The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-05-02
WAsHINGTON'S DEATH.
Timely Reading for these Centennial Days

WASHINGTON'S DEATH.
Timely Reading for these Centennial Days
The following circumstantial account O.
the last illness and death of Gen. Georgt
Washington was noted by Tobias Lea
on the Sunday following his death
which happened on Saturday evening
Dec. IA, 1898, between the hours Of II
and IL:
On Thursday, Dec -, the General rode
out to his farms at about 10 o'clock and
did not return home till past 8. Soor
after he went out the weather became
very bad, rain, hail and snow falling
alternately. with a cold wind. When be
came in I carried some letters to him to
frank, intending to send them to the
postofHce. He franked the letters, but
said the weather was too bad to send
servant to the Office that evening.
observed to him that I was afraid he
had got wet; he said no, his great tcoat
had kept him dry. But his neck appear
ed to be vet, the snow vas hanging on
his hair. He came to dinner without
changing his dress. In the evening he
appeared as we'll as usual. A heavy fall
of snow took place on Friday, which
prevented the General from riding out
as usual. He had taken cold, undoubt-
edly from being so much exposed the
day before, and complained of having a
sore throat; he had hoarseness, which
increased in the evening, but he made
light of it, as he would never take any
thing TO carry off cold, always observ-
ing, "Let it go as it came" In the
evening, the papers having come from
the post Office, he sat in the room with
Mrs. Washington, and myself, reading
them till about nine o'clock, and when
he met with anything Which he thought
diverting or interesting he would read it
aloud. He desired me to read to him
the debates of the Virginia Assembly on
the election Of Senator and Governor,
which did. On his retiring to bed he
appeared to be in perfect health, except
the cold, which he considered as triAing
he had been remarkably cheerful all the
evening.
About 2 or 8 o'clock on Saturday
morning he awoke Mrs. Washington and
informed her he was very unwell and had
an ague. She observed that he could
scarcely speak and bfeathed with diff
Guilty, and she wished to getup and call
servant, but the General would not
permit her lest she should take cold. As
soon as the day appeared the woman,
Caroline, went into the room to make a
fire, and the girl desired that Mr.. Raw.
Inns, one of the overseers, who was used
to bleeding the people, might be sent for
to bleed him before the doctor could ar.
rive. I was sent for, and went to the
Generals chamber, where Mrs Washing.
ton was up and related to me his being
taken i'll between 2 and 8 o'clock, as
before stated.
I found him breathing with difficulty
and hardly able to utter a word intelli.
gibly. went out instantly and wrote
line to DR.. Plask and sent it with all
speed. Immediately l returned to the
Generals chamber, where I found him
in the same situation I had left him. A
mixture of molasses, vinegar and butter
was prepared, but he could not swallow
a drop. Whenever he attempted it he
was distressed, convulsed and almost
sufocated. 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 observed
the orifce was not large enough. How.
ever, the blood ran pretty freely. Mrs.
Washington, not knowing whether bleed.
ing was proper in the Generals condition,
begged that much might not be taken
from him, and desired me to stop it.
When I was about to prevent it, ne, so
soon as ne 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
obtained from bleeding and nothing could
be swallowed, I proposed bathing the
throat externally with sal volatile, which
was done. A piece of flannel was tLen
put round his neck. His feet were also
soaked in warm water, butt it gave no re-
lief. By Mrs. Washington's request I
despatched messenger for Doctor Brown,
at Port Tobacco. About 9 o'clock Doc.
tor Craik arrived and put a blister of
cantharides on the throat of the General,
and took more blood, and had some vine
gar and hot water set in . teapot for him
to draw in the fumes from the nozzle.
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 almost
produced sufocation. When the mixture
came out of his mouth some phlegm fol.
lowed it, aud he would attempt to cough,
which the doctor encouraged, but with.
out effect. About II o'clock DR.. Dick
was sent for. DIR. CraiE bled the General
again; no effect was produced, and be
continued in the same state, unable to
swallow anything. DR.. Dick came in
about o'clock and DR.. Brown arrived
soon after, when, after consultation, the
nanaro1 1uoo hlad oooin. tha h1ood ra n