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THIS 1842 ED. WAS ISSUED IN AT 
 bEAST TWO FORMS. THE LIBRARY 
 OE CONGRESS COPY HAS PORTRAIT AND 
 PLATES, AS HAS THE HARVARD Ll- 
 
 BRARY COPY. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE 
 OF PLATES HAVING BEEN TORN OUT OF T 
 THIS COPY. IN , ADDITION THE HAR 
 VARD LIBRARY COPY HAS BOSTON ANB 
 NEW YORK ADDRESSES OF THE SUNDAY* 
 SCHOOL UNION AS WELL AS THE PHILA 
 DELPHIA ONE. 
 
 D.M . M . 
 

THE LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON. 
 
 WBITTEN FOR THS AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, AND 
 REVISED BY THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION. 
 
 ?)>/ $/vvy^^ 
 
 AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION. 
 
 No. 316 CHESTNUT STREET. 
 
t>E3/a. 
 
 TL 3? 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. \ *g 
 
 The historical portion of this volume is extracted 
 from the best authorities ; but it has been deemed 
 unnecessary to introduce references. 
 
 ENTERED according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S42, 
 by HERMAN COPE, Treasurer, in trust for the American Sun 
 day-school Union, in the Clerk s Office of the District Court 
 of the Easterrr District of Pennsylvania. I 
 
 L. JOHNSON, STEREOTYPER, 
 PHILADELPHIA. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 IN the year 1486, a foot traveller, holding 
 a boy by the hand, stopped at the gate of a 
 convent in Spain, to ask for some bread and 
 water for his wearied child. While he was 
 receiving it from a kind Friar, he gave him 
 a hjstory of himself, and told him for what 
 purpose he had come into that country. At 
 that time, the inhabitants of Europe, Asia, 
 and Africa, did not know that there was pny 
 other land than those continents, and some 
 islands not very distant from them. 
 
 The most learned men, who were endea 
 vouring to increase their knowledge of geo 
 graphy, thought that the ocean surrounded 
 those countries like a great belt, and Christo 
 pher Columbus, the stranger who stood at 
 the convent gate, was perhaps the first per 
 son who thought that belt might be crossed 
 to the land on the opposite side ; which was 
 supposed to be the eastern part of Asia. He 
 was born about the year 1436, and was the 
 son of a wool-comber, who lived in a city of 
 ttaly, called Genoa, and who was too poor to 
 give him much education ; but Columbus was 
 very attentive to the instructions which he re 
 ceived in the few years that he went to school. 
 When he was a child, he said he would like 
 to be a sailor, and he was very diligent in 
 
 f~\f\irw^*<f~Ti r ^> 
 
 9SO 798 
 
4 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 using every opportunity to gain a knowledge 
 of geography and navigation. 
 
 At the age of fourteen, he went to sea. A 
 seafaring life was, at that time, a very dan-" 
 gerous and toilsome one ; and the years of his 
 boyhood were passed in hardships, which 
 were severe but useful lessons to teach him to 
 command his naturally hasty temper, and to 
 endure sufferings without shrinking or com 
 plaining. He reflected on what he observed 
 in his voyages, and on what he had learned 
 of geography, and felt convinced, that if a 
 vessel sailed from Europe towards the west, 
 it might reach a land which was then un 
 known ; and that land he thought it was pro 
 bable was an inhabited one. The Bible would 
 nave taught him that a time will come when 
 * All the ends of the earth shall see the salva 
 tion of our God," and he might then have felt 
 the religious hope that he should be permitted 
 to carry the glad tidings to the unknown land, 
 the discovery of which he began to speak of 
 with as much certainty as if he had seen it. 
 He considered his almost infant desire to be 
 come a sailor as a proof that he was thus early 
 preparing to be the discoverer of that land ; and 
 this confidence never left his mind, but cheered 
 him in his darkest hours of disappointment. 
 
 He thought deeply on the subject for many 
 years, and at length resolved to undertake a 
 voyage of discovery, which the more he 
 thought of, the stronger became his hope that it 
 
INTRODUCTION. 5 
 
 would be successful. He was too poor to fit out 
 even a small vessel, and he could not persuade 
 any person to assist him in what was consi 
 dered a wild and useless project. He formed 
 the bold resolution to go to Portugal, and ask 
 assistance from the king, who at first seemed 
 willing to grant it ; but after raising his hopes, 
 disappointed them, and Columbus returned to 
 his own country, and made an application 
 there to the government for aid ; but his re 
 quest was disregarded. Poor as to earthly 
 treasures, but trusting to the divine promise, 
 " Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy 
 thoughts shall be established," he persevered 
 in his intention, and was on his way to seek 
 assistance from Ferdinand and Isabella, the 
 king and queen of Spain, when he stopped at 
 the convent gate to ask for refreshment for 
 his child, whom he was taking with him. 
 
 The kind man, to whom he related his 
 plan, became interested for his success, and 
 offered to keep his son, Diego, and educate 
 him ; and said he would give him a letter to a 
 friend, "who he thought could assist him to 
 gain the favour of the queen. Columbus left 
 his son with him, and travelled to the city 
 where the king and queen resided. They 
 would not even listen to his proposal to dis 
 cover a new country for them, but he deter 
 mined to remain there for some time, and he 
 supported himself by designing maps. Ht 
 was very pleasing in his appearance, and be 
 A 2 
 
6 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ing master of his hasty temper, his manners 
 were agreeable. In a short time, he gained 
 the good will of some persons who interested 
 themselves for him, and introduced him to 
 the Archbishop of Spain, to relate to him the 
 favourite subject of his thoughts. The Arch 
 bishop obtained permission for him to appear 
 before the king and queen, and the favourable 
 manner in which they listened to him. gave 
 him lively hopes that they would grant to 
 him the assistance which he desired. They 
 appointed persons to examine his plan for a 
 voyage of discovery, who kept him for a long 
 time uncertain as to what opinion they would 
 give, and then said that they disapproved of 
 it entirely. 
 
 Discouraged, but not despairing, Columbus 
 resolved to leave Spain, and seek assistance 
 elsewhere, and was on his journey when he 
 received a letter from a friend, desiring him 
 to return immediately. That friend had suc 
 ceeded in gaining permission to speak to the 
 queen, and he had interested her so much by 
 an eloquent account of the views of Colum 
 bus, that she said, " I undertake the enter 
 prise, and pledge my jewels to raise the 
 necessary funds." These were joyful words 
 to the ear of Columbus ; and they were not 
 vain words ; for an order, signed by the king 
 and queen, was given to him to enable him to 
 fit out three caravals, or small vessels, for his 
 voyage. They were to be prepared at the 
 
INTRODUCTION. 7 
 
 town of Palos, and such frightful tales were 
 there told about the dangers of the unknown 
 deep, that even old seamen spoke of the in 
 tended voyage with dread; and Columbus 
 had great difficulty to obtain crews for his 
 little vessels. 
 
 On Friday, the third day of August, in the 
 year 1492, he sailed from Palos, and the 
 friends of the sailors who accompanied him 
 took leave of them with lamentations, and 
 abuse of Columbus ; for they felt certain his 
 little fleet would never return. It was borne 
 across the waves for several weeks, and no 
 tokens of land appeared. The sailors became 
 very anxious and discontented. One even 
 ing, a long dusky strip, like land, excited 
 glad expectations, but the dawn of the next 
 day showed that it was only a gray cloud 
 along the horizon. They were several times 
 disappointed in the same manner, and at 
 length became desponding, and reproached 
 Columbus with anger, and insisted that he 
 should turn back towards Spain. He tried 
 to soothe them, and encourage them to go on ; 
 but finding that their desire to give up the 
 voyage increased, he told them resolutely, 
 " Happen what will, I am determined to 
 persevere, until, by the blessing of God, I 
 shall accomplish the enterprise." When he 
 had made this declaration, his sailors became 
 desperate, and resolved to force him to com 
 ply with their wishes. "While they weie 
 
8 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 planning how they should do so, on the lltn 
 October, being sixty-nine days since their 
 sailing, some fresh grass, such as grows in 
 rivers, floated by the ships, and one of the 
 ^sailors drew up a carved staff, and a thorn 
 branch with berries on it, which the waves 
 lashed against the side of the vessel. 
 
 As the olive leaf, which God sent to Noah 
 y the dove, cheered him in his ark with the 
 hope that he should soon behold " the dry 
 land," so, the carved staff and thorn-stem 
 gave Columbus the expectation that he was 
 drawing near to the land which was the ob 
 ject of his perilous voyage. To the sailors 
 they were peace branches ; for the hopes they 
 raised that an inhabited country was not far 
 distant, quieted their angry feelings, and each 
 one became engaged in watching for land, 
 that he might give the first signal of discovery ; 
 for which a reward had been promised. The 
 little fleet was moved rapidly on by a fresh 
 breeze, which blew all day. 
 
 It was the custom of Columbus to close 
 each day with an evening hymn, for he was 
 a devout man ; and on the evening of that joy 
 ous day, on which the staff and thorn stem 
 were seen, he spoke with great feeling to his 
 sailors, and endeavoured to lead them to be 
 grateful to the mighty Ruler of the waves, 
 for his protection and goodness in guiding 
 them safely to that hour of cheering hope. 
 He then seated himself at the end of his ves- 
 
INTRODUCTION. 9 
 
 sel, and as it was borne along swiftly by the 
 breeze, his eyes were fixed in watchfulness 
 on the dusky horizon, until it was hid by the 
 darkness of night. His anxiety prevented all 
 disposition to sleep, and as he sat, with the 
 silence of midnight around him, suddenly a 
 light appeared, which seemed like a torch in 
 the hand of a person, raising and lowering it 
 as he walked. Long, very long, no doubt, 
 appeared the hours from that moment until 
 the dawning of the day. At length that dawn 
 came. It was the 12th of October, in the 
 year 1492, and the little vessel of Columbus be 
 came to him what " the mountain of Nebo," 
 was to the leader of Israel ; for as Moses had 
 been led through the dangers of the wilder 
 ness, to that mount from which he saw " the 
 promised land," so Columbus had been 
 guided by the same mighty hand over the 
 desert of the ocean, to a spot from which his 
 joyful eyes beheld the unknown land, on 
 which his thoughts and hopes had been for 
 many years engaged. It was a beautiful level 
 island, covered with trees like an orchard, and 
 the inhabitants were soon seen running to 
 wards the shore, to gaze at the wonderful 
 sight which was presented by the little fleet 
 of Columbus. He entered his small boat, and 
 was rowed to the rural spot ; he sprung on it 
 with joy, and kneeled down to offer thanks 
 giving to God with tears of gratitude. As he 
 approached, the wild natives fled ; but one of 
 
10 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 them, more courageous than the rest, ventured 
 to return ; and others, seeing that he was not 
 harmed, soon joined him. .^They expressed 
 their astonishment by making signs that they 
 thought Columbus and his companions had 
 come from the sky, and that the sails of the 
 vessels were the wings on which they had 
 flown down. He remained all the day amidst 
 the refreshing groves, noticing the artless na 
 tives, and giving to them glass beads, and other 
 trifles, which they received with wonder and 
 gladness, and brought in return cakes, formed 
 from the roots of a plant which they culti 
 vated in their fields. They had ornaments 
 of gold around their necks, and made Colum 
 bus understand that they got them from a 
 country to the south of their island. As he 
 thought that the island was near India, he 
 called the natives Indians ; and that name has 
 been continued to all the original inhabitants 
 of the new world. He gave the name of 
 San Salvador to the island ; it is one of the 
 cluster which is now called the Bahamas. 
 
 When he had spent two days in examining 
 the island, he determined to sail again and 
 visit others, which he understood from tht> 
 natives, were not distant. He continued sail 
 ing in different directions, and discovered the 
 islands of Cuba and Hispaniola ; he then re 
 turned to Spain, and entered the port of Palos, 
 March 15, 1493, after an absence of 7 months 
 and 12 days. When the inhabitants heard of 
 
INTRODUCTION 1 1 
 
 % 
 
 his arrival, there was a great tumult ; and 
 when they knew he had discovered " the un 
 known land," and that some of the natives 
 had willingly returned with him, they were 
 rsady to receive him with such honours as 
 they would have paid to the king. What a 
 contrast to the time of his departure, when 
 every tongue was uttering lamentations or 
 abuse ! 
 
 When the king and queen heard of his re 
 turn and success, they ordered great prepara 
 tions to be made for welcoming him, and he 
 was every where surrounded by a wondering 
 and admiring multitude. Who would have 
 thought that he was the same Columbus, who 
 but a few years before, had stood at the con 
 vent gate, begging bread and water for his 
 child ! In the course of the next twelve years 
 he made four very important voyages, and in 
 honour of him, all the newly found world 
 should have been called Columbia. He was 
 deprived of this distinction, by a rich mer 
 chant of Italy, Amerigo Vespucio, who sailed 
 with a large fleet, in 1501, and aided by the 
 publications and maps of Columbus, reached 
 a more southern part of the continent than the 
 great discoverer, and gave so interesting an 
 account of his voyage, and of the country he 
 had seen, that his name was given to it, as if 
 the discovery were his. But the people have 
 given the names Columbia and Columbus to 
 
12 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 
 
 several places in America, especially in the 
 United States, where there is a district called 
 Columbia, in which is the city of Washington, 
 the seat of government. Thus the names of 
 the two great men are connected, to whose 
 genius and virtue our country owes so much. 
 
 While he was engaged in making discove 
 ries, Columbus endured various trials of mind, 
 and toils of body ; and after all his faithful ser 
 vices, the king of Spain refused even to fur 
 nish him the means of paying his seamen, for 
 whom he pleaded earnestly, although many 
 of them had acted as his enemies. The 
 amiable queen, Isabella, was an unchanged 
 friend ; but she died, and then it was vain for 
 Columbus to ask for justice. He wrote to a 
 friend, that he had done all in his power, and 
 that he left the result to God, who had never 
 forsaken him in his time of need. In his 
 seventieth year, he felt that all his cares 
 would soon cease, and he settled his earthly 
 affairs and prepared for death. He charged 
 his children to be active in spreading abroad 
 the Christian religion ; and on the 20th of May 
 1506. he uttered his last words, which were, 
 " Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my 
 spirit." 
 
 The accounts which had been published 
 by Columbus, caused many nations to desire 
 to have possession of some portions of the 
 new world. French, Dutch, and English 
 
INTRODUCTION. 13 
 
 navigators made voyages of discovery, and 
 claimed those parts on which they landed ; 
 and their governments made settlements on 
 them. In the year 1496, John Cabot had the 
 command of a small English fleet, with which 
 he sailed to the west, and discovered a large 
 island, which his sailors called Newfound 
 land. He then sailed along the coast of North 
 America, for some distance, but did not land. 
 Several attempts were afterwards made by the 
 English to form settlements in it, but they 
 were not successful until April, 1607, when 
 one hundred and five of them landed in Vir 
 ginia, and built a town, which they called 
 Jamestown, in honour of their king. 
 
 One of the most active of those settlers 
 was Captain Smith, who gained the good will 
 of all the natives near the settlement ; but being 
 one day at some distance from it, he was 
 seized by a party of strange Indians, and taken 
 to their king, Powhatan. It was determined 
 that the prisoner should be put to death by 
 having his head beat with clubs. He was 
 laid on a large stone, and the death clubs were 
 raised, when Pocahontas, the daughter of the 
 king, threw herself beside him, and folding 
 her arms around him, laid her head on his, and 
 entreated that his life might be spared. She 
 was only thirteen years of age, and was the 
 darling of her father, who consented to her 
 request, and Captain Smith was permitted to 
 B 
 
14 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 return to Jamestown. Some time after, she 
 was married, with the consent of her father, to 
 a young Englishman, named Rolfe, and this 
 secured Powhatan as a faithful and powerful 
 friend to the settlers. Pocahontas professed 
 belief in the Christian religion, and was "bap 
 tized by the name of Rebecca. 
 
 In 1620, the second English settlement in 
 North America was made. A number of fami 
 lies, who were not at liberty to worship God 
 as they thought right, went over to Holland. 
 They were kindly received, and had remained 
 there for ten years, supporting themselves by 
 their industry, when they resolved, after fre 
 quent and serious prayer, to cross the Atlantic, 
 and seek a residence in America ; the evil ex- 
 amples and corrupt manners that prevailed 
 being such as they feared might lead their off 
 spring astray. One hundred and one arrived, 
 like pilgrims, in the beginning of winter, 
 (Nov. 11, 1020,) in a strange country, where 
 there was no friend to welcome them, nor shelter 
 for them to enter. They purchased land from 
 the Indians in Massachusetts, and began to 
 clear a spot for a town, which they called 
 New Plymouth. They endured, with resolute 
 cheerfulness, the toils and dangers of forming 
 homes in a wilderness, because they believed 
 that God would a not leave them, nor forsake 
 them/ They desired to " worship him in 
 spirit and in truth/ and trusted in his pro- 
 
INTRODUCTION. 15 
 
 mise that " all things should work together 
 for their good. 
 
 Other settlements were gradually made in 
 different parts of the country. Maryland was 
 colonized in 1633, under Lord Baltimore. 
 The settlers of Connecticut received a charter 
 in 166*2, from King Charles II. permitting the 
 people to make their own laws, and in 1663 
 similar rights were given to Rhode-Island, 
 both of which provinces were settled by inde 
 pendent colonies, chiefly from Massachusetts. 
 The country now forming the states of North 
 Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia were 
 granted to Lord Clarendon and others, in 1663. 
 New York and New Jersey, which had been 
 previously occupied by the Dutch, were granted 
 by King Charles to his brother, the Duke of 
 York, and were easily subdued by the Eng 
 lish. In October, 1682, William Penn, from 
 whom Pennsylvania was named, brought from 
 England a number of families, who had been 
 persecuted on account of their religious opin 
 ions. He purchased land for them from the 
 Indians, who kindly taught them how to 
 make sodded huts, on the spot where Phila 
 delphia now stands. Each settlement was 
 called a Province, and the inhabitants made 
 regulations for their own government, but 
 acknowledged themselves to be subjects of 
 the king of England. Those who had fled 
 from their native land, that they might wo)- 
 
1 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ship God with freedom, believed that they 
 should have fulfilled to them His promise 
 which they found in the Scriptures " Though 
 I have scattered them, yet I will be unto 
 them as a little sanctuary in the countries 
 where they shall come." 
 
THE 
 
 LIFE OF WASHINGTON. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 17321762. 
 
 To give us the delightful assurance, that 
 we are always under the watchful care of our 
 almighty and kind Creator, He has told us 
 that He notices the movements of every little 
 sparrow : and as we are " of more value than 
 many sparrows," He will surely ever care for 
 us. It was His powerful and kind cai% that 
 protected and guided Columbus, the once poor 
 sailor boy, to obtain the favour of a great king 
 and queen ; and then to pass over the waves 
 of a dangerous ocean, in a little vessel, and 
 reach in safety an unknown land. The same 
 powerful and kind care which protected and 
 guided houseless strangers to a land of free 
 dom and peace, gave Washington to their 
 children, to lead them on to take a place 
 amongst the nations of the earth. His history 
 is as a shining light upon the path of virtue ; 
 for he " acknowledged God in all his ways." 
 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON was the third son of 
 Augustine Washington, whose grandfather 
 B2 17 
 
18 LIFE OF 
 
 left England, his native country, in 1657, and 
 settled at Bridges Creek, in Virginia, where, 
 on the 22d of February, in the year 1732, his 
 great-grandson, George, was born.* 
 
 One of the first lessons which young Wash 
 ington received from his faithful parents, was, 
 the importance of always speaking the truth ; 
 and they enjoyed. a satisfactory reward for 
 their attention to this duty ; for through his 
 childhood, " the law of truth was in his 
 mouth," so that he was not known in one in 
 stance to tell a falsehood, either to obtain a 
 desired indulgence, or to escape a deserved 
 punishment or reproof. His character, as a 
 lover of truth, was so well known at the "school 
 which he attended, that the children were 
 certain of being believed, when they related 
 any thing, if they could say, " George Wash- 
 ingtcffi says it was so." 
 
 An anecdote is related of him to illustrate 
 this trait in his character, which we introduce 
 without being able to ascertain on what au 
 thority it is related. We hope it will not be 
 supposed, however, that we regard such an 
 incident as an extraordinary proof of ingenu 
 ousness on the part of young Washington. 
 We trust there are very few boys who would 
 think of adopting any other course under like 
 
 * The birth-day of Washington was the eleventh Feb 
 ruary, 1732, according to the dates used at that time , 
 but, as in the year 1752, the English dates were altered 
 to conform with those of the rest of Europe, the day is 
 that which is here given, twenty-second February, 1732. 
 
WASHINGTON. 19 
 
 circumstances, and those who do generally 
 find that " honesty is the best policy," to say 
 nothing of a quiet conscience and the law of 
 God. 
 
 The story is, that he was playing with a 
 hatchet, and heedlessly struck a favourite 
 fruit-tree in his father s garden. Upon seeing 
 the tree thus mutilated, an inquiry was natu 
 rally made for the author of the mischief, 
 when George frankly confessed the deed, and 
 received his father s forgiveness. 
 
 In all the little disputes of the school-fel 
 lows, he was called on to say which party 
 was right, and his decisions were always sa 
 tisfactory. 
 
 It is, perhaps, not out of place to remark in 
 this connexion, that much of the injustice arid 
 oppression which are seen hi the intercourse 
 of men with each other, shows only the matu 
 rity of habits which were formed in childhood. 
 At home, or in school, or on the play-ground, 
 instances of unfairness and fraud are often 
 seen, which, among men, would be regarded 
 as gross violations of law and right. Wash 
 ington in his boyhood was JUST. 
 
 When he was ten years old, his worthy 
 father died, and he became the care of an 
 anxious mother, whose fortune was not suffi 
 cient to enable her to give him more than a 
 plain English education. He was very fond 
 of studying mathematics, and applied his mind 
 
20 LIFE OF 
 
 diligently, in improving all the instruction 
 which he could get in that science. As he 
 grew up to manhood, he was remarkable for 
 the strength and activity of his frame. In 
 running, leaping, and managing a horse, he 
 was unequalled by his companions ; and he 
 could with ease climb the heights of his na 
 tive mountains, to look down alone from some 
 wild crag upon his followers, who were pant 
 ing from the toils of the rugged way. By 
 these healthful exercises the vigour of his 
 constitution was increased, and he gained that 
 hardiness so important to him in the employ 
 ments designed for him by his Creator. 
 
 Mrs. Washington was an affectionate pa 
 rent ; but she did not encourage in herself 
 that imprudent tenderness, which so often 
 causes a mother to foster the passions of her 
 children by foolish indulgences, and which 
 seldom fails to destroy the respect which 
 every child should feel for a parent. George 
 was early made to understand that he must 
 obey his mother, and therefore he respected 
 as well as loved her. Sne was kind to his 
 young companions, but they thought her stern, 
 because they always felt that they must be 
 have correctly in her presence. The character 
 of the mother, as weil as that of the son, are 
 shown in the following incident. Mrs. Wash 
 ington owned a remarkably fine colt, which 
 she valued very much ; but which, though 
 old enough for use, had never been mounted ; 
 
WASHINGTON. 21 
 
 no one would venture to ride it, or attempt to 
 break its wikl and vicious spirit. George 
 proposed to some of his young companions, 
 that they should assist him to secure the colt 
 until he could mount it, as he had determined 
 that he would try to tame it. Soon after sun 
 rise, one morning, they drove the wild anima 
 into an enclosure, and with great difficulty 
 succeeded in placing a bridle on it. George 
 then sprang upon its back, and the vexed colt 
 bounded over the open fields, prancing and 
 plunging to get rid of his burden. The bold 
 rider kept his seat firmly, and the struggle 
 between them became alarming to his com 
 panions, who were watching him. The speed 
 of the colt increased, until at length, in making 
 a furious effort to throw his conqueror, he 
 burst a large blood-vessel, and instantly died. 
 George was unhurt, but was much troubled 
 by the unexpected result of his exploit. His 
 companions soon joined him, and when they 
 saw the beautiful colt lifeless, the first words 
 they spoke were, " What will your mother 
 say who can tell her?" They were called 
 to breakfast, and soon after they were seated 
 at the table, Mrs. Washington said, " Well, 
 young gentlemen, have you seen my fine sor 
 rel colt in your rambles ?" No answer was 
 given, and the question was repeated; her son 
 George then replied " Your sorrel colt is 
 dead, mother." He gave her an exact account 
 of the event. The flush of displeasure which 
 
22 LIFE OF 
 
 first rose on her cheek, soon passed av/ay ; 
 and she said calmly, " While I regret the loss 
 of ray favourite, / rejoice in my son, who al 
 ways speaks the tntth." 
 
 In his fifteenth year, he had so strong a 
 desire to be actively employed, that he ap 
 plied for a place as a midshipman in the 
 English navy, (for our country was then un 
 der the government of Great Britain,) and 
 succeeded in obtaining it. Full of youthful 
 expectations of enjoyment in a new scene, he 
 prepared ardently to engage in it, when he 
 became convinced that by doing so, he would 
 severely wound the heart of an anxious pa 
 rent; and with a true spirit of heroism he 
 denied himself, and in obedience to the com 
 mand, " Hon6ur thy mother," he gave up his 
 fondly cherished plan, and yielded his own 
 inclinations, to promote her comfort. Thus, 
 while his manly superiority to companions of 
 his own age caused admiration, his filial ten 
 derness was an example to them of compliance 
 with the direction which is given to children 
 in the word of God. " Let them learn first 
 to show piety at home, and to requite their 
 parents," and they are assured that " this is 
 good and acceptable to the Lord." Washing 
 ton proved the truth of this assurance ; for, to 
 the act of filial regard which " requited" the 
 anxious cares of his mother, may be traced 
 his usefulness to his country, and the glory of 
 his character. If he had crossed his mother s 
 
WASHINGTON. 23 
 
 wish, and entered the British navy as a mid 
 shipman, it is not probable, that he would 
 ever have deserved, or obtained, the title of 
 " Father of his country." 
 
 Being unwilling to remain inactive, young 
 Washington employed himself industriously 
 and usefully in surveying unsettled lands ; and 
 when he was nineteen years of age, he was 
 appointed one of the adjutant generals of Vir 
 ginia, with the rank of a major. At that time, 
 the French nation had large settlements in 
 Canada, and in Louisiana, and they deter 
 mined on connecting those settlements by a 
 line of forts ; in doing this they took posses 
 sion of a tract of land, which was considered 
 to be within the province of Virginia. The 
 governor of Virginia, (Mr. Dinwiddie) thought 
 it was his duty to notice this, in the name of 
 his king ; and it was very important, that the 
 person whom he employed in the business, 
 should have resolution and prudence. Young 
 Washington was worthy of his confidence, 
 and willingly undertook the perilous duty ; as 
 it gave him an opportunity of being actively 
 employed for the advantage of his native- pro 
 vince. The dangers which he knew he must 
 meet, did not, for a moment, deter him from 
 consenting to set out immediately on the toil 
 some journey, although winter was near. He 
 was to take a letter from the governor, to the 
 commanding officer of the French troops, who 
 were stationed on the Ohio river ; and the 
 
24 LIFE OF 
 
 way he had to go, was through a part of the 
 country that had never been furrowed by the 
 plough, or, indeed, marked by any footsteps, 
 but those of wild animals, or ferocious Indians. 
 Many of those Indians were enemies, and 
 those who had shown any disposition to be 
 friendly, could not be safely trusted. 
 
 The same day, (October 31, 1753,) on which 
 Washington received the letter which he was 
 to be the bearer of, he left Williamsburgh, 
 and travelled with speed until he arrived at 
 the frontier settlement of the province ; and 
 there engaged a guide to show him the way 
 over the wild and rugged Alleghany moun 
 tain, which, at that season of the year, it was 
 difficult to pass. The waters to be crossed 
 were high, and the snow to be waded through, 
 was deep ; but persevering resolutely, he ar 
 rived at Turtle Creek, where he was told by 
 an Indian trader, that the French commander 
 had died a short time before, and that the 
 French troops had gone into winter quarters. 
 
 He went on with increased ardour, because 
 the difficulty of his duty was increased ; but 
 he did not neglect the opportunity of examin 
 ing the country through which he passed; 
 wishing to discover the best situations on 
 which forts could be erected for the defence 
 of the province. 
 
 As the waters were impassable without 
 swimming the horses, he got a canoe to take 
 the baggage about ten miles, to the forks of 
 
WASHINGTON. 
 
 the Ohio river; intending to cross the Alle- 
 ghany there. In his journal he wrote, " as I 
 got down before the canoe, I spent some time 
 in viewing the rivers and the land in the fork 
 which I think extremely well suited for a fort, 
 as it has the absolute command of both rivers. 
 The land at the point is twenty or twenty- 
 five feet above the common surface."" 
 
 The spot thus described was oon after 
 wards the site of the French fort Duquesne. 
 It was subsequently called fort Pitt by the 
 English, and from this the name of the town 
 of Pittsburg was taken, which was built near 
 the fort, and is now a city, containing 22,000 
 inhabitants. Washington remained a few days 
 in that neighbourhood, for the purpose of en 
 deavouring to persuade the Indian warriors to 
 be friendly to the English. By a firm but 
 mild manner, he gained friends among the in 
 habitants of the forest, and obtained guides to 
 conduct him by the shortest way to the fort, 
 where he expected to find a French officer, to 
 whom he might give the letter from the go 
 vernor, as the commander was dead. 
 
 He arrived there in safety, and when he 
 had received an answer from the officer, set 
 out immediately on his return, and the journey 
 proved a very dangerous and toilsome one. 
 Some extracts from his journal, which he 
 kept with exactness, will show his disregard 
 of self, when he was performing a duty for 
 the benefit of others. He had put on an In- 
 C 
 
 
26 LIFE OF 
 
 dian walking dress, and given his horse to as 
 sist in carrying provisions ; the cold increased 
 very much and the roads were getting worse 
 every day, from the freezing of a deep snow, 
 so that the horses became almost unable to 
 travel. After describing this difficulty, he 
 wrote thus: 
 
 " As I was uneasy to get back, to make a 
 report of my proceedings to his honour the 
 governor, I determined to prosecute my jour 
 ney the nearest way, through the woods, on 
 foot. I took my necessary papers, pulled off 
 my clothes, and tied myself up in a watch 
 coat. Then, with gun in hand and pack on 
 my back, in which were my papers and pro 
 visions, I set out with Mr. Gist, fitted in the 
 same manner. We fell in with a party of In 
 dians, who had laid in wait for us. One of 
 them fired, not fifteen steps off, but fortunately 
 missed ; we walked on the remaining part of 
 the night, without making any stop, that we 
 might get the start so far, as to be out of the 
 reach of their pursuit the next day, as we 
 were well assured that they would follow our 
 track as soon as it was light. The next day 
 we continued travelling until quite dark, and 
 got to the river. We expected to have found 
 the river frozen, but it was not, only about 
 fifty yards from each shore. The ice I sup 
 pose had been broken up, for it was driving 
 in vast quantities. There was no way of get 
 ting over but on a raft ; which we set about 
 
WASHINGTON. 27 
 
 making, with but one poor hatchet, and finish 
 ed just after sun-setting: this was a whole 
 day s work. We got it launched, then went 
 on board of it, and set off; but before we 
 were half-way over, we were jammed in the 
 ice in such a manner, that we expected every 
 moment our raft to sink, and ourselves to 
 perish. I put out my setting pole to try to 
 stop the raft, that the ice might pass by, when 
 the rapidity of the stream threw it with so 
 much violence against the pole, that it jerked 
 me out into ten feet water." 
 
 In this dangerous situation he was saved by 
 the protecting hand of God, and enabled again 
 to get on the raft ; and by the next morning, 
 the river was frozen so hard, that there was 
 no difficulty in getting to the shore on the ice. 
 The remainder of the journey was very fa 
 tiguing, being in the month of December, and 
 for fifteen days it either snowed or rained. 
 
 He arrived the 16th of January at Williams- 
 burgh, and delivered the important letter to 
 the governor. The answer of the French 
 officer, which was contained in the letter, was 
 such as to make needful immediate prepara 
 tions for defending the frontier of the province. 
 The resolution with which Washington had 
 performed the duty entrusted to him, and the 
 judgment he had shown in his conduct to 
 wards the Indians, gained the favourable opi 
 nion of the people of the province, as well as 
 that of the governor, and he was appointed a 
 
28 LIFE OF 
 
 lieutenant-colonel of the regiment which was 
 formed to march to the frontier, in order to 
 prevent the French erecting their forts on it. 
 Ardent and active, he obtained permission to 
 march with two companies, in advance of the 
 regiment, to a place called the Great Meadows ; 
 he thought that in doing so, he would have 
 an opportunity of getting early information as 
 to the movements of the French, and of form 
 ing a treaty with the Indians, to prevent their 
 joining them. On arriving there, he was in 
 formed, by an Indian, that the French com 
 mander had sent a party to stop the American 
 workmen, who were erecting a fort; and that 
 they were forming one for themselves, called 
 fort Duquesne. The Indian also gave the in 
 formation, that French troops were advancing 
 from that fort towards the Great Meadows. 
 The night on which this account was given, 
 was dark and rainy ; but Washington marched 
 rapidly with his soldiers to the place where 
 the Indian said the French would be encamp 
 ed ; and there he found them, and surrounded 
 them so unexpectedly, that they gave them 
 selves up as his prisoners. The chief officer 
 of that part of the regiment which was march 
 ing slowly on, died ; and Washington then 
 had the entire command of about four hundred 
 men. They joined him, and he directed them 
 to form a shelter for their horses and. pro 
 visions ; when it was completed, they named 
 it fort Necessity. 
 
WASHINGTON. 29 
 
 After placing the horses and bag-gage in it, 
 Washington marched with his troops towards 
 fort Duquesne, for the purpose of endeavour 
 ing to drive the French from it; but when he 
 had advanced about thirteen miles, an Indian 
 told him, that there were " as many French 
 men coming towards him, as there were pi 
 geons in the woods ;" and he thought it was 
 most prudent to return to his little fort, and 
 meet their attack there. He returned, and 
 assisted his men in digging a ditch round the 
 fort, and while they were thus engaged, about 
 fifteen hundred French and Indians made their 
 appearance, and soon began to attack them. 
 The ditch was not sufficiently completed to 
 be of any use. The Indians sent their arrows 
 from behind the surrounding trees, and the 
 French fired from the shelter of the high grass. 
 Washington continued outside of the little 
 fort, directing and aiding his soldiers, from 
 ten o clock until dark, when the French com 
 mander made an otfer to cease the attack, if 
 the fort would be given up to him. The con 
 ditions he first named, Washington would not 
 agree to ; but at last, the French commander 
 consented to allow the troops to march out 
 with their baggage, ?ud return to the inhabit 
 ed part of the provirre, and Washington then 
 gave up the fort. He nurned to Williams- 
 burgh, and the cour.i.^ ^ ith which he had 
 acted, and the favourable Wms he had obtained 
 from so large a force, increased the confidence 
 
30 LIFE OF 
 
 of his countrymen in his character. This oc 
 currence took place on the third of July. 1754. 
 
 In the course of the next winter, orders 
 were received, that officers who had commis 
 sions from the king, should be placed above 
 those belonging to the province, without regard 
 to their rank. The feeling of what was due to 
 him as an American, prevented Washington 
 from submitting to this unjust regulation, and 
 he resigned his commission. Many letters were 
 written to him, to persuade him not to do so ; 
 and he answered them, with an assurance 
 that he would " serve willingly, when he 
 could do so without dishonour." His eldest 
 brother had died, and left to him a farm called 
 Mount Vernon, situated in Virginia, near the 
 Potomac river ; he took possession of it, and 
 began to employ himself industriously in its 
 cultivation. While he was thus engaged, 
 General Braddock was sent from England, to 
 prepare and command troops for the defence 
 of Virginia, through the summer. Hearing of 
 the conduct of Washington as an officer, and 
 of his reasons for giving up his commission, 
 he invited him to become his aid-de-camp. 
 He accepted the invitation, on condition that 
 he might be permitted to return to his farm 
 when the active duties of the campaign should 
 be over. 
 
 The army was formed of two regiments of 
 British troops, and a IV w companies of Vir 
 .g-inians. The third day after the march com- 
 
WASHINGTON. 31 
 
 menced, Washington was taken ill, with a 
 violent fever. He would not consent to be left 
 behind, and was laid in a covered wagon. He 
 thought that it was very important to reach 
 the frontier as soon as possible, and he knew 
 the difficulties of the way; ; he therefore pro 
 posed to General Braddock, who asked his 
 advice, to send on a part of the army, while 
 the other part moved slowly, with the artil 
 lery and baggage wagons. Twelve hundred 
 men were chosen, and General Braddock ac 
 companied them ; but though not cumbered 
 with baggage, their movements did not satisfy 
 Washington. He wrote to his brother, that, 
 " instead of pushing on with vigour, without 
 minding a little rough road, they were halting 
 to level every molehill, and erect bridges over 
 every brook." What seemed mountains to 
 them, were molehills to the ardent temper of 
 Washington. His illne ss increased so much, 
 that the physician said his life would be en 
 dangered by going on, and General Braddock 
 would not suffer him to do so, but gave him 
 u promise to have him brought after him, so 
 soon as he could bear the ride. He recovered 
 sufficiently, in a short time, to join the ad 
 vanced troops; and though very weak, entered 
 immediately on the performance of his duties. 
 General Braddock proceeded on his march 
 without disturbance, until he arrived at the 
 Monongahela river, about seven miles from 
 Fort Duquesne. As he was preparing to 
 
32 LIFE OF 
 
 cross the river, at the place since called Brad 
 dock s Ford, a few Indians were seen on the 
 opposite shore, who made insulting 1 gestures, 
 and then turned and fled as the British troops 
 advanced. Braddock gave orders that the In 
 dians should be pursued. Colonel Washing 
 ton was well acquainted with the manner in 
 which the French, assisted by Indians, made 
 their attacks ; and being aware of the danger 
 into which the troops might be led, he earn 
 estly entreated General Braddock not to pro 
 ceed, until he should, with his Virginia ran 
 gers, search the forest. His proposal offended 
 Braddock, who disregarded the prudent coun 
 sel, and ordered his troops to cross the river ; 
 the last of them were yet wading in it, when 
 the bullets of an unseen enemy thinned the 
 ranks of those who had been incautiously led 
 into the entrance of a hollow, where the French 
 and Indians were concealed by the thick under 
 wood, from which they could securely fire on 
 the English. In a few moments, the fearful 
 War-whoop was sounded, and the French and 
 Indians rushed from their shelter on the aston 
 ished troops of Braddock, and pursued them 
 to the banks of the Monongahela. 
 
 In vain did their commander, and the un 
 daunted Washington, endeavour to restore 
 them to order and prevent their flight. The 
 deadly aim of the enemy was so sure, that in 
 a very short time Washington was the only 
 aid of General Braddock that was left to carr} 
 
WASHINGTON. 33 
 
 nis orders and assist in encouraging the af 
 frighted troops. For three hours, he was ex 
 posed to the aim of the most perfect marks 
 men ; two horses fell under him ; a third was 
 wounded; four balls pierced his coat, and 
 several grazed his sword ; every other officer 
 was either killed or wounded, and he alone 
 remained unhurt. The Indians directed the 
 flight of their arrows towards his breast, and 
 the French made him a mark for their rifles, 
 but both were harmless, for the shield of his 
 God protected him, and " covered his head in 
 the heat of battle." His safety, in the midst 
 of such attacks, astonished his savage enemies, 
 and they called him " The Spirit-protected 
 man, who would be a chief of nations, for he 
 could not die in battle." Thus did even the 
 savages own a divine power in his preserva 
 tion ; and the physician, who was on the battle 
 ground, in speaking of him afterwards, said, 
 " I expected every moment to see him fall ; 
 his duty, his situation, exposed him to every 
 danger ; nothing but the superintending care 
 of Providence could have saved him from the 
 fate of all around him." This battle took place 
 on the 8th of July, 1755. In a note to a ser 
 mon preached a month afterwards, by the Rev. 
 Mr. Davies, of Virginia, (afterwards president 
 of Princeton College) we find mention made 
 by the author of " that heroic youth, Colonel 
 Washington, whom I cannot but hope Provi 
 dence has hitherto preserved, in so signal a 
 
34 LIFE OF 
 
 manner, for some important service to his 
 country." 
 
 General Braddock was mortally wounded, 
 and his few remaining soldiers then fled in 
 every direction. But his brave and faithful 
 aid, with about thirty courageous Virginians, 
 remained on the field, to save their wounded 
 commander from the hatchet and the scalp 
 ing knife of the Indians. They conveyed 
 him with tenderness and speed towards that 
 part of his army which was slowly advan 
 cing with the baggage, and he died in their 
 camp, and was buried in the middle of a 
 road, that his grave might be concealed 
 from the Indians by wagon tracks. A few 
 years since, his remains were removed to a 
 short distance, as the great Cumberland road, 
 made by the government of the United States, 
 was to pass directly over the spot where 
 he had been laid. More than seventy-five 
 years have passed, since the terrible scene of 
 Braddock s defeat. The plough has since 
 furrowed the ground which was then moist 
 ened with the blood of the slain ; but it is 
 saddening to see on it white spots of crumbled 
 bones, and to find amidst the green stalks of 
 grain, buttons of the British soldiers, marked 
 ivith the number of their regiment, and even 
 the brazen ornaments of their caps. " Brad- 
 dock s road," as the path was called, which 
 nis troops cut through the forest, is now almost 
 overgrown, with bushes ; and few travellers 
 
WASHINGTON. 35 
 
 pass near to it, without stopping to look along 
 its windings, and recall the time when it was 
 filled with animated soldiers, who were soon 
 to be silenced by the destructive weapons of 
 war. 
 
 In writing an account of this dreadful de 
 feat, Washington said, " See the wondrous 
 works of Providence, an<jl the uncertainty of 
 human things !" He was much distressed 
 by the loss of the army : and the officer next 
 in command to General Braddock, instead of 
 endeavouring to prepare for a better defence, 
 went into winter quarters, although it was 
 only the month of August. It \vas thought 
 necessary to raise more troops immediately, 
 and the command of all that should be raised 
 in Virginia was offered to Washington, w r ith 
 the privilege of naming his own officers. He 
 willingly accepted this offer, as he could do 
 so without placing himself under British com 
 manders, who were not really above him in 
 rank. He immediately set off to visit the 
 troops that had been placed in different 
 situations along the borders of the province : 
 and on his return to prepare for an active de 
 fence, he w r as overtaken by a messenger, with 
 an account, that a number of French troops 
 and Indian warriors, divided into parties, 
 were capturing and murdering the inhabitants 
 of the back settlements, burning the houses 
 and destroying the crops ; and that the troops 
 stationed there, were unable to protect them. 
 
35 LIFE OF 
 
 Washington immediately used every means 
 within his power to provide for their relief ; 
 but it was impossible to defend, with a few 
 troops, a frontier of almost four hundred miles. 
 from an enemy that " skulked by day, and 
 plundered by night." While he was anxiously 
 doing what he could, he wrote to the gover 
 nor an account of the distress around him ; 
 and added, " I see their situation, I know 
 their danger, and participate their sufferings, 
 without having the power to give them fur 
 ther relief than uncertain promises. * * 
 The supplicating tears of the women, and the 
 moving petitions of the men, melt me with 
 deadly sorrow." It might have been expect 
 ed, that the people in their distress would blame 
 him for not protecting them better ; but no 
 murmur arose against him ; they all acknow 
 ledged, that he was doing as much for them 
 as was within his power. 
 
 He wrote to the lieutenant-governor the 
 most earnest and pressing requests for more 
 assistance ; but instead of receiving it, he was 
 treated unkindly, as he related in a letter to a 
 friend. Whence it arises, or why, I am 
 truly ignorant, but my strongest representa 
 tions of matters, relative to the peace of the 
 frontiers, are disregarded as idle and frivolous ; 
 my propositions and measures as partial and 
 selfish ; and all my sincerest endeavours for 
 the service of my country, perverted to the 
 worst purposes. My orders are dark, doubt- 
 
 D2 
 
WASHINGTON. 37 
 
 ful, and uncertain. To-day approved, to 
 morrow condemned ; left to act and proceed 
 at hazard, and blamed without the benefit of 
 defence. However, I am determined to bear 
 up some time longer, in the hope of better 
 regulations." Though disappointed in all 
 his best formed plans, by the obstinacy and 
 ill-nature of the person who had the power t< 
 control him, and pained by the increasing 
 sufferings around him, which he was not en 
 abled to relieve, yet he- did not suffer an an 
 gry resentment to induce him to give up the 
 effort of doing some good. 
 
 He continued his active and humane en 
 deavours, and pleaded for the relief of his suf 
 fering countrymen, until his pleadings were 
 called impertinent. In answer to this, he 
 wrote to the governor, " I must beg leave, 
 in justification of my own conduct, to observe, 
 that it is with pleasure I receive reproof, when 
 reproof is due; because no person (-an be- 
 readier to accuse me than I am to acknowledge 
 an error, when I have committed it ; or more 
 desirous of atoning for a crime, when I am 
 sensible of being guilty of one. But on the 
 other hand, it is with concern I remark, that 
 my conduct, although I have uniformly studied 
 to make it as unexceptionable as I could, does 
 not appear to you in a favourable light." 
 With calm dignity he endured a continuance 
 of such vexations, without ceasing to toil in 
 his almost hopeless work of humanity. 
 D 
 
38 LIFE OF 
 
 A new commander of the British troops 
 was sent from England, and he listened to 
 Washington s opinion, that the frontiers could 
 not be freed from the dreadful visits of the 
 .Indians, in connection with the French, until 
 they were driven from Fort Duquesne; for 
 that was the place from which they started on 
 their destructive expeditions. When it was 
 determined that this should be attempted, 
 Washington advanced with a few troops, to 
 open the way for jhe army ; but before they 
 reached the fort, the French left it, and the 
 English took possession of it, November 1758, 
 and named it Fort Pitt. As Washington had 
 expected, the possession of this fort prevented 
 all further attacks on the frontiers ; and when 
 his countrymen were freed from the dangers 
 which he had left his farm to assist in defend 
 ing them against, he determined on returning 
 to it. His health had been injured by his 
 being exposed to severe cold, and being 
 often, for many days, unsheltered from the 
 falling rain ; and he felt that he ought to use 
 means to restore it, as he could do so with 
 out neglecting a more important duty. He 
 resigned his commission, and the officers 
 whom he had commanded united in offering 
 to him affectionate assurances of regret for 
 the loss of " such an excellent commander, 
 such a sincere friend, and so affable a com 
 panion." 
 
 Soon after his return to his farm, in the 
 
 
WASHINGTON. 3& 
 
 twenty-seventh year of his age, he married 
 Mrs. Custis, a lady to whom Tie had been 
 long attached, and who was deserving of his 
 affection. She had an amiable temper, and 
 was an agreeable companion ; and in per 
 forming all the duties of a wife, she made his 
 home a scene of domestic comfort, which he 
 felt no desire to leave. Employing himself 
 in directing the Cultivation of his ground, and 
 in the performance of all the private duties 
 of his situation, he lived foi several years 
 in retirement, except when attending the legis 
 lature of Virginia, of which he was a mem 
 ber. 
 
 For the benefit of his health, he sometimes 
 visited a public spring in his native state, to 
 which sick persons went, with the hope of 
 being relieved by using the water. At the 
 season when there were manv persons there, 
 it was the custom of a baker to furnish a par 
 ticular kind of bread, for those who could 
 afford to pay a good price for it. One day 
 it was observed by a visiter, that several mise 
 rably poor sick persons tottered into the room 
 where the bread was kept, and looked at the 
 baker, who nodded his head, and each one took 
 up a loaf, and, with a cheerful countenance 
 walked feebly away. The visiter praised the 
 baker for his charitable conduct, in letting 
 those have his bread, whom he knew could 
 never pay him ; but he honestly answered, " I 
 iose nothing,- -Colonel Washington is here 
 
40 LIFE OF 
 
 and all the sick poor may have as much of my 
 bread as they can eat ; he pays the bill, and I 
 assure you it is no small one." 
 
 All his private actions were as deserving 
 of the approbation of his countrymen, as those 
 of a public nature had been of their respect 
 and praise ; and those who were nearest to 
 him, and knew him best, loved him most. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 17631776. 
 
 THE desire to possess power, and the ill 
 use of it when possessed, have caused much 
 misery in nations, societies, and families ; and 
 even children show the evil effects in over 
 bearing conduct to each other, and in delight 
 ing to crush the feeble worm which crawls at 
 their feet. But if that love which fulfils the law 
 of GJod were in every heart, the precept of 
 our divine Redeemer, "All things whatsoever 
 ye would that men should do to you, do ye 
 even so to them," would be the rule of all 
 actions ; then families, societies, and nations, 
 would be ever peaceful. The English govern 
 ment, however, disregarded this precept, and 
 made an unjust use of their power over the 
 American provinces. The people paid various 
 
WASHINGTON. 41 
 
 duties on their trade, and made no objection 
 to doing so ; but at the close of the war with 
 the French, the English parliament deter 
 mined on taxing them, for the purpose, they 
 said, of assisting to pay the expenses of the 
 war. The Americans had lost a great num 
 ber of their young men in that war, and had 
 also contributed their full proportion of money 
 for carrying it on ; this new tax, therefore, 
 caused universal displeasure, and they began 
 to think, and to say, that parliament had no 
 right to tax them, as they were not allowed to 
 send members to that body to represent them. 
 Petitions against the tax were sent to the 
 king and to parliament, but they \Vere disre 
 garded ; and in March 1765, a law called the 
 " stamp act," was passed, which was to oblige 
 the Americans in their business transactions, to 
 use paper on which the seal of the British go 
 vernment was stamped. That paper was to be 
 taxed, and no writings of agreement were to 
 be considered binding, unless they were writ 
 ten on stamped paper. The Americans reso 
 lutely determined on opposing this tax. In 
 New York the act was printed, and carried 
 about the streets, by the title of " The Folly 
 of England, and the ruin of America ;" and. 
 when the ships that brought the stamps ar 
 rived at Philadelphia, all the vessels in the 
 harbour hoisted their colours half-mast high, 
 as a sign of mourning, and the state-house bell 
 was muffled, and continued to toll until evening 
 
 D2 
 
42 LIFE OF 
 
 The same dissatisfaction was felt -in all the 
 provinces ; and when this was known in En 
 gland, there were many speeches made on 
 the subject, by members of parliament. One 
 of them, Mr. Grenville, said, the Americans 
 ought not to object to assist in paying the 
 debts of the English government, for they 
 were " children of their planting, and were 
 nourished by their indulgence, and protected 
 by their arms, until they had grown up to a 
 good degree of strength and opulence." Colo 
 nel rfarre, a member who was desirous that 
 they should be treated} ustly, said, in answer 
 " * Children planted by your care ! No your 
 oppression planted them in America ! They 
 fled from your tyranny into a then uncultivated 
 land, where they were exposed to all the hard 
 ships to which human nature is liable. They 
 nourished by your indulgence ! No they 
 grew by your neglect ! When you began to 
 care about them, that care was exercised in 
 sending persons to rule over them, whose be 
 haviour, on many occasions, has caused the 
 blood of those sons of liberty to boil wiuiin 
 them ! They protected by your arms ! 
 They have nobly taken up arms in your 
 defence ; have exerted their valour amidst 
 their constant and laborious industry, for the 
 defence of a country, the interior of which, 
 while its frontiers were drenched in blood, 
 has yielded all its little savings to your en 
 largement." His appeal, however, had no 
 
WASHINGTON. 43 
 
 effect, and the eloquence of the great Earl of 
 Chatham, with the efforts of other patriots in 
 England, availed as little in stopping the mad 
 career of the British government in its op 
 pressive acts. 
 
 The assembly of Massachusetts, proposed 
 a Congress to be held at New York, to con 
 sult together on the subject of the right of the 
 English government to tax them. Repre 
 sentatives from nine of the provinces met ac 
 cordingly, in October 1765, and decided that 
 the colonies alone had the right to lay taxes. 
 This decision was expressed in. a petition to 
 the king, and to the parliament. When the 
 parliament found that the resolution to op 
 pose the stamp act, was so general and firm 
 in all the provinces, it was repealed; but as 
 they were determined to show the Americans 
 that they would not give up the power of tax 
 ing them j the next year they laid a duty on 
 glass, paints, and tea. Objections and petitions 
 were again sent to parliament, by the Ameri 
 cans, and at length, in 1769, those duties were 
 all taken off, excepting that on tea. While 
 one tax was continued, the Americans would 
 not be satisfied. They were not unwilling to 
 pay it, because they did not wish to part with 
 their money, but because they would not give 
 up the principle that the English government 
 had no just right to it, unless they were allowed 
 to have a part in the government, by sending 
 members to the parliament 
 
44 LIFE OF 
 
 Dr. Franklin, who was highly respected in 
 Europe, not only for his good character, bm 
 for his wisdom in making many useful dis 
 coveries, was in England, transacting busi 
 ness for some of the inhabitants of Massachu 
 setts, his native province, and he was appoint 
 ed to present a petition from the assembly of 
 that province to the English government, and 
 was very active in endeavouring to obtain 
 justice for his countrymen. The ill treat 
 ment which lie there received, much excited 
 the feelings of his countrymen, who held him 
 in the highest regard. As the tax on tea was 
 continued, the Americans resolved not to use 
 any ; and the parliament then made an agree 
 ment with the India Tea Company, by which 
 they were to send vessels with tea to the 
 provinces, and receive the duties on it, and 
 then pay it to the English government. But 
 the Americans had resolved to resist the tax, 
 no matter in what way it was laid ; and when 
 the vessels arrived, they would not allow the 
 tea to be landed. The people of Boston were so 
 much displeased, when a vessel with a cargo 
 of tea arrived there, in 1774, that seventeen of 
 the most resolute men went on board, disguised 
 as Indians, and threw all the tea into the sea. 
 
 This conduct led the British government to 
 determine on using all their power to punish 
 the Americans, but particularly the inhabitants 
 of Massachusetts ; and they made a law, that 
 the governor and magistrates, and other of 
 
WASHINGTON. 45 
 
 fleers of that province, should no longer re 
 ceive the^ir salaries from the people, so as to 
 be dependent on them but that they should 
 be appointed by the king, and paid by him ; 
 and that if any persons were accused of mur 
 der, or other great crimes, they should not be 
 tried in the province, but be sent to England 
 to be tried. When these new laws were 
 known by the people of the other provinces, 
 they sent assurances to the people of Massa 
 chusetts, that they would unite in assisting 
 them to resist such injustice. The first of 
 June, the day on which those laws were to 
 commence, was appointed by the legislatures 
 of the different provinces, as one of fasting, 
 humiliation, and prayer, in which the people 
 should attend their places of worship, and 
 unite in asking the support and direction of 
 God, in that time of public difficulty. 
 
 One of the titles given to God is, " Thou 
 that nearest prayer ;" and our divine Re 
 deemer has said, " If ye abide in me, and my 
 words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye 
 will, and it shall be done unto you ;" and w 
 that beautiful parable of the Pharisee and the 
 Publican, he has set before us an example ot 
 the kind of prayer that would be acceptable U 
 God. No doubt many pious American heart? 
 offered such a prayer, with humility and faith 
 and their prayers were granted ; for they 
 never would have succeeded in defending 
 their rights, unless the mighty hand of God 
 
46 LIFE OF 
 
 had upheld and guided them. And those who 
 bore the trials of that long and painful contest, 
 proved that love to God, and reliance on his 
 goodness and power, were the best principles 
 of freedom, and led to the noblest sacrifices 
 for their country. They began with prayer, 
 and ended in victory and thanksgiving. 
 
 Without any power to call such an assem 
 bly, the place and time of meeting were agreed 
 upon with surprising unanimity, and on the 
 5th of September, 1774, a Congress, composed 
 of delegates from twelve colonies, containing 
 about three million of inhabitants, met at Phila 
 delphia. Washington was one of the mem 
 bers, having been sent by the province of 
 Virginia. 
 
 An incident illustrative of Washington s re 
 ligious habits at this period of his life, is pre 
 served on unquestionable authority. During 
 the session of Congress, a gentleman, residing 
 in the city of Philadelphia, anxious to learn 
 the chief of the strangers who had assembled 
 from the several colonies, observed to Mr. 
 Secretary Thomson, that he had heard much 
 of Mr. Washington from Virginia, and would 
 be glad to know how he could distinguish him. 
 Mr. Thomson replied, " You can easily dis 
 tinguish him when Congress goes to prayers 
 Mr. Washington is the gentleman who kneels 
 down." Thus, in the prime of life, did this 
 gentleman, who was as noted for his modesty 
 as for his merit, manifest to the world his 
 
WASHINGTON. 4 
 
 sense of the overruling providence of God, and 
 of the power of prayer with him who giveth 
 to all men liberally and upbraideth not. 
 
 This incident is particularly worthy of re 
 cord, as it is evidently undesigned testimony. 
 It is to be lamented that the religious feelings 
 which Washington so uniformly, and yet so 
 unostentatiously exhibited, are not always 
 seen in those who occupy stations of great 
 dignity and importance. There are men who 
 seem to think that a little brief authority on 
 earth sets them above any dependence upon 
 the King of kings and the Lord of lords. WASH 
 INGTON acknowledged God in all his w^ys. 
 
 He had, on all proper occasions, expressed 
 the opinion that the English parliament had no 
 just right to tax the Americans ; and he had 
 spoken so firmly on the subject, that he was 
 called " the Virginia Patriot." The Congress 
 appointed commitHes, to state what the Ameri 
 cans considered to be their rights, and to pre 
 pare an address to the people of England, and 
 one to the king. After stating to the king their 
 causes for complaint, they assured him, that 
 they were willing to continue under his govern 
 ment, if their just requests were granted. They 
 said, " We ask but for peace, liberty, and 
 safety ; we do not solicit the grant of any new 
 right in our favour." The mannerin which this 
 petition was treated, convinced the Americans 
 that they must submit, or prepare for mournful 
 
48 LIFE OF 
 
 events. The king declared his firm resolve to 
 rule them as he thought best; and General 
 Grant said in Parliament, that he "would un 
 dertake to traverse the whole country with 
 five regiments, and drive the inhabitants from 
 one end of the continent to the other." 
 
 In all their determinations, the Americans 
 had no intention of commencing a war, but 
 they resolved that if the English attempted to 
 force them into submission, they would resis* 
 them. A number of troops were sent from 
 England to Boston, and their commander 
 placed them on Boston Neck, and fortified it 
 for their security. He also seized the Ameri 
 can military stores, at several places in the 
 province, and had them conveyed to Boston. 
 When winter approached, he could not get as 
 sistance to build a shelter for his troops, and 
 no price that he offered would induce work 
 men to labour for them ; 4his convinced him 
 that all the people were of one mind. The 
 winter passed away without any change fa- 
 rourable to the Americans. A considerable 
 quantity of military stores had been collected 
 in the town of Concord, about eighteen miles 
 from Boston. General Gage resolved to de 
 stroy them. On the night of the 18th of April, 
 he sent Major Pitcairn, with a detachment of 
 nine hundred men, for this purpose. They 
 marched quietly, and several officers went be 
 fore, to prevent any one on the road giving 
 notice of their approach. Dr. Warren, how- 
 
WASHINGTON. 49 
 
 ever, managed to send a messenger from Bos 
 ton, to give information at Lexington, where 
 the English troops arrived at five o clock in 
 the morning of April 19th, and found a com 
 pany of militia, consisting of seventy men, 
 who were parading under arms. Major Pit- 
 cairn rode up to them, and said, " Disperse, 
 rebels ; throw down your arms and disperse." 
 The soldiers at the same time ran up, huzza 
 ing; some few guns were fired, which was 
 followed by a general discharge. The firing 
 was continued as long as any of the mili 
 tia appeared : eight men were killed, and 
 several wounded. The Americans had here 
 tofore suffered and complained, but this was 
 their first active attempt to escape from the 
 unjust exercise of the power which the En 
 glish possessed. The detachment proceed 
 ed to Concord; the commanding officer sent 
 six companies of light infantry to take posses 
 sion of the bridges which were beyond the 
 town, while the main body were employed in 
 destroying the stores in Concord. Some mi 
 litia men, who were collected from that place, 
 having orders not to give the first fire, ap 
 proached one of the bridges as if to pass as 
 common travellers. They were fired on, and 
 two men killed. The fire was returned, and 
 the English were obliged to retreat with loss. 
 The inhabitants of the surrounding country 
 became alarmed by the fearful sounds. The 
 wagoner left his team in the road ; the farmer 
 E 
 
50 LIFE OF 
 
 his ploug!? in the furrow ; the blacksmith 
 threw down his hammer, an ! the young; and 
 the old, the strong and the feeble, ail rushed 
 towards the sad scene. The king s troops 
 were attacked in every direction, and were 
 driven back to Lexington, where they met a 
 large detachment, with cannon, which had 
 been sent to assist them in case they were re 
 sisted. They. remained a short time in Lex 
 ington, and then recommenced their march 
 They were closely followed by the Ameri 
 cans, who assailed the invaders, until they 
 arrived, at sun-set, on the common of Charles- 
 town, and then passed over to Bunker s hill 
 where they were safe for the night, under the 
 protection of their ships of war. _ The next 
 morning they crossed over Charlestown ferry 
 to Boston. 
 
 The English forts at Ticonderoga and 
 Crown Point, having the command of Lake 
 George and Lake Champlain, it was thought 
 very important to the Americans to get pos 
 session of them. A number of volunteers 
 from Vermont and Connecticut, commanded 
 by Colonel Ethan Allen and Colonel Bene 
 dict Arnold, marched against Ticonderoga, 
 and surprised the garrison, which surrendered 
 without firing a single gun. Colonel Seth 
 Warren was sent to take possession of Crown 
 Point, which he did without meeting with any 
 resistance. When intelligence of these events 
 was brought to Congress, they recommended 
 
WASHINGTON. 51 
 
 removing the cannon and military stores to a 
 place of greater safety, and directed that an 
 account should be taken of them, " in order 
 that they might be safely returned, when the 
 restoration of the former harmony between 
 Great Britain and the Colonies, so ardently 
 wished for by the latter, should render it pru 
 dent and consistent with the over-ruling law 
 of self-preservation." 
 
 After considering all the circumstances of 
 the scene at Lexington, Congress concluded 
 that an American army must be formed for 
 the defence of their country, and this resolve 
 was made public by an address to the people 
 of all the provinces. After relating the causes 
 for their opposition to the English govern 
 ment, and the means that had been used, with 
 out effect, to obtain justice, they said, " By 
 one statute it is declared, that Parliament can 
 of right make laws to bind us in all cases 
 whatsoever ; not a single man of those who 
 assume this power is chosen by us, or subject 
 to our influence. * * We gratefully ac 
 knowledge, as a signal instance of the divine 
 favour towards us, that his providence would 
 not permit us to be called into this severe con 
 troversy, until we were grown up to our pre 
 sent strength. We fight not for glory or for 
 conquest. In our native land, in defence of 
 the freedom that is our birth-right, for the pro 
 tection of our property, acquired solely by the 
 honest industry of our forefathers and our- 
 
52 LIFE OF 
 
 selves, against violence actually offered, we 
 have taken up arms." 
 
 Three more English generals arrived at 
 Boston, with troops, and offered pardon to all 
 those who would lay down their arms and 
 submit to the king, with the exception of Sa 
 muel Adams and John Hancock, two men 
 who were most distinguished by their ability 
 and zeal in the common cause of their conn- 
 try. This offer made the Americans more ac 
 tive, as it convinced them that there was no 
 hope of safety but in preparation for defence. 
 
 As it was expected that General Gage 
 would send troops into the surrounding coun 
 try, the Americans resolved on raising en 
 trenchments on a height near Boston, called 
 Bunker s hill. A detachment of a thousand 
 men, under the command of Colonel Prescot, 
 was sent for that purpose ; but by some mis 
 take, they proceeded to another high piece of 
 ground, called Breed s hill, where they form 
 ed an entrenchment, before the dawn of day, 
 undiscovered by the English ships, which lay 
 quite near to them. As soon as the enemy 
 saw this new work, they commenced a heavy 
 cannonade upon it ; but this did not prevent 
 the Americans from continuing their labour. 
 As this hill overlooked Boston, General Gage 
 thought it necessary to drive the Americans 
 from it ; and for that purpose, he sent a de 
 tachment of about three thousand troops, com 
 manded by General Howe. Two American 
 
WASHINGTON. 53 
 
 generals, Warren and Pomeroy, joined their 
 countrymen with as many more troops as made 
 their number amount to fifteen hundred. The 
 English advanced to attack the Americans on 
 the 17th of June, and while they were doing 
 so, their general gave orders that Charlestown 
 should he set on fire ; it contained about five 
 hundred houses, which were chiefly of wood ; 
 the flames spread rapidly, so that in a short 
 time, the whole town formed one great blaze. 
 The inhabitants of Boston and the surround 
 ing country were gazing on this awfully inte 
 resting scene, with anxious feelings for their 
 countrymen on Breed s hill. The English 
 troops advanced to within a hundred yards of 
 them, before the Americans fired ; and when 
 they did so, the English fell back. By the ex 
 ertions of their officers, they were again led for 
 ward, but a second time were driven back. 
 A third time they were led up, and assisted by 
 the firing from the ships and floating batteries, 
 they attacked the Americans in three different 
 directions, and almost battered down their 
 works of defence. They had endeavoured to 
 increase their security by taking the rails from 
 the fences, and putting them in two rows, at a 
 short distance from each other, and then fill 
 ing the space between with hay. Their ammu 
 nition was soon spent, and finding that it 
 would be va5n to attempt longer to resist their 
 powerful fcx;s, they retreated from the hill, 
 but claimed the viotory. because they had lost 
 
 E2 
 
54 LIFE OF 
 
 less than one half of the number which the 
 British had lost in their attack. There is so 
 much cause for sorrow connected with a vic 
 tory in battle, that to a reflecting mind, there 
 is no gladness in the sound ; and English and 
 Americans had reason to lament that sad dis 
 position of nature "whence come wars and 
 fightings," and which can only be restrained 
 by that "wisdom which descerideth from 
 above, and is full of mercy, peaceable, gentle, 
 and easy to be entreated." 
 
 Thus fully began that dreadful conflict which 
 for years was to desolate one of the finest por 
 tions of the globe. By it thousands lost their 
 lives, and tens of thousands were involved in 
 misery. But the hand of oppression was be 
 ginning to bind down the liberties of a grow 
 ing nation and through this mighty evil the 
 great Ruler of events has brought forth the 
 present prosperous state of our country. 
 
 Congress assembled May 10th, 1775. ley- 
 ton Randolph was chosen president. Be/ng, 
 However, under the necessity of returning 
 home in a few days, John Hancock succeeded 
 him. 
 
 Resistance to the oppressive measures of the 
 British governmen-t was no longer a matter 
 of doubt, and while petitions were /joining in 
 from all quarters urging the adoptu a of deci 
 sive measures, Congress was dilij, iitly pre 
 paring to sustain the rights of thv colonies. 
 When it was determined to organiz 1 ." an army, 
 the eyes of all were directed to Y aslnngton 
 
WASHINGTON. 55 
 
 as the commander- in-chief ; and on the 15th 
 of June, 1775, he was unanimously appointed 
 to that post. The firmness of his temper, the 
 dignity of his manners, and the confidence 
 which was felt in his integrity and patriotism, 
 made this choice by Congress satisfactory to 
 all the people. When his appointment was 
 made known to him, he modestly replied, " Mr. 
 President, Though I am truly sensible of the 
 honour done me in this appointment, yet I 
 feel great distress, from a consciousness that 
 my abilities and military experience may not 
 be equal to the extensive and important trust : 
 however, as the Congress desire it, I will enter 
 upon the momentous duty, and exert every 
 power I possess in their service, and for the 
 support of the glorious cause. I beg they will 
 accept my most cordial thanks for this dis 
 tinguished testimony of their approbation. 
 
 " But lest some unlucky event should hap 
 pen unfavourable to my reputation, I beg it 
 may be remembered by every gentleman in 
 the room, that I this day declare with the ut 
 most sincerity, I do not think myself equal to 
 the command I am honoured with. 
 
 " As to pay, sir, I beg leave to assure Con 
 gress that as no pecuniary consideration could 
 have tempted me to accept this arduous em 
 ployment, at the expense of my domestic ease 
 and happiness, I do not wish to make any 
 profit from it. I will keep an exact account 
 of my expenses. Those I doubt not they will 
 discharge, and that is all I desire." 
 
56 WASHINGTON. 
 
 The peaceful enjoyments of his comfort 
 able home were to be given up, but no selfish 
 desire of ease ever caused him to shrink 
 from the performance of a duty which was 
 to benefit others. It was the wish of his 
 countrymen that he should accept this im 
 portant part of the arduous work they expect 
 ed to be engaged in ; and he did so, with an 
 earnest desire not to disappoint their con 
 fidence, and an humble trust that he should 
 have the blessing of God on his efforts to 
 do well for his country. He would not 
 have drawn his sword to gain the name of 
 conqueror, and he was willing to bear that 
 of a soldier only when by doing so, he could 
 defend the helpless, or aid in obtaining justice 
 for the oppressed. What he had been to his 
 native province, in his youth, he was to be to 
 his country, in the strength of his manhood. Be 
 ing a patriot in all his feelings, he informed Con 
 gress that he would not consent to receive any 
 compensation for his services, but that he would 
 keep an account of his expenses, which they 
 might defray. He bade his family farewell, 
 and set off for Cambridge, in Massachusetts, 
 which was the place appointed as the head 
 quarters of the array. On the way he received 
 from the people constant proofs of the satis 
 faction which his appointment gave. In Mas 
 sachusetts he was met with affectionate atten 
 tion, and was welcomed by the army with 
 
WASHINGTON. 57 
 
 joy. He commenced immediately the diffi 
 cult task of bringing the men into proper or 
 der. Their hands, which had been only used 
 to felling trees, striking the anvil, guiding the 
 plough, or to other peaceful and useful em 
 ployments, could not readily handle well a 
 musket or a sword. They knew nothing of 
 the discipline that was needful to make them 
 useful as soldiers. They were fully resolved 
 to defend their rights, but this spirit of freedom 
 caused them to wish to do so in their own 
 way, and as they were not willing to submit 
 to rules and directions, the patience of their 
 commander was therefore severely tried. He 
 had naturally a very strong temper, but in his 
 boyhood he had determined to watch and sub 
 due it. When any occurrence raised his an 
 ger, he resolutely endeavoured to restrain it, 
 and thus obeyed the Scripture precept given 
 to warm tempers, " Be ye angry and sin not." 
 He knew that he could not command others 
 so as to have their respect, if by the indul 
 gence of passion he proved that he could not 
 command himself. In addition to the difficul 
 ty of regulating the army, he had the anxiety 
 of knowing that they were very scantily sup 
 plied with powder and arms, as there was 
 very little powder in the country, and the in 
 habitants of the different provinces did not 
 wish to part with what they thought they 
 might want to use for their own particular de 
 fence. Washington was very anxious to con 
 
58 LIFE OF 
 
 ceal this deficiency from the English gene 
 rals, and used every means possible to do so. 
 His army was placed so as to blockade the 
 English troops, who were stationed on Bun 
 ker s hill, Roxbury Neck, and in Boston. 
 Knowing as he did the difficulty there would 
 be in getting supplies for his men, he wished 
 to make an attempt to drive the enemy from 
 Boston at once ; but his officers, on being 
 consulted, were of the opinion that the attempt 
 would not be successful, and the two armies 
 continued in the same situation for several 
 months. 
 
 As it was known that the English were en 
 deavouring to engage the inhabitants of Cana 
 da, and the Indians, to assist them in invading 
 the provinces from that part of the country, 
 Congress sent troops there, who took posses 
 sion of several forts. Washington resolved to 
 send a detachment from his army to Quebec, 
 ind he gave the command of it to Colonel Ar 
 nold. The orders given to him were, to pass 
 through the country, not as an enemy to the 
 inhabitants of Canada, but as friends, and to 
 check with severity every attempt to injure 
 them ; and to treat with respect their religious 
 ceremonies : for, said Washington, " while 
 we are contending for our own liberty, we 
 should be very cautious of violating the rights 
 of conscience in others, and should ever con 
 sider, with a true Christian spirit, that God 
 alone is the judge of the hearts of men, and 
 
WASHINGTON. 59 
 
 to him only in this case are they answerable." 
 Arnold and his troops were thirty-two days 
 passing through a frightful wilderness, with 
 out seeing a house or a human being ; they 
 waded through swamps and toiled over moun 
 tains, and arrived at Quebec worn down with 
 fatigue. Arnold expected to take Quebec by 
 surprise, but information had been given of 
 his approach, so that he was disappointed. 
 General Montgomery, who had taken Mon 
 treal from the English, marched to join Ar 
 nold, and then endeavoured to prevail on the 
 commander of Quebec to give it up without 
 blood being shed ; but the officer he sent with 
 a flag of truce was fired on, and he then deter 
 mined on attacking the town. The attack 
 was bold but not successful, and in making it, 
 the brave Montgomery lost his life. The 
 blockade of Quebec was continued for some 
 time without effect, and, on hearing that an 
 English fleet had arrived, the American offi 
 cers concluded that it would be vain to expect 
 success, and gave up the siege. Several en 
 gagements convinced the Americans that their 
 force was not sufficient to accomplish in Ca 
 nada what they had expected ; and the officers 
 determined on retreating from it, before their 
 men should be more reduced by unavailing 
 sufferings. 
 
 At the time of these occurrences in the 
 north, the southern provinces were not quiet. 
 The governor of Virginia, assisted by ships 
 
60 LIFE OF 
 
 of war, attempted to burn the town of Hamp 
 ton, but he was prevented by the bravery of 
 the people. He then collected his force at 
 Norfolk. An American regiment of regulars, 
 and two hundred minute men, marched for 
 the defence of that place ; they were attacked 
 by the English, whom they soon forced to re 
 treat, with the loss of many of their number, 
 though the Americans did not lose one man. 
 The governor took refuge on board of a ves 
 sel ; and on the night of the first of January, 
 1770, a heavy cannonade was commenced on 
 the town from the ships, and some of the 
 troops landed and set fire to the houses. As 
 the Americans did not think that they could 
 keep possession of Norfolk against the force 
 of an English fleet, they made no efforts to 
 extinguish the flames, but suffered them to 
 rage until the town was consumed. After this 
 the governor continued sailing up the rivers 
 of Virginia for some time, burning houses and 
 destroying plantations. A number of the in 
 habitants of the frontiers of the southern pro 
 vinces, were inclined to favour the English, 
 and formed themselves into companies ; but 
 they were met by the provincial parties, and 
 obliged to fly in every direction. The gover 
 nor of North Carolina had gone aboard of a 
 ship of war in the Cape Fear river. General 
 Clinton* who was to command the English in 
 the south, arrived in North Carolina, with a 
 small force ; but he did not think it pruden 
 
WASHINGTON. 61 
 
 to use it there, and determined on going to 
 Charleston, in South Carolina. This inten 
 tion was discovered, and all ranks of citizens 
 began immediately to prepare for defence. A 
 new fort, afterwards called Fort Moultrie, in 
 honour of its commander, was quickly built 
 on Sullivan s Island, which is at the mouth 
 of the harbour. In the beginning of June, 
 the British fleet anchored off the harbour of 
 Charleston. Some American troops arrived 
 from Virginia and North Carolina, and they 
 were all commanded by General Lee. The 
 streets of the city were barricaded ; store 
 houses of great value were pulled down, and 
 every possible means for defence were pre 
 pared. The English fleet was commanded by 
 Sir Peter Parker, and consisted of two fifty- 
 gun ships, four frigates, and four smaller armed 
 vessels. On the 28th of June, they commenced 
 firing on Fort Moultrie, at about 10 o clock in 
 the morning and continued to do so for three 
 hours ; but the firing was returned from the 
 fort with so much skill, that the ships were 
 almost torn to pieces, and about 9 o clock, 
 with difficulty were moved off. The loss of 
 the British in killed and wounded, exceeded 
 two hundred; while that of the Americans 
 was only ten killed and twenty-two wounded. 
 Thus did a feeble force of 375 regulars, 
 and a few militia, in a half-finished ftirt, crip 
 ple and drive off, with little loss to themselves 
 a powerful and well commanded fleet. Truly 
 F 
 
62 LIFE OF 
 
 they had cause to use the language of the de 
 vout Asa, and say, " Lord, it is nothing with 
 thee to help, whether with many, or with 
 them that have no power." A few days after 
 wards, all the English troops who had been 
 landed, returned to the vessels, and the whole 
 fleet sailed away for New York, and the state 
 of South Carolina was, for that time, delivered 
 from the ravages of a foreign army. 
 
 This success, so providentially given the 
 Americans in the south, encouraged them 
 greatly, and cheered the anxious mind of 
 Washington, when he was distressed by the 
 unfavourable accounts from the north. His 
 army had been very much changed during 
 the winter; many of the men had returned 
 to their homes, and new recruits had taken 
 their places ; so that he was constantly obliged 
 to bear the trial of patience in his endeavour 
 to have a regular force. He was still of 
 opinion, that an attempt to drive the enemy 
 from Boston would be successful ; in writing 
 to Congress on the subject, he said, " I can 
 not help acknowledging, that I have many 
 disagreeable sensations on account of my 
 situation ; for to have the eyes of the whole 
 continent tixed on me, with anxious expecta 
 tion of hearing of some great event, and to be 
 restrained in every military operation, for 
 want ofthe necessary means to carry it on, 
 is not very pleasing; especially as the means 
 used to conceal my weakness from the enemy 
 
WASHINGTON. 63 
 
 conceal it also from our friends, and add to 
 their wonder." 
 
 Towards the latter end of February, having 
 received a fresh supply of powder, he re 
 solved on attempting to force General Howe 
 from Boston, and commenced an attack early 
 in March ; a considerable detachment of Amer- 
 cans took- possession of the heights of Dor 
 hester, and in one night, though the ground 
 was frozen, raised works, which in a great 
 degree covered them from the shot of the 
 enemy. It w r as then necessary for the En 
 glish, either to drive the Americans from 
 those heights, or to leave the town ; the for 
 mer was determined on, and troops were put 
 on board of the ships to proceed down the 
 bay for that purpose. They were not, how 
 ever, allowed by " Him who ruleth the winds 
 and the waves," to succeed, for they were 
 scattered by a violent storm, and entirely dis 
 abled from proceeding ; and before they could 
 be ready again to make the attempt, the 
 Americans had made their works of defence 
 so strong, that it was thought useless to try to 
 force them. In expectation that most of the 
 troops would be engaged in this attack, General 
 Washington had made preparations for attack 
 ing those that remained in Boston ; but this 
 plan was disappointed by the English general 
 determining on leaving it, when he -saw the 
 Dorchester heights could not be taken. When 
 General Washington knew of the intentions 
 
64 LIFE OF 
 
 of General Howe, he thought it most proba 
 ble that he would go from Boston to New 
 York, and he sent a large portion of his army 
 there immediately. 
 
 On the 17th of March, the English entered 
 their ships, and soon the whole fleet sailed ; 
 the rest of the American army then inarched 
 to New York. The recovery of Boston caused 
 great joy. When Washington entered it, he 
 was received by the inhabitants as their deli 
 verer from oppression; and in their public 
 address to him, they expressed the wish, " May 
 you still go on, approved by Heaven, and re 
 vered by all good men." The fleet sailed to 
 Halifax, and remained there until June, and 
 then left it, and early in July landed the troops 
 on Staten Island. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 17761777. 
 
 WHEN the war commenced, the Ameri 
 cans thought only of obtaining relief from 
 the oppression of unjust laws ; but when 
 they heard that the English had hired fo 
 reign troops to assist in subduing them, and 
 had engaged the tomahawk of the Indian 
 against them, they began to think of an 
 entire separation from England, and of de- 
 
WASHINGTON. 63 
 
 elaring themselves to be an independent peo 
 pie. A few bold ones, at first, spoke of this ; 
 and then it was soon openly talked of through 
 out all the provinces. Several of the provincial 
 assemblies gave an opinion in favour of it, and 
 on the 7th of June, 1776, it was proposed in 
 Congress by Richard Henry Lee, and second 
 ed by John Adams. The resolution was in 
 these words : " Resolved, that these United 
 Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free 
 and independent states ; and that all political 
 connexion between them and the state of Great 
 Britain is, and ought to be totally dissolved." 
 Congress, at that time, held their meetings in 
 the Stale-House, at Philadelphia, and the room 
 in which they sat has ever since been called 
 " Independence Hall." 
 
 After much serious deliberation, the thir 
 teen Colonies at length agreed, through their 
 representatives, to the resolution, and it was 
 adopted by Congress on the 2d of July. On 
 that day, the Declaration of Independence w r aa 
 proposed by the committee who had been in 
 structed to prepare it,* and, after a debate of 
 three days, during which several amendments 
 
 * The Declaration was written by Mr. Jefferson, after 
 wards President of the United States. The motion to au 
 thorixe the Declaration was, as we have seen, seconded by 
 Mr. John Adams, who also was afterwards President. Both 
 of these eminent patriots died on the fourth of July, 1836, 
 exactly half a century from the day on which they put their 
 names to the paper. [See appendix A.] 
 
 F2 
 
66 LIFE OF 
 
 were made, it was agreed to on the 4th of July, 
 and signed by every member then present, 
 excepting one, who thought that it was too 
 soon to take such a step. Among the amend 
 ments made by Congress to the original draft 
 of the declaration, was the inserting of the 
 words a With a firm reliance on the protec 
 tion of Divine Providence," in the last sen 
 tence declaring that " for the support of this 
 declaration we mutually pledge to each other 
 our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred ho 
 nour." Thus \ve see that this distinguished 
 body of men were anxious to acknowledge in 
 a document, which is the most important ir 
 the history of our country, that they were de 
 pendent on the blessing of God for success in 
 their undertaking. This declaration was first 
 written and signed on paper, but was after 
 wards copied on parchment, and signed again 
 on the 2d of August. Several persons signed 
 it then who were not members of Congress 
 on the 4th of July, and some, being absent at 
 the time, did not put their names to it until 
 October.* There are fifty-six signatures to the 
 parchment copy, which is now kept in the 
 public offices at Washington. So great is the 
 estimation in which those persons are held 
 who signed this paper, that an account of the 
 life of each of them has been published, and 
 the document is held in the highest veneration 
 by every American. The yearly return of 
 the important day on which it was signed, has 
 * See appendix (B) 
 
WASHINGTON. 67 
 
 ever since been hailed with gladness. And so 
 it should be ; but not with the riotous joy 
 which disregards the laws of God and man 
 Temperate and harmless recreation should be 
 mingled with grateful acknowledgments of the 
 goodness of that all-powerful and all-merciful 
 Being, who gave us such cause for gladness 
 
 No longer striving for the repeal of objec 
 tionable laws, but for their existence as a na 
 tion, the people were united and vigorous, and 
 a new impulse was felt throughout the STATES, 
 now no longer colonies. All men had now to 
 take sides, either for or against their country, 
 and the voice of the people was nearly one for 
 liberty and independence. 
 
 About the time at which Independence was 
 declared, the brother of General Howe arrived 
 at Staten Island, with a large fleet, and a num 
 ber of troops. General Washington had made 
 every preparation in his power for defending 
 New York ; but was soon convinced that he 
 could not prevent the English ships from pass 
 ing up the Hudson river. \Yhile he was thus 
 anxiously engaged, letters were sent from the 
 commander of the fleet, addressed to the go- 
 ernors under the king ; requesting them to 
 make known to the people that he had autho- 
 -ity from the king to grant pardons to all those 
 who would return to their duty ; and that 
 every person who would aid in persuading 
 them to do so, should be rewarded. General 
 Washington sent these papers immediately to 
 
68 LIFE OF 
 
 Congress, who resolved to publish them. A 
 the same time, General Howe sent an officer 
 on shore, with a flag of truce, and a letter ad 
 dressed to " George Washington, Esquire." 
 He refused to receive it, as he considered it 
 a disrespect to his countrymen, who had given 
 him the title of "Commander-in-chief" of 
 their armies. Another letter was sent, direct 
 ed to George Washington, &c. &c. &c., and 
 the officer who brought it said that the addi 
 tion of &c. &c. &c. meant every thing that 
 ought to follow the name. General Washing 
 ton said they meant every thing, it was true, 
 but they also might mean any thing ; and he 
 should refuse to receive a letter on public bu 
 siness, if it was directed to him as a private 
 person. The officer assured him that no dis 
 respect was intended, and that General Howe 
 and his brother had been appointed by the 
 king of England to " settle the unhappy dis 
 pute which had arisen." Washington told 
 him that he had no power from Congress to say 
 any thing on that subject; but, from what he 
 could learn, it was his opinion that Gen. Howe 
 and his brother were only to grant pardons, 
 and " those who had committed no fault, 
 wanted no pardon: the Americans were only 
 defending what they considered their just 
 rights." 
 
 The English army consisted of about twen 
 ty-four thousand men, and was abundantly 
 supplied with military stores, and a numerous 
 
WASHINGTON. 69 
 
 fleet was ready to aid it. The American ar 
 my, of about thirteen thousand men, for three 
 different situations, was scantily furnished 
 with arms ; and Washington, after giving an 
 account of its state to Congress, added : 
 " These things are melancholy, but neverthe 
 less true. I hope for better. Under every 
 disadvantage, my utmost exertions shall be 
 employed to bring about the great end we 
 have in view. As far as I can judge, from the 
 apparent dispositions of my troops, I shall 
 have their support. The superiority of the 
 enemy, and the expected attack, do not seem 
 to have affected their spirits." A part of the 
 army was on Long Island, the rest on York 
 and Governor s Islands, and Paules-hook. 
 Washington earnestly endeavoured to encour 
 age his troops ; he said, " the time is per 
 haps near at hand, which will probably deter 
 mine whether Americans are to be freemen. 
 The fate of unknown millions will depend, 
 under God, on the courage and conduct of this 
 army. Let us rely on the goodness of our 
 cause, and the aid of the Supreme Being, in 
 whose hands victory is, to animate and en 
 courage us to great and noble actions." 
 
 General Howe landed his troops on Long 
 Island on the 22d July, and the Americans 
 prepared for being attacked ; a detachment of 
 them, which had been stationed to give notice 
 of the approach of the enemy, was surrounded 
 and seized ; and this gave an opportunity to 
 
70 LIFE OF 
 
 the English of advancing by a way that was 
 very favourable for their attack, which was 
 made with so large a force, and in so many 
 different directions, that it was not in the 
 power of the Americans to resist with success, 
 though they did so with bravery. General 
 Washington passed over to Brooklyn, and 
 saw, with deep sorrow, the destruction of his 
 troops. He had no power to aid them in any 
 other way than by his own exertions ; for he 
 saw, that if he brought over the rest of his 
 troops from New York, the superior force of 
 the enemy would overpower them all, and 
 thus the fate of his country be at once decided. 
 The English encamped in front of the remain- 
 ; ng Americans, and Washington determined 
 on endeavouring to save them by withdrawing 
 them from Long Island. He formed his plan, 
 and when the night of the twenty-eighth 
 came, under his directions, and assisted by 
 his exertions, all the troops and military 
 stores, with a great part of the provisions, 
 and all the artillery, were carried over to 
 New York in safety. A kind Providence fa 
 voured the Americans with a night so dark, 
 and a morning so foggy, that though their 
 enemies were within a few hundred yards of 
 them, they did not know of the movement 
 they were making, until they were beyond the 
 reach of their guns. From the commencement 
 of the action, on the morning of the 27th of 
 July, until the troops had crossed safely, on 
 
WASHINGTON. 71 
 
 he 29th, their anxious commander had not 
 closed his eyes ; and was almost all the time 
 on horseback, directing and aiding them. He 
 did not think of his own preservation until the 
 last boat was leaving the shore, and he then 
 placed himself in it, with a sad heart. 
 
 This event discouraged the American army 
 so much, that, as General Washington wrote 
 to Congress, their situation was * truly dis 
 tressing," and he had to suffer the pain of 
 seeing whole regiments return in despair to 
 their homes. 
 
 The first use which General Howe made 
 of his success, was to send a message to Phi 
 ladelphia, that though he could not treat with 
 Congress as a body, he had full power to set 
 tle the controversy upon terms that would be 
 very favourable ; and that he would meet any 
 of the members in their private character, at 
 any place they would appoint. Congress in 
 formed him, that being the representatives of a 
 free and independent people, they could not 
 send any of thei members to speak with him 
 in their private character ; but that, being de 
 sirous of peace, they would send a committee 
 to understand from him what offers he was 
 permitted to make. Three members, Benja 
 min Franklin, John Adams, and Edward Rut- 
 ledge, were appointed by Congress to visit 
 State n Island, where they were very civilly 
 received by the English commander, but as 
 any proposal he had to make was only on 
 
72 LIFE or 
 
 condition of the colonies returning to obedi 
 ence, which was not listened to, the matter 
 dropped here. 
 
 From the movements of the English army 
 and fleet, General Washington found that it 
 was their intention to surround New York, 
 and force him into a battle. The depressed 
 state of his army convinced him that this 
 would be destructive to his troops, and he 
 thought it would be right to withdraw them 
 from New York. In writing to Congress he 
 said, " On every side there is a choice of dif 
 ficulties. * * On our part the war should be 
 defensive ; \ve should, on all occasions, avoid 
 a general action ; nor put any thing to the risk, 
 unless compelled by necessity, into which we 
 ought never to be drawn." 
 
 On consulting together, the officers of the 
 army agreed, that it was best to give up New 
 York, and Washington employed himself ac 
 tively in removing the military stores to a 
 place of safety. He had urged the inhabitants to 
 remove the women and children from it when 
 the enemy first appeared on Staten Island. 
 
 When the American troops were withdrawn 
 from New York, they were stationed at Kings- 
 bridge, and the enemy took possession of the 
 city on the 15th September. The situation 
 of the American army was then very distress 
 ing to Washington ; the time for which many 
 of the soldiers had agreed to serve was almost 
 spent, and he had but a faint expectation tha 
 
WASHINGTON. 73 
 
 others would be soon engaged in their places : 
 he wrote to Congress on the subject, urging 
 them to make immediate endeavours to keep 
 up the army. He commenced his letter in 
 words which show his anxiety and modest 
 faithfulness: "From the hours allotted to 
 sleep, I will borrow a few moments to con 
 vey my thoughts on sundry important mat 
 ters to Congress. I shall offer them with that 
 sincerity which ought to characterize a man 
 of candour, and with the freedom which may 
 be used in giving useful information, without 
 incurring the imputation of presumption." 
 On receiving this long and very serious letter, 
 Congress resolved to attend to the counsel 
 which it contained, and appointed committees 
 to make exertions for raising more troops. 
 
 General Howe wished to prevent the Ame 
 rican army having intercourse with the New 
 England states, and he marched his troops 
 with an intention to surround the principal 
 division of the army. But General Washing- 
 tpn was too watchful to permit him to suc 
 ceed in doing so. Several actions were fought 
 by small detachments from each army, but he 
 carefully avoided a general battle ; except in 
 one instance, when he was favourably situated 
 on the hills, near the White Plains, in the 
 state of New York ; the English General de 
 clined it then, and changed his plans, and re 
 tired slowly down the North river, to enter 
 New Jersey. When Washington discovered 
 G 
 
74 LIFE OF 
 
 his intention, he wrote to the governor of that 
 state, to inform him of it, and to General 
 Green, who was placed there with some Ame 
 rican troops ; and he requested them to make 
 every preparation possible fpr defence. He 
 then placed all the troops that he could spare 
 in the forts of the Highlands, in the state of 
 New York ; and passed over into New Jer 
 sey with his little army, in the middle of No 
 vember. Cornwallis, an English general, fol 
 lowed with a large force, and Washington 
 moved on to New Brunswick, where he 
 stopped. There he had the mortification of 
 seeing his army made still less, by the depar 
 ture of many of the soldiers whose time had 
 expired. He again wrote to the governor for 
 some aid, but he had not the power to give it. 
 He wrote urgently to General Lee, (who 
 commanded the eastern troops,) to join him 
 as quickly as possible. This sad situation 
 brought into exercise all his wisdom and firm 
 ness. His army was reduced to about three 
 thousand men; and they were scantily arm 
 ed, poorly clad, and many of them barefooted. 
 The army that pressed after them was more 
 than double their number, well armed, well 
 clad and fed, and in high spirits. 
 
 The contrast between the splendid appear 
 ance of the English, and the sad and ragged 
 condition of the Americans, seemed to make 
 the triumph of the former certain. 
 
 Afflicted, but not dismayed, by the cheei 
 
WASHINGTON 75 
 
 lessness of his prospects, Washington did not 
 cease for a moment to act with animation, and 
 encouraged his few troops with expressions 
 of confidence that they should not be deliver 
 ed into the hands of their enemies. He re 
 mained at New Brunswick until they were in 
 sight, and then moved on towards the Dela 
 ware river, and soon succeeded in having the 
 military stores and scanty baggage of his ar- 
 mv conveyed across, and the men who were 
 sick sent to Philadelphia. 
 
 The citizens determined to give all the aid 
 in their power to Washington, and fifteen 
 hundred of them marched immediately to join 
 him. He had sent twelve hundred men back 
 to Princeton, with the hope that by thus ap 
 pearing to advance towards the enemy, he 
 might delay them, and give some encourage 
 ment to the inhabitants of New Jersey. When 
 the troops from Philadelphia joined him, he 
 marched towards Princeton, but heard that 
 Cornwallis had received a lisrge addition to 
 his troops, and was advancing by differ 
 ent roads to surround him. Again he was 
 obliged to retreat, and crossed the Delaware. 
 He secured all the boats, and broke down the 
 bridges on the roads along the Jersey shore, 
 and placed his army in such a manner as to 
 guard, as well as possible, all the fording 
 places. 
 
 As the last of the Americans crossed the 
 river, the English army appeared. The main 
 
76 LIFE OF 
 
 purt of it was at Trenton, and detachments 
 above and below, so as to make it quite uncer 
 tain where they intended to attempt crossing 
 the river. Washington sent officers to Phila 
 delphia, with directions to form lines of de 
 fence there, and to endeavour to secure the 
 military stores. He gave particular orders on 
 the 8th of December, to all the officers of his 
 little army, to enable them to know how to 
 act, in case the enemy attempted to cross the 
 -iver. One of his officers said, with despon 
 dency, " How far must we go on retreating ?" 
 " To Virginia," said Washington ; " and, if 
 followed there, over the Alleghany Mountains, 
 and try what we can do there." 
 
 General Lee advanced slowly with his 
 troops, and imprudently slept at a distance of 
 three miles from his army, in a farm house, at 
 about twenty miles from the enemy. Inform 
 ation of this was given, and an English officer 
 sent a company well mounted, who reached 
 the farm house and surrounded it before Gen 
 eral Lee had left it ; he was carried to the 
 English army, and considered as a deserter 
 from the British service. General Sullivan, 
 the next in command to Lee, immediately 
 hastened the march of the troops, and soon 
 joined General Washington. 
 
 All the attempts of the English to get boats 
 to cross the river failed, and their general de 
 termined to place them in quarters for the win 
 ter. which had commenced. Some were 
 
WASHINGTON. 77 
 
 placed in Princeton, and the rest at the prin 
 cipal towns of that part of New Jersey. 
 
 Washington thought that it was not proba 
 ble Cornwallis would remain in winter shelter 
 longer than until the ice should be strong 
 enough for his troops to cross it, and he em 
 ployed his anxious and active mind in reflect 
 ing on some plan for stopping the success of 
 the foes of his country. While they were 
 comfortably housed, the Americans were ex 
 posed to the wintry blasts ; for not many 
 could be sheltered in farm houses near enough 
 to each other; and those who could not, made 
 the frozen ground their bed and their knap 
 sacks their pillows. No doubt many who thus 
 lay, offered fervent and humble prayers to 
 God, who suits his mercies to the necessities 
 of all who honour him ; and beneath the care 
 which he has promised to those who put their 
 trust in him, they slept soundly, though they 
 were unsheltered. 
 
 When General Washington reflected on the 
 dispersed situation of the English troops, he 
 said, " Now is the time to clip their wings, 
 when they are so spread." For this purpose 
 he formed a bold plan. He separated his ar 
 my into three divisions. One, consisting of 
 about two thousand four hundred men, com 
 manded by himself, was to cross the Dela 
 ware, at M Konky s Ferry, about nine miles 
 above Trenton, and then to march down in 
 two divisions ; one taking the river road, and 
 o2 
 
? LIFE OF 
 
 he other the Pennington road, both of which 
 led into the town ; the one at the west end, 
 and the other towards the north. The second 
 division of the army, commanded by General 
 Irvine, was to cross at Trenton Ferry, and 
 secure the bridge below the town, so as to 
 prevent the enemy from escaping by that way. 
 The third, commanded by General Cadwala- 
 der, was to cross at Bristol, and make an at 
 tack on the troops posted at Burlington. 
 
 Christmas night was appointed for the dif 
 ferent divisions to cross the river. As the 
 night approached, a driving sleet fell, and the 
 cold became severe. Washington, with the 
 division which he commanded, was the greater 
 part of the night struggling amidst the ice, 
 which was driven in fearful wildness ; rain 
 and snow fell in a mingled shower, and it was 
 four o clock, on the morning of the 26th, be 
 fore they succeeded in reaching the New Jer 
 sey shore. One division then marched, as 
 had been planned, by the river road, and the 
 other by the Pennington road. Washington 
 arrived at Trenton exactly at eight o clock, 
 and drove in the outguards of the enemy, and 
 in three minutes he heard the other division 
 doing the same. 
 
 Colonel Rawle, the English commander, 
 paraded his troops to meet the Americans, but 
 he was soon mortally wounded, and his 
 troops then attempted to move off. Wash 
 ington sent a detachment to meet them as they 
 
WASHINGTON. 79 
 
 were retreating, and the enemy finding 1 them 
 selves surrounded, laid down their arras. 
 
 The divisions of the American army which 
 were commanded by Generals Irvine and 
 Cadwalader, had not been able to cross the ri 
 ver amid the driving ice ; and as that part of 
 the plan which they were to perform failed, 
 Washington concluded it would not he pru 
 dent to remain with his small force where he 
 should probably be soon attacked by the col 
 lected force of his enemies ; he therefore re- 
 crossed the Delaware with his prisoners, and 
 military stores that he had taken. One thou 
 sand was the number of the prisoners. Two 
 American soldiers had been killed, and two or 
 three wounded, and one officer. 
 
 This bold and successful attack occasioned 
 great astonishment to the English army, as 
 they had believed the Americans to be in a 
 state too feeble to attempt resistance, even 
 when it should suit their enemies to leave 
 their comfortable quarters to attack them. 
 
 Cornwallis had gone to New York, but he 
 returned immediately to New Jersey, with 
 more troops, to regain the ground which had 
 been thus unexpectedly taken from him. The 
 officer who commanded at Burlington, march 
 ed his troops to Princeton, and the division 
 of the American army which was opposite, 
 crossed over and took possession of Burling 
 ton. 
 
 Washington resolved not to remain idle, 
 
80 LIFE OF 
 
 and he passed again over to Trenton, to en 
 deavour to recover at least a part of New Jer 
 sey. The English collected in full force at 
 Princeton, and formed there some works of 
 defence. Washington collected all his troops 
 together at Trenton, and the next day the En 
 glish army approached it. He then crossed 
 the Assumpinck creek, which runs through 
 the town, and drew up his army beside it. 
 The enemy attempted to cross it, but were 
 prevented, and they halted and kindled their 
 night fires. 
 
 The situation of Washington was a very 
 dangerous one. If he remained as he was, he 
 was almost sure of being attacked, at the 
 dawn of day, by a force far superior to his 
 own ; and he thought that the destruction of 
 his little army must be the consequence. To 
 pass the Delaware was almost impossible, 
 from the state it was in, with masses of drift 
 ing ice. Wisdom to plan, and strength to act, 
 were given to him by the mighty God of 
 armies. 
 
 The night fires of the English burned 
 brightly, and Washington directed his troops 
 to light their fires along the edge of the creek. 
 The bright close blaze became as a screening- 
 cloud between their enemies and them, while 
 it was as a pillar of fire to light them in the 
 silent preparations which their commander 
 directed them to make for moving away. 
 That important night was particularly 
 
WASHINGTON. 81 
 
 marked by the favour of Divine Providence ; 
 and in after years, many a pious father, seated 
 in his comfortable home, and surrounded by 
 the children for whose rights he had chat 
 night been struggling, delighted, with devout 
 thankfulness, to tell them, how the clouds 
 and the winds were commanded by their 
 great Ruler, to aid a people struggling foi 
 their liberty. 
 
 Several days of soft weather had made the 
 roads vdry deep ; a light rain had been falling, 
 but suddenly the clouds were driven off by a 
 strong west wind, which was so cold that 
 the roads were frozen by it, and became like 
 a pavement, over which Washington and his 
 little army moved in silence, towards Prince 
 ton, and arrived within a short distance of it, 
 early in the morning. 
 
 Three British regiments had encamped at 
 Princeton the preceding night. A small party, 
 at the distance of more than a mile, discovered 
 the arms of the Americans glittering in the 
 oeams of the rising sun ; they immediately 
 returned to their camp, gave the alarm, and 
 prevented a complete surprise. The British 
 advanced towards the Americans, and attacked 
 the militia, who were in front ; they gave way, 
 and General Mercer, a very valuable officer 
 from Virginia, was killed while he was en- 
 leavouring to rally the broken troops. Wash 
 ington feeling assured that a defeat then would 
 be ruinous to the interest of his country, rode 
 
82 LIFE OF 
 
 forward with speed, placed himself between 
 the enemy and his own troops, and by his 
 commands and example restored them to or 
 der. He was between the fires of the two 
 armies, but the protecting- shield of his Crea 
 tor was again on every side, to preserve him 
 from the weapons of destruction. He entered 
 Princeton, and after a short action, took pos 
 session of it, and secured three hundred pri 
 soners. A part of the British troops took 
 refuge in the College, but were soon forced to 
 surrender by the fire of the Americans. 
 
 After the action, a militia officer, (who 
 never turned away from the complaints of a 
 suffering fellow-being, whether friend or foe,) 
 in passing where some dead bodies were 
 stretched, heard a moan ; he stopped to listen, 
 and in a few moments discovered the wounded 
 sufferer who uttered it. He raised him ten 
 derly in his arms, and asked if he could re 
 lieve him ; the wounded man, faintly said, 
 " No, it is too late," and then made an effort 
 to speak his own name, and that of an English 
 officer, and added, " Take my watch, and 
 send it to him ; take my razor from my knap 
 sack, and keep it, as the gift of a grateful, 
 dying man." His eyes closed in death, and 
 nis request was faithfully performed. His gift 
 was kept with care, and in after days, shown 
 by its owner, with a satisfactory recollection 
 of the confidence of a dying enemy. 
 
 The same officer, in writing to his family 
 
WASHINGTON. 83 
 
 an account of the battle at Princeton, said, 
 4 1 would wish to say a few words respecting 
 .he actions of that truly great man, General 
 Washington, but it is not in my power to con 
 vey any just ideas of him. I shall never for 
 get what I felt when I saw him brave all the 
 dangers of the field, his important life hang 
 ing as it were by a single hair, with a thou 
 sand deaths flying around him. I thought 
 not of myself. He is surely Heaven s pecu 
 liar care." 
 
 The British troops at Trenton were under 
 arms, and about to attack the Americans by 
 the light of the dawn ; but when it came, they 
 discovered that the whole force, with their 
 baggage and stores, had withdrawn; and they 
 soon heard the sound of their cannon at 
 Princeton, which, though in the midst of win 
 ter, they supposed to be thunder. 
 
 Again was Washington surrounded with 
 perplexing perils. His wearied troops had 
 been one night, and some of them two, with 
 out sleep. The march had been fatiguing 
 and painful to the soldiers, whose bare feel 
 left traces of blood to mark their path, ana 
 the cold was piercing to those who wen? 
 thinly clad. Fearing an attack in this condi 
 tion from the English army, which was si 
 much larger, and not wearied by fatiguing 
 marches and loss of rest, he gave up his plai 
 of going to New-Brunswick; and breaking 
 down all the bridges over the creeks between 
 
94 LIFE OF 
 
 that place and Princeton, he moved to Pluck- 
 emin, where his troops rested. Cornwallis. 
 alarmed by the events at Trenton and Prince 
 ton, marched to New-Brunswick, and began 
 to move his military stores to a place of 
 greater safety. 
 
 The suffering state of the Americans from 
 want of tents, clothes, and blankets, induced 
 their commander to determine on putting them 
 under shelter for the rest of the winter ; and 
 he marched for this purpose to Morristown. 
 
 The ranks of the American army had often 
 been thinned by that dreadful disease, the 
 small pox. The blessing of vaccination was 
 not then known; and inoculation had seldom 
 been practised in this country. General Wash 
 ington formed the bold, but judicious resolu 
 tion, of having every officer and soldier who 
 had not had the disease, inoculated. This 
 was done very successfully, and the troops 
 being undisturbed during the progress of the 
 complaint, recovered under the care of Him 
 who -healeth all our diseases. 
 
 The unexpected and successful attacks 
 made at Trenton and Princeton, by an army 
 that was thought to be conquered, saved Phi 
 ladelphia for that winter; and revived the 
 spirits of the Americans so much, that the 
 difficulty of raising troops for the next season, 
 Was lessened in all the states. 
 
 In compliance with the advice of Wash 
 ington, Congress had resolved to enlist sot 
 
WASHINGTON. 85 
 
 diers who would consent to serve while the 
 war continued. This was very satisfactoiy 
 to him ; as he had suffered much from the 
 short enlistments, by which his army had 
 often been reduced when he most needed a 
 strong for^e. When the American army had 
 retreated through New-Jersey, the inhabitants 
 were so sure of its destruction, that they 
 thought it would be useless to make any at 
 tempt to defend themselves ; but after the suc 
 cessful engagements at Trenton and Prince 
 ton, they were so cheered, that they collected 
 in large companies, and the militia became 
 very active in assisting to confine the English 
 to Amboy and New-Brunswick, where they 
 were stationed when Washington led his army 
 to Morristown. 
 
 Through this period of universal depression, 
 Congress had acted with firmness, and an un 
 changed resolution to trust the event of the 
 contest to Divine Providence, and adhere to 
 the Independence they had declared. Sup 
 posing that the enemy would advance to Phi 
 ladelphia, they removed to Baltimore, and 
 made efforts to encourage their countrymen, 
 and lead them to persist in what seemed to be 
 an almost hopeless cause. They advised each 
 state to appoint a day of humiliation and 
 prayer, to implore God to forgive their sins 
 as a people, and assist them by his favour in 
 their day of trouble. And they soon had 
 reason to praise him for giving them cause to 
 H 
 
80 LIFE OF 
 
 feel, that " though cast down," they were 
 " noi forsaken." During that season of deep 
 est gloom which had overspread the United 
 States, when the hearts of all were tried, he 
 who bore the greatest responsibility, felt most 
 keenly for the fate of his country. The 
 late Governor Brooks, of Massachusetts, then 
 an Aid to Washington, came to him from a 
 tour of duty, in his own state. He found the 
 General deeply affected, and as he talked of 
 the condition of his troops, and the wrongs of 
 his country, he shed tears of grief. " Sir," 
 said he, " my only hope is in God. Go back 
 to Massachusetts, and do what you can to 
 raise men and money." Thus felt and spoke 
 the man, whom nations admire, and who was 
 sensible that there is a God in heaven, who 
 rules not there alone, but also among the 
 children of men. His confidence was not in 
 vain. From the midst of darkness came a 
 light that cheered the hearts of his country 
 men, and the drooping spirits of the nation 
 were revived. 
 
 While the Americans were in Morristown, 
 their number was so small, that it was diffi 
 cult for Washington to keep up the appearance 
 of an army ; but he sent out small detach 
 ments to show themselves in different direc 
 tions ; and with the assistance of the New 
 Jersey militia, succeeded in keeping the ene 
 my from again overspreading the country. 
 As the spring advanced, and new troops were 
 
WASHINGTON. 87 
 
 raised, there was a difficulty in assembling 
 them as the commander-in-chief wished ; for 
 the English had possession of the ocean, and 
 so could attack any state in the union ; and 
 each one desired to be defended. This could 
 not be done, without separating the troops 
 into small divisions, and placing them distant 
 from each other. Washington possessed that 
 solid judgment which makes the best use of 
 small means ; and he determined to prepare 
 in the surest manner that could be effected 
 for defending the eastern states, the highlands 
 of New York, where it was very important to 
 preserve the forts, and Philadelphia, which 
 seemed to be the object of Cornwallis. When 
 he had placed troops for this purpose, he 
 formed his own camp at Middlebrook, in 
 New Jersey, with not quite six thousand men. 
 Early in June, the English army was in 
 creased by troops from New York, and the 
 commander moved them in different directions, 
 for the purpose of drawing Washington from 
 his camp to a battle; but he was too wise to 
 be led into danger, which would have been 
 almost certain destruction to his small army. 
 He continued watching the movements of the 
 enemy with anxiety. Sometimes they ap 
 peared as if intending to go to the north, and 
 then moved towards the south. Washington 
 kept his troops posted on the heights, in front 
 of his camp, always ready in case of an at 
 tack. He wrote to General Arnold his opin- 
 
88 LIFE OF 
 
 ion, that it was the intention of the em my to 
 destroy his army, and get possession of Phi 
 ladelphia, but that he would endeavour to 
 prevent the first part of the plan being suc 
 cessful ; and if they moved towards Phila 
 delphia, he would be close after them to do 
 every thing in his power to delay them. 
 
 The English commander, finding that he 
 could not draw Washington from his camp, 
 determined on removing to New Jersey, and 
 taking them on board of the fleet to the Chesa 
 peake or Delaware. Washington took advan 
 tage of this, and moved his army for the pur 
 pose of following the enemy cautiously. They 
 had passed over to Staten Island, but their 
 commander suddenly resolved on returning to 
 endeavour to get possession of the situation 
 Washington had left, who immediately moved 
 back, and prevented the success of this plan. 
 The whole English army then crossed to Sta 
 ten Island, and entered the fleet. 
 
 At that time, an English general named 
 Prescot, commanded troops on Rhode Island ; 
 a militia officer, named Barton, with a small 
 party, passed ten miles by water without 
 being observed by the ships of war ; and then 
 landed within a mile of the place where they 
 knew General Prescot slept. They quietly 
 seized the guards, and took the general from 
 his bed, and conveyed him in safety to their 
 own quarters. The success of this bold at 
 tempt gave great joy ; because it was expected 
 
WASHINGTON. 
 
 89 
 
 that the English would consent to give up 
 General Lee for General Prescot. 
 
 On receiving an account that the English 
 fleet had sailed from New York, the American 
 army was moved towards Philadelphia. 
 
 The English had a large force at Quebec, 
 commanded by General Burgoyne. Sir Wil 
 liam Howe wrote to him, that though he 
 seemed to be moving towards the south, it 
 was his intention to turn towards Boston, 
 which he meant to attack, assisted by Bur- 
 goyne s troops. This letter was given to Gen. 
 Putnam, by a man who said he had been di 
 rected to take it to Quebec. Putnam sent it 
 immediately to General Washington. When 
 he read the letter, he said he was certain it 
 was written with the intention that it should 
 fall into his hands to deceive him ; and it con 
 vinced him that the enemy would soon be near 
 to Philadelphia ; but knowing that the Ame 
 rican army in the north was a feeble one, he 
 proved the patriotism of his feelings by lessen 
 ing his own force to assist them. The real 
 advantage of his countrymen, and not the ac 
 quirement of fame for himself, was the mo 
 tive which always ruled his actions as an offi 
 cer. 
 
 He called out the militia of Maryland, 
 Pennsylvania, and the northern part of Virgi 
 nia, and then marched with his own troops 
 towards the head of Elk river, in Maryland. 
 
 A militia officer, in writing to his family an 
 
90 LIFE OF 
 
 account of the appearance of the army as it 
 passed through Philadelphia, said, "As Wash 
 ington, the most dignified and respectable of 
 mortals, marching at the head of the American 
 army, passed, the tories hid their heads and 
 trembled, whilst the friends of freedom appear 
 ed on each side of the streets, and bowed with 
 gratitude and respect to the great man ; and 
 were I to judge of his feelings, I think he 
 would not have exchanged his situation for 
 all that kings in their profusion could be 
 stow." 
 
 As Washington advanced towards Elk ri 
 ver, he heard that the enemy were landing, 
 whose whole force consisted of about eighteen 
 thousand men, in good health, high spirits, and 
 well trained. Washington s force was about 
 eleven thousand, and not all of these were 
 supplied with arms. 
 
 He was desirous to place his army in the 
 most favourable situation for meeting their 
 powerful foes, and he moved to the Brandy- 
 wine Creek, in the state of Delaware, and took 
 possession of the high grounds, extending 
 southward from Chad s Ford. He knew that 
 Philadelphia could not be saved without a suc 
 cessful battle ; and that Congress, and the 
 people generally, expected that he would not 
 give it up without an attempt to prevent the 
 enemy from possessing it. In making his pre 
 parations for an attack, he was deceived by a 
 false account of the number of the enemy- and 
 
WASHINGTON. 91 
 
 of their movements as they were advancing 1 , 
 and was therefore disappointed in the most 
 important part of the plan he had formed for 
 meeting them. When they drew near, he 
 used great efforts to encourage his troops, and 
 on the llth of September an action com 
 menced, which was very severe. Sir William 
 Howe was successful in driving the Ameri 
 cans from the ground, but they were not too 
 much discouraged to risk another action for 
 the safety of Philadelphia. 
 
 Washington allowed them one day for rest, 
 and then marched on the Lancaster road, to a 
 spot near the Warren Tavern, about twenty- 
 three miles from Philadelphia. In a few hours 
 he heard that the enemy were approaching, 
 and he prepared to meet them. The dreadful 
 work of destruction was commencing, when a 
 powerful rain began to fall, and became so 
 violent that the arms of the Americans were 
 soon unfit for use ; a retreat was absolutely 
 necessary, and as Washington was convinced 
 that his army was not in a state to gain suc 
 cess in an action, he determined to avoid be 
 ing attacked. He directed that all the military 
 stores in the city should be removed to a place 
 of safety, so that very little public property 
 might fall into the hands of the enemy, who, 
 headed by Cornwallis, entered Philadelphia 
 on the 26th of September. 
 
 Congress separated on the 18th Septem 
 ber, and met at Lancaster, in Pennsylvania 
 
92 LIFE OF 
 
 on the 27th. Washington focrk a position be 
 yond Germantown, that lie might attack the 
 British troops posted at that village. On the 
 30th October an assault was made, but a heavy 
 fog and darkness caused mistakes in the 
 movements of the troops, and a skilful retreat 
 was all that the commander could effect, and 
 for his management of this, he received the 
 thanks of Congress. The chief point of con 
 test was at Chew s house, in the upper part 
 of Germantown, which still bears the marks 
 of the battle. 
 
 The news of this attack on the enemy, al 
 though unsuccessful, made a great impression 
 in our favour in Europe, and military men be 
 gan to believe that such skill and valour would 
 be finally successful. The loss of Ameri 
 can soldiers and officers was much greater 
 than that of the British, but they lost also 
 some valuable officers. One of these was at 
 tended in a house in Germantown, by a fe 
 male, who endeavoured to give some relief to 
 his sufferings ; but he felt that all human aid 
 was vain, and said, " Woman pray for me ." 
 Thus in that hour, when the soul feels what 
 it truly is, and that soon it must be in the pre 
 sence of its holy Creator and just Judge, the 
 duty and the value of prayer is owned; and on 
 almost every bed of death is fulfilled the words 
 of Scripture, " O Thou that hearest prayer, 
 unto Thee shall all flesh come." 
 
 Soon after the battle of Germantown, Sii 
 
WASHINGTON. 93 
 
 William Howe drew all his troops into Phila 
 delphia, to employ them in removing the ob 
 structions which had been placed in the De 
 laware river, to prevent his ships from pass 
 ing up to the city. Washington had placed 
 troops in Fort Mifflin, on Mud Island, and in 
 a redoubt a few miles from Philadelphia, at 
 Red Bank, a high bluff, so called from the co 
 lour of the sand on it. Count Donop, a Ger 
 man officer, was sent with a detachment of 
 Hessians of about twelve hundred men, to at 
 tack the fort at Red Bank, which was com 
 manded by Colonel Greene. On the evening 
 of the 22d of October, Donop appeared before 
 the fort ; Greene, with his garrison of five 
 hundred men, received him bravely ; and the 
 assault and defence were both spirited and ob 
 stinate. Donop was killed, and the second in 
 command, Colonel Wingerode, fell at the 
 same time ; the oldest remaining officer then 
 drew off his troops, and returned to Philadel 
 phia. The loss of the assailants was four 
 hundred, and of the defenders, thirty-two kill 
 ed and wounded. A continued struggle was 
 kept up for more than six weeks, to prevent 
 the English in Philadelphia having free com 
 munication with their fleet, but at length they 
 succeeded. 
 
 Several officers had been wounded at the 
 battle of Brandywine, and among these was 
 the marquis Lafayette. This generous stran 
 ger was early called to bleed in that cause for 
 
94 LIFE OF 
 
 which he had ventured his all. He had left 
 France, his native land, and come to America 
 to risk his life and spend his fortune in the 
 cause of liberty. He was only nineteen years 
 of age, when he gave up a gay scene of youth 
 ful pleasures to enter on one of dangerous 
 toils. The American commissioners who 
 were in France honestly told him of the de 
 pressed state of the American army, and of 
 the sufferings that he would be exposed to. 
 This did not change, but fixed his generous in 
 tention, and he hastened his preparations to 
 cross the ocean, and make known to Congress 
 his purpose, and arrived in Charleston early 
 in the year 1777. They welcomed with re 
 spect this brave friend of their country, and 
 gave him the commission of a major-general 
 in their army; a title which he has ever since 
 preferred to that of marquis. His disinterested 
 conduct, and amiable character, made Wash 
 ington his friend ; and he could not know and 
 be near to Wasnmgton without becoming at 
 tached to him. Their friendship was sincere, 
 warm, and steady. 
 
 Thus, in his first visit to our country, La 
 fayette was welcomed as a friend to the cause 
 of liberty; and his determination to share in 
 the toils and dangers of the Americans, in 
 their struggle to obtain it, was as lasting as it 
 was ardent, and not like the bright morning 
 cloud which soon passes away. And when, 
 in August of the year 1824, he again visited 
 
WASHINGTON. 95 
 
 our country, to behold the prosperity with 
 which the God of nations has blessed it, the 
 joyful and grateful manner in which he was 
 received throughout the United States, proved 
 that Americans had not forgotten his generous 
 services. Old soldiers grasped his friendly 
 hand with a welcome of affectionate gladness ; 
 children, in thousands, pressed around him to 
 share the kind notice of his eye ; and all the 
 people were of one mind in desiring to show 
 him some mark of grateful respect. In ac 
 cordance with this general feeling, Congress 
 bestowed on him a tract of land constituting a 
 township in the state of Alabama, and fifty 
 thousand dollars in money. They invited him 
 to make the United States his home, but his 
 own country was still under an oppressive go 
 vernment, and he returned to promote the 
 cause of liberty there. His conduct in the 
 revolution of 1830, when Charles X., King of 
 France, was driven from the throne and coun 
 try, contributed greatly to restrain the violence 
 of the people, and to avert the horrors ot a 
 civil war. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 1777. 
 
 WHILE Washington kept up the contest 111 
 the middle states, very interesting events were 
 passing in the northern states. 
 
 A plan had been formed by the British go- 
 
96 LIFE OF 
 
 vernment, for sending an army to pass from 
 Canada to the Hudson river, by the way of 
 the lakes, and to take possession of all the 
 American forts. General Burgoyne had the 
 command of this army, and he engaged seve 
 ral Indian warriors, who thirsted for blood and 
 plunder, to join him. A fleet was ready on 
 the lakes to assist him. When these prepara 
 tions were known, the people were filled with 
 terror ; the fear of the tomahawk and scalp- 
 ing-knife added greatly to their dread of the 
 power of the English. General Burgoyne 
 made a war-speech to his ferocious allies, the 
 Indians ; they listened attentively, but his 
 charge to refrain from cruelty was not remem 
 bered, when they had the power to indulge 
 their natural dispositions. 
 
 Ticonderoga was commanded by General 
 St. Clair. On the 1st of July Burgoyne pre 
 pared to attack the fort, and his force was so 
 powerful and so well arranged that General 
 St. Clair was convinced that resistance would 
 ensure the destruction of all his troops, and 
 he determined on withdrawing secretly. Or 
 ders were given to march out quietly, and set 
 nothing on fire; but this order was not obeyed, 
 and a house was soon in flames, which served 
 as a signal to the enemy, who immediately 
 entered the fort, and fired on the retreating 
 troops, and then followed them and attacked 
 them with so much ardour, that they were in 
 a short time reduced to a very small number. 
 
WASHINGTON. 97 
 
 General Schuyler had been advancing from 
 Stillwater with troops, when he heard of the 
 retreat of St. Clair, and he then used great ef 
 forts to obtain a larger force, that he might 
 stop the progress of the enemy. St. Clair 
 continued retreating, closely pursued, until at 
 length he joined General Schuyler, who had 
 returned with his troops to Stilhvater. 
 
 When General Washington heard the sad 
 news from the north, he wrote to General 
 Schuyler, " This stroke is indeed severe ; 
 but, notwithstanding things at present wear a 
 dark and gloomy aspect, I hope a spirited op 
 position will check the progress of General 
 Burgoyne s arms, and that the confidence de 
 rived from success will hurry him into mea 
 sures that will in their consequences be fa 
 vourable to us. We should never despair 
 Our situation has been unpromising, and has 
 changed for the better. So, I trust, it will 
 again. If ne\v difficulties arise, we must only 
 put forth new exertions." 
 
 After taking Ticonderoga, Burgoyne sent a 
 part of his army up the lake, to Skeensbo- 
 rough v where they destroyed the American 
 flotilla, and a considerable quantity of military 
 s ores. 
 
 The success of Burgoyne had the effect 
 which Washington had hoped for. He was 
 so confident of conquering by his well ordered 
 troops, that he determined on dividing his 
 army, and sending detachments in different di- 
 I 
 
98 LIFE OF 
 
 rections, that he might overrun a larger por 
 tion of the country at once. He sent a detach 
 ment of five hundred English and one hundred 
 Indians to seize the military stores at the town 
 of Bennington, in Vermont. General Starke 
 attacked and entirely routed these troops ; the 
 greater part of them were killed or taken pri 
 soners ; a few escaped into the woods. Other 
 troops, sent by Burgoyne, arrived, and met 
 their flying comrades. They were attacked 
 by the Americans, and obliged to give up 
 their baggage and artillery, and save them 
 selves by retreating under cover of the night. 
 
 In this action the Americans gained one 
 thousand stand of arms from the enemy, and 
 the report of the British killed and wounded 
 was seven hundred, and of Americans, one 
 hundred. 
 
 These sanguinary battles are not recited to 
 fill the mind with a love of scenes which 
 should strike us with horror, at the dreadful 
 result produced by human passions. They 
 are facts, however, connected with our coun 
 try s struggle for liberty ; and, no doubt, such 
 signal success encouraged greatly the hearts 
 of those who stood up for its defence. 
 
 General Gates took the command of the 
 northern army. General Washington had 
 sent a detachment of riflemen from his own 
 army, and had directed all the troops that 
 were in Massachusetts to join them ; and Ge 
 neral Gates, with this force, met Burgoyne at 
 
WASHINGTON 9 
 
 Stillwater, where a battle wi.s fought on the 
 19th September, which was very severe, and 
 neither army could claim the victory ; but it 
 was an action in which the Indians became 
 tired, and deserted in great numbers, so that 
 it was in reality of great importance to the 
 Americans. 
 
 General Burgoyne moved on towards Sara 
 oga, and General Gates followed him. Bur 
 goyne, as if disposed to destroy the country 
 which he could not conquer, set fire to all the 
 dwelling houses in his way, and reduced them 
 to ashes, broke down all the bridges, and 
 endeavoured to stop up the road, to delay his 
 pursuers ; but the Americans were not long in 
 surmounting such difficulties. 
 
 General Gates, anticipating the course that 
 Burgoyne would take, placed his own troops 
 n such situations as entirely surrounded the 
 army of the enemy. 
 
 To deprive Burgoyne of his only hope of 
 escape up the Hudson, General Gates ordered 
 troops to guard all the fords, and defend them 
 until his arniy should join them. General 
 Burgoyne used every means to effect an 
 escape, but his conquering course was run 
 Seeing his situation to be desperate, he mad 
 proposals for a surrender, and articles of capi 
 tulation were agreed to, by which the British 
 soldiers were to march out of their camp, lay 
 down their arms, and not to serve again in the 
 war. They were to go to Boston, and thence 
 
100 . LIFE OF 
 
 to England. This important victory was gain 
 ed on the 16th October, and filled the people 
 with a strong confidence that they had the fa 
 vour of God, and might take to themselves the 
 promise, " In war he shall redeem thee from 
 the power of the sword." 
 
 The event gave a new face to things in Eu 
 rope, and the contest of the colonies began to 
 excite feelings of deep interest among the rival 
 nations of the continent. It was of the high 
 est importance to the states to gain the aid of 
 those nations while they were so weak, and 
 without funds to carry on the war, and the 
 prospects of success were now so greatly in 
 creased, that those powers began to seek their 
 own advantage in forming friendly relations 
 with a country whose commerce was so great. 
 
 When the victory was known in Pennsyl 
 vania, some of the officers of the army were 
 so elated by it, that they were anxious imme 
 diately to make an attack on the enemy in Phi 
 ladelphia, and the people generally approved 
 of the rash plan. Many, who only looked on 
 while their countrymen were toiling, thought 
 that they knew better than Washington how 
 to conduct the war, and they were loud in 
 their talk on the subject. 
 
 Washhigton knew well the condition of 
 both armies. His steady mind was not daz 
 zled by the idea of the praise he should gain 
 by success, and he persevered in resisting- 
 public clamour, when he knew that by yield- 
 
WASHINGTON .- :01 
 
 ing to it ho should endanger ihe imere^ts of 
 his country. His unyielding virtue skvad his 
 array for more important services. He was 
 always in the best state of preparation that he 
 could by constant exertion effect, for meeting 
 an attack ; but was resolved not to commence 
 one. 
 
 Intelligence was brought to him that the 
 enemy in the city were preparing to march 
 out of it, and that it was the design of Gene 
 ral Howe, as he said, to drive him beyond 
 the mountains. 
 
 This information was given by a female, 
 named Lydia Darrah, who resided in Second 
 street below Spruce street, opposite to Gene 
 ral Howe s head-quarters, in Philadelphia. 
 Two of the British officers chose a back 
 chamber in her house, as a secure place to 
 hold private conversations in ; and on the 2d 
 December they told her they would be there 
 at seven o clock, and remain late, and desired 
 that she and all her family would go to bed 
 early. She thought something that would be 
 important to the Americans was to be talked 
 of, and she placed herself in a situation to 
 overhear what was said, and understood from 
 the conversation that all the British troops 
 were to march out in the evening of the 4th, 
 to surprise General Washington in his camp. 
 Supposing it to be in her power to save the 
 lives of hundreds of her countrymen, she was 
 determined to try to carry this intelligence to 
 12 
 
102 LIFE OF 
 
 General _ Washington., . She told her family 
 sue would go toFrankford, to the mill, where 
 she always got her flour ; and she had no 
 difficulty in getting permission from Gene- 
 neral Howe to pass the troops on the lines. 
 Leaving her bag at the mill, she hastened to 
 wards the American camp, and met an Ameri 
 can officer, named Craig, whom she knew. 
 To him she told the secret, and made him 
 promise not to betray her, as her life might 
 in that case be taken by the British. Craig 
 hastened to General Washington with the in 
 formation, and Lydia returned home with her 
 flour. 
 
 General Howe marched on the 4th Decem 
 ber, but found Washington expecting him ; 
 and, disappointed, he encamped within three 
 miles of the Americans. An action was then 
 expected by Washington, and he prepared for 
 it. 
 
 One day passed in which small detachments 
 from each army attacked each other, and then 
 all remained again at rest. Another day was 
 spent in the same manner, and Washington 
 employed himself in giving directions to every 
 division of his army, and in encouraging them 
 to resist with calm bravery. General Howe 
 suddenly broke up his camp, and marched his 
 troops back to the city. His doing so was a 
 proof that he doubted too much the result of a 
 contest, when the Americans were in a favour 
 able situation for meeting him. 
 
WASHINGTON. 103 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 1777_1780. 
 
 As the severe cold increased, the sufferings 
 of the troops caused Washington great anxie 
 ty ; and he determined on seeking some better 
 shelter for them than that of tents. He could 
 not separate them with safety, and he deter 
 mined on removing to a place called the Val 
 ley Forge, on the west side of the Schuylkill, 
 about twenty-four miles distant from Philadel 
 phia. The march of the army might have 
 been traced by the marks of many naked, 
 bleeding feet, on the frozen earth. The half 
 perished men erected log huts, to shelter them 
 from the piercing blasts, but their clothing 
 was light; and when they lay down to rest, 
 they had not blankets to cover them on their 
 bare earthy beds. The difficulty of getting 
 provisions was so great that they were often 
 many days without bread, or any other kind 
 of food, than that of a scanty portion of pota 
 toes, and nuts, which they could gather from 
 under the -dried leaves in the woods. The re 
 gular order of an encampment was kept up, 
 and there was no change except that of huts 
 for tents. 
 
 In the year 1827, on that spot were collect 
 ed several thousands of the inhabitants of this 
 
104 LIFE OF 
 
 now free and prosperous land, to celebrate 
 with " the voice of mirth and gladness," the 
 ingathering of a rich harvest, given to them 
 by that bounteous God who " clothes their 
 pastures with flocks, covers over their valleys 
 with corn, and crowns the year with his good 
 ness." This festival is yearly held. 
 
 What a contrast was the scene of that har 
 vest-home, to that of the hut encampment ! 
 Should an American think of it, and not ac 
 knowledge with gratitude that it must have 
 been the mighty hand of the great Ruler of the 
 universe, that led those patriots through a wil 
 derness of sufferings to the purchase of a land 
 of freedom and prosperity for their children ? 
 and acknowledging this, can any one refuse to 
 praise him for his goodness, and " offer unto 
 him the sacrifice of thanksgiving ?" 
 
 Washington heard that he was blamed Tor 
 seeking even the hut shelter for his suffering 
 troops, and he said, " It is much easier to 
 censure by a good fireside, in a comfortable 
 room, than to occupy a cold, bleak hill, and 
 sleep under frost and snow, without either 
 clothes or blankets." 
 
 Restless busybodies raised a report that he 
 was wearied of his situation, and intended to 
 resign it ; in a letter to a friend, he said, " I 
 can assure you, that no person ever heard me 
 drop an expression that had a tendency to re 
 signation. I have said, and I do still say, 
 that there is not an officer in the United States 
 
WASHINGTON. 105 
 
 that would return to the sweets of domestic 
 life with more heart-felt joy than I should. 
 But I would have this declaration accompanied 
 by these sentiments, that while the public are 
 satisfied with my endeavours, I mean not to 
 shrink from the cause ; but the moment her 
 voice, not that of faction, calls upon me to 
 resign, I shall do so with as much pleasure 
 as ever wearied traveller retired to rest." 
 
 The faithful wife of Washington had no 
 family to need her care at home, and when he 
 was absent and deprived of its comforts, that 
 home was cheerless to her. When it was 
 possible, she was with him to share his hard 
 ships, and endeavQur to contribute to cheer 
 his sad prospects, by her attentions and ex 
 pressions of calm, firm confidence, that better 
 days would soon come. At the hut-camp his 
 table was furnished with no better food than 
 could be procured for his troops ; and his wifv 
 then shared his hard bread and few potatoes. 
 Her willingness to do so, and her cheerful 
 conduct, assisted to enliven the desponding, 
 and encourage those who were cast down. 
 Through the trying scenes of the long con 
 test, the American women proved that they 
 possessed patriotic feelings, by doing all in 
 their power to aid their fathers, sons, bro 
 thers, and husbands, in the defence of their 
 country. 
 
 They actively endeavoured to supply them 
 with clothing, and to free them from anxiety 
 
106 LIFE OF 
 
 for the safety of themselves and their children, 
 whom they were obliged to leave unprotected 
 An extract from a letter, written in the gloomy 
 December of 1776, will be a specimen of the 
 sentiments expressed generally by American 
 wives. " The country here is all in confusion ; 
 the militia are to march in the morning. I 
 will send a letter, but know not where it will 
 find you. May God grant you health, and pre 
 serve you through this fatiguing campaign. 1 
 feel little for myself, when I think of the dan 
 gers to which you and so many of my brave 
 countrymen are exposed. But I will not re 
 pine God is all sufficient. I would not have 
 you here, when your country calls, if one wish 
 could bring you. Feel no care for me and 
 our children ; through the mercy of our God, 
 I have been enabled to conquer my fears, and 
 do hope in his providence to meet you again 
 in a better day. I think a decisive stroke must 
 soon be given ; God grant that it may ]?e in 
 our favour." 
 
 Often obliged to conceal themselves and 
 their children, in barns and wood-thickets, 
 from the parties of English soldiers which 
 overran the country, many were the fervent 
 prayers which the American women breathed 
 from those hiding places to the ever present 
 God, whom they trusted would protect them. 
 In his own good time, he fulfilled to them his 
 promise, " My people shall dwell in a peace 
 able habitation." 
 
WASHINGTON. 107 
 
 While his army were in their log hutr, 
 Washington was not idle. He directed vari 
 ous means to be tried for obtaining supplies 
 of provisions ; and employed his mind in re 
 flecting on the best plans to be pursued by the 
 different commanders of the army. He pre 
 pared accounts for each state, of the number 
 of troops which remained of those sent by it, 
 and urged earnestly that more should be en 
 gaged. Congress was assembled in Lancas 
 ter, and appointed a committee to visit the 
 camp, and Washington wrote a statement for 
 them of all his plans for relieving the army. 
 
 While he was thus engaged, he received a 
 letter from the English governor of New York, 
 enclosing a resolution of Parliament to propose 
 a reconciliation to the Americans ; offers of 
 pardon were made, but none to acknowledge 
 their independence. 
 
 The governor requested General Washing 
 ton to make this resolution known to his ar 
 my. He sent the letter and paper to Congress, 
 and expressed his surprise at the " extraordi 
 nary request of the governor." Congress 
 immediately resolved to refuse accepting any 
 offers from the English government, unless 
 the independence of their country was ac 
 knowledged. General Washington enclosed 
 this resolution to the governor, and requested 
 him to make it known to the English army. 
 
 To show the settled determination of Con. 
 gress on this point, and the spirit of devotion 
 
108 LIFE OF 
 
 in which they had acted, it may be mentioned 
 that Mr. Laurens, the President of Congress, 
 stated, in reply to a letter to him on the sub 
 ject, that it would be unnatural to suppose 
 their minds less firm than " when destitute 
 of all foreign aid, and even without expecta 
 tion of an alliance, when upon a day of gene 
 ral fasting and humiliation, in their houses of 
 worship, and in the presence of God, they re 
 solved to hold no treaty with Great Britain 
 unless they shall acknowledge the indepen 
 dence of these states." Men, who, in the ex 
 ercise of confidence in God s providence, and 
 in humble prayer to Him, calmly resolve on 
 any course, are not the persons to be diverted 
 from their purpose by fear or the hope of 
 gain. Such were the men to whom we owe 
 our libertie s, under the blessing of the God 
 whom they worshipped. 
 
 Several letters were addressed to some 
 members of Congress, by commissioners au 
 thorized by the British government, assuring 
 them of honours and reward, if they would 
 procure a reconciliation on the terms they of 
 fered that is, to remain colonies. A propo 
 sal was made to Joseph Reed, a member 
 from Pennsylvania, that he should have the 
 best office in America under the king, and 
 ten thousand pounds, if he could bring Con 
 gress to consent to the offers of the British. 
 He replied that he was " not worth buying ; 
 but, such as he was, the king of England was 
 
WASHINGTON. 109 
 
 not rich enough to do it." The commission 
 ers persisted for some time in their endeavours 
 to succeecf, and sent addresses to persons of 
 every description in each state, with offers of 
 pardon if they would return to their duty to 
 the king, and threatenings of severe ven 
 geance, if they did not: but their promises 
 ?nd threats were alike disregarded. 
 
 About this time Congress received intelli 
 gence from Silas Deane, Dr. Franklin, and 
 Arthur Lee, their agents in France, that they 
 had succeeded in making a treaty with the 
 French nation. The joy throughout the coun 
 try, when this was known, is inexpressible. 
 That God, to whom their ardent prayers were 
 offered in the time of distress, was not forgot 
 ten in the day of rejoicing. By* order of 
 Washington, the several brigades assembled,. 
 and their chaplains offered up public thanks 
 to Almighty God for his mercies, and suitable, 
 discourses were delivered on the occasion. 
 
 The sufferings of the wounded soldiers at 
 Valley Forge pained the heart of their com 
 mander, and he wrote: " I sincerely feel foi 
 the unhappy condition of our poor fellows in 
 the hospitals, and wish my powers to relieve 
 them were equal to my inclinations. Our dif 
 ficulties and distresses are certainly great, and 
 such as wound the feelings of humanity." 
 
 While he was thus humanely and actively 
 employed in various ceaseless duties, slan 
 derers were busy in secret, preparing new 
 K 
 
110 LIFE OF 
 
 anxieties for his mind. Unsigned letters were 
 sent to several members of Congress, contain 
 ing base charges against him, and uf ging them 
 to endeavour to take from him the command 
 of their armies. 
 
 He received a letter from Patrick Henry, 
 governor of Virginia, enclosing one that had 
 been sent to him on the subject. Governor 
 Henry said, " While you face the armed 
 enemies of our liberty, and by the favour of 
 God have been kept unhurt, I trust our coun 
 try will never harbour in her bosom the mis 
 creant who would ruin our best supporter. I 
 -cannot help assuring you of the high sense of 
 gratitude which all ranks of men in this, your 
 .native country, bear you. I do not like to 
 :make a parade of these things, for I know you 
 . are not fond of it ; but the occasion will plead 
 my excuse." 
 
 After thanking him, Washington, in reply, 
 said, " All I can say is, America has, and I 
 trust ever will have, my honest exertions to 
 promote her interest. I cannot hope that my 
 services have been the best ; but my heart 
 tells me they were the best that I could ren 
 der." He requested that the papers might all 
 be laid before Congress, as they contained, he 
 rsatd, serious charges. 
 
 Pained, no doubt, by these cruel slanders, 
 yet his noble mind did not suffer them to in- 
 -, fluence his conduct towards those whom he 
 had cause to suppose were the authors of 
 
WASHINGTON. Ill 
 
 them. He said, " My enemies take an unge 
 nerous advantage of me. They know I cannot 
 combat their insinuations, however injurious, 
 without disclosing secrets it is of the utmost 
 importance to conceal." 
 
 The only effect these attacks had, was to 
 excite the resentment of the people of the 
 United States against those who made them ; 
 and to bind still closer to their revered com 
 mander, the army from whom his secret ene 
 mies wished to remove him. There was 
 something in his character which attached his 
 officers and troops to him so firmly, that no 
 distress nor sufferings could lessen the vene 
 ration they felt for him ; and he always ac 
 knowledged with praise their faithfulness and 
 attachment. 
 
 In describing their condition in the hut- 
 camp, he said, " For some clays there has 
 been little less than a famine in the camp ; but, 
 naked and starving as they are, I cannot 
 enough admire the incomparable fidelity of the 
 soldiers, that they have not before this time 
 been excited to a general mutiny or disper 
 sion." 
 
 The inhabitants of the surrounding country, 
 knowing this sad state of the army, were very 
 uneasy; one of them left his home, one day, 
 and as he was passing thoughtfully the edge 
 of a wood near the hut-camp, he heard low 
 sounds of a voice. He stopped to listen, and 
 looking between the trunks of the large trees 
 
112 LIFE OF 
 
 he saw Gen. Washington engaged in prayer 
 He passed quietly on, that he might not dis 
 turb him ; and, on returning home, told his 
 family he knew the Americans would suc 
 ceed, for their leader did not trust in his own 
 strength, but sought aid from the hearer of 
 prayer, who promised in his word, " Call 
 upon me in the day of trouble ; I will deliver 
 thee, and thou shalt glorify me." A female, 
 who lived at the Valley Forge when the army 
 was encamped there, told a friend who visited 
 her soon after they left it, that she had disco 
 vered that it was the habit of Washington to 
 retire to a short distance from the camp to 
 worship God in prayer. Many, who in " the 
 day of prosperity" have forgotten or neglected 
 to worship their Creator, will earnestly call 
 upon him in " the day of trouble," when they 
 feel that His power only can deliver them ; 
 but. it was not thus with Washington ; it was 
 his constant custom as one of his nephews 
 has thus related: "One morning, at day 
 break, an officer came to the general s quar 
 ters with despatches. As such communica 
 tions usually passed through my hands, I took 
 he papers from the messenger and directed 
 my steps towards the general s room. Walk 
 ing along the passage which led to his door, I 
 heard a voice within. I paused, and distinct 
 ly recognised the voice of the general. Lis 
 tening for a moment, when all was silent 
 around, I found that he was earnestly engaged 
 
WASHINGTON. 1 1 3 
 
 in prayer. / knew this to be his habit, and 
 herefore retired, with the papers in my hand, 
 till such time as I supposed he had finished 
 ihe exercise, when I returned, knocked at his 
 door, and was admitted." Thus, in obedience 
 to Him whom he called " the Divine Author 
 of our blessed religion," Washington, in the 
 retirement of his chamber, prayed to his 
 " Father who seeth in secret;" and truly his 
 " Father, who seeth in secret," did "reward 
 him openly." 
 
 Although the sufferings of the Americans, 
 while encamped at the Valley Forge, were 
 severe, yet, in after days, when those who 
 had been engaged in the trying warfare, were 
 enjoying the blessings of that independence 
 for which they had toiled, they then could 
 be sensible that they had been tried by their 
 Creator to " humble them and prove them," 
 that he might "do them good at the latter 
 end." 
 
 When the gloomy winter was passed, 
 Washington prepared, as far as he had the 
 power, for the summer campaign ; but all the 
 plans he formed for increasing his army were 
 in a great degree disappointed. The favour 
 of Divine Providence had been given in re 
 straining their enemies from attacking them 
 in their hut-encampment ; want of provisions 
 would have forced them out of it, and their 
 sad condition as to clothing would have disa 
 bled them from remaining in the field unshel- 
 K2 
 
114 LIFE OF 
 
 tered. In February there were more than 
 three thousand men unfit for duty, from a want 
 of clothes ; and there were not more, than five 
 thousand who could have attempted to resist a 
 well clad, well fed, and high spirited army. 
 The wisdom of their foes was " turned into 
 foolishness," or the feeble Americans would 
 have fallen beneath their power. 
 
 In the spring, to restrain as much as possi 
 ble the parties which went from the city to 
 get provisions, and to form a guard for the se 
 curity of the army at the Valley Forge, Gene 
 ral Lafayette, with two thousand men, was 
 stationed at Barren Hill, about eight or ten 
 miles in front of the army. When the En 
 glish commander was informed of this, he sent 
 General Grant, with five thousand men, to 
 march quietly in the night, and place them- 
 selves between Lafayette and the hut-camp. 
 A detachment of militia, who were to have 
 .guarded the roads in that direction, changed 
 their place without the knowledge of Lafay- 
 ..ette ; and at sunrise, 20th May, 1778, he 
 discovered that this large force of the enemy 
 was approaching in a way that would preven 
 his retreat to the camp. 
 
 He immediately advanced at the head of 
 column, as if to meet the enemy, while he di 
 rected the rest of his troops to move oft rapidly 
 towards the Schuylkill, and, as he advanced, 
 he also approached the river. General Grant 
 lialte 1 to prepare for battle ; and Lafayette di- 
 
WASHINGTON. 115 
 
 rected some of his troops to arrest the atten 
 tion of those who had been placed to guard the 
 ford, and he then passed so quickly over the 
 river, with all his men, that he had possession 
 of the high grounds by the time that his ene 
 my could arive at the ford ; and they returned 
 to the city without having accomplished the 
 purpose for which they had been sent out. 
 
 When the English government knew of the 
 treaty between France and America, they ex 
 pected that a French fleet would be sent out, 
 and in that case Philadelphia would be a dan 
 gerous situation for their army. Sir Henry 
 Clinton took the place of Sir William Howe, 
 and he was directed to remove the troops from 
 the city. When General Washington heard 
 of this, he formed his plan for acting. He 
 wished to prevent the enemy passing through 
 New Jersey with ease ; and he directed the 
 militia there to break down the bridges, and 
 obstruct the roads as much as possible ; and 
 he kept his own troops in readiness to move, 
 so soon as the enemy should leave the city. 
 
 On the 18th June, 1778, they crossed at 
 Gloucester Point, into New Jersey, and passed 
 slowly on through Haddonfield towards Allen- 
 town. The numerous troops, with their bag 
 gage, formed a line of several miles in length 
 
 General Washington put his troops into 
 motion on the same day, and marched through 
 p ennsylvania to Coryell s Ferry, where the 
 town of New Hope has since been built ;, 
 
116 LIFE OF 
 
 there he crossed the Delaware, and advanced to 
 wards Kingston in New Jersey. The English 
 army had marched to Monmouth; and Wash 
 ington, having determined on attacking them, 
 gave orders to the oflicers of his army, and 
 inarched towards Monmouth, where he met 
 the enemies of his country on the 28th June 
 The heat of the air was powerful ; but more 
 powerful still were the uncontrolled passions 
 of human nature ; and the dreadful work of 
 battle commenced, and continued until the 
 beams of the glowing sun were all with 
 drawn, and the dark, cool shade of night fell 
 upon the awful scene, and stopped the fearful 
 work. 
 
 The American army rested on their arms ; 
 and General Washington threw himself at the 
 foot of a tree, to gain a little ease after the fa 
 tigues of the anxious day. He expected that 
 the light of dawn would be the signal for re 
 newing the action ; but the English moved 
 silently away in the night, and the morning 
 showed the mournful scenes of a battle ground 
 man deprived of life and all its hopes by 
 his fellow man ; or wounded, to linger in un- 
 comforted sufferings. Every real Christian 
 will rejoice, that there is a divine promise 
 that the time shall come, when he who is 
 " the Mighty God," will exercise his power 
 as " the Prince of Peace, 5 and bring all 
 hearts into subjection to the mild precepts of 
 the gospel, so that " nation shall not lift up 
 
WASHINGTON. H7 
 
 sword against nation, neither shall they learn 
 war any more." 
 
 The victory was claimed by both armies. 
 General Washington knew that the English 
 could gain a favourable situation before he 
 could overtake them, and he determined on 
 not attempting it ; but moved towards the 
 north river, while the enemy passed on, and 
 crossed over to New York. 
 
 Before General Washington reached the 
 place he intended to encamp on, he received 
 a letter from Congress, informing him that a 
 French fleet had arrived off the coast of Vir 
 ginia, and that Congress wished him imme 
 diately to form some plan, in the execution 
 of which the fleet could assist him. The ad 
 miral of the fleet proposed attacking the En 
 glish at Newport, in Rhode Island. General 
 Washington consented to this, and made pre 
 parations for doing so. American troops, 
 commanded by General Sullivan, were soon 
 in readiness to besiege the town, but waited 
 for some days for the French fleet to appear 
 and assist them. Feeling confident that it 
 was near, Sullivan commenced the siege. 
 The fleet in a few days was in sight, but then 
 was moved off to meet the English fleet which 
 had sailed from New York. They were pre 
 paring for an action, when a violent storm se 
 parated them, and injured several of their 
 ghips. The English fleet then sailed back to 
 New York, and the French admiral D Estaing 
 
118 LIFE OF 
 
 informed General Sullivan, that he could not 
 return to Newport, but would sail to Boston 
 to repair his ships. 
 
 Sullivan was sadly disappointed by this re 
 solution, as it would oblige him to give up the 
 siege, in which he had every prospect of suc 
 cess, if assisted by the fleet. General Lafay 
 ette went to the admiral to endeavour to pre 
 vail on him to remain, but his efforts were 
 vain. General Sullivan then, in giving his or 
 ders to his troops, said they must " endea 
 vour to do for themselves, what their French 
 friends had refused to aid them* in ;" but he 
 found it would be useless to continue the 
 siege, and he withdrew from Newport. He 
 was followed by the English, and had a short 
 but severe battle on the 29th August, and then 
 crossed over to the main land. The next day 
 a large force and several English ships arrived 
 at Newport, so that if he had remained one 
 day longer, his army must have been destroyed 
 or taken. The French admiral was very 
 much offended by what General Sullivan had 
 said ; and the people in Boston were so much 
 displeased with the conduct of the admiral, 
 that it was feared he would not be able to get 
 assistance there to repair his ships. 
 
 With care like that of an anxious parent for 
 a child, Washington watched every occurrence 
 that would be likely to injure the interests of 
 his country ; and this event gave him great 
 uneasiness. He endeavoured to calm the of- 
 
WASHINGTON. 1 1 9 
 
 fended parties ; and in this work of peace 
 making he was aided by the amiable Lafay 
 ette, who was as deservedly dear to his own 
 countrymen, as he was to the Americans. A 
 few letters passed between Washington and 
 the admiral, and at last good humour was re 
 stored. 
 
 When the English fleet was repaired, it 
 sailed to Boston, to blockade the French ; but 
 a storm again carried it out to sea, and in the 
 beginning of November the French fleet left 
 Boston and sailed for the West Indies. 
 
 As it seemed probable that there would be 
 a war in Europe, in which France would take 
 a part, General Lafayette wished to offer his 
 services to his own country. General Wash 
 ington expressed a wish to Congress that La 
 fayette, instead of resigning his commission, 
 might have leave of absence for any time that 
 he wished ; Congress complied with this, and 
 Lafayette returned to France. A part of the 
 English army was sent in the fleet of Commo 
 dore Hyde Parker, to the southern states ; and 
 as there was no prospect of doing any thing in 
 the northern or middle states in a winter cam 
 paign, Washington placed his army in huts, 
 the main body in Connecticut, and portions 
 on both sides of the Hudson river, and about 
 West Point, and at Middle Brook. 
 
 In preparing for the next campaign, Con 
 gress were less active than the anxious mind 
 of Washington thought absolutely necessary, 
 
120 LIFE OF 
 
 for they expected that the alliance formed with 
 France would be of great importance to aid 
 them in soon ending the war. Washington 
 used every effort to prevent this false security 
 injuring the cause he was so desirous to pro 
 mote ; and his wisdom and sound judgment 
 could discover the fatal consequences of be 
 coming 1 less active in preparations for defence. 
 The English troops which had been sent to 
 Georgia, commanded by General Provost and 
 Colonel Campbell, had succeeded in taking 
 entire possession of that state ; and thus victo 
 rious there, it was probable they would attempt 
 to do the same in the other southern states. 
 In writing on the subject of increasing every 
 effort to raise more troops, Washington said 
 " I have seen without despondency even for a 
 moment, the hours which America called her 
 gloomy ones ; but I have beheld no day since 
 the commencement of hostilities, when I have 
 thought her liberties in such imminent dan 
 ger as at present." But it was also about 
 this time, that reviewing the history of the 
 year in a letter to a friend, he observed : 
 The hand of Providence is so conspicuous 
 in all this, that he must be ivorse than an in 
 fidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, 
 that has not gratitude to acknowledge his 
 obligations. 1 
 
 An occurrence in his army caused in his 
 mind a new care. The Indians on the frontiers 
 of the states had been practising their barba- 
 
WASHINGTON. 121 
 
 rous warfare, in connexion with some of the 
 equally barbarous white settlers. 
 
 Washington determined on sending troops 
 there for the relief of the suffering inhabitants ; 
 and gave orders for this purpose to the offi 
 cers whom he intended should command these 
 troops The officers of one of the regiments 
 entered into an agreement not to march, until 
 Congress had paid them all that was due to 
 them; and to resign, if it was not done in 
 three days. 
 
 When their commander was informed of 
 this he was much distressed. He knew the 
 sufferings which had driven them to this de 
 termination ; but he dreaded the ill conse 
 quences of it, and immediately wrote to the 
 officers as their friend, as well as their com 
 mander. 
 
 He said, " The patience and perseverance 
 of the army have been, under every disadvan 
 tage, such as to do them the highest honour, 
 both at home and abroad ; and have inspired 
 me with an unlimited confidence in their vir 
 tue, which has consoled me amidst every per 
 plexity and reverse of fortune, to which our 
 affairs, in a struggle of this nature, were ne 
 cessarily exposed. Now that we have made 
 so great a progress to the attainment of the 
 end we have in view, so that we cannot fail, 
 without a most shameful desertion of our own 
 interests, any thing like a change of conduct 
 wcxuld imply a very unhappy change of prin 
 L 
 
122 LIFE OF 
 
 ciples, and a forge tfulness as well of what we 
 owe to ourselves as to our country. The ser 
 vice fo? which the regiment was intended does 
 not admit delay. I am sure I shall not be 
 mistaken in expecting a prompt and cheerful 
 obedience." The rest of the letter contained 
 assurances of his affectionate interest in their 
 oncerns, and his constant endeavours to pro 
 cure for them all the relief in his power. 
 
 The officers replied, that they sincerely re 
 gretted having given him uneasiness, but that 
 they had been driven to the course they had 
 pursued, by being without the means of sup 
 plying their families with food. They assured 
 him they did not intend to disobey his orders, 
 and that they had " the highest sense of his 
 abilities and virtues." They marched at the 
 time appointed, and their faithful commandei 
 made such earnest representations to Congress, 
 on the subject of making provision for them, 
 that he was in a good degree successful in ob 
 taining it. 
 
 Early in the spring, he received information 
 that the English in New York were making 
 preparations for some expedition ; and he sus 
 pected they would attempt to take possession 
 of the forts on the Hudson river. At the com 
 mencement of the Highlands, through which 
 the river winds, the Americans had erected a 
 fort, which they called Lafayette. It was on 
 the west side of the Hudson, and opposite to 
 it was a high piece of ground, called Stony 
 
WASHINGTON*. 123 
 
 Point. They began to form defences there, 
 but before they were completed, a large force 
 from New York was sent out against the 
 workers, and they were obliged to retreat. 
 The English then fired upon Fort Lafayette 
 from Stony Point, while their ships prepared 
 to attack it from their situation higher up the 
 river. To prevent the entire destruction of 
 all the troops in it, the commander surrender 
 ed the fort, and the enemy then finished the 
 works on Stony Point, and placed troops there 
 for its defence. A part of their army then 
 marched into Connecticut; the militia of that 
 state assembled immediately, and made a 
 brave resistance, but it was feeble, compared 
 to the power of their foes. The governor of 
 New York, General Try on, commanded them, 
 and he excused himself for burning the towns, 
 by saying it was " to resent the firing of the 
 rebels from their houses, and to mask a re- 
 reat." 
 
 It was in the summer of this year, that Ge 
 neral Washington took measures to suppress 
 the habit of profane swearing which prevailed 
 in the army. The following general order is 
 sufficiently illustrative of his views of that 
 most vulgar and impious practice. 
 
 "HEAD QUARTERS, Mores 1 House, 
 
 " Thursday, July 29th, 1779. 
 "Many and pointed orders have been issued 
 against that unmeaning and abominable cus- 
 
124 LIFE OF 
 
 torn, SWEARING. Notwithstanding which, with 
 much regret the general observes that it pre 
 vails, if possible, more than ever his feelings 
 are continually wounded by the oaths and im 
 precations of the soldiers ; whenever he is in 
 hearing of them, the name of that Being from 
 whose bountiful goodness we are permitted to 
 enjoy the comforts of life, is incessantly im 
 precated and profaned in a manner as wanton 
 as it is shocking : for the sake therefore of re 
 ligion, decency, and order, the general hopes 
 and trusts, that officers of every rank would 
 use their influence and authority to check a 
 vice which is as unprofitable as it is wicked 
 and shameful. If officers would make it an 
 invariable rule to reprimand, and if that does 
 not do, to punish soldiers for offences of this 
 kind, it could not fail of having its intended 
 effect." 
 
 On the first intelligence of the invasion of 
 Connecticut, Washington sent troops to aid 
 the militia of that state ; but before they could 
 be useful, the English troops were recalled 
 to New York. This movement was occa 
 sioned by the activity of the Americans in the 
 Highlands. 
 
 Washington had determined on endeavour 
 ing to recover Stony Point ; he thought that 
 success in this would draw the enemy from 
 their destructive work of burning the towns on 
 
WASHINGTON. 125 
 
 the coast. The troops chosen for this attempt 
 were commanded by General Wayne. They 
 marched fourteen miles over a rough, moun 
 tainous country, in the middle of July, and 
 then had to pass a long marsh. They suc 
 ceeded in approaching the fort in quietness in 
 the middle of the night, and made an attack 
 with their bayonets, with so much bravery, 
 that they got possession of it without a single 
 gun being fired by them. 
 
 As General Washington expected, this suc 
 cess caused the English general to recall his 
 army from Connecticut, and he determined to 
 employ all his force, by land and water, to re 
 take the fort. Washington knew they would 
 certainly succeed, he would not expose his 
 troops to destruction, and he withdrew them 
 from Stony Point and placed them at West 
 Point, which he made the head-quarters of his 
 army. Soon after he had done so, one of his 
 officers, Major Lee, formed a plan for surpris 
 ing the English troops that were stationed at 
 Paules-Hook. He was successful in executing 
 his plan, and took a large number of them pri 
 soners. 
 
 The French fleet returned from the West 
 Indies, and arrived off the coast of Georgia; 
 and, assisted by the American troops, who 
 were commanded by General Lincoln, made 
 an unsuccessful attack upon the English, who 
 had possession of Savannah. The fleet then 
 left America again. 
 
 L2 
 
126 LIFE OF 
 
 In the course of that season, the noise of 
 war was heard in almost every portion of the 
 land. Gen. Sulliv^an was sent against the In 
 dians on the frontiers. English troops enter 
 ed the newly settled parts of Massachusetts, 
 and a large force was also busy in the south. 
 
 When the month of December was almost 
 passed, General Washington placed his army 
 in two hutted-camps. One near West Point, 
 for the security of the posts on the North ri 
 ver; and the other near Morristown, New 
 Jersey. 
 
 Winter quarters afforded but little rest to 
 his anxious mind, for his troops were desti 
 tute of provisions, so much so, that he wrote 
 to Congress that at one lime he thought it 
 would be impossible to keep them together, 
 for they had to eat " every kind of horse food 
 but hay;" and yet, said he, "they bore it 
 with heroic patience, and not one mutiny was 
 excited." 
 
 A considerable force, commanded by Sir 
 Henry Clinton, was sent from New York to 
 the southern states, and was actively employed 
 there during the winter. An army and fleet 
 attacked Charleston, which was bravely de 
 fended by General Lincoln and a few troops ; 
 but the power of their enemies could not be 
 resisted long, and Gen. Lincoln was obliged 
 to surrender to them. His troops, and the ci 
 tizens of Charleston who had given their aid 
 to defend it, were considered as prisoners of 
 
WASHINGTON. 127 
 
 war. The success of the English induced 
 their commander to think that the southern 
 states would soon be reduced to submission ; 
 he left part of his army there, under the com 
 mand of General Cornwallis, and returned 
 with the rest to New York. 
 
 Cornwallis continued to be successful, and 
 addressed the inhabitants of Carolina, to in 
 duce them to submit to the English govern 
 ment; but many of the richest inhabitants 
 gave up their property and went into banish 
 ment from their homes, rather than remain 
 upon the terms offered to them. 
 
 The little American army there were ac 
 tive in their brave endeavours to stop the pro 
 gress of the invaders, and were in some in 
 stances successful ; but Cornwallis was again 
 assisted by an addition to his army from New 
 York, and he moved on, overpowering all op 
 position. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 1780. 
 
 THE opening of the ysar 1780 found Wash 
 ington in the most discouraging circumstances. 
 But, though he was " walking in the midst 
 
128 LIFE OF 
 
 of troubles," he was not forsaken by God, and 
 he might have used the language of trust, 
 " Thou wilt revive me : thou shall stretch 
 forth thy hand against the wrath of our ene 
 mies, and thy right hand shall save us." 
 
 The difficulty of obtaining food, and the 
 uncertainty of receiving even the small pay 
 that was due to them, had greatly depressed 
 he soldiers; and the patience of some was 
 almost worn out. Two regiments declared 
 their resolution to return home, and it was 
 with some difficulty they \vere prevented, and 
 induced to persevere in the performance of 
 their duty. The paper money, which was 
 the only kind Congress had to pay them with, 
 was becoming every day less in value ; and 
 when they did receive it, four months pay of 
 a soldier would not purchase a bushel of 
 wheat for his family ; nor would the pay of 
 an officer supply him with the shoes he 
 needed. 
 
 The discontent which was arising in the 
 army was known by the English commander 
 in New York, and he secretly sent into their 
 camp a paper, which contained artful persua 
 sions to induce the discontented to give up 
 the cause in which they had suffered so 
 much. He thought, too, that the inhabitants 
 of the surrounding country were wearied with 
 endeavouring to supply an army with provi 
 sions; and he sent five thousand men, com 
 manded by General Knyphausen, with the 
 
WASHINGTON. 129 
 
 expectation that they would not meet any op 
 position from the people ; and that some por 
 tion of the American soldiers would be willing 
 to join them. 
 
 They landed at night at Elizabethtown 
 Point, in New Jersey, aid marched early th* 
 next morning towards Springfield ; but they 
 soon were convinced that they were mistaken 
 as to the manner in which they would be 
 welcomed by the inhabitants and the army. 
 On the first appearance of the confident inva 
 ders, the militia of the state assembled, and 
 though their number was not sufficient to make 
 a stand against them at any one place, they did 
 not lose sight of them, but made irregular at 
 tacks whenever their situation would admit of 
 doing so. 
 
 A flourishing settlement, called the Con 
 necticut Farms, was entirely reduced to ashes ; 
 and the wife of the clergyman, who was sit 
 ting in her house surrounded by her children, 
 was shot by a soldier who saw her through 
 the window. This savage act was condemned 
 by his commander, but it had the effect of 
 rousing all the people to resistance. 
 
 The same day on which the English march 
 ed from Elizabethtown, Washington marched 
 with his army to meet them near Springfield, 
 and there prepared for an engagement ; but 
 the enemy retreated in the night to the place 
 where they had landed. He then determined 
 to march for the protection of the forts in the 
 
130 LIFE OF 
 
 Highlands, for which he thought the British 
 were aiming; but soon after he left Morris- 
 town, the enemy moved on to Springfield and 
 burned it, in spite of the efforts of General 
 Greene, whom Washington had left there 
 with a thousand men. The troops of Greene 
 took a station in the heights, from which they 
 could annoy the army, and prevent their pro 
 gress, and Sir Henry Clinton returned to Sta 
 ten Island. 
 
 When General Lafayette returned to France, 
 he was received with great favour ; and that 
 kind and faithful friend of Americans used all 
 his influence to persuade the French govern 
 ment to send them assistance. He succeeded 
 in his efforts ; and when he had done so, as 
 his own country did not need his services, he 
 returned to America, to bring the tidings that 
 a French fleet would soon sail for the United 
 States. 
 
 Lafayette was received by his friend Wash 
 ington with joy and affection. He had deter 
 mined to remain, and share again his toils and 
 dangers by resuming his situation in the army. 
 He was welcomed by Congress with respect, 
 and they immediately began to make more ac 
 tive preparations for the next campaign, in 
 the hope that it would be the last one. They 
 called upon the different states to raise more 
 troops, and give more aid to provide for them. 
 This call was attended to ; but the expected 
 aid was slowly given. A number of citizens 
 
WASHINGTON. 131 
 
 of Philadelphia, consulted together to deter 
 mine on the most effectual way in which they 
 could give assistance. An extract from the 
 resolution they formed, will show their plan : 
 " We, the subscribers, deeply impressed with 
 the sentiments that on such an occasion should 
 govern us, in the prosecution of a war, on the 
 event of which our own freedom, and that of 
 our posterity, and the freedom and indepen 
 dence of the United States, are all involved, 
 hereby severally pledge our property and cre 
 dit for the several sums specified and mention 
 ed after our names, in order to support the 
 credit of a bank, to be established, for furnish 
 ing a supply of provisions for the armies 
 of the United States." This was the first 
 bank in the United States, and the amount 
 of the subscription to it was three hundred 
 thousand pounds. Several private contribu 
 tions were sent to the suffering troops from 
 individuals ; but all that was done was insuffi 
 cient for the relief that was needed ; and, so 
 late as the last of June, General Washington 
 wrote to Congress, to urge them to further ef 
 forts, and show them the great necessity for 
 more aid. 
 
 The state of his army caused him distress 
 and vexation. He felt for the officers, as he 
 knew they must suffer mortification from the 
 exposure of their condition to the well fed and 
 well clothed French troops, who were ex 
 pected soon to arrive. He said in his letter 
 
132 LIFE OF 
 
 on the subject to Congress " For the trooos 
 to be without clothing, at any time, is highly 
 injurious to the service and distressing to our 
 feelings ; but the want will be more peculiarly 
 mortifying, when we come to act with those 
 of our allies. It is most sincerely to be wish 
 ed that there could be some supplies of cloth 
 ing furnished to the officers. There are a 
 great many whose condition is still miserable. 
 It would be well for their own sakes, and for 
 the public good, if they could be furnished. 
 They will not be able, when our friends come 
 to co-operate with us, to go on a common rou 
 tine of duty ; and if they should, they must, 
 from their appearance, be held in low estima 
 tion. 5 
 
 This picture of the state of the American 
 army shows the strength of the patriotism 
 which influenced them. They felt severely, 
 but no sufferings could induce them to give up 
 a cause in which they believed they were ex 
 ercising virtuous principles. Gaining a vic 
 tory in battle might have caused them to be 
 loudly praised ; but their patient perseverance 
 in the endurance of their various trials, is 
 much more worthy of remembrance and admi 
 ration, than the heroism displayed in a battle 
 would be. 
 
 The American females were not inactive in 
 that time of need ; they employed themselves 
 in making up clothing for the destitute sol 
 diers, and in many instances denied themselves 
 
WASHINGTON. 133 
 
 the use of comforts, that they might cast a 
 mite into this treasury. 
 
 Another cause for anxious care was given 
 to Washington, in the uncertainty of the num 
 ber of troops he would probably have under 
 his command from the different states. It was 
 very important for him to know this, in form 
 ing his plans for acting with the French fleet. 
 In writing to Congress on the subject, he said 
 " The interest of the states, the honour and 
 reputation of our councils, the justice and 
 gratitude due to our allies all require that I 
 should, without delay, be enabled to ascertain 
 and inform them, what we can or cannot un 
 dertake. Delay may be fatal to our hopes." 
 In this vexing state of uncertainty, he did not 
 indulge the wayward feeling that he might be 
 less active in the performance of his duty, be 
 cause others, who were as much concerned 
 in the advantage to be gained, were neglectful 
 of theirs, lie engaged his mind in forming 
 various plans, with the hope of obtaining the 
 assistance needful for executing them. He 
 was anxious to attempt getting possession of 
 New York, which was the stronghold of the 
 eiiemies of his country ; and feeble as the 
 h>pe of success was, he cherished it. 
 
 In July he heard that the French fleet had 
 arrived at Rhode-Island ; and it was neces 
 sary that he should immediately determine 
 on some particular plan in which the fleet 
 could give assistance. His favourite one of 
 M 
 
134 LIFE OF 
 
 attacking New York, was resolved upon, and 
 he wrote to Congress his determination. Ge 
 neral Lafayette carried to the French admi 
 ral the plan which Washington had formed. 
 A day in August was appointed on which it 
 was expected the fleet might sail for New 
 York ; and the American army was to assem 
 ble at Morrisiana, in readiness to be aided by 
 the fleet in the proposed attack. Before the 
 appointed day arrived, a British fleet came 
 from England, which, in addition to that al 
 ready at New York, made a force much 
 greater than that of the French fleet, which 
 they immediately determined to attack, as 
 it lay before Newport, at the same time that 
 Sir Henry Clinton should attack that town 
 with his troops. 
 
 When General Washington heard of this 
 plan, he sent information of it to the French 
 admiral ; and resolved, that in the absence of 
 the troops who were to leave New York, he 
 would attempt to take possession. He added 
 to his army all the troops that could be 
 spared with prudence from West Point, and 
 was marching hastily to New York, when 
 Sir Henry Clinton suddenly returned ; he had 
 heard such accounts of the situation of the de 
 fences at Newport, that he had given up his 
 intention to attack it. Washington and his 
 army were greatly disappointed, for he knew 
 it would be rash to attempt attacking the city 
 without the aid of. a fleet, whea it was so well 
 
WASHINGTON. 135 
 
 guarded by one ; but he did not give up th<3 
 hope of being assisted, and wrote to the French 
 admiral on the subject. Several letters passed 
 from one to the other, but they concluded that 
 they could undertand the plan better, if they 
 saw each other to converse on it ; they agreed 
 to do so, and General Washington went to 
 Hartford in Connecticut, to meet the admira 
 n the twenty-first day of September. 
 
 While he was absent, the fierce but artful 
 passion of revenge was busy in the heart of an 
 American, forming a plot of treason. When 
 the English had left Philadelphia, General 
 Arnold was placed there to take the command, 
 as it was a situation in which he could have the 
 rest which seemed to be necessary for the reco 
 very of the wounds which he had received 
 in Canada. His courage and military talent 
 caused him to be highly regarded as an offi 
 cer, and his countrymen were desirous that 
 he might be able again to take an active part 
 in the war. His bodily strength was soon 
 restored; but the integrity of his mind was 
 feeble : and he who had endured hardships 
 with bravery, and had been a hero in battle, 
 was overcome by the indulgence of ease, and 
 became a coward in his resistance of tempta 
 tions to the practice of vice. One of the 
 many patbs which are on the " broad way 
 that leadeth to destruction," is called the path 
 of pleasure. Arnold, who had toiled through 
 dangers, and fought for liberty with bravery 
 
136 LIFE OF 
 
 and ardour, entered that delusive path, and 
 soon became the slave of its weakening influ 
 ence. Whilst his former companions in the 
 field of battle were persevering courageously 
 in the defence of their country, and suffering 
 from, the want of food and clothing he was 
 engaged in dissipation, and was wasting a for 
 tune in the gratification of idle vanity. He 
 became involved in debt; and then dishon 
 estly used every means within his power, to 
 get possession of the property of others.. His 
 ill conduct was at length made known to Con 
 gress, and they appointed a court of officers 
 of the army, to examine the charges brought 
 against him. 
 
 His accusers had no difficulty in proving 
 what they asserted, and the court sentenced 
 him to receive a reproof from General Wash 
 ington; which they considered a truly severe 
 punishment. He received reproof from stern 
 virtue with feelings of bitter resentment. 
 Vice had so hardened his heart, that the con 
 sciousness of deserving punishment had not 
 the effect of softening it to repentance ; and 
 to plan for revenge against the officers who 
 had sentenced him, and the upright and noble 
 man who had reproved him, became the em 
 ployment of his thoughts. 
 
 His depraved mind could readily practise 
 deception ; and he said he was desirous to be 
 again placed in a situation to be useful to his 
 country. He expressed a desire so frequently, 
 
WASHINGTON. 137 
 
 and with such seeming sincerity, that Gene 
 ral Washington offered to him the command 
 of a division of the army, when he was pre 
 paring to attack New York, in the absence of 
 Sir Henry Clinton. Arnold said that his 
 wounds had rendered him too feeble, to en 
 gage in very active duties, and declined accept 
 ing this offer. General Washington could not 
 feel any suspicions of his resentful intention; 
 though he was surprised at his unwillingness- 
 to use an opportunity for recovering the fa 
 vourable opinion of the public. 
 
 The state of New York was particularly 
 interested in the safety of West Point ; and 
 some important inhabitants of that state, who 
 had a high opinion of the military talents of 
 Arnold, and believed him to be faithful in his 
 attachment to his country, applied to General 
 Washington to place him there ; as he might 
 be very useful without much bodily exertion. 
 This was the very situation which Arnold was 
 anxious to obtain ; and after writing to Gene 
 ral Washington on the subject, he went to the 
 camp to see him, and urge the request. The 
 General, trusting his professions, and believing 
 that he would be very capable of performing 
 the military duties of such a station, gave to 
 him the command. Rejoicing that he had 
 been thus far successful in his deceptive plan, 
 Arnold informed Sir Henry Clinton, that he 
 was anxious to return to his duty as an En 
 glish subject, and repented having violated his 
 
138 LIFE OF 
 
 allegiance to his king. In true repentance 
 there is always a desire to benefit those against 
 whom the fault has been committed ; and 
 Arnold wished to make his profession of re- 
 oeptance seem sincere, by offering to do all 
 ui his power to place his country again in a 
 state of dependence. 
 
 When he went to West Point, he wrote to 
 Sir Henry, that he would manage the troops 
 stationed there, so that he might, on attacking 
 them, readily make them his prisoners, or 
 else entirely destroy them. The English 
 general must have despised and distrusted the 
 traitor, and he ought to have scorned the pro 
 posal of using such cowardly means for sub 
 duing the Americans ; but to get possession 
 of West Point was so desirable, that he gladly 
 received the base offer, and said he would ap 
 point an officer to correspond with Arnold on 
 the subject. 
 
 The officer chosen for this degrading duty 
 was Major Andre. He was young, and had 
 been expensively educated, and his disposition 
 was so frank and amiable, that he was es 
 teemed by all who became acquainted with 
 him. As an officer he was brave and faithful, 
 and was a favourite in the army. His friends 
 were strongly and tenderly attached to him, 
 and felt a perfect confidence in the strength 
 of his virtuous principles. But the foundation 
 of those principles was a wrong one ; they 
 were placed on what he considered to be the 
 
WASHINGTON. 139 
 
 duty he owed to men, and not on that which 
 he owed to God. When Sir Henry Clinton 
 informed him of the employment he intended 
 to give him, he consented to take a part in 
 deception and treachery, and by doing so, lost 
 his claim to integrity. 
 
 Several letters passed between Arnold and 
 Andre, signed by the feigned names of Gus- 
 tavus and Anderson ; but the plan of treason 
 could not be safely understood without some 
 conversation on the subject, and Arnold sent 
 a pass, or written permission for Andre to go 
 in the character of a person on business, past 
 the guards at West Point, to a house near the 
 oul-post, where he promised to meet him : in 
 the pass, he was called John Anderson. An 
 English sloop of war, named the Vulture, 
 was sent up the Hudson to take Andre as 
 near to West Point as possible, without the 
 risk of exciting suspicion. He was rowed in 
 a small boat to the shore, and arrived in safety 
 at the place appointed by Arnold. Night was 
 chosen to veil from human eyes the plottings 
 of treachery ; but " an All-seeing eye," to 
 which " the darkness is as the noon day," 
 ested on the deluded and erring Andre. And 
 a power, from which no human strength or 
 wisdom can deliver, was preparing a dreadful 
 punishment for his wanderings from the path 
 of virtue. 
 
 The night was spent in deeply interesting 
 conversation, and the morning dawned before 
 
140 LIFE OF 
 
 all the parts of the dark plot were well under 
 stood. Andre could not return to the vessel 
 by the light of day, with any hope of safety ; 
 and Arnold assured him that he could conceal 
 him until night, and for this purpose took 
 him within the posts, and remained with him 
 all day. The Vulture had heen noticed from 
 the fort, and fired on, and the commander 
 thought it necessary to move to a greater dis 
 tance down the yiver. When daylight had 
 again faded from the sky, and the hour of dark 
 ness had come, for which no doubt Andre 
 had anxiously watched, he left his place of 
 concealment, and expected to be quickly con 
 veyed to the vessel from which he had come 
 the night before ; but it was removed to so 
 great a distance, that he could not prevail on 
 any boatman to take him to it, and Arnold 
 did not dare to aid him in persuading them. 
 
 Sadly perplexed, Andre was obliged at 
 length to determine on passing to New York 
 by land. This was a perilous attempt ; for 
 parties of militia were employed in watching 
 all the roads leading from the Highlands to 
 that city. Arnold insisted on his changing his 
 dress for a plain one, and wrote a pass for 
 him, desiring the guards and militia to " per 
 mit John Anderson to go to the White Plains, 
 on business of great importance." 
 
 With this permit he passed all the out- 
 guards with safety ; and was riding on with 
 a feeling of security, when near to Tarry town, 
 
WASHINGTON. 141 
 
 a young man sprung from a thicket by the 
 road side, and seized the bridle of. his horse 
 In the first practice of deception an ingenuous 
 mind is timid ; and Andre, though brave when 
 acting truly, became a coward when he was 
 conscious that he was a deceiver. He forgot 
 his pass in the moment of need, and in a hur 
 ried tone of alarm, asked the man where he 
 was from? " From below," was the reply; 
 and supposing this meant from New York, 
 Andre said hastily, " So am I ;" and added, 
 that he was a British officer, who was going on 
 important business, and begged that he might 
 not be detained a moment. Two more young 
 men then came from the woods ; and he dis 
 covered too late that they all were Ameri 
 cans : their names were David Williams, John 
 Paulding, and Isaac Vanwert. He offered to 
 give them his valuable watch, a purse of gold, 
 and the promise of a large reward from the 
 English commander, if they would allow h m 
 to pass. 
 
 All his offers were disregarded, and he was 
 obliged to submit to be searched. The pa 
 pers he had received from Arnold were in his 
 boots ; his captors took possession of them, 
 and conducted him to a militia officer named 
 Jameson. Andre, anxious for the safety of 
 Arnold, asserted to Jameson that his name 
 was John Anderson, and requested him to 
 send immediately to West Point, and inform 
 General Arnold that he was there. Jameson 
 
14 ?- LIFE OF 
 
 could not believe that Arnold was connected 
 with Andre in a plot of treachery, and he im 
 mediately complied with his request. When 
 Andre thought that Arnold had time to escape, 
 he again acknowledged his real character ; 
 and Jameson sent an express to Gen. Wash 
 ington, with the papers that had been found 
 in Andre s boots ; and Andre wrote to him an 
 account of the manner in which he had been 
 captured, and the reason of his being dis 
 guised. 
 
 General Washington was returning from 
 Hartford, and the express took a road differ 
 ent from that on which he was travelling, and 
 thus missed him. He had sent to inform Ar 
 nold that he would be at West Point to break 
 fast ; but stopping to examine some of the im 
 portant passes in the mountains, he was de 
 tained later than he expected. Several officers, 
 in expectation of seeing their loved comman 
 der, were breakfasting with Arnold, when 
 he received a letter from Jameson informing 
 him of the capture of John Anderson. With 
 an appearance of calmness, he rose and left 
 the room ; but his wife saw a change in his 
 countenance and followed him. With a few 
 hasty words, he told her of his danger, and 
 left her, to return to -the breakfast room. He 
 made an excuse for leaving the officers so 
 hastily, by telling them that he had forgotten 
 to give some orders which were needful for 
 receiving the commander-in-chief with the re- 
 
WASHINGTON. 143 
 
 pect due to him, and that he must immediate- 
 y attend to this duty. 
 
 He was quickly down on the shore, and 
 ordered a sergeant and six men to enter a 
 boat, and row him immediately to the sloop 
 Vulture, which still was at anchor below the 
 fort. The sergeant did not hesitate one mo 
 ment, for he thought that General Arnold was 
 going with a flag of truce, on business of im 
 portance to the American cause, and he soon 
 placed him on board of the vessel. When 
 Arnold felt himself safe, he told the sergeant 
 that he did not intend to return, as he had de 
 termined to enter the service of the king of 
 England, and he endeavored to persuade him 
 to do the same. The sergeant and his men 
 answered, that " If General Arnold liked the 
 king of England, he might serve him ; but 
 they loved their country better, and intended 
 to live and die in the support of its indepen 
 dence." Arnold then proposed to the com 
 mander of the Vulture to detain the men as 
 prisoners; but he would not consent to so 
 disgraceful an act. 
 
 By the time that General Washington ar- 
 -ived at West Point, the plan of treachery 
 was known ; but it was too late to secure the 
 traitor. He requested to see Mrs. Arnold, and 
 found her in a state of extreme distress. She 
 v >egged him not to injure her, and was so vio* 
 ent in her feelings that he found it was vain 
 to attempt to calm her by assuring her that she 
 
144 LIFE OF 
 
 should be treated with kindness and respect. 
 He left her in the care of her female servant, 
 and sent for an officer whom he knew was 
 strongly attached to Arnold, arid who com 
 manded one of the most important posts in the 
 Highlands. When the officer came, Wash 
 ington said to him, "Colonel, we have been 
 deceived, Arnold is a traitor ; your post may 
 be attacked to-night ; go back to it without 
 delay, and defend it bravely, as I know you 
 will." This generous confidence excited the 
 feelings of the officer so much, that for some 
 moments he was unable to reply ; but when 
 he could speak, he said, " Your excellency 
 has more than rewarded all that I have done, 
 or ever could do for my country." 
 
 Arnold wrote to General Washington by the 
 return of the boat which had conveyed him to 
 the vessel. The daring insolence of his let 
 ter raised a glow on the cheek of Washing 
 ton, but the first words he spoke after reading 
 it, were dictated by the benevolent feelings of 
 his heart. He desired that Mrs. Arnold might 
 be relieved from her fears for the safety of her 
 husband, by being told that he was secure 
 from pursuit. Preparations were made for the 
 defence of West Point, in case the enemy 
 should attack it ; but Sir Henry Clinton would 
 not venture to make the attempt, when . he 
 eould not be aided by the treason of its com 
 mander. 
 
 When the fate of Andre was to be dete 
 
WASHINGTON. 145 
 
 mined, the general officers of the army met to 
 examine him, and inquire into all the circum 
 stances attending the dark plot in which he 
 had been engaged, that they might judge whe 
 ther he must be considered as a spy. He was 
 treated with great tenderness, and was told 
 that he might refuse to reply to any ques 
 tions that would lead to his condemnation ; 
 but his mind, which had no doubt been en 
 gaged in solemn reflection, could no longer 
 willingly practise deception, and he acknow 
 ledged the part he had been acting, so that it 
 was not necessary to examine one witness. 
 
 "With the hope of forming some excuse for 
 him, it was said that he had gone to West 
 Point with a flag of truce. He was asked if 
 this was true ; he replied, " Had I come with 
 a flag, I might have returned with a flag." 
 An American officer, who had a hope that he 
 might yet be saved from condemnation, began: 
 to say to him that perhaps he might be ex 
 changed for Arnold, " Stop," said Andre,. 
 " such a proposal can never come from me>" 
 All the circumstances which he confessed, led 
 the officers to determine that he deserved the 
 character of a spy, and death is the sentence 
 which the stern laws of war pass upon such 
 a character. 
 
 Universal sorrow was felt for the sad and 
 
 disgraceful close of life to which this young 
 
 officer was brought by his departure from the 
 
 path of rectitude. General Washington, in a- 
 
 N 
 
146 LIFE OF 
 
 private letter, expressed his estimation of the 
 character of Andre ; and perhaps never per 
 formed with so much reluctance any painful 
 duty, as he did that of signing his sentence of 
 death. This sentence was executed soon af 
 ter, when Andre was hung, according to the 
 usage of war in such cases. Arnold wrote 
 several letters on the subject to General Wash 
 ington, but he did not notice them ; and di 
 rected that his baggage should all be sent to 
 him, and that Mrs. Arnold should be carefully 
 conducted to New York, where he was. 
 
 We are so ready to forget how unbounded 
 -and wonderful the power of God is, that we 
 think and speak of events, which we consider 
 trifling, as if they were not directed by him ; 
 but to say that any event happens " by 
 chance," or "by accident," has no meaning, 
 unless chance and accident are used as names 
 for the secret workings of Divine power, 
 which overrules the smallest occurrence as 
 certainly as the greatest event. In every cir 
 cumstance connected with Arnold s plot of 
 treason, might be traced that Providence 
 which can make the smallest accident defeat 
 the wisest plans of man; and prove that " A 
 man s heart deviseth his way, buj^the Lorddi- 
 recteth his steps." 
 
 The disappointed baseness of Arnold was 
 made, by Him who ruleth all things, to be 
 useful to his country. Arnold sent addresses 
 to the officers and soldiers of the American 
 
WASHINGTON. 147 
 
 army, to persuade them to follow his example , 
 assuring them that if they did so, they would 
 be liberally rewarded. These addresses had 
 the effect of uniting the Americans more firm 
 ly than ever ; and the indignation which they 
 felt, animated them to more exertions to prove 
 that they were determined to persevere in 
 the defence of their country, and despised the 
 man who had forsaken the cause of freedom. 
 
 Arnold was the only American officer who. 
 through all the coi^se of the war, deserved 
 the name of traitor ; and he most truly merit 
 ed it; for, after he had joined himself to the 
 enemies of his country, he was active in his 
 endeavours to plan and perform deeds that 
 would be most likely to injure it, and cause 
 distress to his countrymen ; but those endea 
 vours were made to produce good for those 
 against whom they were directed. 
 
 The account which he gave to Sir Henry 
 Clinton of the weak and suffering state of the 
 American army, caused him to feel a security 
 and confidence in his own strength, which in 
 several instances was advantageous to them. 
 It has been said, that when all " the probable 
 consequences of his plot, had it been success 
 ful, came to be considered, and the seeming 
 accidents by which it was discovered and de 
 feated, all were filled with a kind of awful as 
 tonishment, and the devout perceived in the 
 transaction the hand of Providence guiding 
 America to independence." 
 
148 LIFE OF 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 17801781. 
 
 IN his conversation with the French admi 
 ral at Hartford, General Washington had been 
 convinced that he must give up his favourite 
 plan of attacking New York that season. The 
 admiral told him that he expected an addition 
 to his fleet ; but that until it arrived, he had 
 not a force which he considered sufficient to 
 meet the English fleet, with any probability of 
 success, in an action. The two armies con 
 tinued merely watching each other, until the 
 time arrived for going into winter quarters ; 
 and the Americans were then stationed near 
 Morristown, and on the borders of New York 
 and New Jersey. The troops belonging to the 
 New England states were placed at West 
 Point, and on both sides of the river Hudson. 
 
 The scenery of West Point and its neigh 
 bourhood is beautifully wild ; and is rendered 
 very interesting, by Washington having win 
 tered there in that gloomy period of the revo- 
 ution. Nearly six hundred feet above the 
 Hudson river, are the ruins of Fort Putnam, 
 which commanded the river below and above, 
 and also a passagewhich opens in the moun 
 tain. The large stones of which the fort was 
 constructed, it is said, were carried up the 
 steep path by men. On some of the hills are 
 
WASHINGTON. 149 
 
 remains of huts which were used by the army. 
 From a bank Hows a remarkably cold and clear 
 spring 1 , which is (jteeply shaded by trees and 
 is called Washington s spring. The old in 
 habitants of the surrounding country, who re 
 membered the time when their defenders were 
 encamped on it, delighted afterwards to lead 
 strangers to notice a spring, the refreshing 
 water of which was daily used by their revered 
 protector. The season was too severely cold 
 to admit of a winter campaign, with troops al 
 most destitute of clothing; and while they were 
 in winter quarters, and the never-idle Wash 
 ington was engaged in preparing for employ 
 ing them as soon as possible, the sad work 
 of war was going on in the southern States. 
 General Cornwallis, who had been left there 
 with an army, had, on the 16th August, at 
 tacked the Americans at Camden, and almost 
 entirely defeated them. He then seemed to 
 consider South Carolina as a conquered state, 
 and all the efforts that were made to resist 
 him, he called " acts of rebellion," and gave 
 orders that all persons who were found op 
 posing the authority of the king of England, 
 should have their property destroyed, and be 
 treated with the greatest severity. 
 
 Some of the Americans had joined the En 
 glish army, and Cornwallis heard that there 
 were others in the back part of the state of 
 North Carolina, who were willing to do so ; 
 and he sent Major Ferguson with troops, to- 
 
 N2 
 
150 LIFE OF 
 
 unite with them in resisting and attacking all 
 who continued faithful to the cause of inde 
 pendence. 
 
 Colonel Clarke, an American, who had left 
 his home, in Georgia, when the English took 
 possession of that state, collected a small 
 company and attacked Augusta ; the English 
 troops there were soon aided by an additional 
 force, and Colonel Clarke retreated to the 
 mountains. Ferguson heard of this, and re 
 solved to stop him and his brave little band ; 
 but some hardy mountaineers, from the west 
 ern parts of Virginia and North Carolina, as 
 sembled quickly, and were joined by some 
 militia from South Carolina. They marched 
 rapidly towards Ferguson, who was posted 
 on King s Mountain, and they attacked him 
 so bravely, that in a short time his troops 
 were entirely defeated. Ferguson was killed : 
 three hundred of his party killed or wounded, 
 ;and eight hundred made prisoners. One 
 thousand five hundred stand of arms were 
 taken. The result of this attack was very im 
 portant, for the disaffected Americans who 
 escaped did not return to Cornwallis, and this 
 loss obliged him to retreat out of North Caro 
 lina, where he had expected to be very suc 
 cessful. 
 
 He marched his army to Camden, to wait 
 for more troops from New York, which Si" 
 Henry Clinton was to send to him. While his 
 .-army were encamped, near Camden, he was 
 
WASHINGTON. 151 
 
 obliged to detach parties of it to endeavour 
 to defeat an American officer named Marion, 
 who had a few brave men under his command. 
 They sometimes concealed themselves in 
 swamps and wood thickets, from which they 
 rushed out when any opportunity occurred for 
 an attack on the enemies of their country ; 01 
 when they could defend the helpless families 
 from which those foes were forcing provisions 
 An anecdote of Marion will serve to show his 
 truly patriotic motives for enduring with pa 
 tient fortitude the dangers and sufferings to 
 which he was exposed, by persevering in his 
 resistance of Cornwallis. 
 
 An English officer was sent to him to make 
 some proposals for an exchange of prisoners ; 
 he received the officer with civility, and after 
 they had settled the business on which he 
 came, Marion invited him to stay and take 
 dinner with him. At the name of dinner, the 
 officer felt surprised ; for on looking round, 
 he saw no appearance of any provisions, nor 
 of any place for preparing food. A few sun 
 burnt militiamen were sitting on some- old 
 tree stumps, with their powderhorns lying 
 beside them, and Marion looked as if he had 
 suffered from hunger. 
 
 The officer said he would accept his invi 
 tation ; feeling curious, no doubt, to know 
 where the dinner was to come from. " Weil, 
 Tom," said Marion to one of his men, " come, 
 give us our dinner." Tom took a pine stick, 
 
152 LIFE OF 
 
 and with it drew out some sweet potatoes 
 from a heap of ashes, under which they had 
 been placed to be roasted. He cleaned them 
 first by blowing the ashes from them with his 
 breath, and then by wiping them with the 
 sleeve of his homespun shirt ; and piling them 
 on a piece of bark, he placed them between 
 the English officer and Marion, on the trunk 
 of the fallen pine tree on which they sat. The 
 officer took one of the potatoes, and while he 
 was eating it, began to laugh heartily. Marion 
 looked surprised. 
 
 " Excuse me," said the officer, ** but I was 
 thinking how drolly some of my brother 
 officers would look, if their government was 
 to provide them with such dinners. But, no 
 doubt, in general, you fare better?" " Rather 
 worse," replied Marion, " for often we have 
 not enough potatoes to satisfy our hunger." 
 " Then, no doubt, though you are stinted in 
 provisions, you draw good pay," said the 
 officer. " Not one cent," replied Marion. 
 " Then I do not see," said the officer, " how 
 you can stand it." " These things depend on 
 feeling," said Marion, " and I am happy. I 
 would rather fight to obtain the blessing of 
 freedom for my country, and feed on roots, than 
 desert the cause, and gain by doing so, all the 
 luxuries that Solomon owned." 
 
 When the officer returned to his commander 
 he was asked why he looked so serious. " ] 
 have cause, sir, to look so," was his reply 
 
WASHINGTON. 1 53 
 
 k Why," said his commander, in alarm, " has 
 Washington defeated Sir Henry Clinton ? 
 " No, sir; but more than that. I have seen 
 an American general and his men without pay, 
 and almost without clothes, living upon roots, 
 and drinking water, and all for liberty. What 
 chance have we against such men ?" 
 
 Cornwallis employed a very active officer, 
 Colonel Tarlton, to draw Marion and his 
 fe\v followers from their secure retreats ; but 
 he did not succeed, and he took his revenge on 
 the surrounding country by plundering the in 
 habitants. He was drawn from this work by 
 hearing of the appearance of the American 
 general, Sumpter, who, with a company of mi 
 litia, was approaching in an opposite direction. 
 Sumpter had been a very active officer, but 
 Cornwallis thought that he was entirely van 
 quished, and was greatly surprised to hear of his 
 being again at the head of a respectable force. 
 He immediately determined to attack him 
 in his camp, on Broad river, and sent a de 
 tachment from his army, commanded by Ma 
 jor Wemyss, for that purpose, which arrived 
 several hours before day, and made the attack 
 with vigour ; but Sumpter quickly drew his 
 men into order, and they defended themselves 
 so bravely, that their enemies were soon 
 forced to retreat, with the loss of their com 
 mander. Sumpter then changed his situation, 
 and Cornwallis directed Tarlton to follow and 
 attack him. 
 
154 LIFE OF 
 
 Sumptei was placed with his troops on a 
 steep hill, near the Tiger river, when Tarl- 
 ton rashly attacked them, and was soon 
 obliged to retire, in haste and disorder, leaving 
 nearly two hundred men killed or wounded 
 on the field. The loss of the Americans was 
 three killed and four wounded. General 
 Sumpter was severely wounded, and as he 
 knew that it was probable Cornwallis would 
 send a very powerful force against him, he 
 thought it most prudent to disperse his men, 
 and wait until his wound was healed to call 
 them together again. For such was the spi 
 rit which animated men who were struggling 
 for freedom that no desertion was feared. 
 They came forth for the defence of their 
 houses and families, and were ready to return 
 whenever their services were needed. 
 
 The regular southern army was at that time 
 very small, and the state of it was well de 
 scribed by Washington, in a letter to a friend, 
 when he appointed General Greene to take 
 the command of it ; he wrote, " You have 
 your wish in the officer appointed to the 
 southern command. I think I am giving you 
 a general : but what can a general do without 
 men, without arms, without clothing, without 
 stores, without provisions ?" 
 
 In December General Greene joined the 
 army at Charlotte, in South Carolina; the 
 whole number of troops placed under his com 
 mand, did not amount to many more than two 
 
WASHINGTON. 155 
 
 thousand, a greater part of whom were mili 
 tia. He separated them into two divisions, 
 and gave the command of one to General Mor 
 gan, and directed him to move to the south 
 side of the Catawba river, while he inarched 
 down to the Pedee river, to encamp on the 
 east side of it. 
 
 Thus situated, the army of Cornwallis lay 
 between them, and he determined to attack 
 one of them, but wished to leave it uncertain, 
 as long as possible, which he would march 
 against. Additional troops had been sent from 
 New York, and were on their march to Cam- 
 den. Cornwallis put his army in motion, 
 and directed its course towards North Carolina, 
 ordering the new troops to join him at the Ca 
 tawba river, and charging Tarlton to move 
 rapidly with a large detachment against Mor 
 gan, to "push him to the utmost, and, at ail 
 events, drive him over Broad river;" expect 
 ing, that if .he escaped Tarlton, he would be 
 met and defeated by the main body of the 
 army. 
 
 A sudden swelling of the streams, which 
 the army had to pass, delayed it a much 
 longer time than Cornwallis had calculated 
 for ; and also prevented the new troops from 
 joining him at the place he ha d appointed. 
 Tarlton was more active with his troops, and 
 reached Morgan before Cornwallis had arrived 
 at the situation in which he intended to slop 
 him. if he was forced to retreat. 
 
156 LIFE OF 
 
 General Morgan heard of these movements 
 of his enemies, and knowing that his situation 
 was a very dangerous one, he crossed the Pa- 
 colet river, and placed his men at the fording 
 place, to defend it; but he soon heard that his 
 pursuers had crossed the river six miles higher 
 op, and he then quickly retreated to a spot 
 amongst the pines, called the Cowpens. Halt 
 ing there, Morgan consulted the officers of 
 his little army as to the course of conduct that 
 ought to be determined on, and they resolved 
 to remain there and wait for the attack of their 
 foes. They placed their troops on a piece of 
 rising ground, in an open wood, and waited 
 with firmness for their pursuers, who very 
 soon made their appearance, and advanced 
 perfectly confident that they should be victo 
 rious. This was on the 17th January, 1781. 
 
 Morgan and his officers gave their orders 
 with so much calm judgment, and the soldiers 
 attended to them so obediently and courage 
 ously, that Tarlton and his confident troops 
 were driven back, and forced to fly, closely 
 followed by the Americans, who made priso 
 ners of five hundred of the soldiers and twen 
 ty-nine of their officers. They got possession, 
 also, of eight hundred muskets, thirty-five 
 baggage wagons, and a hundred horses. The 
 Americans had less than eighty in killed and 
 wounded. In this battle was Lieutenant-Co 
 lonel Washington, who, when a captain, be 
 haved so bravely at the battle of Trenton. In 
 
WASHINGTON. 157 
 
 the haste of pursuit he was separated from his 
 regiment. Three English officers, one of 
 whom was Tarlton, seeing this, turned quick 
 ly and attacked him. One aimed a blow at 
 him, which was turned aside by a sergeant, 
 who rushed forward to his aid. At the same 
 moment the second officer made a stroke at 
 him, but a young lad, who was too small to 
 hold a sword, wounded the officer with a pis 
 tol, and thus saved Colonel Washington, who 
 was engaged defending himself against Tarl 
 ton, who, finding that he could not succeed in 
 his attack, turned to fly, and discharged a pis 
 tol, which wounded the horse of Col. Wash 
 ington, but did not injure him. 
 
 Tarlton, in this personal conflict, received 
 from Washington a wound in the hand ; and 
 it has been related, that he said to an American 
 lady of Charleston, some time afterwards. 
 "You appear to think very highly of Col. 
 Washington; and yet, I have been told, that he 
 is so ignorant a fellow, that he can hardly write 
 his own name." To this silly insinuation she 
 replied, " It may be the case, but no man can 
 testify better than yourself, Colonel, that he 
 knows how to make his mark." 
 
 Tarlton retreated with speed from the Cow 
 pens, and did not stop until he readied the 
 army of Cornwallis, which was at a distance 
 of about twenty-five miles. 
 
 This victory was a very important one to 
 the American cause ; for, if Morgan s army 
 
158 LIFE OF 
 
 had been defeated, Cornwallis would probably 
 have attacked General Greene s with all his 
 force, and no doubt with success, as his 
 troops were so numerous ; and then all the 
 southern states would have been in his pos 
 session. 
 
 The day after the battle the troops which 
 Cornwallis had directed to join him arrived, 
 and early the next morning he put all his 
 army in motion, determining to attack Mor 
 gan with a force that would certainly destroy 
 him. General Morgan marched quickly to 
 wards the Catawba river, and had crossed it 
 only two hours before the English army 
 reached its banks. As night was near, Corn 
 wallis resolved not to attempt crossing the ri 
 ver until the day should dawn ; but when the 
 dawn came, that gracious hand, which was 
 conducting the Americans to independence 
 through scenes of trial, had placed a barrier 
 between Cornwallis and his expected prey, 
 which all his power and wisdom could not 
 enable him to overcome. A rain fell during 
 the night, which seemed to be too trifling to 
 make any increase in the depth of the river, 
 but it was rendered impassable, and continued 
 to be so for two days. 
 
 This providential delay of his pursuers, 
 gave Morgan time to place his prisoners in a 
 state of security, with the arms and stores 
 which he had taken, and to refresh his wearied 
 troops. 
 
WASHINGTON. 1 59 
 
 General Greene, on hearing of the battle at 
 the Cowpens, was anxious to unite the two 
 divisions of his army, and he travelled h^sti j 
 to join General Morgan and aid him by his 
 counsel, leaving the other division of his army 
 under the command of General Huger. 
 
 When the swell of the waters had abated 
 so that Cornwallis could cross the Catawba, 
 he did so, and continued a rapid pursuit of the 
 Americans, who were marching towards the 
 Yadkin river, which they crossed on the 2d 
 February, partly on flats, and partly by ford 
 ing it, and had only time to secure all the flats 
 from being used by their pursuers, when they 
 appeared on the opposite bank of the river. 
 Again the waters were commanded to aid the 
 Americans, and, before their foes could prepare 
 boats or flats to cross the Yadkin, a heavy rain 
 and driving wind rendered it dangerous to 
 make the attempt. 
 
 The stream continued to rise, and Corn 
 wallis was obliged to move nearer to its 
 source, where it was less deep, before he 
 could venture to cross it. 
 
 A celebrated historian of the American Re 
 volution, says : " This second hairbreadth 
 escape was considered by the Americans as 
 a farther evidence that their cause was favour 
 ed by Heaven. That they, in two successive 
 instances, should effect their passage, while 
 their pursuers, who were only a few miles in 
 their rear, could not follow, impressed the re- 
 
160 LIFE OF 
 
 ligious people of that settlement with such 
 sentiments of devotion as added fresh vigour 
 to their exertions in behalf of American inde 
 pendence."* 
 
 This delay enabled General Greene to move 
 on as far as Guilford Court-House, where he 
 was joined by the division he had left under 
 the command of Huger. 
 
 When Cornwallis found that he could not 
 prevent the union of these divisions, he re 
 solved to endeavour to get between them and 
 Virginia, so as to force them to an action, be 
 fore they conld receive any aid from troops 
 which he heard Were preparing in that state 
 to join their countrymen. 
 
 General Greene knew that an action with 
 so powerful an enemy must be fatal to his ar 
 my ; and he used great exertions to move it 
 quickly on towards the Dan river, with the 
 hope of being able to enter Virginia, before 
 Cornwallis could overtake him. After many 
 difficulties were overcome, General Greene 
 succeeded in getting his troops safe across the 
 river. They had marched forty miles in 
 twenty-four hours, and the last boat in- which 
 they were crossing the river had scarcely 
 touched the northern bank, when the army of 
 Cornwallis appeared on the opposite shore. 
 
 General Greene and his little army had re 
 treated for more than two hundred miles, 
 without the loss of any men. The season 
 was winter, the weather cold and wet, and 
 * Ramsay. 
 
WASHINGTON. 161 
 
 the roads either deep or icy, and the troops al 
 most naked and barefooted, and often had no 
 other food than corn grated on their tin can 
 teens, in which they punched holes for that 
 purpose. The army of Cornwallis had passed 
 over the same roads, but they were well 
 clothed, and provided with strengthening food, 
 and were only prevented overtaking the Ame 
 ricans by the swelling of the waters in their 
 way. They were so often thus stopped, 
 when the Americans had just passed over in 
 safety, that the particular providence of God 
 was clearly seen in these delays, and General 
 Greene and his feeble army had cause to 
 praise the mercy which directed these means 
 for their preservation from a powerful foe. 
 
 When the American army entered Virginia, 
 Cornwallis gave up the pursuit of it, and 
 marched slowly to Hillsborough, at that time 
 the capital of North Carolina. He there raised 
 the standard of the king of England, and in 
 vited all the inhabitants of the state to assist 
 him in restoring the old government. 
 
 General Greene was resolved to prevent 
 his having entire possession of that state ; 
 and when he had received the addition to his 
 army of a few hundred men, he re-crossed the 
 Dan river, and moved slowly towards Hills- 
 borough. All the country around had been 
 searched for provisions to supply the English 
 army, and Cornwallis at length found that he 
 must remove to another situation, as it was 
 
162 LIFE OF 
 
 impossible for him to obtain what was need 
 ful where he was. 
 
 When he removed, Greene advanced, but 
 took care not to place his army where he 
 must be forced into an action before he should 
 be joined by more troops that he expected 
 from Virginia. When they came, he deter 
 mined to risk a battle, and for that purpose 
 marched towards Guilford to meet Cornwallis 
 A very severe battle was commenced on the 
 15 tli March, and continued for some time, 
 with expectations of victory on both sides; 
 but after a considerable loss of men, Corn 
 wallis was able to claim it, and Greene moved 
 his troops to a distance of twelve miles, where 
 he prepared for another attack, which he ex 
 pected would soon be made. But Cornwallis 
 did not attempt it ; for, though he had gained 
 a victory, he had lost so many men, and was 
 so unable to obtain provisions for his army, 
 that lie was forced to retreat towards Wilming 
 ton, where he expected he should get supplies 
 of food. As he passed on, he proclaimed, 
 that he had gained a great victory, and ordered 
 that there should be a general illumination. 
 
 A Mrs. Heyward, (whose husband had 
 been sent as a rebel in a prison ship to St. 
 Augustine, after the English had taken pos 
 session of Charleston,) closed the windows 
 of her house, when she heard of the order of 
 Cornwallis. An English officer entered it, 
 and said, " How dare you disobey the order 
 
WASHINGTON. 1 63 
 
 which has been given ? Why is your house 
 not illuminated?" She replied, "Is it possi 
 ble for me to feel joy ? Can I celebrate a 
 victory of your army, and my husband a pri 
 soner?" The officer said, " The last hopes 
 of rebellion are crushed by the defeat of 
 Greene, and you shall illuminate." " Not 
 single light," said Mrs. Heyward, " shall be 
 placed, with my consent, in any window of 
 my house." "Then" -eplied the officer, "I 
 will return with a party, and before midnight 
 level it with the ground." "You have the pow 
 er," said she, " and seem disposed to use it, but 
 you cannot control my determination, and* I 
 will not illuminate." The officer left her and 
 did not return to execute his unfeeling threat. 
 Cornwallis moved his army into Virginia. 
 Some of the inhabitants of North Carolina 
 had deserted the cause of liberty, and placed 
 themselves under the protection of the En 
 glish army. To them of course, the removal 
 of that army from their state was a subject 
 of sorrow ; but to all those who had continued 
 firm in their determination to be independent 
 of the government of England, the deliverance 
 from the presence of those whose purpose was 
 to make them submit, occasioned great joy. 
 The name of Tarlton was heard with dread ; 
 for he was constantly practising some severity, 
 either in destroy ing the property of the faithful 
 Americans, or in punishing them whenever he 
 had an opportunity. Some, in a moment of 
 
164 LIFE OF 
 
 terror, had professed a willingness to submit, 
 but afterwards repented that they had done so, 
 and determined on endeavouring to defend 
 themselves ; to such persons Tarlton showed 
 no mercy. A young man who had acted in 
 this manner, was afterwards taken prisoner, 
 and Tarlton ordered him to be immediately 
 hung by the road side ; and placed on his 
 back the declaration, " such shall be the fat 
 of whoever presumes to cut him down." No 
 one but the sister of the young man dared to 
 disregard this threat ; but she, with the reso 
 lution and tenderness of female attachment, 
 watched for a time when no one was near to 
 prevent her sad and dangerous employment, 
 and succeeded in getting possession of the 
 body of her loved brother, and placed it in a 
 grave. 
 
 While the inhabitants of the more southern 
 states had been suffering, those of Virginia 
 had not been left to the enjoyment of peace^ 
 for the revengeful Arnold had been made a 
 general in the English army, and was sent to 
 invade the native state of Washington. Early 
 in January he attacked Richmond, and suc 
 ceeded in getting possession of it, and in de 
 stroying the military stores there. The re 
 sistance made to his power was too feeble to 
 check him, and he used every opportunity for 
 gratifying his desire to injure his countrymen 
 
 All the events of that sad winter were such 
 as caused the Americans to feel depressed, 
 
WASHINGTON. 1 65 
 
 and increased the cares of Washington. There 
 were no sounds of gladness to hail the new 
 year of 1781, but it commenced with an event 
 that threatened ruin to the American cause. 
 That part of the army which was stationed 
 near Morristown, in New Jersey, had suffered 
 so much for want of clothing and food, that 
 they determined to inarch to Philadelphia 
 and force Congress to obtain supplies for 
 them, or else threaten that they would no 
 longer continue in service. Their command 
 ing officer tried in vain to prevent their doing 
 so, and they marched towards Princeton. 
 Three officers, to whom the soldiers were at 
 tached, folio wed them to the place where they 
 encamped for the night, and prevailed on them 
 to send a sergeant from each regiment to meet 
 them and state their complaints, and what 
 they intended to demand form Congress. 
 They did so, and General Wayne, their com 
 mander, promised that their wishes should be 
 made known to Congress, and attended to ; 
 and urged them to return to their duty. Gene 
 ral Washington was at that time at New 
 Windsor, on the North river, and General 
 Wayne immediately sent to him an account 
 of this alarming mutiny ; and of the demands 
 made by those who were engaged in it 
 Washington was much .distressed by their 
 conduct ; but he felt that they had cause for 
 complaint, and thought that he ought not to go 
 to them lest they should disobey him, and 
 
166 LIFE OF 
 
 thus deserve 3, punishment which would pre 
 vent their being willing to return to duty. He 
 made all the preparations that were possible 
 for subduing them in case they became violent 
 in theirconduct; and directed General Wayne 
 to inform Congress of what had happened, 
 and let them endeavour to settle the business 
 without his interference. 
 
 Congress appointed a committee to visit the 
 camp of the mutineers, and make proposals to 
 them, which after a short time they agreed to 
 accept. The time for which a large portion 
 of them had enlisted was passed, and they 
 were discharged, so that the army was consi 
 derably reduced. 
 
 When Sir Henry Clinton heard of the mu 
 tiny, he immediately sent men to offer secretly 
 to the revolters an assurance that he would 
 receive them into his army, and supply all 
 their wants, and would send a large force 
 from New York to conduct them there in 
 safety. But he had mistaken the feelings of 
 the American soldiers. In a moment of ex 
 treme suffering they had yielded to the rash 
 counsel of some impatient spirits, but no 
 thought of becoming enemies of their country 
 had entered their minds. They seized the 
 messengers of Sir Henry, and made his pro 
 posals known to General Wayne, with an as 
 surance that they had scorned them. The 
 committee from Congress offered a reward 
 to those who had made Sir Henry s messen- 
 
WASHINGTON. 167 
 
 gers prisoners, but they refused to accept it, 
 saying, " they had only done their duty, and 
 desired for the act nothing more than the ap 
 probation of their country, for which they had 
 o often fought and bled." 
 
 General Washington made use of this re 
 volt to show to Congress, and to the different 
 states, the necessity of making more effectual 
 exertions to supply the army with clothing 
 and wholesome food. He represented their 
 sufferings so feelingly, that efforts were made 
 in each state, to contribute to their relief, 
 and small as the aid was, the sufferers were 
 satisfied with this proof, that their country 
 men were not entirely unmindful of them. 
 
 When Congress had succeeded in satisfy 
 ing the discontented troops, they became en 
 gaged in the interesting business of determin 
 ing on a plan for a union of the different states 
 which would enable them to carry on the war 
 with less difficulty and expense. ** Articles 
 of confederation," were drawn up, and in 
 February they were agreed to by all the mem 
 bers of Congress, and the knowledge of this 
 bond of union gave universal satisfaction. 
 
 All the accounts which General Washing 
 ton heard from the southern stales made him 
 very anxious to send more troops there. 
 The French fleet had been blocked up in 
 the harbour of Newport by an English fleet; 
 but a violent storm injured many of the Eng 
 lish ships, and, by their being moved away 
 
168 LIFE OF 
 
 the French admiral was enabled to send out a 
 few of his ships, which he directed to sail to 
 the Chesapeake. When General Washing 
 ton heard of this, he resolved to send troops 
 immediately to Virginia, in the expectation 
 that he could obtain aid from the French ves 
 sels in attacking some of the ports which were 
 in possession of the English. The French 
 ships soon returned to Newport, and in re 
 turning they captured an English frigate. Ge 
 neral Washington was disappointed in his 
 expectation of being aided by them at that 
 time, but he sent troops, under the command 
 of General Lafayette, to Virginia ; and went 
 to Newport to communicate to the French ad 
 miral a plan which he had formed for being 
 assisted by some of his vessels. The admiral 
 agreed to his proposals, and sent a part of his 
 fleet out, but it was met by the English fleet, 
 and, after a sharp action, they separated, and 
 the French returned again to Newport. 
 
 A part of the troops which were marching 
 to the south under the command of Lafayette, 
 became discontented, and he discovered that 
 every day some were secretly leaving him. He 
 called together all that remained, and told 
 them that he would not deceive them as to 
 the difficulties and dangers to which he ex 
 pected they would be exposed, for they were 
 many ; but, that any individual who was un 
 willing to encounter them, was at liberty to 
 say so, and should have his permission to re- 
 
WASHINGTON. 169 
 
 turn to the army which they had left in New f 
 Jersey. This candid and generous conduct 
 had the effect of stopping desertions ; for the 
 soldiers were ashamed to forsake so excellent 
 a commander. In Baltimore he obtained, at 
 his own expense, a variety of comforts for 
 them, and the females of that city employed 
 themselves immediately in making up summei 
 clothing for them. 
 
 A large force had been sent from New 
 York to Arnold, and Cornwallis had moved 
 quickly to join him, and take command of all 
 the troops. With so large a force, he was 
 certain that he could readily defeat the little 
 army of Lafayette, which he heard had en 
 tered Virginia, and he determined to attack it 
 as soon as possible. 
 
 Lafayette wished to avoid Cornwallis, until 
 he should have his force increased by some 
 troops, which were on their way to join him, 
 commanded by General Wayne. Cornwallis 
 heard of this, and determined to prevent La 
 fayette receiving this aid, and was so confi 
 dent of being successful, that he wrote, (with 
 contempt for the youth of Lafayette,) in a let 
 ter which was intercepted, " the boy cannot 
 escape me." But "the b.oy" moved with so 
 much judgment and quickness, that his confi 
 dent enemy was soon convinced that he could 
 not overtake him, or prevent his being joined 
 by the expected troops, and he gave up the 
 pursuit, and determined to wait for his return. 
 P 
 
170 LIFE OF 
 
 When Lafayette received the additional 
 force, he turned, and was very soon within a 
 few miles of the camp of Cornwallis, who im 
 mediately suspected that he intended to at 
 tempt securing some military stores that had 
 been sent up the James river to Albemarle 
 Court-House, and he placed troops in a situa 
 tion to attack him on the road which he sup 
 posed he would take. Lafayette thought that 
 Cornwallis would do so, and in the night 
 opened an old road, which had been long out 
 of use, by which he marched quietly to the 
 situation he wished to gain ; and in the morn 
 ing, when Cornwallis thought to have him in 
 his power, he had the mortification of disco 
 vering that he had passed by, and was placed 
 in a situation in which he could not be at 
 tacked with advantage. Cornwallis probably 
 thought that the American army was larger 
 than it really was ; for he gave up the inten 
 tion he had formed of forcing it to an ac 
 tion, and marched to Williamsburgh. Lafay 
 ette followed him with great caution, and at 
 tacked some troops that were moving about 
 the country, but avoided the clanger of an en- 
 ragement with the main army. 
 
 In the rapid course of the English through 
 Virginia, they destroyed all the private pro 
 perty that came in their .way, as well as that 
 which belonged to the public. Their ships 
 sailed up the rivers, and robbed the farms on 
 their borders. While they were thus employ 
 
WASHINGTON. 171 
 
 ed in the Potomac, a message was sent from 
 them to the farm of Washington, to demand a 
 supply of provisions, with a threat that if they 
 were not given, the buildings should be de 
 stroyed, and the farm laid waste. The pereon 
 in whose care the farm hafl been left, was ter 
 rified by this threat, and went on board of one 
 of the ships with some fresh provisions, to beg 
 that the house might not be set on fire. 
 
 When General Washington received an ac 
 count of this, he wrote to the person who had 
 acted with so much impropriety, and told him, 
 " I am sorry to hear of your losses, but that 
 which gives me most concern is, that you 
 should have gone on board of the vessels of 
 the enemy, and furnished them with refresh 
 ments. It would have been a less painful cir 
 cumstance to me, to have heard, that in con 
 sequence of your non-compliance with their 
 request, they had burnt my house, and laid 
 the plantation in ruins. You ought to have 
 considered yourself as my representative, and 
 should have reflected on the bad example of 
 communicating with the enemy, and of mak 
 ing an offer of refreshment to them with a view 
 to prevent a conflagration." 
 
 Lafayette acted with great prudence, and 
 used every opportunity for preventing the ene 
 my from plundering ; but his force was too 
 small to encounter the main body of their ar 
 my, and he became very anxious that General 
 Washington should go to Virginia, and give 
 
172 LIFE OF 
 
 his aid to his native state, and free it fiom the 
 destructive invaders. The government of the 
 state also urged this very much ; but Wash 
 ington, considering America as his country, 
 and making the safety of the whole country 
 his object, would not suffer any love of his 
 native state to change the plans which he 
 thought would be most likely to produce be 
 nefit to the northern and middle, as well as 
 the southern states. A sad gloom was spread 
 over all of them when the year had com 
 menced. The enemy were making prepara 
 tions in Canada to march to Fort Pitt ; and it 
 was reported that they had assembled three 
 thousand men, in ships on the lakes, to make 
 an attack again from that quarter. 
 
 The dreaded Indians had united in large 
 bands, and threatened all the western frontier 
 with a renewal of their ferocious attacks. 
 
 The new troops, which Washington had 
 expected from the different states, had not 
 been raised, and those which had been long 
 in service, were almost worn out with toils, 
 and the want of necessary provision of food 
 and clothing. 
 
 When any favourable event brightened the 
 prospects of his country, Washington calmly 
 rejoiced in it, but was not flattered into false 
 security ; and, when his countrymen were 
 ready to despond, he could trust that the 
 cheering beams of Divine favour would dis 
 perse those clouds, arid he became more ani- 
 
WASHINGTON. 173 
 
 mated and courageous as others became sad 
 and fearful. He continued to think, that to 
 get possession of New York would be of more 
 importance than any thing that he could ven 
 ture to attempt, and lie used every effort to 
 make preparations for doing so. 
 
 He formed a plan, which he communicated 
 to the French admiral, who was at Newport, 
 and who agreed to assist him in performing 
 it ; and he earnestly urged to each slate to 
 hasten the march of those troops which were 
 promised to him. All that depended on his 
 own exertions was performed with active per 
 severance ; but the expected troops were de 
 layed, and when they arrived, and he was 
 ready to execute his favourite plan, the French 
 admiral wrote to him, that he could not ven 
 ture to take his heavy ships into New York 
 bay, and had resolved to sail for the Chesa 
 peake ; but there he could not remain long, 
 as he had been directed by his own governr 
 ment to return to the West Indies. 
 
 This information was severely trying to Ge 
 neral Washington, as it disappointed his ex 
 pectations of assistance from the fleet, and 
 obliged him to give up a plan which he was 
 ready to execute, and from which he hoped to 
 gain the most important success in freeing his 
 suffering country from its enemies. 
 
 Every one, who with piety notices the pro 
 vidences of God, can know that our best bless 
 ings are often hid beneath our disappomt- 
 P2 
 
174 LIFE OF 
 
 ments, as sweet flowers are concealed in bitter 
 buds. Washington experienced this in the 
 important results that followed his being 
 obliged to bid farewell to all hopes of assist 
 ance in his cherished plan of attacking New 
 York. He was unwillingly forced to form 
 another, which proved far more advantageous 
 to the interests of his country than that would 
 have been. 
 
 Mr. (afterwards Judge) Peters, one of the 
 board of war, was at the camp when the letter 
 from the admiral was received ; he said that 
 General Washington gave it to him to read, 
 and showed strong marks of anger ; that he 
 left him for a short time, and, on returning to 
 him, he had cause to admire, as he often had 
 done, how perfectly General Washington con 
 trolled his naturally hasty temper. He was 
 as calm as if nothing had occurred to disturb 
 him, and began immediately to form a new 
 plan, without wasting the important moments 
 in useless regrets. He determined on moving 
 his army as quickly and secretly as possible 
 to Virginia, before Sir Henry Clinton should 
 suspect his design and send aid to Cornwal- 
 lis. 
 
 When he informed Mr. Peters, and Mr. 
 Robert Morris, the other commissioner of the 
 board of war, who was at the camp, that his 
 new plan was formed, and said, " What can 
 you do for us under the present change of cir 
 cumstances ?" Mr. Peters said, "Inform me 
 
WASHINGTON. 175 
 
 of (he extent of your wants ; I can do every 
 thing with money, nothing without it." As 
 he said this, he looked at Mr. Morris, who 
 said, " I understand you ; I must have time 
 to consider and calculate." They knew the 
 difficulty of obtaining the money ; and, when 
 they had left Philadelphia, there was so little 
 in the treasury chest, that Mr. Peters could 
 not venture to take enough out of it to pay the 
 expense of his journey to the camp. He re 
 turned to that city, and set to work industri 
 ously to prepare what General Washington 
 had told him he should need. 
 
 In a very short time, almost two hundred 
 pieces of artillery, and all the necessary am 
 munition, were prepared and sent off to Vir 
 ginia. All the expense of this, as well as of 
 the provision for, and pay of the troops, was 
 defrayed by Mr. Morris, who gave notes for 
 the promise of payment, to the amount of one 
 million and four hundred thousand dollars, 
 which were afterwards all paid. 
 
 General Washington informed Lafayette of 
 his intention to come to Virginia, and desired 
 him to do all in his power to prevent Corn- 
 wallis from saving himself by a sudden inarch 
 to Charleston. 
 
176 LIFE OF 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 1781. 
 
 IN South Carolina and Georgia the cam 
 paign of 1781 was a very active one. A line 
 of posts had been continued by the English 
 from Charleston, in South Carolina, to Au 
 gusta, in Georgia. General Sumpter and Ge"- 
 neral Marion kept up a resistance, with a few 
 militia, and moved so quickly, that the Eng 
 lish commander could not succeed in defeat 
 ing them. General Greene formed the bold 
 resolution of recovering Georgia. He had 
 about eighteen hundred men, and his prospect 
 of procuring food for them was not very pro 
 mising ; but he believed it to be for the inte 
 rest of his country to make the attempt. He 
 sent Colonel Lee with a detachment to join 
 Marion, and requested General Pickens to as 
 semble the western militia of South Carolina, 
 and lay siege to Ninety-Six and Augusta 
 while he moved from his camp on Deep rivej 
 to Camden, where he arrived on the 19th 
 &pril. Being unable to storm the works 01 
 surround them, he encamped near Camden. 
 with the hope of having some additional troop? 
 of militia to aid him. On the 25th April, he 
 had withdrawn his troops to Hobkirk s hill, 
 about a mile from Camden, and the English 
 general, Rawdon, marched out to attack him 
 Although this attack was unexpected, the 
 
WASHINGTON. 177 
 
 Americans were soon ready to meet it, and 
 General Greene had every prospect of suc 
 cess, when his hopes were destroyed by one 
 of his regiments being thrown into confusion; 
 the English commander took advantage of this 
 with so much activity, that Greene soon per 
 ceived that to save his troops from a total de 
 feat he must retreat, which he did to a place 
 about four miles from the field of battle. The 
 pursuit was only continued for three miles. 
 
 Colonel Lee had joined Marion in South 
 Carolina, and they attacked Fort Watson, on 
 the Santee river, and succeeded in obliging 
 the garrison to surrender. 
 
 A garrison had been placed in the dwelling 
 house of Mrs. Motte, situated on an eminence, 
 on the south side of the Congaree river, near 
 its junction with the Wateree ; this was a 
 very important post, as all the provisions in 
 tended for the army at Camden were deposit 
 ed there, and fortifications were thrown up 
 around the house. Marion and Lee deter 
 mined to drive the garrison from this fortress, 
 and Lee informed Mrs. Motte, who was in 
 the neighbourhood, that they could not suc 
 ceed without entirely destroying her house. 
 She replied, " The sacrifice of my property 
 is nothing; and I shall view its destruction 
 with delight, if it shall in any degree contri 
 bute to the good of my country." She then 
 gave him an Indian bow and arrows, which 
 had been kept as a curiosity in her family : 
 
178 LIFE 01 
 
 with these, lighted torches were shot upon 
 her house, which took fire, and thus the ene 
 my were driven from it. Lee then marched 
 against Fort Granby, on the Congaree, oppo 
 site the site of the town of Columbia, since 
 built there, and forced a garrison of three hun 
 dred and fifty men to surrender, while Marion 
 marched against Georgetown, on the Black 
 river, which place he reduced. 
 
 In July the intense heat of the climate made 
 it necessary for General Greene to give his 
 troops some rest, and he moved them to the 
 high hills of Santee for that purpose. There 
 he was joined by some troops from North 
 Carolina. In August he determined on once 
 more risking an action with the English army, 
 and, for that purpose, on the 22d, he proceed 
 ed to the Congaree, where he was joined by 
 General Pickens with the militia, and by 
 some state troops of South Carolina. On 
 hearing of his approach, the English moved 
 to the Eutaw Springs, on the Santee, and 
 there, on the 8th September, a severe action 
 commenced, and was continued for some time 
 with great warmth and boldness on both sides . 
 At length the contest ceased, and both armies 
 claimed the victory. . In November the Eng 
 lish retired to Charleston Neck, and to the 
 islands in the harbour. 
 
 When General Greene had entered South 
 Carolina, he found it completely conquered, 
 and defended by a regular army. By a course 
 
WASHINGTON. 179 
 
 which was courageous, but prudent, he reco 
 vered the southern states, and, at the close of 
 he year 1781, they were again under their 
 own government. The rigour with which the 
 English exercised their power on those who 
 seemed disposed to resist, caused the war to 
 be more full of calamities to the inhabitants of 
 the southern states than those of any other 
 portion of the country. 
 
 At the north, still more important events 
 were taking place, as the summer advanced. 
 The movements of the American army were 
 such as to lead the enemy in New York 
 to think, that General Washington was pre 
 paring to attack that place; and Sir Henry 
 Clinton had no suspicion of his intention to 
 march to Virginia, until the army had crossed 
 the Delaware river, and it was then too late 
 for him to attempt to stpp the progress of the 
 active troops. 
 
 With the hope of inducing Washington to 
 return for the defence of Connecticut, Sir 
 Henry sent to that state a strong detachment 
 of troops, in a fleet of transports ; they were 
 commanded by Arnold, who had just returned 
 from Virginia. 
 
 The march of Washington was not pre- 
 tented by this movement of the enemy, but 
 ne advanced towards Virginia with all the 
 speed that was possible, and had the satisfac 
 tion of hearing, when he arrived in Chester, 
 early in September, that the French fleet was in 
 
180 LIFE OF 
 
 the Chesapeake. He gave directions to his off! 
 cers to bring- on the troops speedily, and wen. 
 himsolf to visit the admiral, and propose to him 
 a, plan for an attack. on the army of Cornwal- 
 lis, in which he promised to assist him. 
 
 When Cornwallis had heard of the Fmnch 
 fleet appearing in the Chesapeake, he had 
 drawn all his troops together at Yorktown; 
 and with great activity and toil, they had 
 raised fortifications for their defence. 
 
 The town is situated on a strip of land, 
 about eight miles wide, between the James 
 and York rivers. Opposite to the town, on 
 the North side of York river, is Gloucester 
 Point, which projects into the river so as to 
 make it only one mile in width at that place. 
 Colonel Tarlton, with seven hundred men, 
 was posted on Gloucester Point. The south 
 ern banks of the river are high ; some batteries 
 had been constructed on them by Virginia 
 troops, who had been stationed there some 
 time before. Cornwallis manned these bat 
 teries, and the main body of his army was en 
 camped around Yorktown, within a range of 
 field works, raised for their defence. 
 
 The communication between Yorktown 
 and Gloucester Point, was defended by the 
 batteries on shore, and by several British 
 ships of war, which could ride in safety in 
 the broad and deep York river. 
 
 On the 25th of September, the last division 
 of Washington s army arrived at the landing 
 
WASHINGTON. 181 
 
 near Williamsburgh, on the James river. 
 They were allowed two days for rest, and on 
 the 28th, moved toward Yorktown. A de 
 tachment of French and American troops were 
 directed to watch and restrain Tarlton, and 
 the main body of the army was moved down 
 on the south side of the York river towards 
 Yorktown. The next day was employed in 
 preparing for the siege. General Lafayette 
 had joined Washington with the troops under 
 his command. 
 
 Washington displayed his military talent 
 and sound judgment in directing every move 
 ment that was to be made, and the siege was 
 carried on with great rapidity. 
 
 When the places of defence which the 
 English had raised at some distance from the 
 town were destroyed, and they were driven 
 back to seek for safety within the intrench- 
 ments which they had formed immediately 
 around it, Cornwallis finding himself so closely 
 pressed resolved to attempt escaping ; and 
 during the night, he succeeded in sending se 
 veral boats filled with troops across the York 
 river to Gloucester Point; but when these 
 troops were landed, a violent slorm suddenly 
 arose, and drove the boats down the stream ; 
 daylight began to dawn before they could be 
 recovered, and then it was necessary to use 
 them for the return of the few troops which 
 had been landed, as it was impossible to send 
 the rest of the army by the light of day, which 
 Q 
 
182 LIFE OF 
 
 would show the movement to those Americans 
 who were posted near Gloucester. 
 
 Being thus disappointed, and not having 
 any reasonable cause for even a hope that he 
 could save his army, Cornwallis wrote to 
 General Washington to request that all hosti 
 lities might cease for twenty-four hours, during 
 which time he would inform him on what 
 terms he would surrender. Washington in 
 formed him that it was his ardent desire to 
 epare the shedding of blood, and that he 
 would listen with readiness to such terms as 
 could be accepted ; but requested that they 
 might be made known immediately in writing, 
 as he could quickly determine if he would 
 agree to them. 
 
 Some of the proposals of Cornwallis. Wash 
 ington could not consent to, and he wrote 
 down the terms on which he expected him to 
 surrender, and said he would not change them. 
 These terms were ; that all the army, with 
 their arms and military stores, and all the ships 
 and seamen, were to be delivered up. The 
 troops to be prisoners of war to Congress, 
 and the naval force to the French. The sol 
 diers were to remain, with a few officers, in 
 America ; and the rest of the officers, were to be 
 permitted to return to Europe on parole, or 
 assurance from them that they would not 
 serve again against the Americans. Corn-* 
 wallis was to be allowed to send a ship un- 
 searched to New York, to carry any papers 
 
WASHINGTON. j J 83 
 
 which he chose to send there. These terms 
 were accepted by the English general, and on 
 the 19th of October, in the year 1781, the 
 whole army of Cornwallis, which had been 
 for so long a time the cause of distress and 
 terror in the southern states, marched out of 
 Yorkto\vn, as prisoners of war. General Lin 
 coin was appointed by General Washington 
 to receive the submission of the conquered 
 army, in the same manner in which Corn 
 wallis had received his, and that of the Ame 
 rican army, on the 12th of May, 1780, at 
 Charleston. 
 
 While the troops of Cornwallis were march 
 ing out of the town, with cased colours and 
 drums beating the sad sound of defeat, Wash 
 ington said to his troops, " My brave fellows, let 
 no sensation of satisfaction for the triumph 
 you have gained, induce you to insult a fallen 
 enemy ; let no shouting no clamourous huz 
 zaing, increase their mortification. It is a 
 sufficient satisfaction to us, that we witness 
 their humiliation. Posterity will huzza for 
 us !" 
 
 On the day after the surrender, he ordered 
 that all who were under arrest should be set 
 at liberty, and he closed his order with this di 
 rection " Divine service shall be performed 
 to-morrow in the different divisions of the ar 
 my; and the commander-in-chief recommends 
 that all the troops that are not upon duty do as 
 sist at it, with a serious deportment, and that 
 
184 LIFE OF 
 
 sensibility of heart, which the recollection of 
 the surprising and particular interposition of 
 Divine Providence in our favour, claims." 
 
 The capture of a formidable army, which 
 had been moving with destructive power over 
 more than eleven hundred miles of their coun 
 try, was to the Americans a cause of heartfelt 
 joy and thankfulness. The news was received 
 at Philadelphia, then the seat of government, 
 at night, and an aged watchman, who heard it, 
 in the gladness of his heart, as he walked his 
 round with a quick step, sung out, "Past one 
 o clock and Cornwallis is taken !" 
 
 Congress heard the tidings with grateful 
 sensations, and went in solemn procession to 
 a place of worship, to return thanks to God 
 for this deliverance from powerful foes ; they 
 also issued a proclamation, for "religiously 
 observing through the United States the 13th 
 day of December, as a day of thanksgiving 
 and prayer." 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 17811787. 
 
 WHEN General Washington had performed 
 all the duties which the surrender of Cornwal- 
 
WASHINGTON. 185 
 
 lis rendered necessary, before he could leave 
 Yorktown, he went to visit his respected and 
 aged mother, whom he had not seen for more 
 than six years. At the commencement of the 
 war he had removed her to the village of Fre- 
 dericksburg, where he thought she would be 
 comfortable, and distant from danger ; and 
 from that time he had not been at liberty to 
 visit his native state, as his services were re 
 quired by his country every day, and indeed 
 every moment. He was careful to send con 
 stantly to his parent, an account of himself 
 and the situation of public affairs, and she re 
 ceived all such intelligence with a confidence 
 in the wisdom of God, which prevented her 
 being depressed by the news of losses that fre 
 quently reached her ears. When she heard 
 of the success of her son in the December of 
 1777, (when he crossed the Delaware and 
 marched to Princeton,) she said, " George 
 appears to have deserved well of his coun 
 try ;" and, when her neighbours pressed 
 around her with letters that they had received, 
 mil of his praises, she said, " Here is too much 
 flattery ; still George will not forget the les 
 sons I early taught him ; he will not forget 
 nimself, though he is the subject of JK> much 
 praise." 
 
 Washington knew that it would be no gra 
 tification to his good mother to see him sur- 
 tounded by attendants, or to have his approach 
 made known by any kind of parade. He 
 
186 LIFE OF 
 
 therefore left the officers who rode with him, 
 and dismounting from his horse, alone, and 
 on foot, he went to her residence. When he 
 entered it he found her usefully employed 
 As she embraced her son, she called him by 
 an endearing name, which he well remember 
 ed she had always used when in his child 
 hood he deserved her approbation. She 
 anxiously questioned him on the state of his 
 health, talked of old times and old friends, 
 but spoke not a word on the subject of his re 
 nown, or of the praise which his countrymen 
 were giving him for his noble conduct. 
 
 When he left his revered parent, he went to 
 his long forsaken home. Mrs. Washington 
 was then there. She had been with him 
 through each winter, and, as she said, had 
 " heard the first cannon on the opening, and 
 the last at the close of every campaign of the 
 war." 
 
 When Washington was favoured with some 
 success in any undertaking, he did not become 
 less diligent in his efforts to complete it, and 
 he wrote to General Greene, "I shall endea 
 vour to stimulate Congress to the best im 
 provement of our late success, by taking the 
 most vigorous and effectual measures to be 
 ready &r an early and decisive campaign the 
 next year." 
 
 He went to Philadelphia, and was success 
 ful in his wishes. In December, 1782, Con 
 gress passed resolutions which satisfied him 
 
WASHINGTON. 187 
 
 and he wrote to the different states to urge a 
 faithful compliance with these resolutions. 
 The army was placed in winter quarters, and 
 Washington became anxiously engaged in 
 preparations for the duties of the spring. 
 
 At the commencement of the year 1782, 
 there was not a dollar in the public treasury, 
 and, from the delay in collecting the taxes, 
 Washington knew that there could be no hope 
 of a supply for several months. Mr. Robert 
 Morris, the officer who superintended this bu 
 siness, wrote in great distress to Washington, 
 and said, " This candid state of my situation 
 and feelings I give to your bosom, because 
 you, who have already felt and suffered so 
 much, will be able to sympathize with me." 
 
 While Washington was using every effort 
 to hasten the collection of the money which 
 would be necessary for the subsistence of his 
 army, an account came from England that a 
 proposal had been made in Parliament to 
 make offers of peace. Washington had little 
 confidence in the probability of this proposi 
 tion being agreed to by the English govern 
 ment, and he endeavoured to prevent his 
 countrymen being deceived into security by a 
 false expectation. Early in May, however, 
 an English commander, Sir Guy Carl ton, ar 
 rived in New York, and wrote to Gen. Wash 
 ington and to Congress, that Parliament had 
 determinad on offering to conclude a peace, or 
 truce, with the revolted colonies of North 
 
188 LIFE OF 
 
 America ; but, as no intimation was given that 
 he had the power to propose any other terms 
 than those which had been before rejected, 
 Congress declined giving him a passport for 
 himself and Admiral Dio by, who. he inform 
 ed Congress, were appointed to make known 
 to them, in person, the resolutions of Parlia 
 ment. 
 
 In August Sir Guy Carlton gave Washing 
 ton the information that Parliament had sent 
 a minister to Paris, who had the power to 
 treat with all the parties at war, and that pro 
 posals for a general peace were then under 
 consideration; and that the minister had been 
 directed to offer, in the first place, that the in 
 dependence of the " Thirteen Provinces" 
 should be acknowledged. 
 
 The American commissioners, John Adams, 
 Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and Henry 
 Laurens, who were in Paris, received the 
 proposals for peace, and formed a treaty which 
 satisfied every reasonable demand of America. 
 This was signed on the 30th November, 1782, 
 but it was not to be considered as entirely 
 concluded, until a treaty should be formed be 
 tween England and France, which was done 
 on the 20th January, 1783. 
 
 When the American army had the expecta 
 tion of soon being dismissed from service, they 
 became anxious about the pay that was due 
 to them, and which it was absolutely necessa 
 ry they should receive, to enable them to re- 
 
WASHINGTON. 189 
 
 turn to their families. A very artful address 
 was circulated through the camp on the Hud 
 son river, for the purpose of inducing them to 
 form some desperate resolutions to force the 
 government to a compliance with their demand 
 for payment. The address was accompanied 
 by an invitation to all the officers to meet on 
 the next day, and take the subject into consi 
 deration. Washington was in camp, and his 
 firmness and judgment did not forsake him on 
 this important occasion. In his general or 
 ders he noticed the address, and expressed 
 his belief that the good sense of the officers 
 would prevent their " paying any attention to 
 such an irregular invitation," but invited them 
 to meet on another day, when, he said, they 
 could deliberate on what course they ought to 
 pursue. 
 
 Before that day arrive<l he conversed sepa 
 rately with the officers, and used his influence 
 to lead them to adopt measures which he in 
 tended to propose. When they were assem 
 bled, he addressed them in a calm and affec 
 tionate manner ; entreating them to disregard 
 the efforts that were made to induce them to act 
 lisgracefully, and assuring them of his confi- 
 ence that Congress would treat them justly. 
 
 This address from one whom they loved 
 and had been accustomed to obey, in whose 
 judgment and affection they had perfect confi 
 dence, could not fail to influence the arnry, 
 and the officers immediately formed resolu- 
 
190 LIFE OF 
 
 tions which satisfied their anxious comman 
 der, and proved the strength of their respect 
 for his advice. It has been said that "per 
 haps, in no instance, did the United States re 
 ceive from heaven a more signal deliverance 
 through the hands of Washington, than in the 
 termination of this serious transaction." His 
 conduct gave a new proof of the kindness of 
 his heart, soundness of his judgment, and pu 
 rity of the love of his country. He wrote to 
 Congress an account of what had occurred ; 
 and earnestly entreated that the just demands 
 of the army might be immediately attended to, 
 and that provision might be made for a fur 
 ther compensation than a mere pay which was 
 due to the officers. He said, " if (as has been 
 suggested for the purpose of inflaming their 
 passions,) the officers of the army are to be 
 the only sufferers bj this revolution ; if retiring 
 from the field they are to grow old in poverty, 
 wretchedness and contempt, and owe the mi 
 serable remnant of that life to charity, which 
 has hitherto been spent in honour, then shall 
 I have learned what ingratitude is ; then shall 
 I have realized a talft which will imbitter every 
 moment of my futuve life." 
 
 Congress receivej a petition from the offi 
 cers, and then formed a resolution, that in ad 
 dition to the pay due to them, they should 
 receive full pay tor five years; but they knew 
 it would be some time before the money could 
 be raised. The officers were satisfied with 
 
WASHINGTON. 191 
 
 the promise, and in the course of the summer 
 a large portion of the troops returned to their 
 homes. 
 
 A few new recruits, who were stationed at 
 Lancaster, marched to Philadelphia and placed 
 sentinels at the doors of the State House, 
 where Congress were sitting, and threatened 
 to attack them if their demands for pay were 
 not granted within twenty minutes. They 
 did not perform their threat, but kept Con 
 gress prisoners for three hours. 
 
 When General Washington heard of this 
 outrage, he sent fifteen hundred men to quell 
 the mutineers, but this had been done withou* 
 any blood being shed before the troops arrived. 
 He wrote to Congress that he felt much dis 
 tressed on hearing of the insult which had 
 been offered by these " soldiers of a day ;" 
 and contrasted their conduct with that of the 
 soldiers who had "borne the heat and burden 
 of the war ; veterans," he said, " who have 
 patiently endured nakedness, hunger and cold ; 
 who have suffered and bled without a murmur, 
 and who, with perfect good order have retired 
 to their homes without a settlement of their 
 accounts, or a farthing of money in their pock 
 ets. W T e are as much astonished at the virtues 
 of the latter, as we are struck with horror and 
 detestation at the proceedings of the former." 
 In consequence of the insult, Congress ad 
 journed, to meet at Princeton, in New Jersey, 
 in the close of the month of June, 1783. They 
 
192 LIFE OF 
 
 sat there in the Library room of the College 
 for about three months ; and then adjourned to 
 meet at Annapolis, in Maryland. 
 
 The seeds of freedom which had been sown 
 in weakness, and guarded with toil through 
 eight years, produced a rich harvest in the 
 blessings of independence and peace, which 
 spread quickly over the United States ; and 
 every American heart had cause to say, with 
 humble gratitude, to the Great Ruler of events, 
 "0 thou that savest by thy right hand them 
 that put their trust in thee, from those that 
 rise up against them- thou hast been our 
 helper." 
 
 When General Washington had proclaimed 
 to his army on the 19th of April, the tidings of 
 a universal peace, he said, " on such a happy 
 day, which is the harbinger of peace ; a day 
 which completes the eight years of the war, it 
 would be ingratitude not to rejoice, it would be 
 insensibility not to participate in the general 
 felicity ;" and he directed that the Chaplains, 
 with their several brigades, should " render 
 thanks to Almighty God for all his mercies, 
 particularly for his overruling the wrath of man 
 to his owii glory ; and causing the rage of war 
 to cease among the nations." When he dis 
 missed the troops from service on the 2d of 
 November, he gave ihem serious and affection 
 ate advice as to their future conduct ; and as 
 sured them that he should recommend them to 
 their grateful country, and in his prayers "to the 
 
WASHINGTON. 193 
 
 God of armies." Earnestly desiring that his 
 countrymen might secure a continuance of the 
 favour of heaven, he wrote an address to the 
 governors of the different states, which address 
 he said he wished them to consider as "the 
 legacy of one who had ardently desired on all 
 occasions to be useful to his country ; and who, 
 even in the shade of retirement, would not 
 fail to implore the divine benediction upon 
 it." The address contained important and 
 wise counsel, and he concluded it with the 
 assurance, " I now make it my earnest prayer, 
 that God would have you and the state over 
 which you preside, in his holy protection, 
 and that he would incline the hearts of the 
 citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination, 
 and obedience to government, and to entertain a 
 brotherly affection and love for one another ; 
 for their fellow citizens of the United States 
 at large, and particularly for their brethren 
 who have served in the field ; and finally, that 
 he would be most graciously pleased to dis 
 pose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and 
 to demean ourselves with that charity, hu 
 mility, and pacific temper of mind, which 
 were the characteristics of the Divine Au 
 thor of our blessed religion ; without an hum 
 ble imitation of whose example in these things 
 we can never hope to be a happy nation." 
 
 In November all the English troops left 
 New York , and General Washington entered 
 it accompanied by Governor Clinton and a 
 R 
 
194 LIFE OF 
 
 number of American officers. Many Americaur 
 from distant places visited New York, to 
 units with their countrymen thei in public 
 expressions of joy ; one of this number was 
 General Washington s nephew, Bushrod 
 Washington, then a youth, and afterwards an 
 eminent and highly respected Judge, of the 
 Supreme court of the Uniied States. The 
 following anecdote connected with that visit, 
 he kindly communicated for this biography, 
 in a letter dated Mount Vernon, June 1st 1829. 
 " In the early part of the year 1782 I was sent 
 by my father to Philadelphia, for the purpose 
 of prosecuting the study of law. It was my 
 good fortune to meet General Washington 
 there. Within a few days after my arrival, 
 but not until he had placed me in the office of 
 Mr. Wilson, and secured for me the counte 
 nance and kind attention of some of his friends 
 in that city, he returned to the state of New 
 York. Upon that occasion, or at a subsequent 
 period, (I cannot now recollect which,) he 
 requested me to make inquiries respecting n, 
 kind of cloth which he particularly described, 
 and wished to purchase, and to inform him 
 by letter the price, and where it was to be 
 procured. I readily promised an early com 
 pliance with this request, and intended, I doubt 
 not, at the time, conscientiously to fulfil my 
 engagement. I postponed doing so, however, 
 from day to day, until the subjedt was for 
 gotten altogether ; or was too seldom thought 
 
WASHINGTON. 195 
 
 of, to leave more than a very slight impression 
 upon my mind. About the time when the 
 evacuation of New York, by the British troops 
 was to be commemorated in that city, the Ge 
 neral wrote to me, giving me permission to be 
 present on that occasion, and enclosing me 
 money for my expenses. On my arrival in New 
 York, I called at his lodgings, and was received 
 by him with his former kindness. After some 
 general conversation, he asked me if I had at 
 tended to his request respecting the cloth, and 
 what had been the result of my inquiries ? 
 My feelings, at that moment, may be imagined, 
 it is not in my power to describe them. I 
 had no excuse to offer, and as soon as the 
 power of speech was allowed me, I acknow 
 ledged my delinquency. Turning to me with 
 a mildness which I did not deserve, but with 
 an impressiveness in his manner which I have 
 never forgotten, he observed, " remember, 
 young man, never in future to make a pro 
 mise, even of a trivial kind, the nature and 
 extent of which you have not duly considered; 
 having made it, let nothing prevent a punc 
 tual performance of it, if it be within your 
 power." He then dismissed me without an 
 additional reproach or observation." 
 
 General Washington remained in New 
 York, until December, and when the day ar 
 rived on which he had determined to leave it, 
 the officers of the army assembled to bid him 
 farewell. When their loved commander en- 
 
196 LIFE OF 
 
 tered the room in which they were, he could 
 not speak for several moments ; but, when he 
 had calmed his strong feelings, he said " with 
 a heart, full of love and gratitude, I now take 
 leave of you ; I most devoutly wish that your 
 latter days may be as prosperous and happy 
 as your former have been honourable. I can 
 not come to each of you to take my leave, but 
 shall be obliged to you if each of you will 
 come and take me by the hand." General 
 Knox, who was nearest to him, turned, and 
 Washington took his hand, and then put his 
 arms around him, and in the same aifection- 
 ate manner embraced each officer. A tear 
 from the heart filled every eye ; but no word 
 could be uttered to break the silence of the 
 affecting scene. Washington left the room, 
 and the officers followed him in noiseless pro 
 cession, and with sad- countenances to the 
 boat which was to convey him away from 
 them. Washington stepped into the boat, and 
 turning towards the shore waved his hat with 
 out speaking ; the officers returned the same 
 last farewell, and continued to gaze after their 
 beloved commander until they could no lon 
 ger distinguish his form, and then they re 
 turned in sadness to the place where they had 
 assembled. 
 
 \Vashington could not enjoy rest until he 
 had performed all the duties which his up 
 right mind dictated, and he proceeded to Phi 
 ladelphia to give an account of the manner in 
 
WASHINGTON. 197 
 
 which he had expended the public money. 
 All his accounts were written by himself, and 
 every entry made in the most exact manner, 
 so as to give the least trouble in comparing 
 them with the receipts which accompanied 
 them. He made no charge for his services, 
 but had spent a considerable portion of his 
 own fortune. The regularity and minuteness 
 with which he had kept an account of every 
 sum received and expended during eight 
 years, and the faithfulness with which he had, 
 in the midst of his many employments, at 
 tended to having the public money used in 
 the most economical and advantageous man 
 ner, proved that he had a right to the noble 
 title of an honest .man. If he had not merited 
 that, all his former titles would have been 
 without value. From Philadelphia he pro 
 ceeded to Annapolis, where Congress was 
 sitting, and there he proved that he was a pa 
 triot, by giving back the power which had 
 been placed in his hands, when he could no 
 longer use it for the benefit of his country. 
 Congress appointed the 23d December for re 
 ceiving his resignation, and a crowd of specta 
 tors witnessed the interesting ceremony. He 
 was received by Congress as the " founder 
 and guardian of the republic." Feeling the 
 importance of the blessings of freedom and 
 peace which the Great liul^r of the universe 
 had made Washington an ~ent 10 obtain for 
 them, they looked &t ha^, vrtien about to \Q 
 
198 LIFE OF 
 
 sign his power, with emotions of admiration 
 and gratitude ; and, recollecting how closely 
 they had been connected with him in scenes 
 of distress and danger, there were few eyes 
 unwet with a tear. With unambitious dignity 
 he rose and addressed General Mifflin, the 
 President of Congress. He said, " I resign 
 with satisfaction the appointment I accepted 
 with diffidence ; a diffidence in my abilities to 
 accomplish so arduous a task, which, how 
 ever, was superseded by a confidence in the 
 rectitude of our cause, the support of the su 
 preme power of the union and the patronage 
 of heaven. The successful termination of the 
 war has verified the most sanguine expecta 
 tions ; and my gratitude for the interposition 
 of Providence, and the assistance I have re 
 ceived from my countrymen, increases with 
 every review of the momentous contest. * * * 
 I consider it as an indispensable duty to close 
 this last act of my official life, by commending 
 the interests of our dearest country to the pro 
 tection of Almighty God, and those who have 
 the superintendence of them to his holy keep 
 ing. Having now finished the work assigned 
 roe, I retire from the great theatre 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. !r He then gave his commission to the 
 President, who, when he had received it, an 
 
WASHINGTON. 199 
 
 swered him in the name of Congress, and said, 
 " Having defended the standard of liberty iri 
 tliis new world : having taught a lesson useful 
 to those who inflict, and to those who feel op 
 pression, you retire from the great theatre of 
 action with the blessings of your fellow-citi 
 zens ; but the glory of your virtues will not 
 terminate with your military command; it 
 will continue to animate remotest ao-es. We 
 join you in commending the interests of our 
 dearest country to the protection of Almighty 
 God, beseeching him to dispose the hearts and 
 minds of its citizens to improve the opportu 
 nity afforded to them of becoming a happy 
 and respectable nation. And for you, we ad 
 dress to Him our earnest prayers, that a life 
 so beloved may be fostered with all his care ; 
 that your days may be as happy as they have 
 been illustrious ; and that he will finally give 
 you that reward which this word cannot give." 
 
 History presents no more elevated scene 
 than that of a successful hero, at the close of a 
 long war, giving up his command, and a na 
 tion, just having achieved its independence, 
 in the solemn act of dissolving its military 
 state, all uniting in ascribing praise to that 
 God whose kind Providence they had enjoy 
 ed, and commending each other to his protec 
 tion in time, and his favour throughout eter 
 nity. 
 
 When Washinjrton had thus resigned the 
 title of " Commander-in-chief," he took that 
 
200 LIFE OF 
 
 of private citizen, and retired to his peaceful 
 home. The satisfaction he felt in doing so 
 was expressed in a letter to his friend, Lafay 
 ette, who had returned to France soon after 
 the surrender of Cornwallis. Washington 
 wrote to him, " At length I have become a 
 private citizen, on the banks of the Potomac, 
 and under the shade of my own vine and my 
 own fig-tree. and free from the bustle of a 
 camp and the busy cares of public life. I have 
 not only retired from all public employments, 
 but am retiring within myself, and shall be 
 able to view the solitary walk, and tread the 
 paths of private life, with heartfelt satisfac 
 tion. 1 
 
 To General Knox he thus addressed him 
 self: "I feel now, as I conceive a weary 
 traveller must do, who, after treading many a 
 painful step, with a heavy burden on his 
 shoulders, is eased of the latter, having reach 
 ed the haven to which all the former were di 
 rected, and from his house-top, in looking 
 back and tracing with eager eye, the meanders 
 by which he has escaped the quicksands and 
 mires which lay in his way, and into which 
 none but the all-powerful Guide and Dispensei 
 of human events, could have prevented his 
 falling." 
 
 For several months after his return home, 
 he received, almost every day, addresses from 
 all parts of the union, expressing the affection 
 and gratitude of his countrymen. He deserved 
 
WASHINGTON. 201 
 
 this, and no doubt was gratified by it ; but the 
 praise of man had no ill effect on his modest 
 mind. For a little time, when he awoke in 
 the morning, he would forget that he was in 
 his peaceful home, and, as he had been ac 
 customed to do, would begin to think of what 
 orders he should give his army, or what pub 
 lie business he should transact during the day ; 
 but he soon interested himself in the cultiva 
 tion of his farm, and in assisting his neigh 
 bours to improve theirs ; and for this purpose 
 he wrote to England to obtain the best infor 
 mation of all the improvements which were 
 discovered there in agriculture. 
 
 When the English ceased to act as enemies 
 of his country, Washington did not cherish 
 against them feelings of resentment. His libe 
 ral mind was willing to acknowledge their na 
 tional greatness and usefulness, and his heart 
 was one that could estimate the virtues of 
 those individuals of the nation who have de 
 voted their lives to the promotion of the tem 
 poral and eternal interests of their fellow be 
 ings. 
 
 He travelled for a short time through those 
 parts of his country with which he was unac 
 quainted, and, on his return, said he had new 
 cause for acknowledging " the goodness of 
 that Providence which has dealt his favours 
 to us with so profuse a hand." He was de 
 sirous that these gracious gifts should not be 
 neglected, and he formed plans for improving 
 
202 LIFE OF 
 
 the navigation of some of the extensive rivers 
 which flow through this country. He said he 
 considered the extension of inland navigation 
 as " an effectual means of cementing the union 
 of the states." His plan was that the naviga 
 tion of the eastern waters should be extended, 
 and communicate with the western ; that these 
 again should be opened from the Ohio to Lake 
 Erie. Since his death his design has been ex 
 tensively executed, and, by its constantly in 
 creasing advantages, proving the excellence 
 of his foresight and wisdom. He succeeded 
 in having two companies formed for improving 
 the James and Potomac rivers. On this occa 
 sion the legislature of Virginia subscribed for 
 the same number of shares for Washington, 
 in each company, that were to be taken for 
 the state ; but. when informed of this, he as 
 sured them that he must decline accepting it, 
 as he had determined never to change the re 
 solution he had formed when he entered into 
 public service, "to shut his hand against 
 every pecuniary recompense ;" but he pro 
 posed to the legislature that the shares intend 
 ed for him should be given to some public in 
 stitution, and they were given to two schools ; 
 one of which was near the Potomac, and the 
 other near James river. 
 
 General Lafayette again crossed the ocean, 
 and visited Mount Vernon, and no doubt 
 passed some interesting hours with his friend 
 Washington. But those hours of social enjoy- 
 
WASHINGTON. 203 
 
 ment were few, for these friends were soon 
 again engaged in public scenes and cares. Be 
 fore Lafayette returned to France he visited 
 the mother of Washington, to bid her farewell 
 and ask her blessing. She received him kind 
 ly, and talked with him of the happy pros 
 pects of her country, and of the conduct of 
 her virtuous son, whom Lafayette praised with 
 the warmth of strong attachment. 
 
 She listened calmly to him, and then re 
 plied, " / am not surprised at what George 
 has done, for he was always a very good 
 boy." 
 
 On leaving this venerable woman, Lafayette 
 asked and received her blessing, and bade her 
 a last farewell. When he took leave of his 
 friend, he indulged a lively hope that they 
 would once more meet ; but when again he 
 visited rVmerica, he was received as the " Na 
 tion s Guest," and, instead of being welcomed 
 to Mount Vernon by the smiles of Washing 
 ton, he was led to his tomb to shed tears of 
 sorrow. 
 
 Desiring anxiously that his native country 
 hould be freed from the tyrannical govern 
 ment which oppressed it, Lafayette felt a deep 
 interest in the revolution which soon com 
 menced in France ; but his heart must have 
 been pained by the manner in which it was 
 conducted. In the attempt to throw off the 
 -oppression of man, the restraints of morality 
 were cast away, and the human passions raged 
 
204 LIFE OF 
 
 uncontrolled. The consequences were dread 
 ful ; the tenderest ties of nature were disre 
 garded, the truths of religion were denied, 
 and the worship of God abolished. So that 
 whilst this country, which looked to the Di 
 vine blessing for liberty, received it, France 
 has ever since that time been unsettled and 
 unhappy, and often the scene of civil war and 
 bloodshed. 
 
 Young Americans ! as you grow up to man 
 hood, and enjoy the great blessing of freedom 
 from all unjust and oppressive laws of man, 
 beware of wishing to be free from the just and 
 righteous laws of your Creator, lest you bring 
 upon yourselves as a nation, the displeasure of 
 him whose " kingdom is an everlasting king 
 dom," and whose "dominion endureth through 
 out all generations." To those who will not 
 obey him, he has said, " I will bring evil upon 
 this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, 
 because they have not hearkened unto my 
 word, nor to my law, but have rejected it." 
 While you are exercising what you call li 
 berty of conscience, remember the assurance 
 of him who " taught as one having authority :" 
 " If ye continue in my word ye shall know 
 the truth, and the truth shall make you free; 
 verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever com- 
 mitteth sin is the servant of sin." If Christ 
 " shall make you free, ye shall be free in 
 deed." 
 
WASHINGTON. 205 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 17871789. 
 
 AFTER the Americans obtained indepen 
 dence, those who thought wisely on public af 
 fairs were soon convinced that the " Articles 
 of Confederation," which had united the states 
 in time of war, would not bind them together 
 in harmony under one government in time of 
 peace. 
 
 Congress had borrowed money from the 
 French nation during the war, and they were 
 also in debt to the officers of the army, and to 
 other Americans ; and were unable to pay even 
 the interest of the money due, because they 
 did not possess the power to tax the people, 
 or to lay dr. ties on imported goods. 
 
 The advke of Washington at the close of 
 t!i3 war had been too soon forgotten. He had 
 said then to his countrymen, "The path of 
 duty is plain before us. Let us as a nation be 
 just ; let us fulfil the public contracts, which 
 Congress had undoubtedly a right to make for 
 the purpose of carrying on the war, with the 
 same good faith we suppose ourselves bound 
 to perform our private engagements." 
 
 From his retirement he watched with inte 
 rest the conduct of his countrymen, and began 
 to feel alarmed lest they should disgrace them 
 selves as a nation. He corresponded on the 
 8 
 
206 LIFE OF 
 
 subject with the wise American patriots, who 
 used all their influence to convince the people 
 that it was necessary for the credit and pros 
 perity of their country, to give more power to 
 Congress and to strengthen the bond of union. 
 There was a great variety of opinions on the 
 subject, but at length all the states, except 
 Ehode Island, agreed to choose members for a 
 convention to plan a better form of national 
 government. Virginia placed Washington first 
 on the list of members. 
 
 On the second Monday in May, 1787, the 
 Convention met at Philadelphia, and chose 
 Washington its president ; and, after long and 
 serious consultation on the important subject, 
 that Constitution was formed under which, by 
 the favour of a gracious Providence, the United 
 States have become so prosperous, and the 
 American nation so happy and respectable. 
 The opinions of the members of the Conven 
 tion seemed to be so opposed to each other on 
 some points, that it was feared they could 
 agree on no plan that would suit the whole 
 country. The debate was increasing in warmth, 
 when Dr. Franklin, with his accustomed wis 
 dom and coolness, endeavoured to promote 
 harmony by proposing an adjournment for 
 three days, that there might be time for seri 
 ous consideration of the subject. He con 
 cluded his speech to the following effect : 
 
 " The small progress we have made, after 
 foui or five weeks close attendance and conti 
 
WASHINGTON. 207 
 
 nued reasoning with each other, our different 
 sentiments on almost every questio- -, several 
 of the last producing as many noes as ayes, 
 is, methinks, a melancholy proof of the im 
 perfection of the human understanding. We, 
 indeed, seem iofeel our want of political wis 
 dom, since we have been running all about in 
 search of it. We have gone back to ancien 
 history for models of government, and exa 
 mined the different forms of those republics 
 which, having been originally formed with the 
 seeds of their own dissolution, now no longer 
 exist : and we have viewed modern states all 
 round Europe, but find none of their constitu 
 tions suitable to our circumstances. 
 
 "In this situation of this assembly, groping 
 as it were in the dark to find political truth, and 
 scarcely able to distinguish it when presented 
 <o us, how has it happened, sir, that we have 
 not hitherto once thought of humbly applying 
 to the Father of Light to illuminate our under 
 standings? In the beginning of the contesi 
 with Britain, when we were sensible of dan 
 ger, we had daily prayers in this room for 
 Divine protection. Our prayers, sir, were 
 heard ; and they were graciously answered. 
 411 of us, who were engaged in the struggle, 
 must have observed frequent instances of a 
 superintending Providence in our favour. To 
 that kind Providence we owe this happy op 
 portunity of consulting in peace on the means 
 of establishing our future and national felicity 
 
208 LIFE OF 
 
 And have we now forgotten that powerful 
 Friend ? Or do we imagine we no longer 
 need his assistance ? I have lived, sir, a long 
 time ; and the longer I live, the more con 
 vincing proofs I see of this truth, that God 
 governs in the affairs of men. And if a spar 
 row cannot fall to the ground without his no- 
 lice, is it probable that an empire can rise 
 without his aid ? We have been assured, sir, 
 in the sacred writings, that "except the Lord 
 build the house, they labour in vain that build 
 it." I firmly believe this ; and I also believe, 
 that without his concurring aid, we shall suc 
 ceed in this political building no better than 
 the builders of Babel : we shall be divided by 
 our little, partial, local interests ; our projects 
 will be confounded ; and we ourselves shall 
 become a reproach and a by-word down to 
 future ages. And, what is worse, mankind 
 may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance, 
 despair of establishing government by human 
 wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and con 
 quest. I therefore beg leave to move, 
 
 " That henceforth prayers, imploring the 
 assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on 
 our deliberations, be made in this assembly 
 every morning before we proceed to business ; 
 and that one or more of the clergy of this city 
 be requested to officiate in that service." 
 
 One member only opposed this motion, and 
 a person who was present relates, that whilst 
 he was making his objections, Washington 
 
WASHINGTON. 
 
 fixed his eye upon him with an expression of 
 mingled surprise and indignation. No one 
 condescended to notice the opposition, and 
 the proposal was at once carried by the votes 
 of all the other members. The adjournment, 
 also, according to his suggestion, took place, 
 and, after the Convention had been opened 
 with prayer, when they met again, Dr. Frank 
 lin stated the necessity and equity of mutual 
 concessions from all parts of the Union. His 
 views were adopted, and the important busi 
 ness, on which they were so warm when they 
 separated, was soon despatched, and the whole 
 constitution at length agreed to. The people 
 have preserved this, their own chosen constitu 
 tion, for more than fifty years, and have seen 
 their happiness, prosperity and renown, grow 
 with its growth, and strengthen with its strength. 
 How firmly should every American delight to 
 cherish a union which has been so blessed 
 by the God of nations, and ardently desire 
 that " the flag of the republic, now known 
 and honoured throughout the earth, may con 
 tinue to float over the sea and over the land, 
 without one stripe erased or polluted, or a sin 
 gle star obscured." 
 
 The constitution was signed by the dele 
 gates from twelve states, on the 17th Septem 
 ber, 1787, and, when made known to the 
 people, they were of one opinion, that Wash 
 ington was the man most worthy to be the 
 President of the United States. One of his 
 s2 
 
210 LIFE OF 
 
 friends, Colonel Lee, who had an opportunity 
 of hearing the wishes which were universally 
 expressed by his countrymen, wrote to Wash 
 ington, to entreat that he would not suffer his 
 love of private life to prevent his consenting 
 to engage again in public duties ; and added, 
 " If the same success should attend your ef 
 forts on this important occasion which has dis 
 tinguished you hitherto, then to be sure you 
 will have spent a life which Providence rare 
 ly, if ever, gave to the lot of one man." 
 
 Elections were held throughout the United 
 States, and, when the votes were opened and 
 counted in the Senate, it was found that Wash 
 ington was unanimously elected. 
 
 On the 14th April, 1789, the fifty-seventh 
 year of his age, Congress informed him of his 
 appointment, and he accepted it, because it 
 was. the call of his countrymen to serve them. 
 On this occasion he wrote to one of his friends 
 his sentiments on this subject, which showed 
 the dignity and modesty of his character ; he 
 said. " I am unwilling in the evening of a 
 life, nearly consumed in public cares, to quit 
 a peaceful abode for an ocean of difficulties, 
 without the competency of political skill, abili 
 ties, and inclination, which are necessary to 
 manage the helm. I am sensible that I am 
 embarking the voice of the people and a good 
 name of my own, on this voyage ; but what 
 returns will be made for them, Heaven alone 
 can foretell, integrity and firmness are all I 
 
WASHINGTON. 211 
 
 can promise ; these, be the voyage long or 
 short, shall never forsake me, although I may 
 be deserted by all men ; for of the consolations 
 which are to be derived from these, under 
 any circumstances, the world cannot depme 
 me." 
 
 He visited his respected mother to inform 
 her of his appointment. He had endeavoured 
 to prevail on her to make Mount Vernon the 
 home of her latter years ; but she would not 
 consent to leave her humble dwelling, which 
 was particularly dear to her from having near 
 it a rural spot, made private by surrounding 
 rocks and trees, where she daily offered to 
 her Creator her confessions and prayers. 
 When her son told her he must bid her fare 
 well, he said, " As soon as the weight of pub 
 lic business, which must necessarily attend 
 the outset of a new government, can be dis 
 posed of, I shall return to Virginia, and" 
 " You will see me no more," said his mother, 
 interrupting him, " My great age warns me, 
 that I shall not be long in this world, I trust 
 in God that I may be somewhat prepared for 
 a better. Go, George, go my son ! and per 
 form your duties, and may the blessing of 
 God, and that of a mother, be with you al 
 ways." She cast her arms around his neck, 
 and resting his head on the shoulder of his 
 aged parent, the Iruly great man shed tears 
 of filial tenderness. 
 
 He parted from her with the sad feeling, 
 
212 LIFE OF 
 
 that he should indeed see her no more, and in 
 a short time, these painful apprehensions were 
 realized. She was eighty-five years old at the 
 time of her death ; and was buried near Fre- 
 dericksburgh, Va. Over her grave, a gentleman 
 of New York lias lately placed a noble monu 
 ment, on which is only this inscription : 
 
 MARY, 
 
 THE MOTHER OF WASHINGTON. 
 
 In the middle of April, Washington was 
 called by duty to bid farewell to his farm. He 
 set off for New York, the seat of government, 
 and in the journal, which it was his custom 
 to keep, he wrote at the close of that day, 
 thus: "About ten o clock I bade adieu to 
 Mount Vernon, to private life, and to domes 
 tic felicity, and with a mind oppressed with 
 more anxious and painful sensations than 1 
 have words to express, set out for New York, 
 with the best dispositions to render service 
 to my country in obedience to its call, but 
 with less hope of answering its expectations." 
 
 His neighbours and the citizens of Alexan 
 dria assembled, and met him on the road to 
 attend him to that place, where they invited 
 him to eat a parting dinner with them. When 
 he was leaving them to proceed on his jour 
 ney, they said in their affectionate address to 
 him, " Again your country commands your 
 care. The first, the best of citizens, must 
 
WASHINGTON. 213 
 
 leave us. Our aged must lose their orna 
 ment, our youth, their model, our agricul 
 ture, its improver, our commerce, its friend, 
 our academy, its protector, our poor, theii 
 benefactor. Farewell ! Go, and make a 
 grateful people happy. To that Being, who 
 maketh and unmaketh at his will, we com 
 mend you ; and after the accomplishment of 
 the arduous business to whfch you are called, 
 may he restore to us again the best of men, 
 and the most beloved fellow-citizen." 
 
 After thanking them for their expressions 
 of kindness, Washington said, in reply, 
 "The whole tenor of my life has been open 
 to your inspection; and my past actions, ra 
 ther than my present declarations, must be the 
 pledge of my future conduct. All that now 
 remains for me, is to commit myself and you 
 to the protection of that beneficent Being, 
 who on a former occasion, hath happily 
 brought us together, after a long" and distress 
 ing separation. Perhaps the same gracious 
 Providence will again indulge me. Unuttera 
 ble sensations must then be left to more ex 
 pressive silence ; while from an aching" heart 
 I bid you all, my affectionate friends and kind 
 neighbours, farewell." 
 
 He wished his journey to be private ; but 
 preparations were made in every town and 
 village through which he was to pass, to give 
 him proofs of the gratitude of his countrymen 
 for his past services, and of their confidence, 
 
214 LIFE OF 
 
 that his future ones would be blessings to 
 them. 
 
 Philadelphia was illuminated, and the next 
 day he was welcomed to Trenton with jiby. 
 On the bridge over the Assumpinck Creek, an 
 arch had been erected, and ornamented with 
 laurels and flowers, and it was supported by 
 thirteen pillars, entwined with wreaths of 
 evergreen. On the front of the arch was in 
 scribed, in large letters, the date of the first 
 battle of Trenton, and of the day on which the 
 American troops had made a bold stand on the 
 borders of the Assumpinck, by which the pro 
 gress of the English army had been stopped. 
 Under this was written, "The defender of 
 the mothers will be the protector of the daugh 
 ters." As he left his carriage to walk over 
 the bridge, a company of young girls went be 
 fore him, and strewed fresh flowers in his 
 path. 
 
 At Elizabethtown a committee from Con 
 gress received him, and conducted him to the 
 Point, where he entered a handsome boat, that 
 had been prepared to convey him to New 
 York. 
 
 His return to that city was not in silence, 
 as his departure from it had been ; and in his 
 journal he remarked, that the decorations of 
 the ships, the music in the boats, the roar of 
 the cannon, and the acclamations of the peo 
 ple, filled him with sensations not more pleas 
 ing than painful, as he thought how changed 
 
WASHINGTON. 215 
 
 he scene might be " after all his labours to 
 do good." 
 
 The 30th day of April was appointed for 
 taking the solemn oath with which the consti 
 tution requires the president to commence the 
 duties of his important office. In the morning 
 of that day, the clergymen of the city met 
 their congregations, to unite in offering pray 
 ers to God for his blessing on the people, and 
 the president whom they had chosen. 
 
 The oath was administered by R. R. Liv 
 ingston, Chancellor of the state of New York, 
 and the interesting ceremony was witnessed 
 by a great concourse of people, for it was per 
 formed in an open gallery adjoining the senate 
 chamber, and fronting Broad street. All stood 
 in solemn silence, until the oath was taken, 
 and then, when the Chancellor proclaimed that 
 GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS THE PRESIDENT OF 
 THE UNITED STATES, a shout of joy burst 
 from many thousands of grateful and affec 
 tionate hearts. The president went into the 
 senate chamber, and in a modest but dignified 
 manner, addressed the senate and house of re 
 presentatives. 
 
 In the course of his address he said, " It 
 will be peculiarly improper to omit, in this 
 first official act, my fervent supplications to 
 hat Almighty Being, who rules over the uni 
 verse, who presides in the councils of na 
 tions, and whose providential aid can supply 
 every human defect, that his benediction 
 
216 LIFE OF 
 
 may consecrate to the liberties and happiness 
 of the people of the United States, a govern 
 ment instituted by themselves for these essen 
 tial purposes, and may enable every instru 
 ment employed in its administration to execute 
 with success the functions allotted to his 
 charge. In tendering this homage to the great 
 Author of every public and private good, I 
 assure myself that it expresses your senti 
 ments not less than my own ; nor those of 
 my fellow-citizens at large, less than either. 
 No people can be bound to acknowledge and 
 adore the invisible hand which conducts the 
 affairs of men, more than the people of the 
 United States. Every step by which they 
 have advanced to the character of an indepen 
 dent nation, seems to have been distinguished 
 by some token of providential agency." 
 
 In conclusion, he said, " I shall take my 
 present leave, but not without resorting once 
 more to the benign Parent of the human race, 
 in humble supplication, that since he has been 
 pleased to favour the American people with 
 opportunities for deliberating in perfect tran 
 quillity, and dispositions for deciding with 
 unparalleled unanimity on a form of govern 
 ment for the security of their union and ad 
 vancement of their happiness ; so his divine 
 blessing may be equally conspicuous, in the 
 enlarged views, the temperate consultations 
 and wise measures, on which the success of 
 this government must depend." 
 
WASHINGTON. 217 
 
 The Senate, in reply, expressed their high 
 estimation of his wisdom and virtue, and said, 
 All that remains is that we join in your fer 
 vent supplications for the blessing of Heaven 
 on our country ; and that we add our own for 
 the choicest of those blessings on the most 
 beloved of her citizens." The important cere 
 mony of that day was closed with divine wor 
 ship. 
 
 When Washington entered on the public 
 duties of his office, he did not forget that ju 
 dicious regulations were needful for the gov 
 ernment of his own household. He made 
 rules for his family, which every member 
 knew must not be disregarded. He directed 
 that an account should be given to him every 
 week of the money that was expended. He 
 wished to entertain with generous hospitality 
 all visiters whom it was proper to receive ; 
 but he would not permit any needless expense. 
 In making regulations for his family he re 
 membered the Sabbath ; he always attended 
 a place of worship, and was not in the cus 
 tom of receiving any visiters, except Mr. 
 Trumbull, who was then Speaker of Congress, 
 and afterwards the Governor of Connecticut. 
 He was in the habit of spending an hour with 
 ihe President on every Sabbath evening, and 
 was so regular in the time of his visit, that 
 the servants, by looking at the clock, knew 
 to a moment when to be ready to open the 
 door to the "speaker s bell." as the v called 
 T 
 
218 LIFE OF 
 
 the door bell on Sunday evening, because 
 no other hand than his then rung it. 
 
 The president did not return any visits, 
 and appointed certain hours of two days in 
 the week, for being visited by persons who 
 had no business to transact with him. In the 
 performance of his duties, the president set 
 an example of punctuality, and by the strictest 
 regard to it, in the smallest as well as the 
 greatest concerns, gave a plain and excellent 
 lesson on the value of time, and importance 
 of truth. In making an appointment he 
 named the exact time, that not one moment 
 might be wasted in the idleness which uncer 
 tainty in this respect often occasions. All his 
 promises were given with " the lip of truth," 
 therefore he was punctual to a moment in 
 performing them. He required punctuality 
 in every member of his household, and was 
 once heard to say, to a visiter, who had come 
 late to dinner, " Our cook never asks if the 
 company has come, but if the hour has come." 
 He had fixed on a convenient hour for mem 
 bers of Congress and other invited guests to 
 dine with him, and being careful to have the 
 clock which stood in his entry exactly right, 
 he allowed five minutes for the difference in 
 clocks and watches, and after that time did 
 not wait for any person. If some forgetful 
 or lagging guest came after the time, the pre 
 sident usually made some such remark as 
 f< We are too punctual for you." When Con 
 
WASHINGTON. 219 
 
 gress m?t in Philadelphia, he appointed the 
 hour of twelve for attending and delivering 
 his speeches to them, and he always entered 
 the state-house, where Congress sat, when 
 the state-house clock was striking the hour.* 
 The lesson on punctuality, which the great 
 Washington taught by his own practice, 
 should he particularly attended to by the 
 young. Their hours should be devoted to 
 improvement, and dreadful is the waste, if 
 they are spent in an improper manner. The 
 sacred hours of the sabbath should be ac 
 counted particularly precious, and every op 
 portunity of instruction they afford should be 
 attended to with care and punctuality. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 17891796. 
 
 ALL the important business attending the 
 commencement of the new government was 
 conducted with wisdom. When Congress 
 adjourned, the president prepared to visit New 
 England; on the 15th October he began his 
 journey, and, passing through Connecticut 
 and Massachusetts, went as far as Portsmouth, 
 in New Hampshire ; returning by a different 
 
 * See further of Washington s domestic habits, &c. 
 Appendix, (C 
 
220 LIFE OF 
 
 route to New York. He had a favourable op 
 portunity for observing the improvements of 
 the important portion of his country through 
 which he travelled, and was in every place 
 received with proofs of joy and attachment. 
 
 At Cambridge, the governor and council of 
 Massachusetts met him, and accompanied him 
 to Boston ; the selectmen received him at the 
 entrance of the town, and a procession of the 
 inhabitants was formed, which extended to 
 the state-house, and he noticed witli satisfac 
 tion the children, who made a part of the pro 
 cession, conducted by their teachers. A tri 
 umphal arch was erected, and, over it, on one 
 side, was the inscription, "To the m;ui who 
 unites all hearts ;" and on the opposite side, 
 " To Columbia s favourite son." 
 
 The president returned to New York, and 
 Congress again met on the 8th January, 1790. 
 They passed several acts of importance, and 
 then determined that the seat of government 
 should be removed to Philadelphia. This 
 session of Congress continued until the 12th 
 August, when they adjourned. The health of 
 the president had been injured by his close 
 attention to public business, and he thought 
 that a visit to Mount Vernon would refresh , 
 and strengthen him. He wished to travel as 
 privately as possible, but, when he thought 
 that he \vas approaching the villages without 
 being noticed, the villagers were ready to give 
 him some proof of a joyful welcome; and 
 
WASHINGTON. 221 
 
 supposing the probable time for his return, 
 the school children were promised by their 
 teachers that they should see Washington, 
 which they thought was a high reward for di 
 ligence. 
 
 After a short indulgence in the enjoyment 
 of rural sights and sounds, the president re 
 turned from Mount Vernon to meet Congress 
 at Philadelphia. One important subject which 
 engaged Congress at that session, was war 
 with the Indians. 
 
 As early as the year 1736, Moravian mis 
 sionaries, taking no weapon but " the sword 
 of the Spirit, which is the word of God," vi 
 sited the Indians, and carried to them " the 
 glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all 
 people." They preached " Jesus Christ and 
 him crucified ;" and many of the wild rangers 
 of the forest listened to the sound of the Gos 
 pel, and, with some of their most ferocious 
 chieftains, submitted to its peaceful rules. All 
 such formed settlements, cultivated the ground 
 around them, and made spots in the wilder 
 ness to " blossom like the rose." One of 
 those settlements in Pennsylvania was called 
 Nain. A young Nanticoke Indian visited it, 
 and remained there for a month; on being 
 taken ill afterwards, he called two of his bro 
 thers to him, and said to them, " in Nain they 
 teach the right way to eternal life. There I 
 have heard that our Creator became a man, 
 died on the cross for our sins, was buried, 
 T 2 
 
222 LIFE OF 
 
 rose again, and went into heaven, and that 
 whosoever believes in him shall not perish ; 
 but, when he dies, shall live with him for 
 ever. If you wish to hear these good words 
 go to Nain." He died, praying with his last 
 breath for pardon, and his brothers both went 
 to Nain to hear " the good words" which he 
 had received with faith and joy. Though the 
 power of the Gospel was thus felt, and proved 
 by the changed conduct of many of the In 
 dians, yet their number was few compared 
 with that of those who still roamed through 
 the forests, and took advantage of every op 
 portunity for attacking the inhabitants of the 
 frontiers. Washington being well acquainted 
 with the cruel manner m which the Indians 
 conducted their attacks, knew the sufferings 
 to which his countrymen on the frontiers 
 were exposed ; and as he was never satisfied 
 with merely feeling a sympathy in the dis 
 tresses of his fellow-beings, he used every 
 means in his power to relieve them. He ear 
 nestly recommended to Congress to endea 
 vour to form treaties with the Indians. He 
 was "for peace," but the Indians were "for 
 war." Troops were sent out against them, 
 commanded by General Harmar, but these 
 troops were defeated, in a battle near Chili- 
 cothe. Congress then gave the president the 
 means of raising another army, and General 
 Arthur St. Clair , was appointed to the com 
 mand of it. 
 
WASHINGTON. 223 
 
 After the president had made all the neces 
 sary arrangements for recruiting the army, he 
 paid a visit to the southern states, and in pass 
 ing through them, received the same proofs 
 of grateful attachment as had been given to 
 him in the northern and middle states. 
 
 The senate and congress had given to him 
 the power of choosing a spot on which should 
 be built a city for a seat of government, and 
 he stopped at the Potomac for some days, and 
 marked the place on which the city of Wash 
 ington now stands. After his return from this 
 journey, he said, in a letter to Mr. Gouver- 
 neur Morris " In my late tour through the 
 southern states, 1 experienced great satisfac* 
 lion in seeing the good effects of the general 
 government in that part of the Union. * * * 
 Industry has there taken place of idleness, 
 and economy of dissipation. Two or three 
 years of good crops, and a ready market for 
 the produce of their lands, have put every one 
 in good humour; and, in some instances, they 
 even impute to the government what is dm* 
 only to the goodness of Providence. 
 
 In the December after his return, he hearr* 
 the distressing intelligence of the total defea* 
 of the army of General St. Clair, in an en 
 gagement with the Indians on the 4th of De 
 cember, near the Miami river, in the state of 
 Ohio. 
 
 When Washington heard of the destruction 
 of the brave men and officers who fell in that 
 
224 LIFE OF 
 
 battle, he went into a private room with one 
 of his family, and indulged for a few moments 
 his feelings of distress. He walked the floor 
 with his hand pressed to his forehead, and 
 said, " Here, in this very room, the night be 
 fore his departure, I warned St. Clair to be 
 ware of surprise ! and yet that brave army 
 surprised and cut to pieces ! Butler and a 
 host of others slain!" 
 
 "Washington s feelings were naturally violent 
 when excited, but quickly subdued by the 
 firmness with which he practised self-control. 
 And after a few moments, he said, in a calm 
 voice, " St. Clair shall have justice ; yes, 
 long, faithful, and meritorious services shall 
 have their claims." 
 
 When the distressed St. Clair, worn down 
 with age and disease, returned and visited 
 him, he grasped the hand of Washington, 
 which was kindly extended to him, and sob 
 bed over it like a child. Many of the unde 
 served reproaches which were uttered against 
 him, were silenced by the kind manner in 
 which Washington continued to treat him. 
 
 After Congress adjourned, the president 
 made another effort to form treaties of peace 
 with the Indians, but was not successful ; he 
 then raised more troops, and the command 
 of them was given to General Wayne, who 
 soon succeeded in reducing the savage foe to 
 a state of submission and peace. 
 
 The rapidly increasing prosperity of the 
 
WASHINGTON. 225 
 
 United States, was a proof of the wisdom with 
 which the new government had been planned, 
 and was conducted. The good effect of Wash 
 ington s wisdom and virtue were so apparent, 
 that when the four years for which he had 
 been elected were passed, the people proved 
 that they knew the value of his character, and 
 he was unanimously re-elected. He earnestly 
 wished to return to private life, and expressed 
 to his friends his intention to do so ; but they 
 convinced him that it was his duty not to in 
 dulge this wish ; the state of public affairs at 
 that time, requiring all his firm virtue to pre 
 serve the government from being engaged 
 in the contentions which were commencing 
 between the nations of Europe. When he 
 met Congress after his re-election, his speech 
 on the state of public affairs was deeply in 
 teresting, and contained this expression of 
 pious feelings : " I humbly implore that Being 
 on whose will the fate of nations depends, to 
 crown with success our mutual endeavours 
 for the general happiness." 
 
 The French revolution had commenced, 
 and war was declared between England and 
 France. Some Americans thought that their 
 overnment ought to aid France against Eng- 
 and, and the difference of opinion on this 
 subject divided the people into two parties. 
 But the president was not to be turned from 
 his. determination, to "cultivate peace with 
 all the world;" and immediately after his re- 
 
226 LIFE OF 
 
 election, he proclaimed that the American go 
 vernment would not take any part in the ge 
 neral war which had commenced. He thus 
 secured for his country the rich blessing of 
 peace ; and while war was raging amongst 
 other nations, the Americans increased their 
 trade, and sent large portions of their full har 
 vests to different parts of the world. 
 
 The president was at times so much en 
 gaged that he could not allow himself time to 
 lake any other exercise than a walk to his 
 watch maker s, in Second Street, to regulate 
 his watch by the time-piece. Mothers who 
 felt the value of what he had done for their 
 children, watched for the hour in which it 
 was usual for him to pass, and then brought 
 out their children to show Washington tc 
 them. When the boys in the streets saw him 
 they used to cry out, " Here comes Washing 
 ton ! here comes Washington !" they seldom 
 called him the president. Washington was a 
 far dearer name ; and he usually increased 
 their delight by noticing them with a kind 
 smile, giving them his hand, or taking the lit 
 tle children up in his arms.* When he could 
 be absent from the city for a few hours with 
 out neglecting a duty, he enjoyed a visit to 
 Judge Peters, at his home on the Schuylkill 
 a few miles distant from Philadelphia. In 
 the cultivated ground there, he planted a nut, 
 which has grown into a thriving chestnut tree, 
 and is cherished with great care. He was 
 * See appendix (D). 
 
WASHINGTON. 227 
 
 fond of riding on horseback, and one day in 
 the winter, when the river Delaware was fro 
 zen, so that loaded sleds passed over it; he 
 crossed into Jersey to enjoy a ride in the 
 leafless woods. On his return, he found at 
 Cooper s ferry a farmer with a sled load of 
 wood, just going on the ice. The president 
 stopped his horse, to let the farmer pass on 
 before him. But the farmer, who knew 
 Washington, stopped also, and stepping up to 
 him, said respectfully " Sir, do you think it 
 is right for you to run the risk of riding across 
 the river on the ice ?" " Why, my friend," 
 said the president, "I think if you can pass over 
 with your sled load of wood without breaking 
 through,! have no reason to be afraid." "Ah," 
 replied the farmer, " if I and a dozen like me, 
 should fall through and be drowned, we should 
 hardly be missed ; but the country cannot do 
 without you, Sir." " Well, go on first then," 
 said Washington, " and I think if the ice does 
 not break with your load and horses, I can 
 then pass it without danger." The farmer 
 moved on without delay, being, no doubt, 
 well pleased to serve Washington as a guide, 
 and to watch for the preservation of a life he 
 valued so highly. 
 
 In 1794, the second year after Washing 
 ton s election, he had occasion to exercise his 
 firmness in quelling an insurrection excited 
 in the western parts of Pennsylvania by some 
 yflnprincipled idlers. Americans had resisted 
 
228 LIFE OF 
 
 with bravery and success, a foreign foe, but 
 they had, and it is a sad truth, still have, an 
 enemy in their homes, to which too many 
 willingly submit, though by doing so they 
 yield their rio ht to the name of freemen ; for 
 strong drink is a tyrant which chains the 
 body in disgrace and poverty. It weakens 
 the mind, and either destroys all recollection 
 of the laws of God, or else causes a total dis 
 regard of them, and prepares the soul for 
 everlasting punishment. Young Americans, 
 this powerful foe is on every side of you, 
 tempting you to become its slaves. Beware ! 
 touch not, taste not strong drink, and when 
 you see in others the evil effects of indulging 
 in a love of it, let the bad example cause you 
 sorrow, and prove a warning to you to begin 
 n youth a firm resistance to such an enemy. 
 It was this foe to good order and morality, that 
 caused the insurrection which has been men 
 tioned. Congress had laid a tax on spirits 
 distilled within the United States, and some 
 of the inhabitants of the western part of Penn 
 sylvania, not only refused to pay the tax, but 
 treated with violence these who were appointed 
 to collect it. The disgraceful example was 
 followed by so many, that it became neces 
 sary for the president to notice it. He en 
 deavoured to make the rioters submit quietly 
 to the laws, but when he found that they 
 would not do so, he determined on sending 
 against them a force which would be too po\v- 
 
WASHINGTON. 229 
 
 erful for them to resist. By doing this he 
 hoped to prevent any blood being shed. Troops 
 were directed to assemble at Bedford, in 
 Pennsylvania ; and at Cumberland, on the 
 Potomac. Governor Lee, of Virginia, was 
 appointed to command the expedition, and as 
 the president had expected, the greatness of 
 the force subdued, without shedding blood, 
 the perverse spirit which had been raging. 
 
 During this season, the cares of Washington 
 were greater, perhaps, than at any other period 
 of his administration. The British government 
 had not given up their posts on the south side 
 of the lakes, which they had agreed to do in 
 the treaty of peace ; and the American govern 
 ment had violated the treaty, by passing some 
 laws, which had prevented English subjects 
 from recovering debts due to them in this 
 country, 
 
 Washington was just, and would not yield 
 to the clamour which was raised against the 
 English. He was of opinion, that " peace 
 ought to be pursued with unremitted zeal," 
 while every necessary preparation should be 
 made for the preservation of national rights, 
 in case war could not be avoided. In writing 
 to a friend, after relating the various difficul 
 ties he had to contend with, he said, " There 
 is but one straight course, and that is, to seek 
 the truth and pursue it steadily." 
 
 He appointed an ambassador to the English 
 government, for the purpose of endeavouring 
 U 
 
230 LIFE OF 
 
 to form a treaty. This ambassador was John 
 Jay, who succeeded iri forming a treaty, by 
 which the English surrendered the posts or 
 the south side of the lakes, and this enabled 
 the president to protect the inhabitants of the 
 frontiers from the Indians, and to promote 
 the improvement and comfort of the Indians, 
 for whom he was always interested. In 
 recommending this subject to the attention 
 of Congress, he said, that " As Americans 
 were more powerful and enlightened than the 
 Indians, they ought to treat them with kind 
 ness and liberality." 
 
 While Washington was pursuing that course 
 of conduct towards the English government, 
 which he knew would promote the interests 
 of his country, he was severely tried by the 
 party spirit which was growing strong in the 
 minds of his countrymen, and which encou 
 raged the French minister to behave in a very 
 insolent manner towards the government 
 That minister, Mr. Genet, had arrived in 
 Charleston in the year 1793, and he under 
 took to authorize the fitting out of armed ves 
 sels there, to capture the vessels of nations 
 with whom the United States were at peace. 
 .An English merchant ship was also captured 
 by a French privateer, within the capes of the 
 Delaware, on her way from Philadelphia to 
 the ocean. 
 
 .The British minister complained of this, 
 ,and also of the conduct of Genet ; and the 
 

 WASHINGTON, 231 
 
 council of the president unanimously agreed 
 that restitution should be made for the capture 
 of the English ship, and that Genet should 
 not be permitted to act again, as he had done 
 at Charleston. This displeased him greatly. 
 He had engaged two Americans to cruise from 
 that port ; they were arrested, and he demand 
 ed their release ; not only of the magistrate, 
 but of the president, in a very insolent letter ; 
 and, calculating on the support of the party in 
 favour of France, he insulted the government, 
 by appealing to the people against their presi 
 dent. 
 
 Washington directed Mr. Morris, the Ame 
 rican minister, who was in France, to repre 
 sent the conduct of Genet to his government, 
 and request that he should be recalled. The 
 request was complied with; but the party 
 feelings which had been excited, continued to 
 increase, and caused Washington s path to be 
 a thorny one. But, difficult as it was, he pur 
 sued steadily the great end which he had al 
 ways in view, " the best interests of his coun- 
 
 ry-" 
 
 While he was deeply engaged in public bu 
 siness, he heard intelligence which pained his 
 heart. It was, that Lafayette had been driven 
 from his native land, by the unprincipled men 
 who were conducting the revolution there 
 and that he had been seized in Prussia, and 
 sent to Austria ; the emperor of which coun 
 try directed that he should be confined in a 
 
232 LIFE OF 
 
 dungeon, in the town of Olmutz. Washing 
 ton could not interfere for his release, except 
 in the private character of his friend ; and he 
 used every means in his power to obtain it, 
 and wrote a letter to the emperor of Austria, 
 requesting him to permit Lafayette to come to 
 % America, hut his request was not granted. 
 
 A young German, named Bolman, and a 
 young American, named Huger, formed a 
 plan for effecting the escape of Lafayette. He 
 was sometimes permitted to leave his dim 
 geon, and walk for a short distance with a 
 guard. One day Bolman and Huger watched 
 for him, and had a horse ready, which Huger 
 led suddenly up to him, and desired him to 
 mount and escape ; the horse took fright and 
 ran off, Bolman followed to endeavour to catch 
 it, and Huger then insisted that Lafayette 
 should mount his horse ; he did so, and was 
 soon out of sight. Bolman could not overtake 
 the affrighted horse, and he returned and took 
 Huger behind him, and they followed Lafay 
 ette. 
 
 The guard gave the alarm, and they were 
 quickly pursued ; Huger was seized, but Bol 
 man at that time escaped. Lafayette was 
 
 1, and brought back to Olmutz. 
 Ihained, hand and foot, Huger w r as carried 
 before a judge, who told him that it was pro 
 bable his life would be the forfeit of his at 
 tempt to assist Lafayette to escape ; but that 
 possibly the emperor would treat him with 
 
 stopped, 
 Chair 
 
WASHINGTON. 233 
 
 clemency, on account of his youth and mo 
 tives. " Clemency!" said Huger, "how can 
 1 expect it from a man who did not act even 
 with justice to Lafayette ?" The judge said 
 to him, "If ever I need a friend, I hope that 
 friend maybe an American." Huger suffered 
 from a close imprisonment for some time, and 
 was then allowed to return to his own coun 
 try. 
 
 The efforts of Washington for the release 
 of his friend, did not cease, and perhaps the 
 tetter which he wrote to the emperor had the 
 effect of lessening the severity with which 
 Lafayette had been treated, and of shortening 
 the period of his caplivitv. His son, named 
 George Washington, made his escape from 
 France, and arrived at Boston. The president 
 advised him to enter the University at Cam 
 bridge, and assured him that he would stand 
 in the place of a father to him, and become 
 his friend, protector, and supporter. 
 
 When the time came for a third election of 
 president, the people were again ready to 
 unite in voting for Washington. But he firmly 
 refused to be re-elected. He assured his coun 
 trymen that he did not do so from any want 
 of respect for their past kindness, or from 
 feeling less anxious for their future prosperi 
 ty ; that he had twice yielded to their wishes, 
 because he thought that it was his duty to do 
 so, but felt that then the happy state of their 
 concerns would permit his retiring to enjoy 
 u2 
 
234 LIFE OF 
 
 the quiet of his own home. As his determina 
 tion was firm, they did not persist in opposing 
 it, and he prepared to take again the character 
 of a private citizen. 
 
 In concluding his last speech to Congress, 
 (for Washington made his annual communica 
 tions to Congress in a speech, instead of send 
 ing a written message, as his successors have 
 done,) he said, " I cannot omit the occasion 
 to repeat my fervent supplications to the Su 
 preme Ruler of the universe and sovereign ar 
 biter of nations, that his providential care may 
 still be extended to the United States ; that 
 the virtue and happiness of the people may 
 be preserved, and that the government, which 
 they have instituted for the protection of their 
 liberties, may be perpetual." 
 
 He also published a farewell address to the 
 people of the United States, which contains 
 the most instructive, important, and interest 
 ing advice, that was ever given by man to any 
 nation. It is long, and has been often pub 
 lished, and splendidly engraved, and all young 
 Americans should read it with attention, and 
 make a firm determination that they will en 
 deavour to follow the important and affec 
 tionate counsel, which the wise and virtuous 
 Washington has left them as a legacy. He 
 toiled through years of anxious cares to pro- 
 mote the happiness of his countrymen, and 
 knowing that " sin is a disgrace to any peo 
 ple," but that " righteousness exalteih a n-i 
 
WASHINGTON. 235 
 
 tion," he earnestly entreated them to consider 
 religion as the only lasting support of national 
 prosperity. 
 
 When the Americans were convinced that 
 Washington would retire from office, they 
 elected John Adams, who was one of the 
 signers of the Declaration of Independence 
 and who had served as vice-president during 
 the whole term of Washington s presidency. 
 Washington remained to offer his good wishes 
 as a private citizen to the new president, and 
 then immediately journeyed towards his home, 
 which ho was anxious to reach ; and, in a 
 letter to a friend, he said, " To the wearied 
 traveller, who sees a resting place, and is 
 bending his body to lean thereon, I now com 
 pare myself." 
 
 Washington was ever ready to acknowledge 
 the particular providence, and to adore the 
 glorious character, of the Creator of heaven 
 and of earth; and therefore, when he rejoiced 
 in the prosperity of his loved countrv, his 
 heart could feel and offer the ascription. 
 " Unto thee, O Lord, be all the glory and th 
 praise." 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 17961799. 
 
 THE rest for which Washington had longed, 
 <vas not idleness ; and, when he had examined 
 
236 LIFE, OF 
 
 every part of his large farm, which had been 
 in some degree neglected during- his absence, 
 he immediately commenced the employment 
 of improving it. 
 
 His faithful mother, in forming his first ha 
 bits, had not neglected that of early rising ; 
 and through the whole of his useful life tha 
 habit was continued ; in winter, he rose usu 
 ally two hours before day ; and in summer 
 was ready to enjoy the healthful freshness 
 and beauty of the dawn. 
 
 The habit of early rising, in connexion with 
 the exemplary one of strict attention to order 
 in all his employments, gave Washington 
 "time for all things," so that even when he 
 had numerous and arduous public duties to at 
 tend to, he did not neglect any private one, 
 but performed with ease himself, what would 
 seem to be employment for many. He was 
 remarkably neat in his person, but used a 
 very short portion of time for attention to his 
 dress. 
 
 After his return to his farm, he visited his 
 stables every day, to be certain that his horses 
 were well taken care of. The one on which 
 he rode when he was directing the siege of 
 Yorktown, he did not use again ; it was al 
 lowed to graze on the best pasture in sum 
 mer, and was carefully stabled in winter, and 
 died of old age, several years after the close 
 of the war. 
 
 Washington was employed for several 
 
WASHINGTON. 237 
 
 hours, each day, in visiting all parts of his 
 large farm. He went alone, opening and 
 shutting the gates, and pulling down and put 
 ting up the bars as he passed. 
 
 One day, Colonel Meade, a valued friend 
 of Washington, was met by ^Vlr. Custis, a re 
 lation of Mrs. Washington ; Colonel Meade 
 inquired if he should find the General at the 
 house, or if he was out on the farm. Mr. 
 Custis, not knowing Colonel Meade, replied, 
 that the General was out ; and, giving direc 
 tions as to the part of the farm on which he 
 would probably be found, added, " You will 
 meet, sir, with an old gentleman, riding 
 alone, in plain drab clothes, a broad brimmed 
 white hat, a hickory switch in his hand, 
 and carrying an umbrella, with a long staff, 
 which is attached to his saddle-boit\ that, 
 sir, is General Washington /" The old 
 friend of Washington replied, " Thank you, 
 thank you, young gentleman ; I think, if I fall in 
 with the General, I shall be apt to know him." 
 
 This description of Washington gives us 
 some knowledge of how he looked on his 
 farm. So many pictures of him, in different 
 situations, have been drawn, and young 
 Americans have so often seen him represented 
 on sign-posts in every part of the land, that 
 they think they know exactly how he looked ; 
 but unless they had seen him, instead of pic 
 tures of him, they can have no correct idea of 
 his noble appearance. 
 
238 LIFE OF 
 
 In his youth he was remarkable for the 
 straightness and manliness of his form, which 
 was si^ feet and two inches high. The ex 
 pression of his countenance was serious, but 
 very pleasing; his eyes were a mild blue, and 
 the Hush of health gave a glow to his cheeks. 
 His step was always firm; but after the toils 
 of the long war, his body was a little bent as 
 he walked, and his once smooth forehead and 
 cheeks were wrinkled. 
 
 The picture we have used as a frontispiece, 
 represents his features in accordance with the 
 popular impression. But there is reason to 
 believe that this impression does great injus 
 tice to the original. This is the opinion of 
 many who most distinctly remember him. 
 
 The river Potomac which flows by Mount 
 Vernon, mingles with the Shenandoah river, 
 at Harper s Ferry, and presents a scene wild 
 and grand. There, the Shenandoah, after 
 ranging from the south a hundred miles along 
 the foot of the Blue Ridge, flows into the 
 Potomac, and the united streams roll calmly 
 on towards the ocean, with the name of Po 
 tomac, and give variety to the landscape of a 
 level country, which is seen like a distant 
 picture, through the opening in the Blue 
 Ridge. 
 
 At a great height, the surface of the wall of 
 rock is broken in the form of a human head, and 
 the profile can be plainly traced. Travellers, 
 who stop to gaze at the grand scenery around, 
 
WASHINGTON. 239 
 
 are told that this profile on the rock resem 
 bles that of Washington ; and Americans who 
 look at it, can readily and fondly think, that 
 they see a likeness of him, where the hand 
 of man can never reach to deface it. 
 
 At Harper s Ferry are extensive public 
 works, for making military arms. If his 
 countrymen regard and follow the important 
 farewell counsel of Washington, to " Observe 
 good faith and justice towards all nations, 
 and to cultivate peace and harmony with all" 
 these arms will not be used, except as weapons 
 of defence ; and then not until " the cup of 
 reconciliation is exhausted to the last drop." 
 
 A weekly school is kept at Harper s Ferry, 
 for the children of the workmen, and they 
 nave the blessing of Sunday-school instruc 
 tion. 
 
 Had Washington lived to the time when 
 there are Sunday-schools in almost every por 
 tion of his native land, no doubt he would 
 have rejoiced to see the children taught to 
 know their Creator as he has revealed him 
 self in his word, to fear, obey, and love him, 
 and thus secure the blessing of " the faith- 
 tif God, who keepeth covenant and merc;y 
 with them that love him and keep his com 
 mandments, to a thousand generations." 
 
 Washington said, " Of all the dispositions 
 and habits which lead to political prosperity, 
 religion and morality are indispensable sup 
 ports." Certainly, then, he would have ap- 
 
240 LIFE OF 
 
 proved of children being 1 taught the pnre pre 
 cepts of the gospel, and trained to restrain 
 those natural dispositions, which, if indulged, 
 would make them in manhood, useless or 
 vicious members of the community. He also 
 said, that " without an humble imitation of the 
 example of the divine Author of our blessed 
 religion, we cannot hope to be a happy na 
 tion." And as Washington always acted as 
 if he believed what he expressed, he would 
 have encouraged the effort to place in every 
 family of his country the Bible, which teaches 
 what that Divine example was, and how to 
 obtain that " new heart," and " right spirit," 
 which delights in following it. The active 
 interest in behalf of Sunday-schools, displayed 
 by that revered man, who bore the name 
 and succeeded to the estate of Washington, 
 favours such a presumption. He who fol 
 lowed so closely the habits of his honoured 
 relative, and who maintained his principles, 
 so rigidly, was, to the day of his death, an 
 ardent friend to this system of universal edu 
 cation. He considered, to use his own lan 
 guage, a society constituted for the promotion 
 of this great object, as entitled to be " called 
 the Charitable Society, as it diffused most per 
 manently, the greatest amount of good." 
 
 The wants of the poor were not neglected 
 by Washington. He contributed liberally to 
 the support of schools for the children of the 
 
WASHINGTON. 241 
 
 indigent ; and the sick and aged could bear 
 Testimony to me benevolence of his heart. 
 
 On nis farm he had a comfoi table house 
 Duilt for an old English soldier, who had 
 been an attendant of General Rraddock, at 
 the time of his defeat; after his death, he en 
 tered into the service of Washington, and LOII- 
 tinued in it until the close of the provincial 
 war : he then married, and a home was pro 
 vided for him at Mount Vernon. He was to? 
 old to follow his beloved commander in the 
 struggle for independence, and was left at 
 home to enjoy the comforts which old age re 
 quires. Children loved to visit the old soi- 
 dier, and listen to his tales of the Indian wai, 
 which he delighted in telling. When Washing 
 ton was passing round his farm, he often stop 
 ped to gladden the heart of the gray-headed ve 
 teran with kind words; and he lived to enjoy 
 the comforts which had been provided for him 
 until he was eighty years of age. 
 
 The days of Washington were spent in ust- 
 ful employments, and his evenings in the en 
 joyment of domestic happiness. It was 
 then his custom to read to his family such 
 new publications as interested him, and on Sun 
 day evenings the Bible and a sermon. Some- 
 times he would sit, as if he forgot that he was 
 not alone, and raising his hand, would move 
 his lips silently, as if engaged in prayer. In 
 town or country, he was a constant attendant 
 upon public worship, and by his devout de 
 X 
 
242 LIFE OF 
 
 portment there, proved that he went there foi 
 the purpose of worshipping God. He always 
 acknowledged by his example, that he felt his 
 solemn obligation to keep holy the Sabbath 
 day ; and to influence others to do so as far as 
 was within his power. 
 
 His nephew, Bushrod Washington, was 
 elected in the year 1826, a vice-president of 
 the American Sunday School Union. He re 
 sided at Mount Vernon, which was left to 
 him by his illustrious uncle. In a part of 
 his answer to the letter which informed him 
 of his election, he wrote thus : " I beg 
 leave now to express the grateful sense I 
 have of the honour conferred upon me, by 
 the American Sunday School Union, in elect 
 ing me one of the vice-presidents of that 
 institution, and of the approbation bestowed 
 by the Board of Managers upon the well in 
 tended efforts which I have made to secure 
 the due observance of the sabbath day, upon a 
 spot, where I am persuaded, it was never vio 
 lated, during the life, and with the permission 
 of its former venerable and truly Christian 
 owner." 
 
 General Washington said, that " both rea 
 son and experience forbid us to e xpect that 
 morality can prevail to the exclusion of reli 
 gious principle; 1 and this sentiment is well 
 supported by Chief-Justice Hale of England, 
 who said, " that "of all the persons who 
 were convicted of capital crimes, while he 
 
WASHINGTON. 243 
 
 was upon the bench, he found a few only, 
 who would not confess, on inquiry, that they 
 began their career of wickedness by a neglect 
 of the duties of the Sabbath, and a vicious 
 conduct on that day" And no doubt, the 
 prisons of our own counfry could produce a 
 host of witnesses to testify the same. Then 
 the example of Washington in remembering 
 " the sabbath day, to keep it holy," was that 
 of a patriot as well as a Christian. 
 
 The peaceful life of Washington on his 
 farm was again disturbed by a call from his 
 countrymen to become their leader in the de 
 fence of their national rights. The French 
 republic had refused to receive General Pinck- 
 ney, a highly respected American, whom 
 Washington had sent to France as minister in 
 xne year 1796. He was ordered to quit the 
 erritories of France, and at the same time 
 Lat the French republic expressed great at 
 tachment to the people of the United States 
 they abused the government, and thus showed 
 an intention to endeavour to separate the peo 
 ple from their government. They also cap 
 tured American vessels wherever they were 
 found. The government of the United States 
 appointed three envoys, one of whom was 
 C4eneral Pinckney, to endeavour to preserve 
 peace " on terms compatible with the rights 
 duties, interests, and honour of the nation." 
 
 In the spring of 1798, they informed their 
 government that they had entirely failed, and 
 
244 LIFE or 
 
 were treated in a very insulting manner. Two 
 of them were ordered to quit France, one was 
 permitted to remain. 
 
 Congress determined on raising an army, 
 and though they regretted to deprive the vene 
 rable Washington of that rest which he had 
 earned by his past services, they complied with 
 the wishes of his countrymen, and request 
 ed him to accept the command of the army. 
 He did so, but continued to employ himself on 
 his farm, being ready at any moment to obey a 
 call to the duties of his appointment. But his 
 Creator was soon about to call him from all 
 earthly duties. We have now to proceed to 
 the melancholy task of giving an account of 
 the last sickness and the death of the Father 
 of his Country. And this cannot be done 
 better than in the words of Tobias Lear, one 
 of hi;s attendants, who drew up the following 
 statement, on the day after the General s 
 death. We have no fear, that any of our rea 
 ders will think the details too particular : 
 
 " On Thursday, December 12, the General 
 rode out to his farm at about ten o clock, and 
 did not return home till past three. Soon af 
 ter he went out, the weather became very 
 bad ; rain, hail, and snow falling alternately, 
 with a cold wind. When he came in, I car 
 ried some letters to him to frank, intending to 
 send them to the post-office. He franked the 
 letters, but said the weather was too bad to 
 send a servant to the office that evening i 
 
WASHINGTON. 245 
 
 observed to him that I was afraid he had got 
 wet ; he said no his great coat had kept him 
 dry; but his neck appeared to be wet the 
 snow/ was hanging to his hair. 
 
 " He came to dinner without changing his 
 dress. In the evening he appeared as well as 
 usual. A heavy fall of snow took place on 
 Friday, which prevented the General from 
 riding out as usual. He had taken cold, (un 
 doubtedly from being so much exposed the 
 day before,) and complained of having a sore 
 throat ; he had a hoarseness, which increased 
 in the evening, but he made light of it, as he 
 would never take any thing to carry off a 
 cold, always observing, "let it go as it 
 came." In the evening, the papers having 
 come from the post oilice, he sat in the room, 
 with Mrs. Washington and myself, reading 
 them, till about nine o clock ; and, when he 
 met with any thing which he thought divert 
 ing or interesting, he would read it aloud. He 
 desired me to read to him the debates of the 
 Virginia Assembly, on the election of a senator 
 and governor, which I did. On his retiring 
 to bed, he appeared to be in perfect health, 
 except the cold, which he considered as tri 
 fling he had been remarkably cheerful al 
 the evening. 
 
 " About two or three o clock on Saturday 
 morning, he awoke Mrs. Washington, and in 
 formed her he was very unwell, and had an 
 ague. She observed that he could scarcely 
 
246 LIFE OF 
 
 speak, and breathed with difficulty, and she 
 wished to get up and call a servant ; but the 
 General would not permit her, lest she should 
 take cold. As soon as the day appeared, the 
 woman Caroline went into the room to make 
 a fire, and the girl desired that Mr. Rawlins, 
 one of the overseers, who was used to bleed 
 ing the people, might be sent for to bleed him 
 before the Doctor could arrive. I was sent 
 for went to the General s chamber, where 
 Mrs. Washington was up, and related to me his 
 being taken ill between two and three o clock, 
 as before stated. I found him breathing 
 with difficulty, and hardly able to utter a word 
 intelligibly. I went out instantly, and wrote 
 a line to Dr. Plask, and sent it with all speed. 
 Immediately I returned to the General s cham 
 ber, where I found him in the same situation 
 I had left him. A mixture of molasses, vine 
 gar, and butter, was prepared, but lie could 
 not swallow a drop; whenever he attempted it 
 he was distressed, convulsed, and almost suf 
 focated. 
 
 " Mr. Rawlins came in soon after sunrise, 
 and prepared to bleed him ; when the arm 
 was ready the General observing Rawlins ap 
 peared agitated, said, with difficulty, " don t 
 be afraid ;" and, after the incision was made, 
 lie observed the orifice was not large enough 
 however the blood ran pretty freely. Mrs. 
 Washington, not knowing whether bleeding 
 was proper in the General s situation, begged 
 
WASHINGTON. 247 
 
 that much blood might, not be taken from him, 
 and desired me to stop it. When I was abou 
 to untie the string, the General put up iiis 
 hand to prevent it, and, so soon as he couid 
 speak, said " more." 
 
 " Mrs. Washington being still uneasy lest too 
 much blood should be taken, it was stopped, 
 after about half a pint had been taken. Find 
 ing that no relief could be obtained from bleed 
 ing, and that nothing could be swallowed, I 
 proposed bathing the throat externally with 
 sal volatile, which was done ; a piece of ilan- 
 nel was then put around his ne ck. His feet 
 were also soaked in warm water, but it gave no 
 relief. By Mrs. Washington s request, I de 
 spatched a messenger for Dr. Brown, at Port 
 Tobacco. About 9 o clock l3r. Craik arrived, 
 and put a blister of flies on the throat of 
 the General, and took more blood, and had 
 some vinegar and hot water set in a teapot 
 for him to draw in the steam from the spout. 
 
 " He also had sage tea and vinegar mixed 
 and used as a gargle, but, when he held back 
 his head to let it run down, it almost produced 
 suffocation. When the mixture came out of 
 his mouth some phlegm followed it. and he 
 would attempt to cough, which the Doctor 
 encouraged, but without effect. About eleven 
 I clock Dr. Dick was sent for. Dr. Craik 
 fried the General again, but no effect was pro 
 duced, and he continued in the same state, 
 unable to swallow any thing. Dr. Dick r-ime 
 
248 LIFE OF 
 
 m about three o clock, and Dr. Brown arrived 
 BOOH after; when, after consultation, the Ge 
 neral was bled again, the blood ran slowly, 
 appeared very thick, and did not produce any 
 symptoms of fainting. At four o clock tne 
 General could swallow a little. Calomel and 
 tartar emetic were administered without effect 
 About half past four o clock he desired me to 
 ask Mrs. Washington to come to his bedside, 
 when he desired her to go down to his room 
 and take from his desk two wills which she 
 would find there, and bring them to him, 
 which she did ; upon looking at one, which 
 he observed was useless, he desired her to 
 burn it, which she did, and then took the 
 other and put it way ; after this was done I 
 returned again to his bed side and took his 
 hand : He said to me, "I find I am going 
 my breath cannot continue long : I believed 
 from the first attack it would be fatal. Do 
 you arrange and record all my military letters 
 and papers ; arrange my accounts and settle 
 my books, as you know more about them than 
 any one else ; and let Mr. Rawlins finish re 
 cording my other letters, which he has be 
 gun." He asked when Mr. Lewis and Wash 
 ington would return ? I told him I believed 
 about the 20th of the month. He made no re 
 ply to it. 
 
 " The physicians came in between five and 
 six o clock, and, when they came to his bed 
 side, Dr. Craik asked him if he would sir up 
 
WASHINGTON. 249 
 
 in the bed : he held out his hand to me and 
 was raised up, when he said to the physician 
 " I feel myself going ; you had better not 
 take any more trouble about me, but let me go 
 off quietly ; 1 cannot last long." They found 
 what had been done was without effect ; he 
 laid down again, and they retired, excepting 
 Dr. Craik. He then said to him " Doctor, 
 1 die hard, but I am not afraid to go ; I be 
 lieved, from my first attack, I should not sur 
 vive it; my breath cannot last long." The 
 doctor pressed his hand, but could not utter a 
 word ; he retired from the bedside and sat by 
 the fire, absorbed in grief. About eight o clock 
 the physicians again came into the room, and 
 applied blisters to his legs, but went out with 
 out a ray of hope. From this time he appeared 
 to breathe with less difficulty than he had 
 done, but was very restless, continually chang 
 ing his position, to endeavour to get ease. I 
 aided him all in my power, and was gratified 
 in believing he felt it, for he would look upon 
 me with eyes speaking gratitude, but unable 
 to utter a word without great distress. About 
 ten o clock he made several attempts to speak 
 to me before he could effect it ; at length he 
 said, " I am just going. Have ine decently 
 buried; and do not let my body be put into 
 the vault in less than two days after I am 
 dead." I bowed assent. He looked at me 
 again, and said, " Do you understand me ?" 
 t replied, " Yes, sir." " Tis well," said he. 
 
250 LIFE OF 
 
 About ten minutes before he expired, his 
 breathing became much easier he lay quiet 
 ly lie withdrew his hand from mine and felt 
 his own pulse. I spoke to Dr. Crnik, who 
 snt by the tire ; he came to the bedside. The 
 General s hand fell from his wrist ; I took it 
 in mine and placed it on my breast. Dr. Craik 
 placed his hands over his eyes, and he expired 
 without a struggle or a sigh." His loved wife 
 kneeled beside his bed, with her head resting 
 on the Bible, in which she daily read the pre 
 cepts, and cheering promises of her Saviour; 
 and they comforted her in her hour of deepest 
 eorrow. Her miniature portrait was found on 
 the bosom of Washington, where he had worn 
 it for forty years. 
 
 The report of his death reached Congress 
 oefore they knew of his sickness ; and when 
 they heard it, a solemn silence prevailed for 
 several minutes ; Judge Marshall, afterwards 
 Chief Justice of the United States, observed, 
 " This information is not certain, but there is 
 too much reason to believe it true. After re 
 ceiving intelligence of a national calamity so 
 heavy and afflicting, the House of Representa 
 tives can be but ill-fitted for public business." 
 He . then moved an adjournment, and both 
 houses adjourned until the next day. When 
 Congress then met, Mr. Marshall proposed 
 several resolutions; one of which was, "Re 
 solved, That a committee, in conjunction with 
 one from the Senate, be appointed, to consi- 
 
WASHINGTON. 201 
 
 der on the most suitable manner of paying ho 
 nour to the memory of the man, first in war, 
 first in peace, and first in the hearts of his fel 
 low-citizens." 
 
 The Senate addressed a letter to the presi 
 dent, in which they said, "Permit us, sir, to 
 mingle our tears with yours. On this occasion 
 it is manly to weep. To lose such a man, at 
 such a crisis, is no common calamity to the 
 world. Our country mourns a father. The 
 Almighty disposer of human events has taken 
 from us our greatest benefactor and ornament. 
 It becomes us to submit with reverence to 
 him who maketh darkness his pavilion. 
 
 The president returned an answer expres* 
 sive of his sorrow for the cteath of Washing 
 ton, and in the conclusion of it, said, " Hia 
 example is now complete ; and it will teach 
 wisdom and virtue to magistrates, citizens and 
 men ; and not only in the present age, but in 
 future generations, as long as our history shall 
 be read." 
 
 The people throughout the United States 
 mourned for Washington. They had been 
 ever ready to unite in expressing their grate 
 ful attachment to him, and they felt that they 
 had indeed lost their greatest benefactor. 
 
 In his will, which was a just and .benevo 
 lent one, he directed that his body should be 
 laid in a vault, at Mount Vernon ; and added, 
 " It is my express desire, that my corpse may 
 
252 LIFE OF WASHINGTON. 
 
 be intered in a private manner, without parade 
 or funeral oration." 
 
 The original family vault of General Wash 
 ington was about three hundred yards south of 
 the mansion, and consisted of a narrow excava 
 tion in the bank, arched over with brick and 
 covered with sod. It was his design to have ap 
 propriated another spot to this purpose, and he 
 actually selected one before his death. A few 
 years since a brick tomb was built on the site 
 thus selected. The front of the tomb is rough 
 cast, and has a plain iron door inserted in a 
 strong free-stone casement. Over the door is 
 a stone panel, on which the following sentence 
 is engraved : 
 
 " I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE ; 
 HE THAT BELIEVETH IN ME, THOUGH HE WERE 
 DEAD, YF/F SHALL HE LIVE." 
 
 The spot is enclosed \yith a brick wall, 
 twelve feet high, and entered in front by an 
 iron gateway, several feet in advance of the 
 vault door. Over the gate is a plain slab in 
 serted in the brick work, on which is inscribed 
 the following sentence : 
 
 " WITHIN THIS ENCLOSURE REST THE RE 
 MAINS OF GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON. 
 
WASHINGTON. 253 
 
 CONCLUSION.* 
 
 WASHINGTON was born on the 22d February, 
 in the year 1732, and died on the 14th De 
 cember, 1799. 
 
 One hundred years have elapsed since he 
 was a child in a country school. From the 
 time he was thirteen years old, his manuscript 
 school books have been preserved. He had 
 then completed the study of arithmetic, and 
 these books commence with geometry. All 
 the writing is neat, and the geometrical figures 
 drawn with accuracy. There is one book of 
 an earlier date, containing thirty folio paires ; 
 many of which are filled with what he terms 
 " Forms of Writing." They are notes of 
 hand, bills of exchange, land warrants, deeds, 
 wills, &c., carefully written; the most impor 
 tant words in large and varied characters, in 
 imitation of a clerk s hand. Under the head 
 of " Rules of J3ekaviour in Company and 
 Conversation," one hundred and ten are writ 
 ten and numbered. A few will serve to show 
 their general character, and may be useful to 
 the young reader, as proofs of the early dili- 
 
 * The additional information contained in this conclu 
 sion, has been selected from " The Life and Writings of 
 Washington," in twelve volumes, by Jared Sparks, who 
 had in his possession, for ten years, all the original pub 
 lic and private papers of Washington ; and from these 
 and other sources drew materials for his invaluable 
 work, published in 1839. 
 
254 LIFE OF 
 
 gence of Washington in using every means in 
 his power to polish his manners, cherish kind 
 feelings, impress upon his memory his duties, 
 and incite to continual self-discipline. 
 
 Selections from the Rules. 
 
 "In your apparel be modest, and endeavoui 
 to accommodate nature rather than to procure 
 admiration ; keep to the fashion and habits of 
 your equals, such as are civil and orderly with 
 respect to times and places." 
 
 " Play not the peacock, looking everywhere 
 about you to see if you be well decked, if your 
 shoes fit well, if your stockings sit neatly, and 
 clothes handsomely." 
 
 " Be not curious to know the affairs of 
 others ; neither approach to those that speak 
 in private." 
 
 " Come not near the books or writings of 
 any one so as to read them, unless desired, nor 
 give your opinion of them unasked ; also look 
 not nigh when another is writing a letter." 
 
 " Read no letters, books, or papers in com 
 pany ; but when there is a necessity for doing 
 it, you must ask leave." 
 
 "Associate yourself with men of good 
 quality if you esteem your own reputation ; for 
 it is better to be alone than in bad company." 
 
 " Every action in company ought to be with 
 some sign of respect to those present." 
 
 " Be not forward, but friendly and courte- 
 
WASHINGTON. 255 
 
 ous ; the first to salute, hear and answer; and 
 be not pensive when it is a time to converse." 
 
 " Think before you speak, pronounce not 
 imperfectly, nor bring out your tvords too 
 hastily, but orderly and distinctly." 
 
 * Strive not with your superiors in argu 
 ment, but always submit your judgment to 
 others with modesty." 
 
 " When another speaks, be attentive your 
 self, and disturb not the audience." 
 
 " Let your conversation be without malice 
 or envy, for it is a sign of a tractable and com 
 mendable nature ; and in all causes of passion 
 admit reason to govern." 
 
 " In dispute, be not so desirous to overcome 
 as not to give liberty to each one to deliver 
 his opinion; and submit to the judgment of 
 4 .he major part, especially if they are judges 
 if the dispute." 
 
 " Speak not injurious words, neither in jest 
 tor earnest ; scoff at none, although they give 
 Occasion." 
 
 " Be not hasty to believe flying reports to 
 the disparagement of any." 
 
 " Be not apt to relate news, if you know not 
 the truth thereof. In discoursing of things you 
 have heard, name not your author always. A 
 secret, discover not." 
 
 " Speak not evil of the absent, for it is un 
 just." 
 
 " Detract not from others, neither be exces 
 sive in commending." 
 
256 LIFE OF 
 
 "Use no reproachful language against any 
 one, neither curse nor revile." 
 
 " Mock not, nor jest at any thing of im 
 portance." 
 
 " When you deliver a matter, do it without 
 passion, and with discretion, however mean 
 the person be you do it to." 
 
 " Show not yourself glad at the misfortune 
 of another, though he were your enemy." 
 
 " When a man does all he can, though it 
 succeeds not well, blame not him that did 
 it." 
 
 " Wherein you reprove another be unblam 
 able yourself; for example is more prevalent 
 than precept." 
 
 "Being to advise or reprehend any one, 
 consider whether it ought to be in public, or 
 in private ; presently, or at some other time ; in 
 what terms to do it ; and in reproving, show 
 no signs of choler, but do it with sweetness 
 and mildness." 
 
 "Take all admonitions thankfully, in what 
 time or place soever given ; but afterwards, 
 not being culpable, take a time or place con 
 venient to let him know it that gave them." 
 
 " Undertake not what you cannot perform, 
 but be careful to keep your promise." 
 
 " Honour and obey your natural parents, 
 although they be poor." 
 
 " When you speak of God, or his attributes, 
 let it be seriously in reverence." 
 
 " Sublime matters treat seriously." 
 
WASHINGTON. 257 
 
 " Let your recreations be manful, not sin- 
 61." 
 
 " Labour to keep alive in your breast that 
 little spark of celestial fire called conscience" 
 
 Washington vigilantly obeyed this last coun 
 sel ; and endeavoured "to have always a con 
 science void of offence toward God and toward 
 men." Self-discipline, thus early commenced 
 and unweariedly persevered in, enabled him to 
 control his naturally strong temper, and check 
 his ardent feelings. And the mildness and 
 propriety of his manners, the firm correctness 
 with which he spoke and acted on all occa 
 sions, evinced that he was influenced through 
 life by the code of rules formed in his boyhood ; 
 and when a young fatherless nephew was 
 under his care, in a letter of advice to him he 
 said, " Your future character and reputation 
 will depend very much, if not entirely, upon 
 the habits and manners which you contract in 
 the present period of your life. You should 
 therefore be extremely cautious how you put 
 yourself into the way of imbibing those cus 
 toms which may tend to corrupt your manners, 
 or vitiate your heart." 
 
 Excellent as was his code of maxims, the 
 book which contains it shows that it was not 
 the highest source from which the youthful 
 writer sought aid to form a virtuous character; 
 for there also are transcribed selections of reli- 
 Y2 
 
258 LIFE OF 
 
 gious poetry; one of which written on Christ 
 mas day, commences thus : 
 
 " Assist me, muse divine, to sing the morn, 
 On which the Saviour of mankind was born." 
 
 The pious feelings which prompted the boy 
 of thirteen to employ his pen with this holy 
 theme, induced him in early manhood, when 
 under the English government he commanded 
 a portion of the army, to apply earnestly for 
 chaplains to perform divine service regularly ; 
 and in his orders to desire the officers " to 
 punish severely any man whom they should 
 hear swear, or make use of an oath." And 
 when he was at the head of the American 
 army, influenced by the same feelings, in 
 giving orders to the commanding officers of 
 each regiment to procure chaplains, he directed 
 that they should see that all inferior officers 
 and soldiers should pay them suitable respect; 
 and added, " The blessing and protection of 
 Heaven are at all times necessary ; but espe 
 cially so in times of public distress and danger. 
 The general hopes and trusts that every officer 
 and man will live and act as becomes a Chris 
 tian soldier, defending the dearest rights and 
 liberties of his country." After expressing 
 sorrow that the " foolish and wicked practice 
 of profane cursing and swearing had become 
 common; and a hope that the officers would 
 by their example as well as influence, check it, 
 he said, "And that both they and the men 
 
WASHINGTON. 259 
 
 will reflect that we can have little hope of 
 the blessing of Heaven on our arms, if we in 
 sult it by our impiety and folly. Added to this, 
 it is a vice so mean and low, without ^iy 
 temptation, that every man of sense and cha 
 racter detests and despises it." 
 
 In his sixteenth year, the last summer that 
 he was at school, he surveyed the fields around 
 the school-house ; and those of the adjoining 
 plantations, entered the result carefully in a 
 book, used logarithms, and proved the accu 
 racy of his work by different methods. He 
 thus filled several quires of paper, in which 
 there are no blots ; the diagrams are beautiful, 
 and the tables and columns of figures arranged 
 with precision. Through his busy life he felt 
 the benefit of his early methodical habits. All 
 nis business-papers and letter-books are with 
 out blemishes ; and are excellent specimens 
 of exactness. His original papers, including 
 his own letters and those which he received, 
 amount to more than two hundred folio vo- 
 Inrnes. They now belong to the American, 
 nation ; for they have been purchased by Con 
 gress, and deposited in the archives of the de 
 partment of state at the seat of government. 
 His earliest compositions were incorrect in 
 their grammatical construction, and prove that 
 he was not taught at school the principles of 
 language ; but he perseveringly tried to im 
 prove himself by study, reading and practice, 
 until he wrote correctly, and used the most 
 
260 
 
 LIFE OF 
 
 appropriate words to express his thoughts 
 And it has been remarked that " His language 
 ma^>e said to have reflected the image of his 
 miifl^ in which candour, sincerity, and direct 
 ness were prevailing traits." His assiduity 
 was no doubt very gratifying to his anxious 
 mother, who could not procure for him the aid 
 of a learned instructor; but she religiously 
 nculcated in his childhood those virtuous 
 principles without which the most learned edu 
 cation is useless. Her son proved, by his love 
 and respect, his gratitude for her pious solici 
 tude. When she died, he was President of the 
 United States ; he was recovering from a se 
 vere illness, and wrote thus to his sister: " Aw 
 ful and affecting as the death of a parent is, 
 there is consolation in knowing that Heaven 
 has spared us ours to an age beyond which 
 few attain, and favoured her with the enjoy 
 ment of her mental faculties, and as much 
 bodily strength as usually falls to the lot of 
 fourscore. Under these considerations, and a 
 hope that she is translated to a happier place, 
 it is the duty of her relatives to yield submis 
 sion to the decrees of the Creator." 
 
 Knowing and feeling the importance of edu 
 cation, he was always anxious to promote it, 
 and when, soon after the war, he was chosen 
 Chancellor of William and Mary College in 
 Virginia, in his answer to the trustees accept 
 ing the appointment, he said, " I rely fully on 
 your strenuous endeavours for placing the sys- 
 
WASHINGTON. 261 
 
 tern on such a basis as will render it most 
 beneficial to the state and the republic of letters, 
 as well as to the more extensive interests of 
 humanity and religion. 1 In several instajfes 
 he offered to pay the expenses of young men 
 through a collegiate course. And for many 
 years gave annually fifty pounds for the in 
 struction of poor children in Alexandria ; and 
 in his will left a legacy of four thousand dol 
 lars, the income of which was to be thus ap 
 plied forever. He always remembered the 
 poor. When Mrs. Washington was with him 
 in the camp, he wrote to the person,-wllb had 
 the care of his farm: "Let the hospitalities 
 of the house with respect to the poor be kept 
 up. Let no one go hungry away." He then 
 directed that those who wanted corn should be 
 supplied, provided it should not encourage 
 them in idleness ; and that forty or fifty pounds 
 should be expended for the relief of the needy. 
 It has been said of him, that " the character 
 of his mind was unfolded in the public and 
 private acts of his life ; and the proofs of his 
 greatness are seen almost as much in one as 
 the other." When he was at the head of the 
 army, and at the height of his power, a propo 
 sal was made to him to take the title of king ; 
 in his answer to the officer through whom it 
 was made, he said, " Be assured, sir, no occur 
 rence in the course of the war has given me 
 more painful sensations than your information 
 of there being such ideas existing in the arrny 
 
262 LIFE OF 
 
 as you have expressed, and I must view with 
 abhorrence, and reprehend with severity." He 
 always formed his determinations deliberately, 
 anwthen used his power with firmness, when 
 he knew that by doing so he should be acting 
 as " the Father of his country" in promoting its 
 prosperity : and when addresses were sent to 
 induce him to refuse to sign the treaty which 
 he had appointed Mr. Jay to negotiate with 
 England ; in his answer to one he said, " While 
 I feel the most lively gratitude for the many 
 instances of approbation from my country, I 
 can no otherwise deserve it than by obeying 
 the dictates of rny conscience." And in a let 
 ter to a friend he said, " The good citizen will 
 look beyond the applauses and reproaches of 
 men, and, persevering in duty, stand firm in 
 conscious rectitude, in the hope of approving 
 Heaven."* There is a natural fearlessness of 
 danger, which is miscalled courage, when it 
 induces a selfish disregard of the welfare of 
 others. Courage, physical and moral, was a 
 part of the nature of Washington ; but his 
 highest ambition was to promote the happi 
 ness of mankind ; and the noble sentiments of 
 this humane hero were thus expressed in a 
 letter to a French nobleman. " Your young 
 military men who want to reap a harvest of 
 laurels, do not care, I suppose, how many 
 seeds of war are sown ; but, for the sake of hu 
 manity, it is devoutly to be wished that the 
 * See page 230. 
 
WASHINGTON. 263 
 
 manly employment of agriculture, and the hu 
 manizing benefits of commerce would super 
 sede the waste of war, and the rage of con 
 quest ; that the swords might be turned into 
 ploughshares, and the spears into pruning- 
 hooks ; and, as the Scriptures express it, the 
 nations learn war no more. " On another oc 
 casion he said, " My first wish is to see the 
 whole world in peace, and the inhabitants of 
 it as a band of brothers, striving who should 
 contribute most to the happiness of mankind."* 
 He knew that this could be effected only by 
 the universal influence of the precepts of Jesus, 
 the Divine " Prince of Peace ;" and in answer 
 ing the address of the clergy and laity of the 
 Episcopal church, presented when he was first 
 elected president, he said, " On this occasion 
 it would ill become me to conceal the joy I 
 have felt in perceiving the fraternal affection 
 which appears to increase every day among 
 the friends of genuine religion. It affords edi 
 fying prospects indeed, to see Christians of 
 every denomination dwell together in more 
 charity, and conduct themselves in respect to 
 each other with a more Christian spirit than 
 
 * Mr. Erskine, afterwards Lord Erskine, addressed 
 to Washington a letter, dated London, March 15, 1795, 
 in which he said, " I have a large acquaintance among 
 the most valuable and exalted classes of men ; but you 
 are the only human being for whom I ever felt an aw 
 ful reverence. I sincerely pray God to grant a long and 
 serene evening to a life so gloriously devoted to the uni 
 versal happiness of the world," 
 
264 LIFE OF 
 
 ever they have done in any former age, or in 
 any other nation." 
 
 The various addresses he received then, and 
 his answers, fill three manuscript volumes. 
 The close of his answer to the ministers of one 
 religious denomination, will show the feelings 
 which influenced him in replying to all ; he 
 said, " I assure you I take in the kindest part 
 the promise you make of presenting your 
 prayers at the throne of grace for me ; and that 
 I likewise will implore the divine benediction 
 on yourselves and your religious community." 
 This declaration of Washington was not an 
 unmeaning profession, and no doubt he lite 
 rally fulfilled this promise to pray for those 
 whose prayers for him were proffered. He 
 was in the habit of communing with God, or 
 he would not have made such an engagement. 
 His practice was always in conformity with 
 the opinions and feelings he expressed, and he 
 had evinced his sentiments on Christian unity 
 of spirit when the American army lay encamp 
 ed at Morristown. He called on the Rev. Dr. 
 Jones, the pastor of the Presbyterian church 
 of that village, and said, " Dr., I understand 
 that thfe Lord s supper is to be celebrated with 
 you next Sunday ; I would learn if it accords 
 with the canon of your church to admit commu 
 nicants of another denomination ?" The doctor 
 replied, " Most certainly ; ours is not the Pres 
 byterian table, general, but the Lord s table ; 
 and we hence give the Lord s invitation to all 
 
WASHINGTON. 265 
 
 his followers, of whatever name." The gene 
 ral replied, " I am glad of it, that is as it ought 
 to be ; but as I was not quite sure of the fact, 
 I thought I would ascertain it from yourself 
 as I propose to join with you on that occasion. 
 Though a member of the Church of England, 
 I have no exclusive partialities." Dr. Jones 
 assured him of a cordial welcome, and he took 
 his seat with the communicants on the next 
 Sabbath. Early in life, he was actively inte 
 rested in church affairs ; was a vestryman of 
 Truro parish, in which was Pohick church, 
 seven miles from Mount Vernon. He was 
 also a vestryman in Fairfax parish, the place 
 of worship of which was in Alexandria, ten 
 miles from his home. He had a pew in each 
 church. On a day appointed for fasting, hu 
 miliation and prayer, he wrote in his diary, 
 " Went to church and fasted all day" Con 
 forming not only to the spirit, but strictly to 
 the letter of the appointment. His private 
 devotional habits were in accordance with his 
 ( invariable public ones. He usually rose at four 
 o clock and went into his library. His nephew, 
 Mr. Robert Lev/is, who was his private secre 
 tary when he was president, said that he had ac 
 cidentally witnessed his private devotions both 
 morning and evening ; that on those occasions 
 he had seen him in a kneeling posture, with a 
 Bible open before him ; and that he believed 
 such to have been his daily practice. He 
 adopted a grand-daughter of Mrs. Washington, 
 Z 
 
266 LIFE OF 
 
 and she resided in his family twenty years. In 
 a letter, dated 1833, that lady wrote of Wash 
 ington thus : " It was his custom to retire to 
 his library at nine or ten o clock, where he re 
 mained an hour before he went to his cham 
 ber. He always rose before the sun, and 
 remained in his library until called to break 
 fast. I never witnessed his private devotions. 
 I never inquired about them. I should have 
 thought it the greatest heresy to doubt his firm 
 belief in Christianity. His life, his writings, 
 prove that he was a Christian. He was not 
 one of those who act or pray that they may 
 be seen of men ; he communed with his God 
 in secret. * * * When my aunt, Miss Custis, 
 died suddenly at Mount Vernon, before they 
 could realize the event, he knelt by her and 
 
 grayed most fervently, most affectionately, for 
 
 :hcr recovery. He was a silent, thoughtful 
 man. He spoke little, generally never of him- 
 
 --seC. I never heard him relate a single act of 
 his life during the war." After some other 
 
 remarks, she mentions her grandmother thus : 
 " He knew that I had the most perfect model 
 of female excellence ever with me, as my mo- 
 nitress, who acted the part of a tender and de 
 voted parent, loving me only as a mother can 
 love, and never extenuating, or approving in 
 me what she disapproved in others. : She never 
 omitted her private devotions or her public 
 duties ; and she and her husband were so per- 
 
 : fectly united and happy that he must have 
 
WASHINGTON. 267 
 
 been a Christian.* She had no doubts, no 
 fears for him. After forty years of devoted 
 affection and uninterrupted happiness, she re 
 signed him without a murmur into the arms 
 of his Saviour and his God, with the assured 
 hope of his eternal felicity. Is it necessary 
 that any one should certify General Washing 
 ton avowed himself to me a believer in Chris 
 tianity? as well may we question his patriot 
 ism, his heroic disinterested devotion to his 
 
 * In the first year of Washington s presidency, Mrs. 
 Washington wrote to a friend thus: "I little thought 
 when the war was finished that any circumstances could 
 possibly happen that would call the general into public 
 life again. I had anticipated that from that moment we 
 should be suffered to grow old together in solitude and 
 tranquillity. That was the first and dearest wish of my 
 heart. I will not, however, contemplate with too much 
 regret, disappointments that were inevitable, though his 
 feelings and my own were in perfect unison with respect 
 to our predilection for private life. Yet, I cannot blame 
 him for having acted according to his ideas of duty in 
 obeying the voice of his country. * * With respect 
 to myself, I sometimes think the arrangement, is not 
 quite as it ought to have been, that I who had much 
 rather be at home, should occupy a place with which a 
 great many younger and gayer women would be ex 
 tremely pleased. ***** I do not say this because I 
 feel dissatisfied with my present station, for everybody 
 and every thing conspire to make me as contented as 
 possible in it ; yet, I have learned too much of the vanity 
 of human affairs, to expect felicity from the scenes of 
 public life. I am still determined to be cheerful and 
 happy in whatever situation I may be ; for I have also 
 learned from experience, that the greater part of our 
 happiness or misery depends on our dispositions, and 
 not on our circumstances. We carry the seeds of the 
 one or the other about with us in our minds wherever 
 we go." 
 
268 LIFE OF 
 
 country. His mottoes were, DEEDS, NOT 
 WORDS; and, FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY. 
 
 This truly great man, when lie was dying, 
 evinced tender solicitude for the comfort of 
 others. His coloured servant, Christopher, had 
 been for some time standing in his room, and 
 was directed by him to sit down. Mr. Lear, 
 who was on the bed endeavouring to assist him, 
 when he wished to change his posture, said, 
 " He appeared penetrated with gratitude for 
 my attentions, and often said, I am afraid I 
 shall fatigue you too much ; and upon my as 
 suring him that I could feel nothing but a wish 
 to give him ease, he replied, Well, it is a 
 debt we must pay to each other, and I hope 
 when you want aid of this kind you will find 
 it. His patience, fortitude, and resignation, 
 never forsook him for a moment. In all his 
 distress he uttered not a sigh nor a complaint; 
 always endeavouring, from a sense of duty as 
 it appeared, to take what was offered to him, 
 and to do as he was desired by the physicians." 
 
 Young reader, you have learned why there 
 was cause for joy in WASHINGTON S birth-day, 
 and for sorrow in the day of his death. If you 
 have been attentive to what you have read of 
 his conduct, from the one day to the other, you 
 know that in childhood he was a lover of truth, 
 and a peacemaker among his schoolmates ; 
 that in boyhood he was a diligent scholar, and 
 the leader of his companions not in mischief, 
 folly, of vice, but in harmless and healthy 
 
WASHINGTON. 269 
 
 exercises; and was a pattern of obedience to 
 the wishes of a parent; that, when the years 
 of boyhood were passed, he immediately ap 
 plied to useful purposes the knowledge which 
 ne had acquired by attention to instruction ; 
 and that early in manhood, he merited the con 
 fidence of the government of his native Pro 
 vince, and was intrusted with important dnd 
 dangerous duties, which he performed with 
 faithful perseverance ; that he used all his 
 talents, and spent almost all his years, from 
 manhood to declining age, in the service and 
 for the benefit of his fellow-beings ; and even 
 in old age, was willing to yield the peaceful 
 enjoyments which he loved most, because he 
 thought that it was " the duty of every person, 
 of every description, to contribute, at all times, 
 to his country s welfare." 
 
 Through all his course of trials and tempta 
 tions, in adversity or prosperity, he was just, 
 industrious, temperate, honest, generous, brave, 
 humane, modest, a real lover of his country, 
 and an humble worshipper of God. Was he 
 not worthy of your imitation ? Your station 
 in life may be a lowly one, but if your home 
 is even a log hut, you may be, like Washing 
 ton, a lover of truth, temperate, industrious, 
 just, humane, honest, submissive to the go 
 vernment of your country, and obedient to the 
 commands of God, and grow up to be indeed 
 freemen, and to enjoy, under the protection 
 of just laws, the comfortable subsistence which 
 z 2 
 
270 LIFE OF WASHINGTON. 
 
 in this favoured land you may obtain for your 
 selves. 
 
 But, remember, Washington directed his 
 countrymen to a higher example than his ; he 
 said that he earnestly prayed they might fol 
 low that Of " THE DIVINE AUTHOR OF OUR 
 
 BLESSED RELIGION;" and the Bible, the sacred 
 book which makes known that example, you 
 should value as the crown of all your blessings ; 
 for in it, you may learn how to secure their 
 continuance through this short life, and how 
 to obtain that blissful gift of God, "Eternal 
 life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord." 
 
APPENDIX, (A.; 
 
 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 
 
 IN CONGRESS, JULY, 4, 1776. 
 
 THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF THE THIRTEEN 
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
 
 WHEN, in the course of human events, it becomes 
 necessary for one people to dissolve the political 
 bands which have connected them with another, 
 and to assume, among the powers of the earth, the 
 separate and equal station to which the laws of na 
 ture and of nature s God entitle them, a decent 
 respect to the opinions of mankind requires that 
 they should declare the causes which impel them 
 to the separation. 
 
 We hold these truths to be self-evident : that 
 all men are creafed equal, that they are endowed 
 by their Creator with certain unalienable rights ; 
 that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit 
 of happiness. That to secure these rights, govern 
 ments are instituted among men, deriving their 
 just powers from the consent of the governed ; 
 that whenever any form of government becomes 
 destructive of these ends, it is the right of the peo 
 ple to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new 
 o-overnment, laying its foundation on such princi 
 ples, and organizing its powers in such form as to 
 
 271 
 
272 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 
 
 them shall seem most likely to effect their safety 
 and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate, that 
 governments long established should not be changed 
 for light and transient causes ; and accordingly all 
 experience hath shown, that mankind are more dis 
 posed to suffer while evils are sufferable, than tc 
 ight themselves by abolishing the forms to which 
 hey are accustomed. But when a long train of 
 buses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the 
 same object, evinces a design to reduce them under 
 absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty 
 to throw off such government, and to provide new 
 guards for their future security. Such has been 
 the patient sufferance of these colonies ; and such 
 is now the necessity which constrains them to alter 
 their former systems of government. The history 
 of the present king of Great Britian is a history of 
 repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in di 
 rect object the establishment of an absolute tyranny 
 over these states. To prove this, let facts be sub 
 mitted to a candid world. 
 
 He has refused his assent to laws the most whole 
 some and necessary for the public good. 
 
 He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of 
 immediate and pressing importance, unless sus 
 pended in their operation, till his assent should be 
 obtained ; and when so suspended, he has utterly 
 neglected to attend to them. He has refused to 
 pass other laws for the accommodation of large dis- 
 
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 273 
 
 tricts of people, unless those people would retaiquish 
 the right of representation in the legislature a 
 right inestimable to them, and formidable to tyrants 
 only. 
 
 He has called together legislative bodies at pla 
 ces unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the 
 repository of their public records, for the sole pur 
 pose of fatiguing them into compliance with his 
 measures. 
 
 He has dissolved representative houses repeat 
 edly, for opposing, with manly firmness, his inva 
 sions on the rights of the people. 
 
 He has refused, for a long time after such disso 
 lutions, to cause others to be elected ; whereby the 
 legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have 
 returned to the people at large, for their exercise, 
 the state remaining, in the mean time, exposed to 
 all the dangers of invasion from without, and con 
 vulsions within. 
 
 He has endeavoured to prevent the population 
 of these states ; for that purpose obstructing the 
 laws for naturalization of foreigners ; refusing to 
 pass others to encourage their migration hither, and 
 aising the conditions of new appropriations of 
 ands. 
 
 He has obstructed the administration of justice, 
 by refusing his assent to laws for establishing ju 
 diciary powers. 
 
 He has made judges dependent on his will alone 
 
 
274 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 
 
 for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and 
 payment of their salaries. 
 
 He has erected a multitude of new offices, and 
 sent hither swarms of officers, to harass our people 
 and eat out their substance. 
 
 He has kept among us, in times of peace, stand* 
 ing armies, without the consent of our legislatures. 
 
 He has affected to render the military indepen 
 dent of, and superior to, the civil power. 
 
 He has combined with others to subject us to a 
 jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unac 
 knowledged by our laws ; giving his assent to their 
 acts of pretended legislation : 
 
 For quartering large bodies of armed troops 
 among us : 
 
 For protecting them, by a mock trial, from pun 
 ishment for any murders which they should commit 
 on the inhabitants of these states : 
 
 For cutting off our .trade with all parts of the 
 world : 
 
 For imposing taxes on us without our consent : 
 
 For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits 
 of trial by jury: 
 
 For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for 
 pretended offences : 
 
 For abolishing the free system of English law? 
 in a neighbouring province, establishing therein 
 an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boun 
 daries, so as to render it at once an example and 
 
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 275 
 
 fit instrument for introducing the same absolute 
 rule into these colonies : 
 
 For taking away our charters, abolishing our 
 most valuable laws, and altering, fundamentally, 
 the forms ot our governments : 
 
 For suspending our own legislatures, and declar 
 ing themselves invested with power to legislate for 
 us in all cases whatsoever. 
 
 He has abdicated government here, by declaring 
 us out of his protection, and waging war against 
 us. 
 
 He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, 
 Durnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our 
 people. 
 
 He is at this time transporting large armies of 
 foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, 
 desolation, and tyranny, already begun with cir 
 cumstances of cruelty and perfidy, scarcely paral 
 leled in the most barbarous ages, and totally un 
 worthy the head of a civilized nation. 
 
 He has constrained our fellow-citizens, taken 
 captive on the high seas, to bear arms against their 
 country, to become the executioners of their friends 
 and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands. 
 
 He has excited domestic insurrections amongst 
 us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants 
 of our frontiers the merciless Indian savages, whose 
 known rule of warfare is an undistinguished de 
 struction of all ages, sexes, and conditions. 
 
276 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 
 
 In every stage of these oppressions we nave pe 
 titioned for redress in the most humble terms: our 
 repeated petitions have been answered only by re 
 peated injury. A prince, whose character is thus 
 marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is 
 unfit to be the ruler of a free people. 
 
 Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our 
 British brethren. We have warned them, from 
 time to time, of attempts by their legislature to ex 
 tend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We 
 have reminded them of the circumstance of our 
 emigration and settlement here. We have ap 
 pealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and 
 we have conjured them by the ties of our common 
 kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would 
 inevitably interrupt our connexions and correspon 
 dence. They too have been deaf to the voice of 
 justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, 
 acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our 
 separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of 
 mankind enemies in war, in peace friends. 
 
 We, therefore, the representatives of the United 
 States of America, in general congress assembled, 
 appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world, for 
 the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and 
 by the authority of the good people of these colo 
 nies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united 
 colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and in 
 dependent states ; that they are absolved from all 
 
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 
 
 277 
 
 allegiance to the British crown, and that all politi 
 cal connexion between them and the state of Great 
 Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved ; and 
 that, as free and independent states, they have full 
 power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alli 
 ances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts 
 and things which independent states may of right 
 do. And for the support of this declaration, with 
 a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Provi 
 dence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, 
 our fortunes, and our sacred honour. 
 
 JOHN HANCOCK 
 
 NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 Josiah Bartlett, 
 William Whipple, 
 Matthew Thornton. 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS BAY. 
 
 Samuel Adams, 
 Jonu Adams, 
 Robert Treat Paine, 
 Elbridge Gerry. 
 
 RHODE ISLAND, &C. 
 
 Stephen Hopkins, 
 William Ellerv. 
 
 Oliver Wolcott 
 
 NEW YORK. 
 
 William Floyd, 
 Philip Livingston, 
 Francis Lewis, 
 Lewis Morris. 
 
 NEW JERSEY. 
 
 Richard Stockton, 
 John Witherspoon, 
 Francis Hopkinson, 
 John Hart, 
 Abraham Clark. 
 
 CONNECTICUT. PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 Roger Sherman, Robert Morris, 
 
 Samuel Huntington, Benjamin Rush, 
 William Williams, Benjamin Franklin, 
 
 2 A 
 
278 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 
 
 John Morton, Thomas Jefferson, 
 
 George Clymer, Benjamin Harrison, 
 
 James Smith, Thomas Nelson, jr. 
 
 George Taylor, Francis Lightfoot Lee 
 
 James Wilson, Carter Braxton. 
 George Ross. NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 DELAWARE. William Hooper, 
 
 Caisar Rodney, Joseph Hewes, 
 
 George Read, John Penn. 
 Thomas M Kean. SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
 MARYLAND. Edward Rutledge, 
 
 Samuel Chase, Thomas Hey ward, jr. 
 
 William Paca, Thomas Lynch, jr. 
 
 Thomas Stone, Arthur Middleton. 
 C Carroll, of Carrollton. GEORGIA. 
 
 VIRGINIA. Button Gwinnett, 
 
 George Wythe, Lyman Hall, 
 
 Richard Henry Lee, George Walton. 
 
APPENDIX, (B.; 
 
 THE following is extracted from a letter address- 
 ed by the late Thomas McKean to C. A. Rodney 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 22d, 1813. 
 On Monday the 1st of July, 1776, the question 
 respecting independence was taken in the commit 
 tee of the whole, when the State of Pennsylvania 
 (represented by seven gentlemen then present) 
 voted against it : Delaware (having then only two 
 representatives present) was divided : all the other 
 States voted in favour of it. Whereupon, without 
 delay, I sent an express for Caesar Rodney, Esq., 
 the remaining member for Delaware, whom I met 
 at the State-house door as the members were as 
 sembling. After a friendly salutation, (without a 
 word on the business,) we went into the Hall of 
 Congress together, and found we were among the 
 latest. Proceedings immediately commenced, and 
 after a few minutes the great question was put 
 When the vote for Delaware was called, your uncle 
 arose, and said : " As I believe the voice of my 
 constituents and of all sensible and honest men is 
 in favour of independence, and my own judgment 
 concurs with them, I vote for independence;" or 
 
 279 
 
280 THE SIGNING OF THE 
 
 in other words to the same effect. The State of 
 Pennsylvania on the 4th of July voted for it. Unani 
 mity in the thirteen States, an all-important point 
 on so great an occasion, was thus obtained ; the 
 dissension of a single tate might have produced 
 very dangerous consequences. 
 
 In the public journal of Congress for 1776, vol. 
 ii., it would appear that the Declaration of Incle 
 pendence was signed on the 4th of July by the 
 members whose names are there inserted ; but the 
 fact is not so : for no person signed it on that day, 
 nor for many days after. On the 4th of July, 1776, 
 the Declaration of Independence was ordered to bt 
 engrossed on parchment, and then to be signed. I 
 was not in Congress after the 4th, for some months 
 having marched with my regiment of associators 
 of this city, as colonel, to support General Wash 
 ington until a flying camp of ten thousand men \vas 
 completed. When the associators were discharged, 
 I returned to Philadelphia, took my seat in Con 
 gress, and then signed the Declaration on parch 
 ment. Two days after, I went to Newcastle, and 
 joined the Convention for forming a constitution 
 for the future government of the State of Delaware, 
 (having been elected a member for Newcastle 
 county,) which I wrote in a tavern, without a book 
 or any assistance. 
 
 You may rely on the accuracy of the foregoing 
 relation. It is full time to print and publish the 
 
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 281 
 
 secret journal of Congress during the Revolu 
 tion. 
 
 I have thus answered your request, and trust it 
 may reform errors. Accept, dear sir, my best 
 wishes for your happiness. 
 
 THOMAS McKEAN. 
 
 Cxsar Augustus Rodney, Esquire. 
 
 2 A 2 
 
APPENDIX, (C.) 
 
 REMINISCENCES OF GEN. WASHINGTON 
 
 And of the Congress, which sat in Philadelphia while 
 he was President 
 
 AFTER a great deal of talking and writing 1 , and 
 controversy, about the permanent seat of Congress 
 under the present Constitution, it was determined 
 thit Philadelphia should be honoured with its pre 
 sence for ten years, and that afterwards its perma 
 nent location should be in the city of Washington, 
 where it now is. In the mean time, the federal 
 city was in progress, and the legislature of Penn 
 sylvania voted a sum of money to build a house foi 
 the president, perhaps with some hopes that this 
 might help to keep the seat of the general govern 
 ment in the capital for Philadelphia was then con 
 sidered the capital of the State. What is now 
 the University of Pennsylvania was the structure 
 used for this purpose. But as soon as Genera] 
 Washington saw its dimensions, and a good while 
 before it was finished, he let it be known that he 
 would not occupy it that he should not certainly 
 go to the expense of purchasing furniture for such 
 a dwelling. 
 
 282 
 
REMINISCENCES OF WASHINGTON. 283 
 
 President Washington, therefore, rented a house 
 of Mr. Robert Morris, in Market street, between 
 Fifth and Sixth street, on the south side, and fur 
 nished it handsomely but not gorgeously. There 
 he lived with Mrs. Washington ; Mr. Lear his pri 
 vate secretary and his wife, and Mrs. Washington s 
 grandson, Custis, making a part of the family. 
 Young Custis had a private tutor employed by the 
 president, who was engaged to attend on his pupil 
 one hour in the winter mornings before breakfast; 
 and who then commonly breakfasted with the pre 
 sident and his family. 
 
 The company usually assembled in the drawing- 
 room, about fifteen or twenty minutes before dinner, 
 and the president spoke to every guest personally 
 on entering the room. He always dressed in a 
 suit of black, his hair powdered, and tied in a black 
 bag behind, with a very elegant dress sword, which 
 he wore with inimitable grace. 
 
 Mrs. Washington often, but not always, dined 
 with the company, and if, as was occasionally the 
 case, there were other ladies present, they sat on 
 each side of her. The president himself sat half 
 way from the head to the foot of the table, and on 
 that side which would place Mrs. Washington, 
 though distant from him, on the right hand. He 
 atways, unless a clergyman was present, asked a 
 blessing at his own table, in a standing posture. 
 If a clergyman was present, he was requested to 
 
284 REMINISENCES OF 
 
 ask a blessing before, and return thanks after 
 dinner. 
 
 The president, it is believed, generally dined on 
 one dish, and that of a very simple kind. If offered 
 something, either in the first or second course, 
 which was very rich, his usual reply was, "That 
 s too good for me." 
 
 Congress Hall was the building now occupied 
 as a court-house, at the corner of Chestnut and 
 Sixth street. Except a vestibule, about fifteen feet 
 wide on Chestnut street, the whole of the ground 
 floor of this building was formed into a hall or 
 chamber for the House of Representatives. 
 
 There was no door opening into Sixth street, and 
 the speaker s chair with two desks, the one on the 
 right hand of the speaker for the clerk of the House, 
 and the one on the left for the chaplain, were placed 
 directly opposite to where the door of entrance from 
 Sixth street is now placed. The chamber was 
 warmed by large open stoves, commonly called 
 Franklin stoves, two adjoining the wall on Sixth 
 street, and two on the opposite wall. The fuel 
 used was always of the best hickory wood. The 
 house was entered by one door in Chestnut street 
 at the other end of the chamber there was a door 
 leading into the State-house yard. 
 
 The Senate Chamber was directly over that of the 
 House of Representatives : all stairways, com 
 mencing in the vestibule of the building, led to the 
 
WASHINGTON. 285 
 
 door of this chamber, which was but little more 
 than half as large as that of the other house the 
 part (nearly one-half) towards Chestnut street, 
 being partitioned off, and divided into committee- 
 rooms, for the use of the members of both Houses, 
 and one room for their clerks. The chair of the 
 vice-president was located on the south side of the 
 chamber, near the wall, and midway between the 
 eastern and western sides. The arrangements 
 were the same as in the other chamber, except that 
 there were but two tiers of seats, both without ele 
 vation, and in place of four stoves, the room had 
 but two. The furniture, indeed, in this chamber, 
 was, in general, a little more showy than in the 
 other; but its great ornament consisted in the full- 
 length portraits of the King and Queen of France, 
 Louis XIV. and Marie Antoinette, under whose 
 reign our treaty of alliance with France, during our 
 revolutionary war, was formed. 
 
 These pictures were a royal present made to the 
 old Congress, and were of the most splendid kind. 
 It was said that the likenesses of the king and 
 queen were remarkably exact; but however this 
 might be, the paintings, as to the design, colouring, 
 and finishing, were the most perfect that had evei 
 been seen in the country perhaps than any thai 
 have since been seen, with the exception of the 
 crowning of Napoleon. Both the king and the 
 queen appearing in their robes, or state-dress, and 
 
286 REMINISCENCES OF . 
 
 nothing could exceed the exquisite tints and finish 
 of the drapery. But the framing- of the pictures 
 was, in its kind, as singularly splendid as that 
 which it enclosed. The frames of both, which 
 were perhaps a foot and a half in width, were 
 carved in a masterly manner, exhibiting the arms 
 of France and other signs of royalty, and covered 
 with a thick gilding, that had much the appearance 
 of solid gold. The pictures hung on the opposite 
 wall to that on which the vice-president s chair 
 was placed, and fronting that chair. In the height 
 of the French revolution there was some talk of 
 removing or covering these pictures, but they re 
 mained till the transfer of Congress to Washington, 
 and were never covered. 
 
 It was in the Senate Chamber, and in the pre 
 sence of both Houses of Congress, that Washington 
 delivered his speeches for he did not send them 
 by his secretary in the form of a message. This 
 was a practice introduced by Mr. Jefferson, and 
 has been continued ever since. But Washington 
 made his communication at every opening of Con 
 gress in person. When informed that the houses 
 were in session and ready to receive his communi 
 cations, he replied to the committee that waited on 
 him, that he would meet Congress the next day at 
 twelve o clock. 
 
 W T hen he came into the Senate Chamber, the 
 members all rose, and, bowing to them gracefully 
 
WASHINGTON . 287 
 
 he took his seat, and at the same timo the mem 
 bers resumed theirs. lie commonly sat about 
 three or tour minutes, during which time he took Ins 
 spectacles from the side-pocket of his co.it, and his 
 speech from another pocket, and placed both on his 
 knee, casting his eyes over tjie audience. He then 
 put on his spectacles, took his speech in his left 
 hand, rose, and immediately began to read, the 
 members remaining seated. He read his speech 
 audibly, distinctly, and -without hesitation; he 
 was not what could be called an accomplished 
 reader. He occasionally, in an interesting part of 
 his speech, enforced what he said by a motion 
 with his right hand the gesture was not violent, 
 or even what is calb d bold ; but it indicati d earm st- 
 ness^ and was gracefully made. \\h< n he had 
 finished his speech, he bowed to Congress, and 
 the members rose while he retired. 
 
APPENDIX, (D.) 
 
 THOSE who were person-ally familiar with these 
 facts assure us, that not only the children, hut the 
 whole population were interested in his going out, 
 and in his coming 1 in. Shop-keepers left their 
 counters, and mechanics their tools, and came where 
 they might see him -as lie passed. And this was 
 done, not with the rush and confusion common on 
 like occasions, hut it was altogether an expression 
 of spontaneous respect and profound regard, and 
 the word was passed indicating his approach. 
 
 288 
 
 THE END. 
 

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