A Life of Washington, Volume 1Harper & brothers, 1842 - Presidents |
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action affairs Americans arms army battle battle of Monmouth became body Boston Braddock British ministry BROTHERS Burgoyne called cause of liberty character Colonel command conduct confidence Congress consequences Cornwallis coun countrymen courage danger death defence Delaware despair destiny duties enemy England equally exertions fate father feelings fire firmness force Fort Duquesne Fort Necessity Fort Washington freedom French frontier future Governor Dinwiddie Green Mountain Boys honour hope illustrious Indians ington inhabitants insult JAMES K land Lord manded means ment military militia Mount Vernon ness never New-Jersey New-York noble numbers occasion officers parliament parliamentary supremacy party patriotism Philadelphia Pope's Creek portion possession posterity prisoners reputation resistance retreated river royalist savages sion Sir Henry Clinton situation soldiers soon spirit success suffered taken thousand tion troops vigour Virginia virtues Wash Washington whole wilderness York Island young readers youth
Popular passages
Page 164 - THE time is now near at hand, which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves ; whether they are to have any property they can call their own ; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness, from which no human efforts will deliver them.
Page 41 - As I got down before the canoe, I spent some time in viewing the rivers and the land in the fork, which I think extremely well situated for a fort; as it has the absolute command of both rivers.
Page 43 - Then, with gun in hand, and pack on my back, in which were my papers and provisions, I set out with Mr. Gist, fitted in the same manner, on Wednesday the 26th.
Page 229 - ... finding that the inactivity of the army, whether for want of provisions, clothes or other essentials, is charged to my account not only by the common vulgar but by those in power, it is time to speak plain in exculpation of myself. With truth, then, I can declare that no man, in my opinion, ever had his measures more impeded than I have by every department of the army. "Since the month of July we have had no assistance from the quartermaster-general, and to want of assistance from this department...
Page 45 - As we intended to take horses here, and it required some time to find them, I went up about three miles to the mouth of Youghiogany, to visit Queen Aliquippa, who had expressed great concern that we passed her in going to the fort.
Page 164 - The eyes of all our countrymen are now upon us, and we shall have their blessings and praises, if happily we are the instruments of saving them from the tyranny meditated against. them. Let us therefore animate and encourage each other, and show the whole world that a freeman contending for liberty on his own ground, is superior to any slavish mercenary on earth.
Page 44 - We took this fellow into custody, and kept him until about nine o'clock at night, then let him go, and walked all the remaining part of the night without making any stop, that we might get the start so far, as to be out of the reach of their pursuit the next day, since we were well assured they would follow our track as soon as it was light.
Page 44 - I put out my setting pole to try to stop the raft that the ice might pass by; when the rapidity of the stream threw it with so much violence against the pole, that it jerked me out into ten feet water: but I fortunately saved myself by catching hold of one of the raft logs. Notwithstanding all our efforts, we could not get to either shore, but were obliged, as we were near an island, to quit our raft and make to it.
Page 152 - a band of undisciplined husbandmen; ' but it is, under God, to their bravery and attention to their duty that I am indebted for that success, which has procured me the only reward I wish to receive, the affection and esteem of my countrymen.
Page 164 - Our own, our country's honor, calls upon us for a vigorous and manly exertion ; and if we now shamefully fail, we shall become infamous to the whole world. Let us, then, rely on the goodness of our cause, and the aid of the Supreme Being, in whose hands victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble actions.