Introduction
George Washington is one of the most iconic figures in American history. His face adorns the one-dollar bill, his name graces countless streets and buildings, and Americans even get a federal holiday on his birthday. But how much do we really know about the man behind the myth?
In "You Never Forget Your First," historian Alexis Coe sets out to challenge the traditional narratives surrounding America's first president. She aims to cut through the hero worship and reveal a more nuanced, human portrait of Washington. By examining his life from a fresh perspective, Coe offers readers a chance to see beyond the legends and discover the complex individual who helped shape a nation.
This book takes us on a journey through Washington's life, from his humble beginnings to his rise as a military leader and eventual presidency. Along the way, we'll encounter surprising facts, debunk popular myths, and gain new insights into the man who became known as the Father of His Country.
Washington's Early Years: Ambition Born from Adversity
George Washington's story begins not with his birth in 1732, but with the death of his father Augustine in 1743. This event would prove to be a crucial turning point in young George's life, setting him on a path of relentless ambition.
Augustine's death left the Washington family in a precarious financial situation. Contrary to expectations, George's mother Mary did not remarry. Instead, she was forced to sell off much of their farm to make ends meet. The family's struggles were compounded by the British monopoly on trade, which made it difficult for small-scale farmers like Mary to prosper.
Faced with these challenges, George had to grow up quickly. He dropped out of school and took up land surveying, a profession that would allow him to support his mother and five siblings. By the age of 18, he was not only earning enough to provide for his family but also purchasing thousands of acres of farmland for himself.
During this time, George's half-brother Lawrence played a significant role in shaping his future. Lawrence's connections to the elite military circles provided George with valuable exposure to influential people. When Lawrence fell ill with tuberculosis, the brothers traveled to Barbados in hopes that the warmer climate would improve his health.
This trip to the Caribbean proved to be a mixed blessing for George. While he fell in love with the tropical weather and exotic fruits (particularly pineapples), he also contracted smallpox, which left him with facial scarring. However, this experience would later prove beneficial, as it made him immune to the disease during future outbreaks.
Lawrence's eventual death, while tragic, opened up new opportunities for George. He was able to step into his brother's vacant position in the Virginia militia, marking the beginning of his military career.
A Rocky Start in the Military
Washington's early military career was far from illustrious. In fact, his first major action inadvertently sparked a global conflict. During a mission in western Pennsylvania, Washington's company killed ten Frenchmen, an event that would escalate into the French and Indian War.
Despite this inauspicious start, Washington's reputation began to grow. The publication of his wartime diaries by the British, intended to stir up anti-French sentiment, had the unintended effect of portraying the 22-year-old as a daring adventurer.
However, Washington soon found himself frustrated with military life. His command posts were chronically undersupplied, and his British superiors refused to adapt their traditional European warfare tactics to the American frontier. Washington chafed under these conditions, realizing that even the most ambitious colonist remained a second-class citizen under British rule.
This experience planted the seeds of discontent that would later blossom into revolutionary fervor. For now, though, Washington decided to retire from the army and seek his fortunes elsewhere.
A Strategic Marriage and Civilian Life
Recognizing that his military career was unlikely to bring him the wealth and status he desired, Washington set his sights on a different path to success: marrying rich. His induction into Virginia's House of Burgesses in 1758 (thanks to some strategic lobbying by his plantation friends) improved his social standing and marriageability.
Fate intervened in the form of a bout of dysentery, which led to Washington meeting Martha Custis during his recovery in Williamsburg. Martha, a wealthy widow with a vast estate and hundreds of enslaved people, seemed as taken with Washington's reputation as he was with her fortune. After only two meetings, they agreed to marry.
This marriage catapulted Washington into the upper echelons of Virginia society. Now a wealthy plantation owner and rising politician, he seemed to have achieved the life he had always wanted. However, even as a prosperous planter, Washington found himself frustrated by British policies.
The British monopoly on trade meant that colonists like Washington were forced to sell their crops at below-market rates while paying exorbitant prices for imported goods. To maintain his lifestyle, Washington relied heavily on the labor of hundreds of enslaved people and indentured servants.
The Road to Revolution
As tensions between the colonies and Britain escalated, Washington found himself increasingly aligned with the revolutionary cause. A series of exploitative taxes, including the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Townshend Acts of 1767, fueled colonial resentment.
While Virginia planters responded with boycotts of British goods, colonists in Massachusetts took more drastic action. The Boston Tea Party of 1773, in which colonists dumped hundreds of crates of tea into Boston Harbor, marked a turning point in colonial-British relations.
When the first shots of the Revolution were fired at the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, Washington emerged as the natural choice to lead the newly formed Continental Army. His years of networking up and down the East Coast had made him a well-known and respected figure among the colonial elite.
At 43 years old, Washington saw this as his moment for glory. He had long admired great military leaders of the past, decorating his home with busts of figures like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar. Now, he had the chance to join their ranks in the annals of history.
The Revolutionary War: Triumph Through Trickery
As commander of the Continental Army, Washington faced overwhelming odds. The British arrived in 1776 with a massive force of 32,000 troops on 400 ships, dwarfing the Patriots' 19,000 poorly equipped soldiers. However, Washington's bold attitude and clever tactics would prove crucial in the coming conflict.
From the outset, Washington displayed a flair for the dramatic. When the British sent an emissary to negotiate, he refused to meet until the diplomat addressed him as "General." After rejecting their terms, he sent the emissary back with "particular compliments," shocking the British admirals with his audacity.
While Washington's battlefield victories have been well-documented, his success as a military leader owed as much to his skills in propaganda and espionage as to his tactical prowess. Recognizing the power of public opinion, Washington collected and published stories of British atrocities against civilians, swaying colonial sentiment in favor of the revolutionary cause.
He also personally managed a network of spies and double agents, using innovative techniques like invisible ink and coded laundry line arrangements to pass messages. These efforts were so effective that a British spymaster later remarked, "Washington didn't really outfight the British. He simply outspied us."
Despite these successes, the war took a heavy toll on Washington. By its end, his finances were in ruins, and his mother was impoverished. Though victorious and hailed as a hero, Washington longed to return home and recover his fortunes in peace.
An Unexpected Return to Public Life
After the war, Washington's popularity soared to unprecedented heights. Everywhere he went, he was greeted by adoring crowds. Congress even waived postage on letters addressed to him, leading to an avalanche of fan mail and gifts.
This overwhelming popularity made many of the Founding Fathers nervous. They feared Washington might use his influence to establish himself as a Caesar-like figure or emperor. Even King George III of England expressed disbelief that Washington would willingly relinquish power.
When Washington did indeed step down from his military command in 1783 and return home to Mount Vernon, he became a living legend. His voluntary surrender of power was seen as an act of unprecedented virtue and selflessness.
Back at Mount Vernon, Washington hoped to enjoy a quiet retirement. However, the fledgling nation was struggling. Disagreements between Northern and Southern states over the powers of a central government threatened to tear the country apart, while British encroachment on the frontiers posed an external threat.
Despite his desire for a peaceful retirement, Washington couldn't ignore the nation's plight. In 1787, he reluctantly agreed to participate in the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Under his leadership, the United States Constitution was drafted and ratified.
The Reluctant President
Washington's involvement in the Constitutional Convention had been predicated on the assumption that he would become the nation's first president. Without his steadying influence, many feared the country would descend into chaos.
True to form, Washington won the first U.S. presidential election without engaging in any campaigning or debates. He spent the entire election season at home with Martha, only setting out for New York (then the nation's capital) after learning of his victory.
Washington's inauguration was a grand affair, befitting the birth of a new nation. He was escorted by 500 soldiers through massive crowds, wearing shoes with silver buckles and large diamonds. The ceremony concluded with fireworks displaying the new president's face in the night sky.
However, observers noted that Washington didn't seem particularly happy about his new role. His discomfort with public attention was well-known, and it's possible he foresaw the challenges that lay ahead.
A Presidency Marked by Conflict
Washington's presidency was far from smooth sailing. From the outset, he faced conflicts within his own administration. His vice president, John Adams, had a very different leadership style and set of priorities. Washington's cabinet was riven by rivalry, particularly between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton.
While Washington initially managed to mediate these conflicts, tensions came to a head over the Jay Treaty, a controversial trade agreement with Britain. When Congress demanded to see documents related to the treaty negotiations, Washington refused, invoking executive privilege for the first time in U.S. history.
Perhaps the most significant test of Washington's presidency came during his second term with the Whiskey Rebellion. When distillers in Kentucky and western Pennsylvania refused to pay taxes, Washington took the unprecedented step of personally leading a federal militia to quell the uprising.
This action was widely criticized, even by close allies like James Madison, who called it the gravest error of Washington's political career. It marked the only time in U.S. history that a sitting president has taken up arms against American citizens.
Washington's presidency was also marked by his failure to address the issue of slavery. While he claimed to support gradual emancipation, he took no concrete steps to legislate against slavery during his time in office. Moreover, he continued to own hundreds of enslaved people on his own plantation.
The Final Years: Legacy and Reflection
As his second term drew to a close, Washington found himself with more enemies than allies in government. Weary of the constant conflicts and criticisms, he declined to run for a third term, instead retiring to Mount Vernon for the final time.
In retirement, Washington became preoccupied with his legacy. He meticulously annotated copies of tell-all accounts published by former cabinet members, adding his own rebuttals to their criticisms. He also made dire predictions about the future of American politics, foreseeing a rise in partisanship that would lead to governmental gridlock.
Even in retirement, Washington couldn't entirely escape politics. When war with France seemed imminent, he agreed to lead the Continental Army once more, though the conflict (known as the Quasi-War) never escalated beyond naval skirmishes.
Washington's final years were marked by routine. He ate the same breakfast every day – a type of corncake called a hoecake, drowned in butter and honey, accompanied by three cups of tea. He would then ride out to inspect his estate, a habit he maintained even in inclement weather.
It was this dedication to routine that ultimately led to Washington's demise. In December 1799, despite hail, rain, and snow, he went on his usual ride. He returned home with a severe cold that quickly worsened. Despite (or perhaps because of) the best efforts of his doctors, who employed contemporary treatments like bloodletting and enemas, Washington died a few days later at the age of 67.
Washington's Final Act: A Complicated Legacy
In death, Washington took steps to appear more magnanimous than he had been in life. His will included provisions to free all 123 of the enslaved people on his plantation – though this freedom was to be granted only after Martha's death.
However, even this final act was not without controversy. Washington's will revealed the extent of his wealth, including ownership of 51,000 acres of land across five states. This vast fortune contradicted his long-standing excuse that he lacked the liquid assets to free his enslaved workers during his lifetime.
Washington's legacy, like the man himself, is complex and often contradictory. He was a hero of the American Revolution and a skilled political leader who helped shape the young nation. Yet he was also a man who benefited from and perpetuated the institution of slavery, even as he expressed misgivings about it.
Final Thoughts: The Man Behind the Myth
"You Never Forget Your First" challenges readers to look beyond the mythologized version of George Washington that has been passed down through generations. By examining Washington's life in all its complexity – his triumphs and failures, his virtues and flaws – we gain a more nuanced understanding of the man who played such a crucial role in shaping American history.
Alexis Coe's fresh perspective on Washington reminds us that even the most revered historical figures were, at their core, human beings grappling with the challenges and contradictions of their time. Washington was not the infallible demigod of popular legend, but a man of ambition and conviction who sometimes fell short of his own ideals.
By stripping away the layers of myth and legend, we can appreciate Washington's accomplishments even more. His willingness to relinquish power when he could have easily claimed it for life set a precedent for peaceful transitions of power that has become a cornerstone of American democracy. His leadership during the Revolutionary War and the early years of the republic helped establish the United States as an independent nation.
At the same time, acknowledging Washington's flaws and mistakes allows us to engage more critically with American history. His failure to address the issue of slavery during his presidency, despite his personal misgivings about the institution, highlights the deep-rooted nature of this injustice in early American society.
Ultimately, "You Never Forget Your First" invites readers to see George Washington not as a distant historical icon, but as a complex individual whose life and legacy continue to shape American identity. By understanding Washington in all his human complexity, we can better appreciate the challenges faced by the founding generation and the ongoing work of building a more perfect union.
As we reflect on Washington's life and legacy, we are reminded that history is not a simple narrative of great men doing great things. It is a complex tapestry of human actions and decisions, shaped by the social, economic, and political contexts of their time. By examining these complexities, we can gain valuable insights into our own society and the ongoing process of national self-reflection and improvement.
George Washington may have been the "Father of His Country," but like any parent, he was imperfect. His story, with all its triumphs and contradictions, serves as a reminder that the work of building and maintaining a democracy is never finished. It is an ongoing process, carried forward by each generation, learning from the successes and failures of those who came before.
In the end, perhaps the most valuable lesson we can take from Washington's life is not to seek perfection in our leaders or our history, but to strive for progress while acknowledging our shared humanity. By seeing Washington as a man rather than a myth, we open the door to a richer, more nuanced understanding of American history – and of ourselves.