George Washington

Although I guess it's kind of hokey I have long found myself in awe of George Washington. I think that by virtually any standard he was an incredibly remarkable man, his possession of slaves being perhaps the sole black mark on his life. My favorite anecdote is Washington's role in defusing the Newburgh Conspiracy in which a group of officers threatened to overthrow Congress if they weren't paid wages that were owed to them. Upon catching wind of the plot Washington headed to the officers' encampment and addressed them:

By late morning of March 15, a rectangular building 40 feet wide by 70 feet long with a small dais at one end, known as the Public Building or New Building , was jammed with officers. Gen. Gates, acting as chairman in Washington's absence, opened the meeting. Suddenly, a small door off the stage swung open and in strode Gen. Washington. He asked to speak to the assembled officers, and the stunned Gates had no recourse but to comply with the request. As Washington surveyed the sea of faces before him, he no longer saw respect or deference as in times past, but suspicion, irritation, and even unconcealed anger. To such a hostile crowd, Washington was about to present the most crucial speech of his career.

Following his address Washington studied the faces of his audience. He could see that they were still confused, uncertain, not quite appreciating or comprehending what he had tried to impart in his speech. With a sigh, he removed from his pocket a letter and announced it was from a member of Congress, and that he now wished to read it to them. He produced the letter, gazed upon it, manipulated it without speaking. What was wrong, some of the men wondered. Why did he delay? Washington now reached into a pocket and brought out a pair of new reading glasses.

Only those nearest to him knew he lately required them, and he had never worn them in public. Then he spoke: "Gentlemen, you will permit me to put on my spectacles, for I have not only grown gray but almost blind in the service of my country." This simple act and statement by their venerated commander, coupled with remembrances of battles and privations shared together with him, and their sense of shame at their present approach to the threshold of treason, was more effective than the most eloquent oratory. As he read the letter to their unlistening ears, many were in tears from the recollections and emotions which flooded their memories. As Maj. Samuel Shaw, who was present, put it in his journal, " There was something so natural, so unaffected in this appeal as rendered it superior to the most studied oratory. It forced its way to the heart, and you might see sensibility moisten every eye."

Finishing, Washington carefully and deliberately folded the letter, took off his glasses, and exited briskly from the hall. Immediately, Knox and others faithful to Washington offered resolutions affirming their appreciation for their commander in chief, and pledging their patriotism and loyalty to the Congress, deploring and regretting those threats and actions which had been uttered and suggested. What support Gates and his group may have enjoyed at the outset of the meeting now completely disintegrated, and the Newburgh conspiracy collapsed.

I also like the story of Washington's escape after the Battle of Long Island. His troops trapped by the British, it appeared that the end of the rebellion was at hand. In order to save the army Washington attempted to ferry them off the island to New Jersey. But being August the nights were shorter, making it more difficult to pull this off without the British discovering them. Indeed, when first light appeared the next morning a number of Washington's troops were still on the wrong shores. But just at this moment a thick fog appeared, said by locals to be highly unusual for that time of year, which saved the day:

Howe was 500 yards away from the Americans, who were surrounded on three sides, with their backs to the East River.

The great American writer Washington Irving wrote of that night, in his 5 volume biography of George Washington, “The fog which prevailed all this time, seemed almost Providential. While it hung over Long Island, and concealed the movements of the Americans, the atmosphere was clear on the New York side of the river. The adverse wind, too, died away, the river became so smooth that the row-boats could be laden almost to the gunwale; and a favoring breeze sprang up for the sail-boats.”

I bring all of this up because of a new book coming out later this month. Entitled 1776, it is written by David McCullough and devotes much of its material to the role played by Washington. Based on this excerpt and this review it seems like something I'll get around to reading.