GEORGE WASHINGTON: | service, was the grandfather of Augus tine, who married Mary Ball, the belle of the county, and became the parent of George Washington. The family home was on Bridges' Creek, near the banks of the Potomac, where, the old riage of his father, the illustrious subject of our sketch was born on the twenty-second of February, 1732. t THE traditions of the Washington family in England have been carried back to the picturesque era of the early days of the Plantagenets, when the De Wessyngtons did manorial service in the battle and the chase, to the military Bishop of Durham. Follow-est of six children by this second maring these spirited scenes through the fourteenth century to the fifteenth, we have a glimpse of John de Wessyngton, a stout, controversial abbot attached to the cathedral. After him, we are called upon to trace the family in the various parts of England, and particularly in its branch of Washingtonsfor so the spelling of the name had now become determined at Sulgrave, in Northamptonshire. They were loy alists in the Cromwellian era, when Sir Henry gained renown by his defence of Worcester. While this event was quite recent, two brothers of the race, John and Lawrence, emigrated to Vir ginia in 1657, and established themselves as planters, in Westmoreland county, bordering on the Potomac and Rappahannock, in the midst of a district destined to produce many emi nent men for the service of a State then undreamt of. One of these brothers, John, a colonel in the Virginia Augustine Washington was the owner of several estates in this region of the two rivers, to one of which, on the Rappahannock, in Stafford County, he removed shortly after his son's birth, and there the boy received his first impressions. He was not destined to be much indebted to schools or school-masters. His father, indeed, was not insensible to the advantages of education, since, according to the custom of those days with wealthy planters, he had sent Lawrence, his oldest son by his previous marriage, to be educated in England; an opportunity which was not given him in the case of George; for before the boy was of an age to leave home on such a journey, the father was suddenly taken out of the world by an attack of gout. This event happened in April, 1743, when George was left (123) to the guardianship of his mother. The honest merits of Mary, "the mother of Washington," have often been matters of comment. All that is preserved of this lady, who survived her husband forty-six years, and of course lived to witness the matured triumphs of her son—he was seated in the Presidential chair when she died-bears witness to her good sense and simplicity, the plainness and sincerity of her house hold virtues. The domestic instruction of Washington was of the best and purest. He had been early indoctrinated in the rudiments of learning, in the "field school," by a village pedagogue, named Hobby, one of his father's tenants, who joined to his afflictive calling the more melancholy profession of sexton-a shabby member of the race of instructors, who in his old age kept up the association by getting patriotically fuddled on his pupils' birth-days. The boy could have learnt little there which was not better taught at home. Indeed we find his mother inculcating the best precepts. In addition to the Scriptures and the lessons of the Church, which always form the most important part of such a child's education, she had a book of excellent wisdom, as the event proved, especially suitable especially suitable for the guidance of her son's future life, in Sir Matthew Hale's "Contemplations, Moral and Divine "-a book written by one who had attained high public distinction, and who tells the secret of his worth and success. The very volume out of which Washington was thus taught by his mother is preserved at Mount Vernon. He had, however, some limited school instruction with a Mr. Williams, whom he attended from his half brother, Augustine's home, in Westmoreland, and from whom he learnt a knowledge of accounts, in which he was always skilful. He had also particular instructions from Mr. Williams in geometry, trigonometry, and surveying, in which he became an adept, writing out his examples in the neatest and most careful manner. This was a branch of instruction more important to him than Latin and Greek, of which he was taught nothing, and one that he turned to account through life. All the school instruction which Washington received was thus completed before he was sixteen. On leaving school, young Washington appears to have taken up his resi dence with his brother at Mount Ver non, where he was introduced to new social influences of a liberal character in the family society of the Fairfaxes. Lawrence was married to a daughter of William Fairfax, a gentleman of much experience and adventure about the world, who resided at his neighboring seat "Belvoir," on the Potomac, and superintended, as agent, the large landed operations of his cousin, Lord Fairfax. Surveys were to be made to keep possession of the lands, and bring them into the market; and who so well adapted for this service as the youth who had made the science an object of special study? We consequently find him regularly retained in this service. His journal, at the age of sixteen, remains to tell us of the duties and adventures of the journey, as he traversed the outlying rough ways and passages of the South Branch of the Potomac. It is a short record of camp incidents and the progress of his surveys for a month in the wilderness, in the spring of 1748, the prelude, in its introduction to Indians and the exposures of camp life, to many rougher scenes of military service, stretching westward from the region. Three years were passed in expeditions of this, nature, the young surveyor making his home in his intervals of duty mostly at Mount Vernon. The health of his brother, the owner of this place, to whom he was much attached, was now failing with consumption, and George accompanied him in one of his tours for health in the autumn of 1751, to Barbadoes. As usual, he kept a journal of his observations, which tells us of the every-day living and hospitalities of the place, with a shrewd glance at its agricultural resources and the conduct of its governor. A few lines cover nearly a month of the visit; they record an attack of the small-pox, of which his countenance always bore some faint traces. Leaving his brother, partially recruited, to pursue his way to Bermuda, George returned in February to Virginia. The health of Lawrence, however, continued to decline, and in the ensuing summer he died at Mount Vernon. The estate was left to a daughter, who, dying in infancy, the property passed, according to the terms of the will, into the possession of George, who thus became the owner of his memorable home. to districts for enlistment and organization of the militia, over one of which Washington was placed, with the rank of major, in 1751, when he was but nineteen-a mark of confidence sustained by his youthful studies and experience, but in which his family influence, doubtless, had its full share. We hear of his attention to military exercises at Mount Vernon, and of some special hints and instructions from one Adjutant Ware, a Virginian, and a Dutchman, Jacob Van Braam, who gave him lessons in fencing. Both of these worthies had been the military companions of Law. rence Washington in the West Indies. In 1753, the year following his brother's death, the affairs on the frontier becoming pressing, Governor Dinwiddie stood in need of a resolute agent, to bear a message to the French commander on the Ohio, remonstrating against the advancing occupation of the territory. It was a hazardous service crossing a rough, intervening wilderness, occupied by unfriendly Indians, and it was a high compliment to Washington to select him for the duty. Amply provided with instructions, he left Williamsburg on the mission on the last day of October, and, by the middle of November, reached the extreme frontier settlement at Will's Creek. Thence, with his little party of eight, he pursued his way to the fork of the Ohio, where, with a military eye, he noted the advantageous posi Previous to this time, rumors of im- tion subsequently selected as the site minent French and Indian aggressions of Fort Du Quesne, and now the flour on the frontier began to engage the at- ishing city of Pittsburg. He then held tention of the colony, and preparations a council of the Indians at Logstown, were making to resist the threatened and procured guides to the station of attack. The province was divided in the French commandant, a hundred and twenty miles distant, in the vicinity of Lake Erie, which he reached on the 11th of December. An interview having been obtained, the message delivered and an answer received, the most hazardous part of the expedition yet lay before the party in their return home. They were exposed to frozen streams, the winter inclemencies, the perils of the wilderness and Indian hostilities, when Indian hostilities were most cruel. To hasten his homeward journey, Washington separated from the rest, with a single companion. His life was more than once in danger on the way, first from the bullet of an Indian, and during a night of extraordinary severity, in crossing the violent Alleghany river on a raft beset with ice. Escaping these disasters, he reached Williamsburg on the 16th of January, and gave the interesting journal now included in his writings as the report of his proceedings. It was at once published by the Governor, and was speedily reprinted in London. The observations of Washington, and the reply which he brought, confirmed the growing impressions of the designs of the French, and military preparations were kept up with spirit. A Virginia regiment of three hundred was raised for frontier service, and Washington was appointed its Lieutenant-Colonel. Advancing with a portion of the force of which he had command, he learnt that the French were in the field, and had commenced hostilities. Watchful of their movements, he fell in with a party under Jumonville, in the neighborhood of the Great Meadows, which he put to flight with the death of their leader. His own superior officer having died on the march, the entire command fell upon Washington, who was also joined by some additional troops from South Carolina and New York. With these he was on his way to attack Fort Du Quesne, when word was brought of a large superior force of French and Indians coming against him. This intelligence led him, in his unprepared state, to retrace his steps to Fort Necessity, at the Great Meadows, where he received the attack. The fort was gallantly defended both within and without, Washington commanding in front, and it was not until serious loss had been inflicted on the assailants that it surrendered to superior numbers. In the capitulation the garrison was allowed to return home with the honors of war. A second time the Legislature of Virginia thanked her returning officer. The military career of Washington was now for a time interrupted by a question of etiquette. An order was issued in favor of the officers holding the king's commission outranking the provincial appointments. Washington, who knew the worth of his countrymen, and the respect due himself, would not submit to this injustice, and the estate of Mount Vernon now requiring his attention, he withdrew from the army to its rural occupations. He was not, however, suffered to remain there long in inactivity. The arrival of General Braddock, with his forces, in the river, called him into action at the summons of that officer, who was attracted by his experience and accomplishments. Washington, anxious to serve his country, readily accepted an appointment as one of the general's military family, day, though still feeble from his illthe question of rank being thus dis- ness, Washington mounted his horse pensed with. He joined the army on and took his station as aid to the genits onward march at Winchester, and eral. It was a brilliant display, as the proceeded with it, though he had been well-appointed army passed under the taken ill with a raging fever, to the eye of its martinet commander on its Great Crossing of the Youghiogany. way from the encampment, crossing Here he was compelled to remain with and recrossing the Monongahela tothe rear of the army, by the positive wards Fort Du Quesne-and the solinjunctions of the general, from whom dierly eye of Washington is said to he exacted his "word of honor" that have kindled at the sight. The march he "should be brought up before he had continued from sunrise till about reached the French fort." This he ac- two o'clock in the afternoon, when, as complished, though he was too ill to the advanced column was ascending a make the journey on horseback, arriv- rising ground covered with trees, a fire ing at the mouth of the Youghiogany, was opened upon it from two concealed in the immediate vicinity of the fatal ravines on either side. Then was felt battle-field, the evening before the en- the want of American experience in gagement. In the events of that me- fighting with the Indian. Braddock morable 9th of July, 1755, he was des- in vain sent forward his men. They tined to bear a conspicuous part. From would not, or could not, fight against the beginning, he had been a prudent a hidden foe, while they themselves counsellor of the general on the march, were presented in open view to the and it was by his advice that some of marksmen. Washington recommended its urgent difficulties had been over- the Virginia example of seeking procome. He advised pack-horses instead tection from the trees, but the general of baggage-wagons, and a rapid ad- would not even then abandon his Euvance with an unencumbered portion ropean tactics. The regulars stood in of the force before the enemy at Fort squads shooting their own companions Du Quesne could gain strength; but before them. The result was an overBraddock, a brave, confident officer of whelming defeat, astounding when the the European school, resolutely ad- relative forces and equipment of the dicted to system, was unwilling or un- two parties is considered. Braddock, able fully to carry out the suggestions. who, amidst all his faults, did not lack Had Washington held the command, courage, directed his men while five it is but little to say that he would not horses were killed under him. Washhave been caught in an ambuscade. It ington was also in the thickest of the was his last advice, on arriving at the danger, losing two horses, while his scene on the eve of the battle, that the clothes were pierced by four bullets. Virginia Rangers should be employed Many years afterwards, when he visited as a scouting party, rather than the, the region on a peaceful mission, an regular troops in the advance. The old Indian came to see him as a wonproposition was rejected. The next der. He had, he said, levelled his rifle |