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| Lawrence Washington, George's half-brother, died of tuberculosis. |
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| General Edward Braddock. He had little, if any, respect for colonial militia officers, no matter what their rank. |
When Braddock’s army was ambushed by the French and their Native American allies, the British troops fought out in the open, in ranks, exposing themselves to the fire of the French and Indians who hid behind trees, rocks and anything else available. In the ensuing chaos, British troops fired upon and killed many Virginia militiamen under Washington’s command, and would not stop firing at them even when the militiamen themselves screamed out to, and pleaded with, the British troops to stop. The British troops refused to cease firing because, they screamed back, they were under orders to continue shooting. As the battle wore on, the tactics of the French and Indians proved too brutal and overpowering, and the British troops turned and ran.
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| General Braddock's wounds were mortal. |
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| Braddock's retreat. He would die of his wounds a few days later. |
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| Braddock's remains were located and removed in 1804 to a site commemorating the battle in which George Washington took part in 1755. Washington had been dead 5 years in 1804. |
The fact that Washington survived Braddock’s humiliating defeat in 1755 was taken by some to mean that Providence had saved him for some special purpose in order to serve his country. Ministers in their pulpits delivered this message regularly throughout the colonies. Articles promoting this idea appeared in newspapers. This reputation as a person of destiny followed Washington until 1775 (for 20 years!) when an earlier sermon was reprinted in newspapers throughout the colonies. He was considered by many to be the “chosen one,” the man to lead the Patriot /rebel armies and our new nation. God had watched over him and delivered him to the colonists to lead them in their hour of need.
Another story told along these same lines was that in the fall of 1755, while Washington was traveling on the Virginia frontier organizing military protection for settlers, he rode through an ambush site set up by a party of Shawnee braves. The braves had all just left the site to relieve themselves (bathroom break!) when, during that short window of time, Washington passed the site without incident. The braves returned to their position, never realizing what/who they had missed. The next soldier to come by was set upon, killed and scalped. Again, many maintained, God and Providence were saving Washington for some special purpose.
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| Religious leaders preached that Washington was "the chosen one" who was sent by God to lead the colonies to independence, and to lead the new nation. |
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| Washington escaped a Shawnee ambush. This was considered another sign of God saving him for a high and noble purpose. |
On the other hand, some historians believe that George Washington was a bit foolish and conceited as a young man and had questionable ideas regarding the dangers of battle. After his first taste of warfare on the frontier, against the French in the Ohio River Valley in 1754, he wrote to his brother about this first experience in battle and said,”I heard the bullets whistle and, believe me, there is something charming in the sound.”
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| A young Washington found the sound of bullets whistling about him in battle "charming." After Braddock's defeat in 1755 he never uttered such words again. |
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| A 14 year old Washington almost ran away to sea on a British naval vessel. |
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| Mary Ball Washington. George's strict and adamantly pro-British mother. |
A DIGRESSION/WORD ORIGIN:
In the 1700s, American sailors grew bean sprouts on their ships during long ocean voyages to prevent and/or cure a disease called “scurvy.” One of the more unpleasant symptoms of this disease was bleeding gums followed by teeth falling out. Other symptoms included itchy feet, extreme irritability, red blotches/rashes on the skin, constant hunger, sunken eyes and pale skin. If left untreated, it could prove fatal. The disease itself was caused by a vitamin C deficiency and, wouldn’t you know it, bean sprouts are high in vitamin C.
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| Bean sprouts could easily be grown aboard a sailing ship and used to combat scurvy. |
English sailors learned quickly that citrus fruits prevented the onset of “scurvy” and stored in their holds large amounts of limes (oranges, also) which would be given out at intervals to the crew. The English sailors became so associated with the eating of limes on their voyages that all English people, eventually, became known as “Limeys.” It is looked upon as a derogatory term when used today, which is quite removed from the story of its origin.
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| Limes were of vital importance to 18th century sailors, and provide the origin for the word "limey" as a derogatory reference to a person of British/English birth. |
NOW, BACK TO MY STORY:
Later, Washington became an officer in the Virginia colonial militia, and for years he unsuccessfully sought a commission in the regular British army. It was this experience of trying to break in to the British military establishment that exposed Washington to the demeaning attitudes toward colonial Americans held by the British government and military. British officers regularly remarked that Americans were not trustworthy, cowardly in battle, and not fit to be officers - because, they said, Americans were the by-products of British jails and prisons. It was standard operating procedure in the relationship between the colonial militias and the regular British army that ANY British officer outranked ANY colonial militia officer, regardless of rank.
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| The British officer corps considered itself superior to all American colonial military leaders. They also felt Americans were a mongrel race, made up of the dregs of British and other European societies. |
This was an insult to many Americans, especially Washington, who saw it as evidence that England considered Americans as second class citizens. Psychologically, this must have provided some of the motivation and determination Washington demonstrated during the Revolution. He wanted to show the British that he was able as a commander and that they had misread the American character. The British, themselves, in many ways, had set the stage for the demise of their North American colonial empire.
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| Continental soldiers proved the British wrong. Americans displayed the courage, endurance and commitment to win the War. END OF PART ONE. NEXT POST: WASHINGTON DIDN'T GET ALONG WITH HIS MOTHER AND OTHER INTERESTING AND FUN FACTS. |