Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-02-26
Historic Houses AsSo-
ciated With Washington

OOOOOOOOCOO OOOOOOOOOOOO
Anything that pertains to the life
Of Washington is interesting and par
ticularlly so the houses he occupied
during his military career. There are
standing at this day three historical
ant epochs in the career of the great
Liberator.
Washington, as W. all know. was
initiated into military life by the
breaking out of the French and In
dian war, which eliminated in the
as~cendency of British rule in Canada.
The march of Braddock through the
wilderness to the bloody gorges of the
Monongahela stands out as the most
tragic event Of that struggle.
On one of the back streets of Fred
erick stands the headquarters of
Washington, a rather dilapidated
building, with quaint little windows
and narrow doors, the whole forming
today a tout ensemble of loneliness
and dilapidation. The owl and the
bat make it their abode, the root is
sadly In need of repairs and the only
evidence of modernism that prevails
about 1t is the little cabbage garden
between it and the street. A move
men has been started looking to the
restoration of this historical house,
president and 1t is possible that some
day it may be restored to it's original
appearance.
The city OF Winchester, Va. holds
within it's keeping on the corner of
Cork and Braddock streets a small
stone house which represents another
phase of Washington's career. He was
then the idol of the colonies, for his
~gallantry during the Braddock cam
paign had brought him prominently
into the limelight of the day.
The little house which he occupied
during his stay at Winchester has of
late fallen into the hands of the cor
porate authorities, which insures its
preservation for years to come.
1t is a far cry in Washington's life
from Winchester to the final campaign
at Yorktown. where the American rev.
olution met with its browning success
Washington was now at the pinnacle
of his fame as a soldier and the star
of hope for the colonies was brighten
ing the heavens. The long roll of Eng
lish supremacy or this continent was
beating. The American army, $4,000
strong. lay about Williamsburg, IA
miles from the final scene of glory"
Washington was surrounded by such
men as Lafayette. Rochambeau, Lin
coin and Hamilton, and in the man
sion where he had established head
quarters were held the most momen-
tous councils of war witnessed during
the revolution. The house is still in
an excellent state of preservation. In
deed, it looks as we'll now as when
within its walls were laid the plans
for the defeat of Lord CORVALLIS.
1t was a brilliant military court that
Washington held at Williamsburg, al
most within a stones throw of Will
liam and Mary College, the alma ma
ter of Jefferson, Henry and other dis
tinguished Americans, and but a few
steps from the house, now in ruins,
where he courted the Widow Gusts"
1t was from the Williamsburg house
that Washington set out for York
town, leading the allied armies
through the forests to the eliminating
triumph.
There is perhaps in this country no
place richer in historical associations
than Williamsburg, which was the CO.
lonial capital of Virginia. 1t is con-
nected with great events from the ear
Hest settlements to the Civil War. Not
least among them is the gathering of
the Americans and French for the last
campaign of the revolution. 1t wit
messed the preparation of The trap
that caught CORVALLIS and the brill
liant reception of the French officers
by Washington. And t is a source of
qualification that the headquarters Of
the First American, one Of his last in
the field, is so well preserved, rising
today in its original appearance above
the tender roses of a southern cline.