The Irish standard., 1902-02-22
A Sketch of the Man Whose Immortal Name
is Synonym for Patriotism
the World Around.
Liberty Will Have Disappeared For Ever
When the Glory of His Fame
Can be Forgotten.

Who can expect to say anything new
of George Washington, whose birthday
anniversary is celebrated today? For
Il full century the electric light of The
closest scrutiny has been gluling in
full splendor upon his life, both pub
lie and private While we cannot pro
sent any phase Which is not we'll
known, still it may be worth while,
however, to emphasize one or two clc-
ments i'm his character that are not
generally appreciated to their full
value.
Washington never indulgcd IN mock
heroics nor never posed. Many have
claimed that he was not great gen-
elnl, am! that his name should not he
placed alongside the great command
crs. IT to lead an army inadequate
in numbers and equipment against
great odds; if to lead ii without Il
blundcr and in the best way to sue
cess: If to outgcneral his antagonists
both in strategy and tactics-is to be
a great general, then he was Il great
general Many man can command
a great army and lead ii to victory If
he has unlimited resources. IL re-
quircs greater genius to lead small
army and make it do the work of one
twice as large. This Washington did,
says the Irish World.
When Washington took command of
the army at Cambridge the battle of
Bunker Hill had just been fought. He
found the army little more than an
undisciplincd mob, full Of petty jeal-
Ousies, poorly armed, not used to obe-
dence, most OF them enlisted for only
three months, unframed for such scrv-
ice. Out of this chaos he proceeded
to bring order. In Il few months out of
such material he had made an army
and ut the same time had kept the
English cooped up in Boston. Then
he so managed his forces that the
enemy were forced to cvacuate the
city. Washington had completely out
generated Howe, ana had gained an
enormous advantage.
1t seems to be agreed by military
experts that one Of the most difficult
achievements is safely to conduct Il
retreat in the face of a victorious and
exultant foe. The American army
was attempting to hold New York.
Washington could not abandon the city
without struggle. But at last a
British force, twice his numbers. out
flanlicd his little army and bloody
battle ensued. The Americans were
defeated and pcnncd up in n corner Of
Long Island, with the East River be-
hind them, triumphant enemy in
front and fleet upon the water.
There seemed no escape from annihi-
lation or surrender. But Washington
was equal to the emergency. From un-
der the very noses of the confident foe,
under cover Of the night and n fog, he
withdrew his weary and defeated sol
dicrs, and when the enemy woke up in
the morning they discovered that the
game which they had thought securely
baggcd had escaped. 1t was the only
chance. Washington saw that chance,
slezed it promptly and saved the rem
nant OF his army. What other gcncr-
nj could have done better?
CORVALLIS was one Of the ablest and
most famous English generals of his
time and the greatest Of all those
sent to America to reduce the patriots
to subjection. When the British had
forced the American army out Of New
York, Washington conducted the re-
treat across New Jersey with Corn
wallis in hot pursuit. On reaching
the Delaware river, Cornwallis is said
to have remarked, "Thc old fox is
trapped at last" But he did not know
how foxy the said "old fox" was. In
the contests between these two men
Washington was not the one who was
finally trapped"
The English encamped for the night,
expecting after breakfast in the morn
ing to gather in the patriots at leisure.
But when the morning dawned they
= - a . 70 L