George Washington the Great

I have been resisting the temptation to spoil Presidents' Day (which is in its last few minutes as I begin to write this post, despite whatever the apparently-random posting times listed on my blog seem to indicate) by discussing the question of presidential ratings, both in terms of the process the raters use and the often rediculous results they produce. In fact, I do not even want to limit my focus on George Washington to his presidency for the reason I mentioned in my post on restoring his birthday as a holiday that we should honor his entire contribution to America. But I do find it necessary to post something about Washington, including his presidency, at least partly in response to all the nonsense about which presidents were best and which were worst.

Washington is a rare figure in human events. He was the first leader since the ancient Roman Cincinnatus to give up the opportunity to become king and return to farming -- and Washington did it twice, at that. He was the first head of state to retire since the Roman Emperor Diocletian in the Fourth Century A.D.. Washington has the unusual distinction of being a wealthy, conservative man who led a Revolution -- the only successful revolution in world history (with the possible exception of the Iranian Revolution).

As a wealthy Virginian in colonial times, Washington received a classic education. His moral virtue was unquestionable. Washington came to believe that God favored him and the cause of liberty he supported. Subsequent events seem to have proven him correct.

Washington was 21-year old colonel in the British army when he was entrusted by his governor in 1753 on a mission to check French encroachment in the Appalachian wilderness. He touched off the French and Indian War, which later became a world war known worldwide as the Seven Year's War. But Washington's military experience prepared him for his leadership of the Continental Army during the American Revolution.

It is worth remembering that only a minority of Americans supported the Revolution against British rule, and even fewer supported independence. The American Patriots, along with some American Indian allies and later the French, would have to battle Loyalists and other American Indians besides the British and their mercenaries. The British were the greatest military power in the world at the time, while few Americans had any significant military experience. The Americans had only militia, and no regular army, until Washington was entrusted with the command of the fledgling Continental Army in 1775. The Continental Congress would struggle throughout the long war to fund and supply it. Other states around the world were reluctant to support a revolution based upon liberty and representative republican government. In 1776, Washington pledged his life, his fortune and his sacred honor in signing the Declaration of Independence, which he had read to his troops upon its approval.

At times during the Revolutionary War, the cause General Washington served and embodied seemed all but lost. In his first major battle at Long Island, his entire army was nearly destroyed but for his skillful retreat across the Sound. By Christmas of 1776, with his army dwindling from desertion and lack of supplies, Washington revived his recruitment effort with his famous Crossing of the Delaware and surprise defeat of the Hessians at Trenton, followed by his victory at the Battle of Princeton. His army famously endured the bitter winter of 1778 at Valley Forge. When the Commander of the Continental Army arrived on the battlefield at Monmouth that spring, he averted a potentially-disastrous defeat by halting the retreat of his advance guard and fending of the Redcoats long enough to escape the destruction of his army once again.

General Washington lost more battles than he won, yet he nevertheless managed to defeat the British after a six-year struggle. He did so by avoiding any major defeats after Long Island. Washington maintained the initiative and outmaneuvered his enemy. He avoided any unintentional direct engagements with the British Army, but harassed the Redcoats and hid before they could find and destroy the whole of his army. Thus, when Washington lost battles, he did so barely, but when he won, he did so decisively, most importantly at Yorktown in 1781.

During the war, General Washington outperformed potential rivals to his command and put down an insurrection. The Treaty of Paris that ended the war was not signed and ratified until 1783. Therefore, the Continental Army remained in the field two years after Washington defeated Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. Resentment over the lack of pay caused some officers to plot a rebellion against Continental Congress, but Washington gracefully persuaded them to remain patient and loyal.

After the war, Washington observed in retirement the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and discussed with other leaders the need for a better union of the colonies. Chosen as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, he was elected its president. Washington helped guide the process that produced the United States of America. Indeed, the presidency was created by the delegates with him in mind as Commander in Chief.

Washington was elected president in 1789 without opposition. When he took office, there were only 11 states in the Union, there were still British troops on American soil, the Spanish were blocking American access to the port of New Orleans and the debt from the American Revolution remained staggering. During his presidency, he was pressured to side with either the British or the French in Napoleonic Wars. Not only did Washington establish "the precedent," as he put it, who had to establish everything as First President from diplomatic relations with foreign states to coinage, but by the end of his presidency, there were 15 states in the Union, no British troops on American soil, Americans has access to New Orleans and the debt was retired. And President Washington maintained neutrality, which allowed the United States to avoid a potentially-ruinous war at a time of vulnerability. Meanwhile, he achieved domestic tranquilty through relative peace with the American Indians and by supressing the Whiskey Rebellion. The First President, reelected without opposition, gave his vision to the new city that would become the capital of the United States that also bears his name. President Washington's eloquence remains inspirational to this day.

Even after he retired in 1797 until his death in 1799, George Washington continued to serve in various ways, most notably in founding what became known as Washington and Lee University.

As a general, as a Founding Father, as president, and as citizen, George Washington's greatness was abundantly manifest. Indeed, Washington was the greatest American. May we ever be grateful to him and continue his legacy of liberty. God bless George Washington and God bless America.