Came very near entering the British Navy at the age of fourteen――attends
school at Fredericksburg――becomes a practical surveyor at the age of
sixteen――the Indian war dance――continues surveying three years――is
appointed Adjutant General of the Militia, with the rank of Major, at
the age of nineteen――accompanies his half-brother Lawrence to
Barbadoes――Lawrence dies and leaves George the Mount Vernon estate.
While George lived with his half-brother Augustine at Pope’s Creek,
he was taught the manual exercise by Adjutant Muse, a Westmoreland
volunteer, who had been in the service with his other half-brother,
Lawrence. He was also instructed in the art of fencing, by Mr. Van
Braam, who afterwards accompanied him against the French as his
interpreter.[2]
[2] J. Sparks.
In the summer of 1746, George left Mr. Williams’s school in
Westmoreland county, and returned home to his mother’s, in Stafford
county. He was then about fourteen years old. Soon after his return
he became very desirous to enter the British navy.――His half-brother
Lawrence approved his choice. Mr. William Fairfax, the father-in-law
of Lawrence, was desirous that George’s inclination for the navy
should be gratified. They both used their influence with his mother
in favor of the project. She at first seemed to consent, though
reluctantly.――Lawrence procured him a midshipman’s warrant. But as
the time of separation drew near, her maternal feelings and more
mature reflection caused his mother to waver in her decision. She
suggested many objections to the plan; and seemed to listen with more
satisfaction to those who opposed, than to those who approved of it.
In September, during her suspense upon the subject, George went to see
and further consult his brother Lawrence at Mount Vernon, and other
friends in the county of Fairfax. On this occasion he spent a little
time at the house of Mr. William Fairfax, who is said to have been an
amiable and excellent man. During this visit, George told Mr. Fairfax
that he was willing to follow the advice of his brother Lawrence,
as his best friend. On his return home, however, George found his
mother so decidedly opposed to his going to sea, and her feelings so
tenderly affected at the thought of his leaving her, that he gave it up
entirely; thinking it his duty to sacrifice his inclinations, in this
case, to her happiness. When we consider that this scheme was suited
to captivate his youthful fancy, that it was encouraged by some of
his most judicious friends, and that the necessary preparations were
made for carrying it into effect, it is evident that the sacrifice
was great, and a proof of filial affection and dutiful regard highly
honorable to him. It must be admitted that the mother’s feelings were
truly parental, and her wishes reasonable, when it is considered that
George was her eldest son, that his father was dead, and that she was
left with five younger children.――This decision was probably an event
of Providence, upon which the very existence of the United States, as
an independent nation, depended.
After this, George lived a part of his time with his brother Lawrence,
at Mount Vernon, and a part of the time with his mother, near
Fredericksburg, and went to school in that town. Here he made great
improvement in the art of surveying.
In March, 1748, being then sixteen years old, he engaged as a surveyor
of lands, associated with Mr. George Fairfax, in the employ of Lord
Thomas Fairfax. They set out on a surveying tour to the western parts
of Virginia, on the 13th of March, accompanied by their assistants,
and travelled in a north westerly direction, nearly in range with the
Potomac. The first day they rode to the residence of Lord Fairfax, in
Frederick county, passing through beautiful groves of sugar trees, and
admiring the richness of the land upon the river Shenandoah. The next
day they sent on their baggage to a place now called Winchester, and
worked industriously for several succeeding days, surveying land in the
neighborhood. They then travelled about forty miles further into the
country, in a continual rain, swimming their horses over the rivers,
which were then very high. Just after the rain ceased and the weather
had cleared away, they were agreeably surprised by the appearance of
more than thirty friendly Indians, returning from war. The surveying
party remained to witness the performance of their war dance. After
clearing a large space of ground and making a fire in the middle of it,
the Indians seated themselves around the fire. The speaker then made a
grand speech, in which he told them in what manner they were to dance.
When the speech was ended, the best dancer jumped up as if suddenly
awaked from sleep, and ran and jumped about the ring in a most comical
manner. He was soon followed by the others, in a similar style. Their
dance was accompanied by appropriate music.――One Indian beat time upon
a deer-skin stretched tightly over a vessel half full of water, while
another rattled a gourd shell with shot in it, and a piece of a horse’s
tail tied to it, to make it look finely.
One windy night, about a week after, the straw on which Washington
was asleep, in the tent, took fire; but one of the party fortunately
awoke in time to extinguish it. A few days after, their tent was
blown down by the violence of the wind. They occasionally shot a wild
turkey or two, which they cooked upon forked sticks instead of spits,
and ate upon large chips instead of plates. After becoming fatigued
by travelling about all day, they usually camped out in the forest,
and slept with their clothes on all night. During this tour, young
Washington and his party surveyed between two and three thousand acres
of land, and arrived safely home on the 12th of April, having been
absent just one month.
For three years, young Washington was occupied nearly all the
time, when the season would permit, in surveying wild lands among
the Alleghany mountains and on the southern branches of the river
Potomac.[3] His surveying expeditions were attended with so many
hardships and privations, that he was rarely out more than a few weeks
at a time, upon any one of them. In the intervals of these expeditions,
he made it his home with his brother Lawrence, at Mount Vernon, though
he passed a part of his time with his mother.[4]
[3] J. Sparks.
[4] J. Sparks.
In the year 1751, young Washington, though but nineteen years of age,
was appointed Adjutant General of the northern division of the Virginia
militia, with the rank of Major.[5]
[5] Marshall.
The health of his brother Lawrence had been declining for several
years. He had made a voyage to England, and afterwards passed some
time at the Bath springs, in Virginia, without receiving any material
benefit from either. In the autumn of 1751, he decided to take a voyage
to the West Indies, as the last remedy proposed by his physicians.
By his request, his brother George, to whom he was much attached,
accompanied him on this voyage. They sailed for the island of Barbadoes
on the 28th of September, and arrived there about the 3d of November.
They procured a pleasant and airy place to board, near the sea shore,
and were treated with great hospitality and attention by the principal
inhabitants on the island. George was pleased with the richness of the
soil, the value of the crops, the variety and excellence of the fruits,
and the elevated and beautiful prospects in every direction. He was
seized with the small pox on the 17th of November, and it was nearly a
month before he recovered from it. On the 22d of November, he embarked
on board a vessel called the Industry, for Virginia, leaving his
brother still at Barbadoes. After a tempestuous passage of more than
five weeks, he arrived in Virginia.
Lawrence, not receiving the relief expected from the climate of
Barbadoes, went to Bermuda, in March. His health continuing to fail, he
returned home in the course of the summer, and died at Mount Vernon,
July 26, 1752. George was at Mount Vernon when his brother died, and
immediately took charge of his affairs. On opening his will, it was
found that he had given to George the Mount Vernon estate, and some
valuable lands in Berkley county, Virginia.