George Washington: Military Hero and America's First President

Introduction: Washington as an American Icon

Today, George Washington is an American icon, a symbol of patriotism, strength, and humility. His honesty has become the source of legend, to the point that it is easy to forget that he was a real human being with significant political and military accomplishments. Perhaps what is equally surprising about Washington as the durability of his image is the fact that he was just as beloved in his own era. Death sometimes erases the more unflattering aspects of a historical figure's legacy from collective memory, but Washington was always revered, even in life. In fact, many of his contemporaries wished to make him a king after he helped secure American independence, an honor which he refused. Instead, he went on to become the nation's first Chief Executive.

Early Life and Military Beginnings

George Washington first came to political prominence in colonial America due to his military leadership during the French and Indian Wars. He was born to a land-owning Virginian family, but the Washingtons came upon hard times after the untimely death of his father. Young George never received a gentleman's education due to his widowed mother's financial struggles, but he did find work as a surveyor (Knott). After his brother passed away from tuberculosis, Washington lobbied for his brother's military position and received it, despite his youth and inexperience (Knott).

The French and Indian Wars: Lessons Learned

The initial conflict the young Washington presided over involved a dispute over the Ohio Valley between the British and the French. Acting as an envoy for the British, Washington built a fort in the disputed area to prevent further French encroachment (Knott). While reinforcing the fort—known as Fort Necessity—Washington killed a small number of French soldiers in a skirmish. Unknown to Washington, one of these men was a diplomatic envoy, which caused a serious incident and actually precipitated the French and Indian War. This episode would haunt Washington for the rest of his life and initially made him reluctant to take command of the colonial army (Knott).

Despite the inexperience exhibited in his early behavior, Washington learned a number of important lessons from his tenure fighting in the French and Indian War. Most notably, he became aware of the unique guerrilla tactics used by Native Americans that flouted the conventions of traditional European warfare—ideas that would later prove useful against the British. When the British sent the Royal Army to assist with the conflict, Washington acted as an aide to General Edward Braddock (Knott). During the skirmish over Fort Duquesne, Washington attempted to persuade the British to adopt different fighting techniques to counter the guerrilla tactics of the Native Americans, but Braddock ignored him and the British were routed (Knott).

Although the British blamed the colonists for the defeat, Washington was still hailed as a hero. "The colonials, refusing to be England's scapegoat, reacted by elevating Washington as a hero. To convey their approval of his leadership and abilities, the colonials gave him command of all Virginian forces and charged him mainly with defending the colony's western frontier from Native American attacks" (Knott). Washington eventually resigned from the army after capturing Fort Duquesne in 1758, but thanks to his command of the Virginian forces, he gained experience training and commanding an army single-handedly at a very young age (Knott).

Washington and the Road to Revolution

Washington also developed a strong sense of injustice and righteous indignation toward the British Crown, as he believed he had been treated poorly by British forces throughout his service. This sense of outrage was further intensified when Washington returned to his life as a gentleman farmer. The British system of tariffs on tobacco left him in debt and forced him to expand into other crops that could be sold domestically, as well as weaving, fishing, and other practices to reduce his estate's dependency on England (Knott). Although there was less revolutionary ferment in the southern colonies at first, Washington was one of the earliest and most prominent citizens to support revolt. "But a series of English provocations—the closure of Boston Harbor, new taxes, the shooting deaths of five colonials in an altercation with Royal troops, the abolition of the Massachusetts state charter—made Washington a firm believer in American independence by the early 1770s" (Knott).

Interestingly, when Washington was selected by the Second Continental Congress to lead the colonial army, he did not believe himself capable of doing so, based upon his missteps during the French and Indian Wars. "I beg it may be remembered that I, this day, declare with the utmost sincerity, I do not think myself equal to the command I am honored with," he said (Knott). Nevertheless, Washington was the only man widely acknowledged to have enough relevant experience among the available candidates. He was also a popular and well-liked figure. Washington was acutely aware that his decision to accept the command made him a traitor in the eyes of the British, marking a sharp departure from the respected status he had once held in colonial society. Still, he believed that what he was doing was right and necessary for the future of the land he loved.

Leading the Continental Army

The British army was widely regarded as the most effective fighting force in the world, yet the revolutionary army Washington commanded was characterized as "ragtag, barely trained, half-starving and woefully unequipped," and "led by generals often squabbling, undermining, or fighting with each other" (Kladky). Washington unsurprisingly lost his first major engagements against the British, but he was able to bolster the morale of his men through a series of bold and unexpected moves, once again drawing upon his knowledge of guerrilla tactics observed during his earlier service. Washington again benefited from his refusal to fight according to the conventional codes of war observed by the British (Knott). This approach inspired his famous Christmas Day assault on the British at Trenton. Despite the fact that historians have since characterized these victories as "large-scale battles than they were guerrilla raids," they gave the colonial army renewed hope (Knott). Washington's tactics have been described as "hit and run," as he refused to engage the British directly except when absolutely necessary, preferring instead to wear them down through persistent skirmishing.

Washington's great skill as a leader lay in his astute ability to assess the psychology of his men. Although his personal charisma—including his commanding physical presence and his ability to ride a horse well—were among the more subjective yet compelling reasons he had been given command, his ability to inspire trust was equally important. "His close coordination with governors and state militias, his cooperative relations with Congress, and his professional attention to supplies, logistics, and training all contributed to the success of the Continental Army" (Kladky). Washington's ability to build alliances laid the foundation for America's later unity, an impressive achievement given that the colonists had previously regarded themselves more as citizens of individual states than as members of a single nation.

Washington was also extremely realistic in his assessment of his army's weaknesses, which was yet another reason he was willing to abandon the conventional military rulebook and resort to any means necessary to ensure victory. "I think the game is pretty well up," he admitted before his victory at Trenton, acknowledging that if the army did not secure a win soon, its prospects were dire (Remini 42). One historian stated that "George Washington was not a great general but a brilliant revolutionary," based on the way he was able to rally his men's morale under trying circumstances (Knott). Technically, although America won the war, Washington actually lost most of his individual battles. But "he held his ragtag, hungry army together," and one French officer remarked that he found it "truly incredible that troops almost naked, poorly paid . . . should behave so well on the march and under fire" (Knott).

It should be noted, however, that Washington was not without his critics. The war lasted eight long years, and his men frequently lived in desperate conditions. Washington could also be indecisive as a commander. For example, "Fort Lee was so slowly evacuated that the British seized precious cannons, muskets, and supplies" (Kladky). Nevertheless, as a result of his successes during the Revolutionary War and his instrumental role in securing American independence, Washington was deemed the logical selection for the nation's first president.

Works Cited

Kladky, William P. "Continental Army." Mount Vernon. Web. 24 Feb. 2017.

Knott, Stephen. "George Washington: Life Before the Presidency." Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Web. 24 Feb. 2017.

Remini, Robert. A Short History of the United States. HarperCollins, 2009.