Wednesday, April 6, 2011

George Washington's World - George Washington's Humiliation

George Washington stood in the General's office.  The General was giving him directions on where and how to take a letter to the French.


"This is important, you know, Washington."

"Yes, sir," said Washington.

"I'm trusting you very much, you know."

"Yes sir," said Washington, wondering when the conversation was going to end and he was going to get on his journey.

"Now, go now," said the General.

"Alright sir,"said George Washington, thankful that the conversation was done.

He left the room and the General was left.  Washington started out.  It was a long hard journey but they made it.  They delivered the letter and came back.

The next time they went, it was even harder than the first time, as they had come for war and a treaty.  The journey there was really hard.  But the journey back was even worse.  When they had arrived, they had found a camp of soldiers right there.  The Virginians had quietly surrounded the camp, and then Washington gave the order to "Attack!"

Twelve men, including a leader, fell dead.  The other 20 men were forced to surrender to Washington.

Washington, after his success, was marching back.  But he was also taken by surprise.  This time, he didn't take the French by surprise; they took HIM by surprise.  Washington was forced to surrender and march back home.  The French made him sign a piece of paper before they would let him go;  Washington's translator looked it over and said it would be fine to sign.  Washington signed it, not realizing he was signing a piece of paper of his own admission that he had murdered the French men at the camp.

His spirits were not improved when he got home because he was taken ill and had to lay in bed for many, many weeks.  His only hope for Sally to drop in and talk to him, but he had words for her that he was sad that she would never care to hear, for she was the wife of one of his best neighbors and friends.

At last he got better and set out again for the camp against the French.  He went with an army, also with a big silly guy who was trained to fight on the battlefield, but totally inexperienced in the wildlife of the woods. His men weren't trained to fight in the woods either.  And they were going through woods!

After a while, seething with impatience, George Washington told the nincompoop to go on ahead.  They were easily seen marching through the woods in their redcoats, and the French and Indians attacked them there.

Washington shouted for the nincompoop, General Braddock, to bring back his ranks as Washington's second horse fell under him, dead.  Braddock refused to fall back.  Washington rode about on his third horse, riding here and there, doing the best he could to restore order to the ranks.  The Virginians obeyed him but Braddock's troops did not know what to do.  Others stood still, getting shot down like pigeons on their roost.  Others rode here and there and killed each other by riding over their own soldiers.

Washington finally forced a retreat.  General Braddock died of his wounds a day or two later.  Washington became a little more known and became a little more popular after that battle.

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