AN

ESSAY

ON THE

LIFE

OF

GEORGE WASHINGTON,

COMMANDER IN CHIEF

OF THE

AMERICAN ARMY,

THROUGH THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR ;

AND THE

FIRST PRESIDENT

OF THE

UNITED STATES.

BY AARON BANCROFT, A. A. S.

PASTOR OF A CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN WORCESTER.

WORCESTER :

PRINTED BY THOMAS & STURTEVANT,

SOLD BY THOMAS AND ANDREWS, I. THOMAS AND L.THOMAS, JUN.

OCTOBER......1807.

KBS

DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS....TO WIT:

BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the nincteenth (L. S. day of September, in the thirtysecond year of the Independence of

the United States of America, AARON BANCROFT of the said District, has deposited in this Office the Title of a Book the Right whereof he claims as Author in the Words following, to wit: "An Essay on the LIFE of GEORGE WASHINGTON, Commander in Chief of the American Army, through the Revolutionary War, and the first President of the United

States.

BY AARON BANCROFT, A. A. S.

PASTOR OF A CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN WORCESTER."

In Conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States; intitled, "An Act for the Ericouragement of Leaming, by fecuring the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the. Authors and Proprietors of such Copies, during the Times therein mentioned;" and allo to an Act intitled, "An Act supplementary to an Act, intitled: Art Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Author, and Proprietors of, fuch Coppies during the times therein mentioned; and extending therept to to the the Arts of Designing, Engraving and Etching, Historical and Other Prints: :. *WILLIAM S. SHAW,

the

Benefits

PREFACE.

THE following publication originated in the author's wish to place within reach of the great body of his country. men, an authentick biography of General WASHINGTON. Judge Marshall, in his valuable life of this illustrious patriot, has embraced not only the settlement and general history of the North American Colonies; but also the political history of the United States. His work is therefore necessarily too expensive to be obtained by all classes of American people. The writer of these memoirs apprehended, that by publishing the life of, WASHINGTON in one volume, reasonable in its price, he should enable those of his fellow citizens, who are not in possession of Marshall, to leave to their posterity a memorial of a man, who was preeminently distinguished as a Soldier and Statesman.

General WASHINGTON was from his youth devoted to his country, his character therefore cannot be pourtrayed, without bringing into view many important publick transactions. The plan of the writer has been to notice no individual or event, further than was necessary to display the principal character.

He has made Judge Marshall his leading authority for facts, and has in some measure followed him in the order of events. The histories of the war by Doctors Ramsay and Gordon, and several original writings have been consulted; but he trusts, that greater liberty has not been taken with any of them than is fair and honourable. The few facts, which