Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/66

 FATHERS OF THE REVOLUTION

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Washington rallying the broken command, conducting the retreat, and reading the bur- ial service over his fallen chief — all these facts are familiar. The Virginia assembly now raised a regiment, and gave Washing- ton command of all the state forces. In 1758 his health gave way and he returned home, but soon resumed field service, marched to and took possession of Fort Du- quesnc, and then resigned his commission. In 1759 he was elected to the house of bur- gesses; was present when Patrick Henry introduced his resolutions of May 29, 1765, and in May, 1769, offered the non-importa- tion resolutions, drawn by George Mason. In the Virginia convention which met at Williamsburg, August i, 1774, he declared, a! my own expense, and march them to the relief of Boston." He was a delegate to the Continental Congress at Philadelphia, in 1774, and was chairman of the military com- mittee at the session of 1775. On June 15 he was made commander-in-chief, and July 3d took command of the first American army at Cambridge, 14.000 men. enthusi- astic, but undisciplined. He directed the operations at Boston, and after its evacu- ation by the British proceeded to New York, which he fortified, and arranged for the Canada campaign. He then visited Con- gress in Philadelphia, and on his return learned of a plot for his assassination, con- ceived by the tory Tryon; this was frus- trated, the conspirators were imprisoned, and the principal actor. Thomas Hickey, was hanged. Lord Howe arrived, and at- tempted to open a correspondence addressed to **Mr. Washington," which was rejected, when Howe wrote to the British home authorities that it would be well to give
 * I will raise a thousand men, subsist them

him his proper title. Washington then opened the Long Island campaign, and by his coolness and decision saved his army and crossed it over to New York. After re- sisting Howe for a time, he made his re- treat through New Jersey, his troops re- duced to 3000 men. Evading Cornwadis, he made his historic crossing of the Dela- ware, attacked Trenton in midst of a fierce storm, and as the fruit of a bayonet charge captured Colonel Rahl and 1000 men, then rt'crossing the river. Making a night march on Princeton, he defeated three regi- ments of British troops, and then took post at Morristown. In January, 1777, he issued a proclamation requiring such inhabitants a^ had subscribed to Lord Howe's declar- ation, to take the oath of allegiance to the United States; his act was questioned in Congress, and he was accused of violating civil rights, but nothing came of it. He ccmdemned the commissioning of foreigners as unjust to native officers, but afterward warmly approved the appointment of such officers as von Steuben and Lafayette. By his activity he obliged Howe to retire to Xew York, whence Howe sailed to Delaware. Washington suffered a reverse at Chad's Ford. Pennsylvania, and his army was held together with difficulty; later (October 3), with 8000 men he routed the enemy at Gcr- mantown. but was unable to reap the full fruits of a victory on account of some of his fresh troops being seized with panic. Later he repulsed the enemy at Fort Mer- cer, but a British fleet obliged him to aban- don the Delaware and he retired to White Marsh, and by his activity obliged Howe to confine himself to Philadelphia. About this time Gates undertook the overthrow of Washington, but the plot was discovered

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