310471930 PREFACE. In preparing this work, my design has been to popularize he Life of Washington by confining myself to events and incidents intimately connected with him and his movements, and thus make the work less voluminous than it would be if it embraced a more detailed history of concurrent events. Recent collections of documents throwing new light on the war of the Revolution made such a work desirable. Mr. Lossing, by his researches, has exhumed a vast amount of interesting matter. All of Rufus Putnam's papers and correspondence and diary have also been put in my hands, which shed an entirely new light on some of the most interesting events of the Revolution, and movements of Washington. The reader will, therefore, find a vast number of facts in this work which have never before appeared in any Life of Washington, but which add greatly to the interest which surrounds his character. The Historical Societies of different States have also yielded me, by their valuable collections, much aid. Their efforts for the last few years to gather and preserve old documents and letters, which were fast passing away, have added greatly to the material for any work connected with the Revolution. The amount of my indebtedness to these new sources of information will be readily perceived by the reader. As to the rest, I have consulted the usual authorities on that period of our history, a list of which would be too long to give in this place. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. STEEL ENGRAVINGS. Portrait of Washington, from an Original Painting by Stuart in the Boston Athenæum Page. 1 115 209 Lafayette's Last Interview with Louis Sixteenth and Marie Antoinette before his Departure for America. 231 The Bellman informed of the Passage of the Declaration of Independence 75 61 90 91 103 106 125 134 135 90 145 144 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Birth and Death of Great Men-Ancestry of George-Loss of his Father Sent to District School-Early History-Appointed Surveyor-Forest Life - Goes to Barbadoes with a Sick Brother-Appointed Major over the Militia -- Sent a Commissioner to the French-Account of his Perilous Journey. Washington sent against the French-Hostilities of the latter-Fort Duquesne- Difficulties of the March-Dangerous Explorations-Message from the Half- King-Night March-Attack on Jumonville-Feelings of Washington in his First Battle-Final Results of it-Fort Necessity-Battle of the Great Mea- dows-Washington Capitulates-Resigns in Disgust his Commission-Tart Refusal to Join the Army under Governor Sharpe-Accepts Braddock's Request to act as Volunteer Aid—Is taken Sick—Joins the Army-Battle of Monongahela-Bravery of Washington-The Retreat-Death of Braddock- Washington Reads the Funeral Service-Burial by Torch-light-Scenes around Fort Du Quesne-Demoniacal Jubilee of the Indians-Washington at Mount Vernon-Disgust with the Government-Apppointed Commander-in- Chief of the Virginia Forces-Head-quarters at Winchester-Inroads of the Indians-Terror of the Settlers-Sternness of Washington-False Rumors- Difficulty with Captain Dagworthy-Goes to Boston to refer it to Governor Shirley-Reception on the way-Falls in love with Miss Phillips of New Fresh Hostilities of the Indians-Attempts to Supersede Washington—Anony- mous Libels-Washington wishes to Resign-Prevented by his Friends— Establishes a Line of Forts-Harassing Nature of his Duties-Attends a Convention at Philadelphia-His Sickness and Retirement to Mount Vernon— Progress of the War-Frederick the Great-Washington's first Acquaint- ance with Mrs. Custis-Advance of the Army to Fort Du Quesne-Wash- ington required to cut a New Road-His Forebodings likely to prove true- Capture of the Fort-Election of Washington to the House of Burgesses- His Marriage-Life at Mount Vernon-Collision with a Poacher-Settles the Soldiers' Claims-Expedition to the Western Wilderness to examine the ix |