and the comforts 
 of his old home. 
 
 It was not long before he became deeply 
 interested in looking over accounts and in ad- 
 justing his long neglected private affairs. In 
 the midst of these labors, he received from Con- 
 gress an offer of a gift of money as a reward 
 for his distinguished services. This gift he 
 firmly but respectfully refused. He was in 
 need just then of ready money, for his financial 
 affairs had suffered much during his long ab- 
 sences from home; but no persuasions could 
 induce him to take pay for services rendered 
 to his country. 
 
180 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 When spring returned, visitors began to 
 frequent Mount Vernon. They were received 
 by Washington and his wife with simple and 
 cordial hospitality. ''Mrs. Washington," says 
 a noted writer, "had a cheerful good sense that 
 always made her an agreeable companion, and 
 she was also an excellent manager. She, who 
 had presided with quiet dignity at headquarters 
 and cheered the wintry gloom of Valley Forge 
 with her presence, presided with grace at the 
 simple board of Mount Vernon." 
 
 Washington's thoughts, however, soon turned 
 to the region of the Ohio, the scene of his 
 early toils and disasters whence he had written 
 his first letter to his betrothed wife, Mrs. Cus- 
 tis. Again we see him accompanied by his old 
 friend Dr. Craik, wending his way slowly 
 across the mountains over which he had "spurred 
 in the days of his youthful vigor." 
 
 The object of this journey was to survey 
 his lands on the Monongahela and Great Ka- 
 nawha rivers, and to examine the routes across 
 the mountains and along the headwaters of 
 the Potomac and Ohio rivers. Upon reaching 
 the Monongahela he heard such rumors of 
 
MAKTHA WASHINGTON 
 
 [181] 
 
182 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1 
 
 trouble among the Indians of the Kanawha 
 Valley that he concluded not to venture among 
 them. So he turned his attention to "the prac- 
 ticability of making a short and easy communi- 
 cation between the Potomac and James rivers, 
 and the waters of the Ohio, and thence on to 
 the great chain of lakes." 
 
 This idea had taken possession of him in 
 1774 when he had last visited that region, but 
 it had been put aside for the grave duties of 
 the Revolutionary War. His plan was to 
 open up a great waterway from the lakes to the 
 eastern ports, so that the products of the West 
 might find their way thither instead of enriching 
 the Spaniards of the Mississippi or the British 
 in Canada. So enthusiastic did he become that 
 he traveled over the proposed routes through 
 New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Vir- 
 ginia. 
 
 In regard to this undertaking, a well- 
 known author says, "Among all the evidences 
 of Washington's love of country, I consider 
 this one of the most striking, that at that early 
 day, without fee or reward, he should have 
 risked his life among hostile Indians, and his 
 
THE CITIZEN AND PRESIDENT 183 
 
 health sleeping In the open woods, In countries 
 then uninhabited. This Is an act of patriotic 
 devotion which we, at this day, can hardly be- 
 lieve possible." 
 
 As a result of his efforts, two companies 
 were formed for opening the navigation of the 
 James and the Potomac rivers. He was ap- 
 pointed president of both companies, and wrote 
 at once to Mr. Jefferson, then minister to 
 France, as to the possibility of securing a loan 
 of money to carry out his plans. But once 
 again he was called by the nation to more im- 
 portant duties. The work was completed by 
 other hands and In other days, but Washing- 
 ton was the originator of the great undertaking. 
 
 In the meantime let us see our hero at his 
 beloved Mount Vernon. The regular life of 
 "before the war" is resumed, and he is also 
 busily engaged in setting out shrubs and sow- 
 ing seeds on the lawn. Here he in planting 
 trees to make a denser shade, and there he is 
 having them cut out to improve the view. He 
 also enjoys the sports of his adopted children, 
 George and Nellie Custls. The latter, however, 
 in recalling her memories of him writes, "He 
 
184 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1 
 
 tlei 
 
 was a silent, thoughtful man. He spoke little 
 generally; never of himself. I never heard him 
 xelate a single act of his life during the war." 
 
 About this time Houdon (oo doN') a French 
 artist, chosen by Mr. Jefferson and Dr. Frank- 
 lin, arrived at Mount Vernon to make a study 
 of Washington for a statue ordered by the 
 legislature of Virginia. That statue is now to 
 be seen in the statehouse in Richmond, and is 
 regarded as an excellent work of art. 
 
 In August, 1784, Lafayette anxious to see 
 Washington once more, visited this country. 
 Within a few days after landing he was at Mount 
 Vernon in the arms of his beloved friend. Leav- 
 ing this hospitable home, the distinguished visi- 
 tor traveled through several of the States, and 
 was received everywhere with honor and affec- 
 tion. When he decided to return to France in 
 December, Washington accompanied him as far 
 as Annapolis, and afterward wrote him a fare- 
 well letter of love and gratitude. 
 
 Though Washington was in fact living 
 quietly at Mount Vernon, he was watching 
 with intense anxiety the formation of the thir- 
 teen States into a confederacy. He was in 
 
186 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 
 favor of a stronger central government. In 
 letter to a friend he wrote, ''I do not conceiv 
 we can exist long as a nation without lodging 
 somewhere a power which will pervade the Union 
 in as energetic manner as the authority of 
 the State governments extends over the States." 
 
 There was at this time many plans for es- 
 tablishing a better government for the new 
 American nation, but the idea of remodeling 
 the Articles of Confederation took form at 
 Mount Vernon. Many of the deep thinkers 
 of the period visited Washington and discussed 
 with him the condition and needs of the re- 
 public, and it is positively asserted that he ad- 
 vised the calling of a convention to construct 
 a stronger government. All thoughtful minds 
 were convinced that a new political system 
 would have to be devised in order to prevent 
 the country from going to ruin. 
 
 When a convention of the States was 
 called to meet at Annapolis for the purpose of 
 "revising the federal system and correcting its 
 defects," Washington was placed at the head 
 of the Virginia delegation. When the dele- 
 gates met, he was unanimously called to the 
 
THE CITIZEN AND PRESIDENT 187 
 
 chair as president. This convention was in ses- 
 sion for four months, and the result of its work 
 was the Constitution of the United States as it 
 now stands, with the exception of the amend- 
 ments made in after years. 
 
 During the year 1788 the Constitution 
 was adopted by a sufficient number of States 
 to make it effective. In the first election 
 Washington was chosen President and John 
 Adams Vice-President for a term of four years 
 from March 4, 1789. 
 
 Washington immediately began to prepare 
 his affairs for leaving home. His farewell 
 visit to his aged mother at Fredericksburg was 
 touching and solemn because she was suffering 
 with a painful disease to which she must soon 
 succumb. On April 16, as he says in his 
 diary, he "bade adieu to Mount Vernon, to 
 private life, and to domestic felicity." 
 
 His progress to New York was a continued 
 ovation. All along the rout*e he was welcomed 
 by addresses, the ringing of bells, and the thun- 
 der of artillery. He was very deeply touched 
 by his reception at Trenton. As he approached 
 the Delaware where twelve years before he had 
 
188 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 crossed through drifts of floating ice in storm 
 and darkness, he now saw a triumphal arch 
 which bore this inscription, ''The defender o; 
 the mothers will be the protector of the daugh 
 ters." At the bridge the matrons of the city- 
 were assembled to do him honor, and as he 
 crossed the bridge young girls, dressed in white 
 and crowned with garlands, cast flowers be- 
 fore him, singing an ode expressive of their 
 gratitude. 
 
 At New York his reception was royal. He 
 was welcomed by Governor Clinton and con- 
 ducted with military honors to a residence 
 which was placed at his disposal. The streets 
 and houses were beautifully decorated, and the 
 crowd was so great that it was with difficulty 
 that the city officers could make a way for the 
 procession. Washington, preferring to go on 
 foot, bowed right and left as he passed through 
 the cheering multitude. 
 
 The inauguration took place with great 
 pomp and ceremony on April 30, 1789. The 
 oath of office was administered by Chancellor 
 Livingstone, of the State of New York, upon a 
 balcony in front of the senate chamber and in 
 
 I 
 
WASHINGTON ENTERING THE BALLROOM AT 
 
 FREDERICKSBURG WITH HIS MOTHER £189] 
 
190 LIFE OF WASHINGTON ^ 
 
 view of the multitude. Washington then de- 
 livered his inaugural address in the senate 
 chamber; after which, he walked with the whole 
 assemblage to St. Paul's church, where suitable 
 prayers were read by the bishop of New York. 
 
 On May 17, Mrs. Washington accompa- 
 nied by her grandchildren set out from Mount 
 Vernon in her carriage to join her husband at the 
 seat of government. There she presided over 
 the household with the good breeding of one 
 accustomed to direct the affairs of a hospitable 
 home in the "ancient Dominion." 
 
 At first the President was so overrun with 
 visitors, that he found it necessary to appoint 
 fixed hours for their reception, thus freeing him- 
 self for his official duties. Many troublesome 
 questions of etiquette arose as to how the Presi- 
 dent should conduct himself. How should he 
 appear in public? What kind of entertainments 
 should he give? What title should he bear? 
 All knew what a king should do, but who before 
 had ever been called upon to act as President of 
 a republic? At last Congress decided that the 
 chief magistrate should have no other title 
 than that of his office, namely, ''President of 
 
THE CITIZEN AND PRESIDENT 191 
 
 the United States," and the ceremonies of the 
 office were made as few and simple as possible. 
 
 Hardly had these matters been settled be- 
 fore the President was taken sick. For weeks 
 he was very ill; and when at length he was able 
 to take up his duties again it was seen that he 
 had aged perceptibly. While yet an invalid, he 
 received the news of his mother's death at 
 Fredericksburg in her eighty-third year. 
 
 In September, Washington formed his cabi- 
 net, nominating Mr. Jefferson, secretary of 
 of state; General Knox, secretary of war, and 
 Alexander Hamilton, secretary of the treasury. 
 The new government was soon surrounded by 
 trials and^ difficulties. The question of the 
 national debt was the most important to be 
 solved. Hamilton resolved that this debt should 
 be paid in full and, supported by the President 
 and Congress, he succeeded in providing for 
 its payment. 
 
 In the autumn of 1790 troubles arose in 
 the Ohio region with the Miami Indians. Gen- 
 eral Harmar and General St. Clair, commanding 
 separate armies, were both outwitted by the 
 wily savages and defeated with great loss. In 
 
192 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1793 General Wayne was sent by the President 
 to the scene of action, and soon gained a great 
 victory at Fallen Timbers. This victory broke 
 the power of the Indians and they were com;; 
 pelled to sue for peace. 
 
 During his first term of office the President 
 made two tours through the country — one 
 through the New England States and the other 
 through the Southern. He was much pleased 
 by the visible return of prosperity and by the 
 tokens of love and esteem which were showered 
 upon him by the people as he journeyed along. 
 
 While on his Southern trip he selected the 
 present site of the city of Washington. In 
 1790 the seat of government was moved from 
 New York to Philadelphia for a period of ten 
 years; after which, in the year 1800, it was to be 
 established in the new city — Washington. 
 
 The discussion over the numerous measures 
 of the first term had divided the people into 
 two great political parties, the Federals and the 
 Anti-Federals or Republicans, later called Dem- 
 ocrats. The former, headed by Hamilton, ap- 
 proved of a strong central government, while 
 the latter, led by Thomas Jefferson, were op- 
 
THE CITIZEN AND PRESIDENT 193 
 
 posed to the Constitution as giving too much 
 power to the general government and Hmiting 
 that of the individual States. Washington 
 was much concerned to note this party spirit, 
 for it disturbed not only the tranquility of the 
 country but even the harmony of his cabinet. 
 A true patriot, he knew no North, no South, 
 no East, no West, and could not sympathize 
 with the discontent. 
 
 The measures of the first administration, 
 however, were so popular that in 1792 Washing- 
 ton, now in his sixty-first year, was again elected 
 President and John Adams Vice-President. 
 The second administration of Washington be- 
 gan with serious troubles and complications. 
 There were violent dissensions between the 
 two great political parties; the war upon the 
 frontier was still raging ; and there were various 
 troubles among the States. All these vexations 
 however, were overshadowed by foreign com- 
 plications 
 
 Since 1789 France had neen convulsed by 
 one of the most horrible revolutions known in 
 history. Rising in their might to gain sweet 
 liberty, the people had gone beyond the bounds 
 
i 
 
 194 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 of humanity, and had committed outrages whicm 
 shocked the world. So radical had been their 
 measures that they had beheaded their good 
 king, Louis XVI, and imprisoned the generous 
 Lafayette, the friend of Washington. Now, in- 
 volved in war with England and Holland, the 
 French republic was eager to form an alliano 
 with the United States. 
 
 Washington was naturally grateful to France 
 for the help she had given during the Revolution, 
 but he knew that such an alliance would be 
 fatal to the infant American republic, which it 
 was his duty to protect. Therefore he issued 
 a proclamation of neutrality declaring that the 
 United States would continue friendly rela- 
 tions with all contending nations and forbid- 
 ding Americans to aid any one of them. In 
 spite of the proclamation. Genet (zhe na'), the 
 French minister, attempted to induce American 
 citizens to espouse the cause of France, and 
 behaved in such a manner that Washington 
 was compelled to request his recall by the French 
 government. These two actions raised a howl 
 of indignation from the Anti-Federalists, who 
 abused the President for not siding with France, 
 
WASHINGTON INFORMED OF HIS ELECTION BY 
 
 CLEKK OF CONGRESS [195] 
 
196 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 and accused him of sympathizing with Great' 
 Britain, and even of designing to be made 
 king. 
 
 To add to this commotion a new trouble 
 arose. The distillers of western Pennsylvania 
 refused to pay the tax upon whiskey levied by 
 Congress and seized the officers sent to enforce 
 the law. Washington immediately sent into 
 those regions a strong military force under Gen- 
 eral Henry Lee (Light Horse Harry) to establish 
 law and order. At the approach of this force, 
 the rioters dispersed, and the whiskey rebellion, 
 as it is called, was ended. 
 
 In spite of all the wise measures of the gov- 
 ernment, a conflict between the United States 
 and England now became imminent. To avert 
 the horrors of another war, Mr. Jay was sent 
 to England to negotiate with the British gov- 
 ernment. He was successful in making an 
 honorable treaty. The terms of the treaty 
 were, however, very distasteful to the Anti- 
 Federalists and they determined that it should 
 not be ratified. Public meetings were held, and 
 orators harangued the people. Never before 
 had the President been subjected to such a- 
 
THE CITIZEN A ND PRESIDENT 197 
 
 storm of malice and slander. His residence 
 was even approached by a mob who hooted and 
 threw stones at it as an indication of their 
 wrath and disapproval. But Washington, be- 
 lieving, the treaty to be just and hoping to 
 avert war, signed it in June, 1795. 
 
 It was well for the young republic that it 
 had at the helm a pilot so prudent and bold as 
 Washington. After the passions of the hour 
 had subsided, it was seen that his measures had 
 been wise and good, and once more he resumed 
 the ascendency over the minds of his country- 
 men. About this time, Mr. Jefferson, his bril- 
 liant political foe, wrote of him to Mr. Monroe, 
 at Paris, thus: "Congress have arisen. You will 
 see by their proceedings the truth of what I 
 told you, viz., that one man outweighs them all 
 in influence over the people, who support his 
 judgment against their own and that of their 
 representatives. Republicanism resigns its ves- 
 sel to the pilot." 
 
 But the pilot was now growing old and 
 needed rest. When the period for the presiden- 
 tial election drew near, he was strongly urged 
 to permit the use of his name for a third term. 
 
198 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 He had determined, however, to retire froi 
 pubhc Hfe, and in September, 1796, he issued] 
 to the people of the United States his farewell 
 address, a document filled w^ith wisdom and^ 
 patriotism. It made a profound impression 
 upon the people, and hushed all suggestions of 
 a third term. 
 
 On December 7, Washington met both 
 houses of Congress for the last time. In his 
 speech he advocated an institution for the im- 
 provement of agriculture, a military academy, 
 a national university, and a gradual increase 
 of the navy. In conclusion he congratulated 
 Congress upon the success of the government 
 and implored upon the nation the blessings of 
 the Supreme Ruler of the universe. 
 
 On March 4, 1797, Mr. Adams was inaugu- 
 rated President, and Mr. Jefferson Vice-Presi- 
 dent. When Washington, who was present 
 at the ceremony, moved towards the door, the 
 hall was filled with acclamations of love and 
 reverence. Upon reaching the street, he waved 
 his hat in response to the cheers of the multi- 
 tude, and departed, his eyes filled with tears, 
 his emotion too great for utterance. 
 
FIRST IN HEARTS OF FELLOW-CITIZENS 199 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF HIS FELLOW- 
 CITIZENS 
 
 Once again we find our beloved Washing- 
 ton at the ''home of his heart," Mount Vernon. 
 But now the hand of time has touched both 
 master and home. The master has silvery 
 locks, and his step is not so bold as when, a 
 young ambassador, he crossed the ''Great 
 Divide." The house, which has remained un- 
 occupied for several years. Is falling into decay. 
 
 Washington found pleasure In making the 
 necessary repairs to the mansion, and in having 
 a building erected wherein to preserve his most 
 important papers. He soon began his former 
 routine of mounting his horse after breakfast 
 and riding through his plantation until dinner, 
 when, as he wrote to a friend, "I rarely miss 
 seeing strange faces, come, as they say, out of 
 respect to me." 
 
 So many visitors began to frequent Mount 
 Vernon that he found it necessary to have some 
 
I 
 
 200 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 one to assist him in entertaining. He therefore 
 wrote to his favorite nephew, Lawrence Lewis, 
 then aide to General Knox, and invited him to 
 make Mount Vernon his home — telUng him 
 frankly that by taking off his hands those dutiesf 
 which hospitality obliges one to bestow on com- 
 pany, he would render him a very acceptable 
 service. 
 
 Mount Vernon was particularly attractive to 
 the young gallants of the time, for Miss 
 Nellie Custis had now grown up into a lovely 
 woman. For some time it was not known which 
 of her admirers was the favored one, but at 
 last, to Washington's great satisfaction, she 
 chose his nephew. Major Lawrence Lewis. 
 Miss Nellie had inherited her grandmother's 
 beauty and vivacity and was a great favorite 
 with the general. We are told that Washing- 
 ton was fond of children, especially girls; as 
 to boys, with all his spirit of command, he found 
 them at times somewhat ungovernable, ''I 
 can govern men," he would say, ''but I cannot 
 govern boys." 
 
 One evening after Miss Nellie had been 
 wandering alone by moonlight in the groves of 
 
WASHINGTON AND NELLIE CUSTIS ^201] 
 
202 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 1 
 
 Mount Vernon, she was given by her grand 
 mamma a severe reproof for her reckless con- 
 duct. She admitted her fault and made no 
 excuse, but when grandmamma made a pause 
 in her lecture she left the room. As she wa 
 closing the door, she heard the general, who wa 
 walking up and down the floor with his hands 
 behind him, say, "My dear, I should say no 
 more — perhaps she was not alone." Miss Nellie 
 at once returned and with a firm step advanced 
 to the general. "Sir," said she, "you brought 
 me up to tell the truth, and when I told grand- 
 mamma that I was alone, I hope that you be- 
 lieve that I was alone." The general made one 
 of his most courtly bows and replied, "My 
 child, I beg your pardon." 
 
 On Feb. 22, 1799, Miss Custis was married 
 to Major Lewis in the long drawingroom at 
 Mount Vernon. The mansion was decked with 
 flowers and evergreens. All the gentlefolks of 
 the surrounding country attended the wedding 
 and the scene was one of great brilliancy and 
 beauty. The occasion was especially gratify- 
 ing to Washington. 
 
 In the midst of this poetic life, Washington 
 
 e 
 
FIRST IN HEARTS OF FELLOW-CITIZENS 203 
 
 was disturbed by the fear of a war with France. 
 The troubles with that country had become so 
 serious that the government voted an army, 
 ordered a navy, and authorized our merchant- 
 men to arm themselves against French men-of- 
 war. 
 
 The President, Mr. Adams, wrote to Wash- 
 ington and entreated him to place himself once 
 more at the head of the army. Before Washing- 
 ton could reply, the senate had chosen him 
 commander-in-chief of all the armies raised or 
 to be raised. After some hesitation he consented 
 to accept the position on the two conditions 
 that he should not be compelled to take the 
 field unless there should be actual invasion, 
 and that he should have the right to name his 
 own subordinates. 
 
 Washington once more established his head- 
 quarters at Philadelphia where he spent five 
 weeks in consultation with other officers. He 
 then returned to Mount Vernon leaving the 
 greater part of the responsibility to be borne 
 by Major-General Hamilton. 
 
 The American frigates put to sea and in the 
 summer and fall of 1799 did good service for 
 
204 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 the commerce of their country. The reorgani- 
 zation of the American army also went on and 
 was soon completed. 
 
 In the meantime, however, the great Napo-| 
 leon made himself First Consul of France. 
 One of his first acts was to make overtures oi 
 peace to the United States. These were ac- 
 cepted, and in September, 1799, a new treaty 
 was made between the two republics. 
 
 Hardly was the war cloud scattered before 
 winter with rain and frosts and snow set in. 
 Washington, in full health and strength, kept 
 up an active interest in attending to his 
 estate. On December 10 he finished a complete 
 system by which his farms were to be managed 
 for several years. It filled thirty folio pages 
 and shows the soundness and vigor of his mind, 
 as well as his love of order and good manage- 
 ment. 
 
 The next day after writing a letter to 
 Hamilton, he mounted his horse and rode to a 
 distant part of his estate. Before he reached 
 home late in the evening, snow set in followed 
 by a cold rain. Mr. Lear, his secretary, met 
 him upon his return and, noticing that snow 
 
FIRST IN HEARTS OF FELLOW-CITIZF<NS 205 
 
 was hanging from his hair, expressed the fear 
 that he was wet; but the general repHed that 
 his great coat had kept him dry. As dinner 
 was waiting, he sat down to the table without 
 changing his clothes. 
 
 On the following morning he complained of 
 sore throat, but in the afternoon he went out 
 to mark some trees which were to be cut down. 
 That evening he was very cheerful. Though a 
 little hoarse, he sat in the parlor with Mrs. 
 Washington and Mr. Lear reading the news- 
 papers which had just come by post. During 
 the night he was taken extremely ill with chills 
 and difficulty of breathing. His old friend, 
 Dr. Craik, was sent for. While waiting for 
 the doctor, he instructed Rawlins, one of the 
 overseers, to bleed him. His condition soon 
 became so serious that two other physicians 
 were sent for. Every remedy that the science 
 of the day could suggest was tried but without 
 avail. The general grew steadily worse. Dur- 
 ing the next day he sank away and in the even- 
 ing fell into the "last long sleep" from which 
 neither the voice of affection nor the bugle's 
 call could ever awaken him. 
 
206 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 The news of his death touched all with 
 heartfelt grief. Many, as a symbol of their 
 sorrow, put on mourning. Congress, upon re- 
 ceiving the sad intelligence, went in funeral 
 procession and mourning garb to the German 
 Lutheran church where General Henry Lee|| 
 in a touching oration, declared that the 
 departed general had been, "First in war|| 
 first in peace, and first in the hearts of his 
 fellow-citizens." 
 
 When the news reached England, Lord 
 Rudport, commanding sixty vessels of the line, 
 lowered his flags to half-mast; and Napoleon, 
 First Consul of France, ordered that emblems 
 of mourning be suspended from all standards 
 for the period of ten days, pronouncing at the 
 same time a beautiful tribute to the virtue of 
 "the warrior, the legislator, and the citizen 
 without reproach." 
 
 Washington died on Dec. 14, 1799, in the 
 sixty-eighth year of his life. The funeral was 
 simple and modest, according to his wishes 
 — all confined to the grounds of Mount Vernon 
 which, "after forming the poetic dream of his 
 life, now became his final resting place." 
 
FIRST IN HEARTS OF FELLOW-CITIZENS 207 
 
 When his will was read, one of the first 
 provisions was found to direct, upon the death 
 of Mrs. Washington, the freeing of his slaves. 
 He had long been resolved never to purchase 
 another slave. Indeed, for some time his mind 
 had been filled with anxiety for the future of 
 his beloved country. He felt that in the course 
 of time the institution of slavery would bring 
 about a civil war. In a letter to Major Lewis 
 in 1797, he said, ''I wish from my soul that the 
 legislature of the State would see the policy 
 of a gradual abolition of slavery. It might 
 prevent much mischief." 
 
 When Mrs. Washington learned from her 
 husband's will that he desired the emancipa- 
 tion of his negroes, she at once relinquished her 
 dower right in them and set them free. She 
 also requested that the vault in which her hus- 
 band's remains had been placed should not 
 be sealed; for, said she, ''It will have to be 
 opened soon." Her forebodings were realized, 
 as she survived her illustrious husband only a 
 little more than two years. 
 
 Mount Vernon was willed by General Wash- 
 ington to his distinguished nephew. Bush- 
 
208 LIFE OF WASHINGTON 
 
 rod Washington, who leaving no children, Be- 
 queathed it to his nephew, John Augustin 
 Washington. From his hands the mansio 
 and fifty acres of land, in 1858, passed into th 
 keeping of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Associa 
 tion. It was then dedicated to the people of 
 the United States, and is kept as a shrine 
 whither all lovers of true liberty may go t 
 gain inspiration. 
 
 As we review the life of Washington we 
 notice especially the uprightness, modesty, and 
 steadfastness of his character. It cannot be 
 shown that he practiced a single vice and his 
 modesty was surpassed only by his courage. 
 When depressed by defeat, or weary of correct- 
 ing the blunders of his subordinates, or dis- 
 couraged by the inadequate support of Congress, 
 or distressed by the condition of his starving 
 and mutinous soldiers, had he once faltered, 
 the ''flower of liberty" would have perished 
 in the bud, and the colonies would have rer 
 mained, at least for a time, under the dominion" 
 of Great Britain. 
 
 No one of sound judgment and proper in- 
 formation will deny Washington a place 
 
 1 
 
WASHINGTON STATUE IN RICHMOND [209] 
 
210 LIFE OF V/ASHINGTON 
 
 among the great military leaders of the world. 
 As an organizer, we see him at Boston trans- 
 forming the mob of citizens and farmers into 
 trained soldiers; as a strategist, we find him 
 at Trenton and Princeton entrapping the enemy 
 by his wonderful maneuvers; and as a brave 
 impetuous leader, we admire him at Princeton 
 and Monmouth, spurring to the front and rally- 
 ing his men to victory. • I 
 
 But the capstone of Washington's charac- 
 ter was his patriotism. At first Congress 
 watched him with a jealous eye, fearing that | 
 he might assume too much power. They soon I 
 found, however, that their commander-in-chief ■ 
 watched their interests more closely than his 
 own — that their liberties were entirely safe in 
 his keeping. His pure love of country was 
 soon recognized, not only in America but across 
 the ocean ; and there is no doubt that the char- 
 acter and dignity of the American commander 
 influenced in no small degree the French gov- 
 ernment to enter into a treaty of alliance with 
 the United States. 
 
 Washington the general was a great man, 
 but Washington the President was even greater. 
 
FIRST IN HEARTS OF FELLOW-CITIZENS 211 
 
 Wise, beneficent, steadfast, and incorruptible, 
 he guided the repubHc through the stormy years 
 of her infancy and placed her among the nations 
 of the earth. His faculties, taken separately, 
 were not the most brilliant, but they were so 
 evenly balanced as to constitute a genius of 
 the highest order. The superb evenness of his 
 nature was nowhere exhibited so plainly as in 
 his religious views. He accepted the simple 
 faith taught at his mother's knee — going neither 
 into infidelity on the one hand, nor into fanati- 
 cism on the other. Many of his letters, and 
 especially his first inaugural address, show an 
 abiding faith in the Christian religion. 
 
 And now, though more than a century 
 has elapsed since Washington was laid in the 
 silent tomb, his fame fills the world with its 
 brightness, and he is still "first in the hearts 
 of his fellow-citizens.'^ 
 
W 73