The Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1896-1898, 1898-02-16

from Oxford or Harvard to the wild
scenes Of the plains, he had learned be-
fore called to the high command to re-
spect men for manhood alone, for phys
ical strength and courage, for loyalty
and endurance. Braddock dcspised tho
Virginia provincials whom Washington,
then a young staff officer, proposed to
throw around the ambushed army at
Monongahela for defense. But Wash.
ington knew his men and knew the
value Of bush fighting in that border
warfare He saved the naughty English
from total massacre. So, later the Brit
ish officers despised the ragged and un-
military rebels who dared stand before
the trained battalions Of Europe. Wash
ington had served with British officers
and had learned to estimate the prowess
Of British troops. His faith in the ulti-
mate triumph of the rebels was practi-
cal, not sentimental. He won the fight
by hard work. not by luck, nor yet by
the favor of the gods.
When Virginia was discussing what
she should do to assist Boston in her
fight with the British, Colonel Wash.
tngton said, eff need be, l will raise
1000 men, subsist them at my own ex-
pense and march them to the relief of
Boston," He had in mind tho noun
taineers and hunters of the Virginia
borders, whom he knew and who knew
him. When Patrick Henry uttered be-
fore the continental congress the burn
ing appeal ending with the words,
"Give me liberty or give me death, "
Washington stood calmly by, dressed
in his uniform of colonel, with his sword
buckled on ready to march at the word.
1t was bold hand that the Virginia
colonel put to the task of making soldiers
out of militia and minutemen. The
troops at Cambridge were chiefly New
Englanders, who were rebels against all
authority as smacking of kingly rule.
He gave them to understand tnaG the
war was not to be simply Il holiday of
thrashing the hated redcoats, but long
struggle, where patriotism and loyalty
must be tried in the fire. Incompetent
and dishonest officers were cashiered,
although they had been elected by tho
men. His firmness and habit of order
drew the admiration of the best element,
and he found such New Englauders as
Stark, the Green mountain ranger; Put
nam, the Connecticut farmer and Greene,
the studious Rhode Island mechanic,
ready to stand by every act for the dis
cipline Of the army.
Washington first campaign, the
siege of Boston, was attended with all
manner Of difficulties. He had to create
navy to cope with British ships, to
satisfy the stay at home counselors Of
the colonies, who, like most stay at
homes, were full Of fight, and moro than
once found his plans thwarted by a
council Of his chief officers upon whom
he depended to lead in attacks. Mean
while the commander was busy with
grand strategy. He sent Arnold and
Montgomery to Canada, a brilliant
move, but one that came to disaster
through the untimely death Of Mont
gomery and the wounding Of Arnold.
At the end Of six months, three Of them
winter months at that, from the time
he had an army fit for action Boston
was clear Of the British for good.
After Boston the points Of Importance
were Philadelphia and New York, both
more exposed to naval attacks than Bos-
ton, the cradle of the rebellion. The
colonies had next to no navy, and Wash
ington entered upon defensive warfare
W Keep UnS bTlUlSn on Cne coast ana pro-
long the struggle until the enemy was
worn out or outside help should come.
Bringing the army to New York, Wash
ington yielded nothing without a fight,
but ut the same time saved his strength
for better purposes than the attempt to
defend untenable ground. New York
was bound to fall to the British, but he
saw to it that it was not made base
for operations in the Hudson river val
ley, which would cut the colonies in
two. He fought some lively battles, OF
skirinishes rather, which raised the
hopes of his soldiers and Of the colonial
people. The rebels could stand before
the redcoats one TO five and give a good
account Of themselves. West Point was
made bulwark against British advance
up the Hudson.
So far Washington had clung to the |
defensive in his new field. Next he en-
tered upon double line Of strategy--to |
hold on to New England while keepino |
the British from controlling New Jer- |
sey and the Delaware river as a new ]
base for cutting the colonies in two. |
With but 5000 poorly clad and half |
starved troops he took position in Penn
sylvania behind the Delaware, in De- !
cember, 1915. General Charles Lee,
the second in command. had larger |