George Washington and His Career as an American President

George Washington and His Career as an American President

Introduction

Washington, George (1732-99), 1st President of the U.S. (1789-97), was born on the family estate in Westmoreland County, Virginia. His education was elementary, and after his father's death (1743) he was guided mainly by his half-brother Lawrence, who obtained him a position as surveyor. His first military experience (1753) was in the Ohio country against the French and Indians, and is recorded in his report The Journal of Major George Washington (1754). His next service was to build Fort Necessity at Great Meadows, near the present site of Pittsburgh, where he defeated the French of Fort Duquesne (May 1754), but was soon forced to retreat and arrange a peace. He then accompanied Braddock in his unsuccessful attack (1755) on Fort Duquesne.

Discussion

Washington was engaged for two years as commander of the Virginia forces in repelling attacks on the colony's western frontier. In 1759 he married Mrs. Martha Dandridge Custis (1732-1802), and settled down on the Mount Vernon estate inherited from his brother, to lead the life of a country gentleman, though also serving in the House of Burgesses. The conflict with Great Britain drew him into larger colonial politics, and he was a member of both Continental Congresses, upon the outbreak of the Revolutionary War being chosen commander in chief of the Continental army (June 1775).

After assuming command of a raw, loosely organized army at Cambridge (July 1775), he began his first campaign, which ended with the capture of Dorchester Heights and the British evacuation of Boston (March 1776). He then attempted the untenable defense of New York, in which he was forced to retreat, although he soon re-crossed the Delaware into New Jersey and took Trenton and Princeton in a counterattack. The next months were consumed by attempts to build a larger and better disciplined army, but ended with the defeat by Howe at Brandywine (Sept. 1777), and the loss of Philadelphia to the British. The failure to destroy Howe's army at Germantown (Oct. 1777) caused him to retreat to Valley Forge for the hard winter, which was made even more difficult by the Conway Cabal. His army nevertheless emerged stronger and better drilled after the arduous winter, and at the Battle of Monmouth (June 1778) showed itself the equal of the British. The assistance of the French troops and a strong southern ...