News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-04-25
A HERO'S LAST HOURS
VIVID DESCRIPTION OF WASH
INGToN'S DEATHBED.
catching Cold while Riding to His
Farm - The Doctors Gould Not
Help Him-The Last Sad Scenes.

Lear on the Sunday following his death,
which happened on Saturday evening,
Dec. IA, 1899, between the hours of 1C
md IL:
On Thursday, December II, the Gen
'ral rode out to his farms at about 1O
} 'clock and did not return home till past
}. Soon after he went out the weather
became very bad, rain, hail and snow
illhng alternately, with cold wind.
. When he came in carried some letters
10 him to frank, intending to send them
10 the post-o.nce. He franked die let
ers, but said the weather was too bad to
lend a messenger to the Office that even
ng.
/ observed to him that was afraid he
1ad got wet; he said no, his great coat
lad kept him dry. But his neck appear
I'd to be wet, the snow was hanging on
lis hair. He came to dinner without
Hanging his dress. In the evening he
appeared as well as usual. A heavy fall
f snow took place Friday, which pre-
rented the General from riding out as
Usual. He had taken cold, undoubtedly
rom being so much exposed the day be-
ore, and complained of having sore
hroat; he had hoarseness, which in
creased in the evening, but he made
light of it, rs he would never take any
hing to carry off a cold, always observ-
ng, ''Let it go as it came" In the
evening, the papers having come from
he post-office, he sat in the room with
Mrs. Washington and myself reading
hem till about nine o'clock, and when
ae met with anything he thought divert
.ng or interesting he would read it aloud.
He desired me to read him the debates
,f the Virginia Assembly on the election
II Senator aud Governor, which [ did.
On his retiring to bed he appeared to be
IN perfect health, except the cold, which
| ae considered rs trifiing; he had been re-
markably cheerful all the evening.
| About 2 or 3 o'clock on Saturday
morning he awoke Mrs. Washington
and informed her he was very unwell
and had an ague. She observed that
ne could scarcely speak and breathed
with difficulty, and she wished to get
up and call servant, but the Gen
srai would not permit her lest she
! should take cold. AS soon as the day
appeared the woman, Caroline, went
INTO the room to make fire, and the
girl desired that Mr.. Rawlins, one of the
overseers, who was used to bleeding the
people, might be sent for to bleed him
before the do,tor could arrive. was
sent for, and went to the Generals
chamber, where Mrs. Washington was
up and related to me his being taken i'll
between 2 and 3 o'clock, as before
stated.
found him breathing with difficulty,
and hardly able to utter word intelli-
ylbly. l went out instantly and wrote
line to Dr. Plask and sent it with all
speed. Immediately / returned to the
Generals chamber, where I found him
in the same position / had left him. A
mixture of molasses, vinegar and butter
was prepared, but he could not swallow
4 drop. Whenever ne attempted it he
was distressed, convulsed and almost
suffocated. Mr.. Rawlins came in soon
after sunrise and prepared to bleed him.
When the arm was ready the General,
observing Rawlins appeared agitated,
said with difficulty, ''Don't be afraid -
and after the incision was made he OBJ
served the orifce was not large enough
However, the blood ran rather freely.
Mrs. Washington, not knowing whether
bleeding was proper in the Generals
condition, begged that much might not
be taken from him, and desired me to
stop it. When 1 was about to unite the
string the General put up his hand to
prevent it, and, soon as he could speak,
said, "More."
Mrs. Washington, still uneasy lest too
much blood should be taken, it was
stopped after about half pint had been
taken. Finding that no relief was OBJ
tanned from bleeding and nothing could
be swallowed, [ proposed bathing the
throat externally with sal volatile, which
was done. A piece of flannel was then
put around his neck. His feet were also
soaked in warm water, but it gave no re-
lief. By Mrs. Washington's request I
despatched q messenger for DR.. Brown,
ut Port Tobacco. About 8 o'clock Dr.
Craik arrived and put blister of can
tharides on the, throat of the General,
and took more blood, and had some vim
egar and hot water set in teapot for
him to draw in the fumes from the noz-
zle. He also had tea and vinegar mixed
and used as a gargle, but when he held
back his head to let it run down, it al
most produced suffocation. When the
mixture came out of his mouth some
phlegm followed it, and he would at
tempt to cough, which the doctor en-
couraged, but without effect. About IL
o'clock DR.. Dick was sent for. DIR. Craik
bled the General again; no effect was
produced, and he continued in the same
state, unable to swallow anything. DR..
Dick came in about 8 o'clock and DR..
Brown arrived soon after, when, after
consultation, the General was bled
again; the blood ran slowly, appeared
very thick, and did not produce any
symptoms of fainting.
At 4 o'clock the General could swal-
low n little. CalOmel and tarter emetic
were administered without effect. About
4.G0 o'clock he desired me to ask Mrs.
Washington to come to his bedside,
when he desired her to go down to his
room and take from his desk two wills
which she would find there and bring
them to him, which she did. Upon
looking at one which he observed was
useless he desired her to burn it, which
she did, and then took the other and
put it away. After this was done [ re-
turned again to his bedside and took his
hand. He said to me: II find [ am
going-my breath cannot continue long
j believed from tho first attack it would
be fatal. Do You arrange and record all
my military letters and papers; arrange
my accounts and settle my books, as you
know more about them than any one
else, and let Mr.. RawlinS finish record
ing my other letters, which he has
begun.
He as ked when Mr.. Lewis would
return. [ told him I believed about
the 29th of the month. He made no
reply to it. The physicians again came
in between and o'clock, an d when
they came to his bedside DIR. Craik !
asked him if he would sit up i'll the |
bed. He held out his hand to me and |
WAS raised up, when he said to the ply |
sicians:
81 feel myself going -you had better
not take any more trouble about me,
but let me go off quietly; l cannot last |
long"
They found what had been done was
without effect; he lay down again and |
they retired, excepting DR.. Craik He |
then said to him: doctor, / die hard, |
butt am not afraid to go; ] believed !
from my first attack | should not sur
yive it; my breath cannot last long"
The doctor pressed Gis hand, but |
could not utter word; he retired from |
the bedside and sat by the fire, absorbed |
i'll grief. About So'clock the physicians
again came into the room and applied |
blisters to his legs, but went out with
out ray of hape.
From this tins he appeared to breathe |
with less difficulty than he had done;
but was very restless, continually chang |