George Washington
Image from mountvernon.org via Google Images
General George Washington was the reluctant leader of the Colonial Forces and the first President of the United States. He was chosen by unanimous vote at the Second Continental Congress even though he recommended General Andrew Lewis for the position. The state of Massachusetts played a major role in Virginia being given the chief commander. Virginia was given the chief commander in exchange for their adoption of the army in New England. The army in New England formed immediately after the battle at Lexington and Concord.
Washington was not known for being a great tactician, Thomas Jefferson said that he “often failed on the field” and was guilty of awful military mistakes. He was inexperienced in strategy and did not know how to lead an entire army. To compensate for his lack of strategic knowledge, he often relied on the judgements of his generals.
He had a well-known strength of character, ability to hold the confidence of the army and people, diffusing his courage to the people, and had strong common sense. Washington was very successful at maintaining a strong army and national morale
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Famous Battles
The lowest point of Washington’s command came at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776. British General Howe moved his 20,000 troops from Staten Island to Long Island and began their assault on Washington’s 9,000 American troops encamped there. Washington lost 5,000 soldiers, 2,000 of which were captured.
Washington’s famous crossing of the Delaware River came on December 25, 1776 during the Trenton-Princeton campaign. Washington’s men on both wings had failed in their attacks so Washington planned an ambush attack. He took 2,400 men across the Delaware River to attack the Hessians at Trenton. Washington didn’t lose a single man, he defeated the Hessians, killed the Hessian commander, and captured 1,000 prisoners. At Princeton, Washington tricked Cornwallis’ army and only lost 500 men. Cornwallis moved 8,000 troops to Princeton and planned to wait out the colonial army. Washington left fires burning in their camp and snuck his army out of camp to march around the backside of Cornwallis’ army.
Post-Revolutionary War
On December 23, 1783 Washington resigned his commission as the leader of the colonial forces and returned to his home at Mount Vernon. He was content to live out the rest of his days as a farmer returning his estate to the glory it was before the war. He suffered great losses in the war and had to open his home to offer hospitality to old army friends, international visitors, and Indian delegations.
The new nation was fracturing without any leadership and Washington strongly supported the development of a federal convention. In 1787, Washington was chosen as one of Virginia’s five delegates and then was chosen to be the president of the convention. He was elected the President of the United States in 1789 and inaugurated on April 30th.
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President of the United States
As president, Washington insisted that the United States must insist on its own national identity, strength and dignity. He wanted America to be “free from political connections with every other country, to see them independent of all, and under the influence of none” and to “act for itself and not for [other countries].”
​ Washington tried to remain neutral to political parties, choosing his cabinet members to equally represent both political parties. He also posed inquiries into the problems
Painting by Emanuel Leutze in 1851 depicting George Washington and the colonial forces crossing the Delaware River in December 25, 1776, Image from MPR News via Google Images.
facing the nation and created recommendations to send to Congress. Though he was reluctantly compelled to run, Washington was unanimously elected for his second term.
​ He was beloved president and admired by leaders of other countries. Napoleon paid tribute to his memory after his death and the citizens of the United States named the nation’s capital after him so that they could memorialize him. Henry Lee described Washington as “first in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen.”