PREFACE. THE materials of which this volume is composed, were col lected by the writer many years ago, during visits to Mount Vernon, and also Arlington House, the residence of the family of George Washington Parke Custis, the adopted son of Washington. Careful search was made elsewhere for memèntoes of the domestic life of Washington and of his Home on the banks of the Potomac River; and faithful drawings of objects and transcriptions of documents were made, wherever found. It is believed that few of such objects of interest have escaped notice. Delineations and descriptions of these, and facts concerning Mount Vernon, of every kind, have been arranged in proper order in the following pages, and so present quite a complete picture of the private and domestic life of the Father of his Country; for that life, from his earliest childhood, war associated with Mount Vernon. Had the collection of the contents of this Volume been delayed a little longer, it could never have been made, foi almost every relic of Washington that remained at his Home when it passed into the possession of The Ladies Mount Vernon Association, was borne away by the retiring proprietor. These and many others at Arlington House were, during the the terrible storms of Civil War which frequently swept over Virginia, widely scattered, and it is believed that many per ished. And so this work has become a most rare and precious depository of the likenesses of things once associated with the person of the Beloved Patriot, and of facts having the same relation. But for it, all semblance of such objects would have passed from the memory of men and been lost forever. The reader will bear in mind that when persons or things are spoken of in the body of the work, in the present tense, the time is the year 1859, when the collection and arrangement of the materials were first made. The writer revisited Mount Vernon and Arlington House early in 1870, and has added many pages of interesting matter to the original collection, making,it is believed, a complete reliquary of Washington and his Home. He found the aspect of Mount Vernon very little changed. But the beautiful grounds around Arlington House had been converted into a burial place for many thousands of the young men of the Country who perished while striving to save the imperilled life of the Republic. THE RIDGF, DOVER, N. Y., April, 1870. B. J. L. CONTENTS. 27 28 30 31 His Mother interferes, and he returns to School....... Washington's first Love. Temptation and Constancy His Early Sports and regular Occupation. Experience as a Surveyor and in Wood-craft. Appointed a public Surveyor. Disposition of his implements. Washington's Military Genius awakened.. Lawrence and George Washington in Barbadoes. Lawrence dies.. George inherits Mount Vernon and Paternal Estate.. Conflicting interests of the English and French in America. Washington, a Virginia Major, performs a Perilous Errand. Major Washington leads an Expedition against the French .. Washington continued in the Public Service. Commissioned a Colonel. 55 First meeting of Washington and Braddock.... Washington with Braddock. Battle of the Monongahela. Description of the Arms of the Washington Family. The Washington Family in England.. A Baronial Residence of the Family. Washington's Seals, and Books in his Library. Home of the Washington Family on the Rappahannock. Place of Washington's Birth described.... Letters of Washington and Richard Henry Lee, in childhood.. Lawrence Washington. Admiral Vernon. Lawrence with Admiral Vernon on a Naval Expedition.. The Surroundings of George Washington's Boyhood. Society at Mount Vernon. Young Washington prepares for Sea... Enamored of Mary Phillips on the Banks of the Hudson. His rival, and their different destinies.... Washington leads Troops toward Fort Du Quesne. End of Campaign. Return of Washington to Mt. Vernon.. Marriage engagement with Martha Custis... The Young Widow's First Husband. Her Fortune. The Washington Family at Mount Vernon. Articles used in the House during Washington's Bachelorhood. The Author's experience in Pohick Church.. Washington's fine Horses. His appearance on Horseback. The Product of his Farm. Washington's long training for the approaching Struggle. George Mason, his neighbor and Friend... Washington's Connection with the Church of England. The establishment of Pohick Church... Washington as an Architect and Draughtsman. Ministers at Pohick Church. Mason L. Weems. Character and occupation of Weems..... Charles Wilson Peale, the Painter;. Peale paints the first Portrait of Washington. Rembrandt Peale's account of Field, the Painter. History of the Study of Washington's Portrait. Peale paints a miniature Likeness of Mrs. Washington. De Chastellux's Widow. The Family at Mt. Vernon in 1781.... A cotemporary's description of the Person and Character of Washington. 125 Washington Visits his Mother on his way to Yorktown. John Parke Custis and his Family.... Surrender of Cornwallis. Illness of J. P. Custis.... Death of Mr. Custis. Washington adopts his Children as his own.. Eleanor Parke and George Washington Parke Custis, Foster Children.. 128 Washington chosen a Delegate to the First Continental Congress. Assembling of the Delegates. Conference at Mt. Vernon.. Washington and Friends on their journey to Philadelphia. Opening of the First Congress. Its Character. Social gathering of a Patriot Army: Distinguished Visitors at Mount Vernon. Charles Lee and Horatio Gates...... Character and Conduct of Charles Lee. Character and Career of Horatio Gates.. Washington departs for Philadelphia. Congress and a Continental Army. Washington Commander-in chief of the Continental Army. Mrs. Washington in Camp. Washington's Letters to her. Siege of Boston. Honors conferred on Washington. His Achievements in New Jersey. Hessian Flag.. Mount Vernon during the War. Temporizing rebuked. Arrival of Washington at Mount Vernon in 1781.. Greeting of the Family and Servants. Distinguished Guests. Public Duty regarded as parmount to Private Interest. Washington hastens to join Lafayette.... |
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