In the national imagination, Washington appeared as a wise leader, and a bold commander. He is a symbol of American virtue due to his unforgettable role, decisions, and actions that upheld the American nation and its position.
George Washington, the First president of the USA (1789-97), was the Supreme commander of the Continental army during the American Revolution. Coming next, we will be going through important events of his life.
Early years
G.Washington was born in Westmoreland County in the 22nd of February in the year 1732. He was the eldest son of Augustine Washington and his wife, Mary Ball Washington, who were wealthy upper class of English origin. He lived his early years on the family estate along the Potomac River, and had education that included subjects as mathematics, surveying, classics, and rules of civility.
His father died in 1743, and later George went to live with his half brother Lawrence at Mount Vernon. George considered his brother Lawrence as a substitute father, who married into the Fairfax family, the influential Virginians who helped start George's career.
In 1748, Washington was appointed to secure and survey Lord Fairfax's lands in the Shenandoah Valley. He helped lay out the Virginia town of Belhaven (Alexandria nowadays) in 1749 and was appointed as the surveyor for Culpeper County.
George accompanied his brother to Barbados in an effort to cure Lawrence of tuberculosis, but unfortunately, Lawrence died in 1752, and soon after that, George ultimately inherited the Mount Vernon estate.
By 1753, the growing opposition between the British and French for taking control over the Ohio Valley, led to eruption of the French and Indian War (1754-63), and this paved new opportunities for the young Washington. Although he was only 22 years of age and lacking experience, he was capable of learning quickly, and meeting problems, due to his brashness and native ability that earned him the respect of his superiors.
French and Indian War
In April 1754, Washington knew that the French had built a fortress at the Forks of the Ohio (the current site of Pittsburgh). He was warned that the French were advancing, so he quickly established fortifications, and marched to intercept the French troops. In the skirmish, the French commander Sieur de Jumonville was killed and most of his men were captured.
In the 3rd of July after being overwhelmed by the French troops in a full day battle under a torrential rain, Washington withdrew his small force back, and because of the surrounding enemy troops, food supply almost exhausted, and dampened ammunition, Washington capitulated. Under the terms of the surrender of that day, he marched with his troops back to Williamsburg.
In 1755, he volunteered to join British general Edward Braddock's expedition against the French. When Braddock was ambushed by the French and their Indian allies on the Monongahela River, Washington tried to rally the Virginia troops. Despite the public criticism on the debacle, Washington's military reputation was enhanced, in such a way that at the age of 23, he was promoted to colonel and appointed as commander in chief of the Virginia militia, with the responsibility of defending the boundaries.
Washington, the Politician
George left the army in 1758 and returned to Mount Vernon, diverting his attention towards regaining his neglected estate. He established new buildings, and refurbished the house. In 1759, He entered the world of politics, as serving in Virginia's House of Burgesses. In January 1759 he married Martha Dandridge, a wealthy young widow with two small children. After 1769, Washington became a leader in Virginia's opposition to Great Britain's colonial policies.
Although he hoped for reconciliation with Britain, some British policies had touched him personally, and British land restrictions on western expansion after 1763 had impaired his plans for western land estimation.
In (1774-75), as a delegate to the First and Second Continental Congress, George’s presence had undoubtedly a stabilizing influence. In June 1775 he was the Congress's unanimous choice as the Supreme commander of the Continental forces.
The American Revolution
Washington took command of the troops surrounding British forces which occupied Boston on 3rd of July, devoting the next months to training the army and trying to secure the urgently needed supplies.
In March 1776, using a cannon, Washington occupied Dorchester Heights, forcing the British to evacuate in the 17th of March. He then moved to defend New York City against the sea forces of Sir William Howe.
In New York he did a fatal mistake by occupying a position in Brooklyn easily vulnerable to attacks, although he skillfully saved his army by retreating from Manhattan into Westchester County and through New Jersey into Pennsylvania. In late 1776, George was almost out of supplies and got despaired. He had lost New York City to the British forces and there was no enlistment for a number of troops, and the morale was falling rapidly.
The greatest success of the year 1777 was defeating the British troops at Saratoga, which had belonged not only to Washington, but also to Benedict Arnold and Horatio Gates.
After holding the exhausted dispirited army together during the difficult winter at Valley Forge, George learned that France had recognized American independence. With the aid of the Prussian Baron von Steuben and the French marquis de La Fayette, he concentrated on turning the army into an extremely powerful fighting force, and by spring he returned back to the field.
In June, 1778, he attacked the British army near Monmouth Courthouse, during their withdrawal from Philadelphia to New York. Although American general Charles Lee's lack of wisdom ruined Washington's plan to strike a major blow at Sir Henry Clinton's army at Monmouth, the commander in chief's quick action on the field prevented an American defeat.
In 1780 the events of the war shifted to the south. Although the expeditions in Virginia and the Carolinas were conducted by other generals, Washington was still responsible for the overall direction of the war. After the arrival of the French army in 1780, he concentrated on coordinating allied efforts and in 1781, he launched the Yorktown Campaign against Charles Cornwallis with cooperation of the Comte de Rochambeau and the Comte d'Estaing, securing the American victory.
Washington’s prestige had grown greatly during the war. He accepted the advice of more experienced officers such as Gates and Charles Lee, but he quickly learned to trust his own judgment. On the battlefield Washington was a master of improvisation, he relied on the trial and error policy. Sometimes he was thought of to be exaggeratedly cautious, however, he was bold when success was possible. He knew exactly how to combine green troops with veterans to raise the combat efficiency.
After the war Washington returned to Mount Vernon. Although he became the president of Cincinnati Society, the organization of former Revolutionary War officers, he avoided being involved in politics and preferred to concentrate on restoring Mount Vernon. He added a greenhouse, a mill, an icehouse, and a new land to the estate.
In May 1787, Washington headed the Virginia delegation to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. He generally supported the advocates of a strong central government. After the new Constitution was submitted to the states for approval and became operative, he was unanimously elected as the president in 1789.
President George Washington
George took office in the 30th of April, 1789 in New York City. He was aware of the need to build an executive structure that could accommodate the upcoming presidents in future. He made a few decisions to improve the situation of the country, especially after the difficult circumstances that have occurred previously.
Washington was reelected as president in 1792, and in the following year the most divisive crisis arising out of the personal and political conflicts within his cabinet occurred.
Retirement and Death
By March 1797, when Washington left office, the country's financial system was well established, moreover, the Indian threat east of the Mississippi had been largely eliminated and America’s territory had enlarged.
He went home to Mount Vernon as he preferred to spend his last years in happy retirement there. In December, 1799, Washington got quinsy (acute laryngitis). He died at his estate in the 14th of December of the same year.
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