The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-20

is a puzzle to the student of human
motives. At ore moment he seemed IN
I earnest and determined. at the next he
/ was weak, hesitating and uncertain. In
the council of war held at HoDewell.
I Lee advised against the attack. and
showed a very faint heart throughout
the fight. When the British began 10
move he made a feeble attack. which
was followed up by a halt dozen blum
GERS in rapid succession. He held La
1ayette in check until II was too late
Tor him to cut off some of the British
army, and weakened Wayne's forces by
Withdrawing from him some or his best
soldiers, and finally ordered a general
retreat all along the line. Along a mar
row pass. with a morass on either side,
Inc americans fled ON that hot June
day, pursued by the yelling Britons.
Inc weather was so excessively warm
tnat MAJ of the soldiers persisted
from sunsrroke Washington, who was
bringing uD the main army to attack,
the British in such way as to cut of
their retreat TO New York, after the
csnnonading early in the morning, was
astonished and oerDlexed to hear no
n.Vie i4rl-g. A-on The shouts of the
victorious Britons and the occasional
musket shot fell on his ears, and, with
a teeiiI3 of distrust, he galloped for
ward, accompanied by his entire staff.
army u-der General Lee. Just at this
point, according to tradition, Washing
ton did his ''cussing.' History records
the first words uttered by Washington
as:
Sir. I desire to know what is the reason
ana whence arises this disorder and con-
InslonE Tradition says that the SEN
leice began with BY God, sir
according to tradition Washington,
aitsr meeting Lee. ordered Oswald 5 bat
sSty % 1n.ilI4ber ana open on the enemy;
mat he then gailoDeo down toward the
a9Vanclns enemy and fred his holsters
az them, wheeled his horse about, rode
pack, and formed the retreating hosts into
me o. battle TO meet the foe Without
doubt the father of his country was great
ly provoked at Lee and the evidence at
words passed between them But II is
stun matter of doubt whether General
Washington swore.
Such TENS and colloouialisms as
Egad, BY gad' and POUNDS, gen.
teel sort of profanity. were in common
use IN those days but Washington has
never been accused of using them. In the
midst of the excitement and confusion "a
tending battle, and the rallying of
routed hosts under the heavy fire OF a
victorious enemy. ii is doubtful If spoken
words can be successfully reported and
some other word may have been used by
Washington, which his enemies distorted
mo by. 1t is not more probable that
the father of his country" instead of
swearing, made use of some sort of SUD
hcatlon. White with anger and boiling
over with disappointment and chagrin
what would be more natural than that he
should, on meeting Lse, cry out: My
God, sir, | desire TO know what is the
reason, 2nd whence arises this disorder
and confusion"
The man who gave rise to the rumor of
the use of profanity may have been Lee
hlfnself. who was anxious to malign the
men who had rebuked him on the battle
field 1t was an easy matter to teDort
MS my as by and thus change the
whole tenor of Washingtons remarks
ms theory is certainly the most reason
q pie. as well as the most charitable and
AFTER an investigation of almost 120 years
II ought to be adopted.
Ailer Washington. at the risk of his life
mad brought order out OF chaos, and had
formed the routed troops into an irwin
clDle line of battle. ne rode back to where
Lee sat on his horse in a bad tit of sulks
ana. pointing to the rallied troops, he
VIII you. sir command in that
I WILL Lee eagerly exclaimed.
Then. said Washington. Il expect you
10 check the enemy Immediately
Your command shall be obeyed, and [
WIN not be the first to leave the field re-
turned Lee
I he advancing foe was held in check. /
Washington brought up the remainder of /
the army, and ali that long Sabbath day |
the bate ragged, but the Er.tons and their I
ing the night.
After it was all over Lee demanded an
ipoioSy PUT " ashlngtol. instead of apOl- I
ogizIng. placed Lee under arrest He was
tired ana dismissed from command for y
months; lie never entered the army again.
put sclked throughout the war. and died Q
II Philadelphia, Oct. - 1877.