The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-07
THE MAKERS OF
(By Clark Mills Brink, Ph. D.
ARTICLE W.
Washington, the First American

Washington, the First American.
 Who can expec tU say anything new of George Washington? For a run century the electric light of the closest scrutiny has been glaring in full splen- dor upon his life, both public and pri- yate. We can hardly hope, therefore, to present any phase of that great per soriaiity which is net alread perfectly well known. It may be worth While however, to emphasize one or two e!e- ments in his character and work Tn connection with our early history that are sometimes lost sight of or are no. generally appreciated to their 1uii value. .
 Most men like to be dazzled by bril- liant actdions and dramatic situations. They have a sort of admiration for those who strike attitudes and in dulge in heroics even when they half suspect that there is a deal of hum. bug underneath the posing. They enjoy the picturesque. and lacking this. eie- ment their heroes are not halr 50 hertc.. Buafflo Bill would not be nearly so fascinating to the would De juvenile cowboy if he should have his hair cut and wear civilized clothes.
 Washington never indulged in mock heroics. He never posed, and possibly this is one reason why he is so often regarded as having been commonplace. That men often do so regard him is beyond question. And yet l venture to claim that even Washington was brilliant man. that he was not simply in position but in fact a.great man.
 Washington was unusually fortunate in his early circumstances. Tn happy accord were the planets that shone upon his birth and early years. and. indeed, his entire career. Born In prominent family. welcomed from the youth to the most exclusive society of Virginia richer, perhaps. than any other man in America at the time of his death, endowed with splendid body and an iron constitution, honored with the highest gifts of the people closing at last a useful life in the security of happy home. mourned by an entire nation and revered by the civilized world-surely this man was a favorite of all the gods.
 No Question of his Greatness.
 It has often been assumed that Washington was not a great General. I think it can be shown that he was one of the greatest, that his name Is entitled to be placed alongside the names of Alexander and Caesar and Napoleon and Moltke and Grant as one of the great commanders of the world. If to lead an army inadequate in num- bers and equipment against great odds if to lead it without a 6lunder and in the best way to abundant success. if to provide his soldiers with clothing and food and arms as well as to lead them, if to outgeneral hts antagonists both in strategy and tactics-if to do all this, and that, too. in the face of plots and treachery. is to be a great general, then he was a great general. Many a man can command a great army and lead it to victory if he has unlimited resources. It requires greater genius to lead a small army and make it do the work of one twice as large. This Washington did.
 When Washington took command of the continental army under the old oak at Cambridge. the battle of Bunker Hill had just been fought. He found the army little more than an undis- ciplined mob. full of petty jealo.s sies. poorly armed. not used tn obedience. most of them enlisted for only three months. untrained for such service Gu of the chaos he proceeded to bring order. In a few months out of such material he had made an army and
 
 cooped up in Boeon. Then he so managed his forces that the enemy were forced to evacuate the city and thus be both delivered the most popu- lous city and freed New England from British occupancy so that 1t was not again the theater of military opera tions of consequence. Washington had completely oUtgeneraled Lord Howe and had gained an enormous advant- age.
 Difficult Achievement.
 It seems to be agreed by military ex- perts that one of the most difficult achievements is safely to conduct a re- treat in the face of a victorious and exutant foe. This difficult task Wash ington performed in a manner that has won the praise of soldiers from that day to this. The American army was attempting to hold New York. The commander in- chief could not abandon that important city without a struggle But at last a British force of about twice his numbers outf1anked his little army and a bloody battle ensued. The Americans were defeated and penned up in a corner of Long Island. with the East River behind them, triumphant enemy in front and fleet upon the water. There seemed no escape from either annihilation or surrender. But Washington was equal to the emer- gency. From under the very noses of the confident foe. under the cover of the night and fog, he withdrew his army of 5000 weary and defeated | soldiers, and when the enemy woke in the morning they discovered that the | game which they had thought securely bagged and which they expected to have for Breakfast, had escaped. It was the only chance. Washington | saw that chance. seized 1t promptly | and saved the remnant of his army. | Napoleon could not have done better. |
 Carnwallis was one of the ablest and | most famous English generals of his | time and surely the greatest of all | those sent to America to reduce the | recalcitrant colonsts to subiection. | When the British had forced the colo | nial army out of New York, Washing | ton conducted the retreat across New l Jersey with Cornwallis in hot pursuit | On reaching the Delaware River the | British general is said to have remark | ed the old fox is trapped at last" But | he did not yet know how foxy the said | "old fox was in the contest between | these two men. Washington was not the one who was finally trapped. :" | The English army encamped for the | night, expecting after breakfast in the | morning to gather in the quarry al | leasure But when the morning dawn | cd they learned to their chagrin that | Washington had concluded that he had | nOt time 10 wait and had been so incon- |