The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-02-17

IE hlAL. &mauners and lof-
IVM A9e W ty purposes drew
l&%y w CIT the reverence
,RCMVEs1M v of the American
n%KWT people. He was
Y 49, the gentleman in
II camp and on
hor back, of
course, but the gentleman with the ma
tive nonsense taken out of him by con-
tact with the rough side of life. Like
one of the modern blue bloods translated
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 despised the
Virginia provincials whom Washington,
then a young staff officer, proposed to
throw around the ambushed army at
Monongahela for a 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
abe should do to assist Boston in her
fight with the British, Colonel Wash
ington said, IF need be, I will raise
1000 men, subsist them at my own ex-
pense and march them to the relief Of
Boston" He had in mind the 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
nm his uniform of colonel, with his sword
on ready to march at the word.
It was bold hand that the Virginia
colonel put to the task of making soldiers
aout Of militia and minutemen. The
troops at Cambridge were chiefly New
-Engianders, who were rebels against all
authority rs smacking Of kingly rule.
He gave them to understand that the
war was not to be simply holiday of
thrashing the hated redcoats, but a long
struggle, where patriotism and loyalty
mrsr be tried in the fire. Incompetent
and dishonest officers were cashiered,
although they had been elected by the
meu. His Er:n~ess and habit of order
Lrew the adj of the best element.
Rnd he fouL>. ..lc.l New Englanders as
Stark, the Green mountain ranger; Put
ham, the Connecticut farmer and Greene.
the studious Rhode Island mechanic.
KEady to stand by every act for the dis
Eoi4IIme of the army.
Washington's first campaign, the
siege of Boston, was attended with all
masnfr of difficulties He had to create
a kzsEy to cope with British ships, to
satisfy the stay at home counselors Of
5the colonies, who, like most stay at
a,urnas, were full of fight, and more than
samas found his plans thwarted by a
acnnuI of his chief officers upon whom
Che depended to lead III attacks Mean
WMle the commander was busy with
,gxzzd strategy. He sent Arnold and
Mm1gumery to Canada, a brilliant
z1Ee, but one that came to disaster
the untimely death of Mont
9uzy and the wounding Of Arnold.
Al die end of six months, three Of them
wzaer months at that, from the time
f,s had an army fit for action Boston
Sxa4 clear of the British for good.
Amer Boston the points of Importance
wens Philadelphia and New York, both
rnnue exposed to naval attacks than Bos-
Eon. the cradle of the rebellion. The
had next to no navy, and Wash
GEgtna entered upon defensive warfare
60 Rep the British on the coast and pro-
aoug the struggle until the enemy was
worn out,or outside help should come.
Brangingthe army to New York. Wash
lngtnn yielded nothing without fight,
out at 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, or
rather, which raised the
hopes of his soldiers and Of the colonial
peaple. The rebels could stand before
the redcoats one to five and give good
account of themselves. West Point was
nzae bulwark against British advance
mp the Hudson.
So far Washington had chung to the
defensive in his new field. Next he en-
tered upon double line OF strategy-to
hold on to New England while keeping
the British from controlling New Jer-
ssy and the Delaware river as 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-
l778. General Charles Lee.
the second in command, had larger
army in the field, but refused to coop
crate with Washington. Congress aban-
doned Philadelphia and appointed Wash
ingt0A dictator. Lee was captured while
sleeping far outside his lines, and these
events raised Washington upon pedes-
tai IA the eyes Of the soldiers and the
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