WASHINGTON, GEORGE, an Amer ican statesman, military officer, and 1st President of the United States; born of English stock in Westmoreland co., Va., Feb. 22, 1732. His father died early, but his mother, Mary Ball, gave him an admirable training, which was continued later by his elder half-brother, Augus tine. Of actual schooling he had little, save such as sufficed to make him a prac tical surveyor. He spelt badly, but was able to do accounts well; he wrote poor verses, but was careful to copy out 50 odd "rules of behavior"; he had as little of the true literary afflatus as any youth of genius could well have, but he tamed the wildest horses and dominated the most unruly of his schoolmates. In short, he was a young Virginian Cyrus, riding well, shooting well, and telling the truth. But if it was fortunate for his country that he escaped becoming an epic poet, it was equally fortunate that he gave up the idea of entering the English service as a midshipman on account of a dutiful regard for his mother's wishes. One can contemplate with pleasure the pic ture he presents as a 16-year-old ex plorer, surveying the lands of Lord Fair fax amid tha wild passes of the Alle ghenies. The youth who so bravely fronted all "moving accidents by flood and field," who gained a reputation for sobriety and prudence both with the savage tribes he was forced to encounter and the official circles of Williamsburg, was doing pre cisely the work best fitted to prepare him for the higher labors of his manhood.
He rose rapidly, and in three years was made adjutant-general of militia in one of the border districts. But he was soon called away to accompany his in valid brother Lawrence on a voyage to the West Indies. This was destined to be his only experience of foreign travel; but he was by nature little capable of being tainted by provincialism. Return ing to Virginia, he found his military charge renewed, and was given speedy opportunity for active service. He was dispatched by Governor Dinwiddie in the fall of 1753 on a mission to the French invaders of the Ohio region—a danger ous task, which others had declined, but which he accepted with alacrity. He braved the rigor of the season and the peril of the long and almost unknown way, and in about three months' time was back at Williamsburg with the French answer. Neither savages nor treacher
ous guides, nor ice-gorged rivers could prevail against so bold a heart or so keen an eye; nor could flattery at home under mine a nature so well balanced, a mod esty so innate and pure. He was at once put in command of the temporary mili tia of the colony, and was subsequently made lieutenant-colonel of the aug mented forces. His superior officer soon died, however, and he was left in full charge of the expedition to the Ohio. He acquitted himself admirably in the fight at Great Meadows, but was forced to capitulate shortly after, the result being honorable, and on the whole fortunate, considering the rashness of the enter prise.
The death of the French officer Ju monville in a preliminary skirmish led to a curious sort of reputation for the young colonial soldier, the future liber ator of America being denounced as an assassin because of an absurd mistake by which the leader of a scouting party was converted into the bearer of a flag of truce. But while French censure could not hurt Washington, Dinwiddie's con duct with regard to the reorganization of the Virginian troops did; and after a manly remonstrance he resigned, show ing in this matter, as well as in his subsequent refusal to submit to be out ranked by officers holding royal com missions, that perfectly poised dignity of character for which he is probably more noted than any other great man in history. When Braddock, however, of fered Washington a post as aide-de-camp which he could accept with honor, he was glad enough to march against the foe and to tender advice which no man in America was better fitted to give and no commanding officer less likely to profit by. The prudence of Washington as a counselor, as well as his intrepid con duct at Fort Duquesne, taught all dis cerning observers that he had in him the stuff of which not only good border soldiers but also great generals are made; and one of these observers, the eloquent preacher, Samuel Davies, was wise enough to predict that "that heroic youth, Colonel Washington," would one day render his country some distin guished service. For a time his serv ices were chiefly directed toward secur ing the safety of the Virginia borders, and he found leisure to make a visit to Boston on military business, as well as to fall in love.