davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1915-02-21
GE WASH1TUNVS BAPTISM AND EARLY EDUCATION VIRGINIA

John MARSHALL" saws: AT fourteen
John Marshall was sent to Westmore-
land, IL hundred miles away, wnere he
commenced the study OF Latin. his
leacner WAS the kew. Mr.. Campbell, d
very respectable Clergyman, Win wnom
he remained Il year. one oI has tetiow-
students, d lau OF lar lnlcrlor capacity,
but VINO aIterward became President
OF the United States, was James Mon
roe.
BIshop Meade says: III it be true that
the ReV. Mr.. Campbell Kept a Scnoo1 ia
W estnorelauu-ts tradition says, anu.
OF wnIch Inere Is no uouut-lt may also
pe true, tradltlon Iurther reports,
that George " asnlnston and Thomas
AIarsiIaIi, laIher iue CuleL justice,
ana perhaps Col Monroe and M haui
son, All whom were porn IN TINS re
glon. may AT one time have ucen pupils
s1r. Camppell George W asnlnS Ion
WAS born IA l.52, anu unIl mas SIN
teenth year was mucn an Mestmore-
land
1t is altogether probable that the
mental equ4poIse ana Iae -sullleu
character tniI ulstlns Glsneu " s.aIl4Iie-
ton, -1ArsflaII, monroe, aiaui5oil, JeiLcA-
son ana esCn o. tEc 5aIaAy o. states
men Mno came lntu l,uollc ilIe IN Tile
carly history ot the codntry IRON the
placld pIa4ns OF the uorInern neck Oh
NIIE lnla, ana the spIGnulu success tnal
crowned the careers Oh Inese men, We're
Il Iarse part due 10 tGe INSTRUCTION.
Lney received lrouI tnoSe polIsned edu-
Gators, kenIIeillen ana uIsIiIes, Reys.
ArculDaIu talslDell ANA W Illlanl Doug
Las, whose aCcoufpIi sIIlnenIS are not
recorded except Ia Il ciIurcn nlSlory anQ
NNuoSe names 40 NOT appear lfl the en-
IL uouulluI Wpetner any
teacuer ever autalneu Sucn fesuIls da
aid these former ScotcllAen and are
more deserving Oh IaAle. il Is aISo uouDt-
lui whether amy educators IA America
nave oeen accorded less puolic recos-
milton tnelr SERVICES
IL is witnln the realms OF possibility
that al Arcnl oalu CaInpDell ana Wilhelm
Douglas nau eulSraleu TO some section
ounef lnau the northern neck OF var
lInIa, W eStmorelanu county would not
nave become known IN the early his
tory OF our country as the Atnens OF
America" or Virginia as The Mother
OF Presidents"
Evening star., 1915-02-21

in principle the establishment of a CEN
tralized or standing army. lest the lib
critics of the people should become en-
dangered: but through the failure of the
army, composed so largely of short
term state troops. to prevent the ad-
vance of the British through New Jer-
sey upon Philadelphia. then the capital
of the United States colonies, Congress
not only voted an increase of the conti-
mental army. but vested Washington
with dfctatorial powers.
This resolution authorized him to raise
sixteen additional battalions of infantry,
5000 light horse, three regiments of ar
tillery and a corps of engineers, to dis
place and appoint all officers below the
rank of brigadier general. to take neces-
sary property and do many other acts of
almost unlimited power. While this was
in principle fundamentally wrong. it was
perhaps the only thing which Congress
at that time and under those conditions
could do. By needing earlier the requests
and eXhortations Of Washington, the same
or even better results would have been
accomplished, and the Congress would not
have lost its dignity by divesting itself
of what little power and authority it
possessed. The precedent was just as
bad even if the man they appointed was
a patriot
After the battle of Princeton. terminal
ing what Napoleon designated Washington'S
greatest strategic campaign, in March,
1877. he was left with under 5000 eff
fectives These, 9S1 excepted, are militia,
and stand engaged only to the end of
this month"; he wrote. His army, gradu-
ally increased to about 1900, was unable
to fight the 10000 veterans of the British
in and about New York. but the military
skill of the American general enabled him
to so march and maneuver his inferior
numbers that they We're not overwhelmed,
although he could not prevent the capture
of Philadelphia in September.
The spirit of the colonialS was main
tanned by the surrender of Burgoyne's
army of nearly 5000 to Gen. Gates in
Evening star., 1915-02-21

as a place of worship. 1t is described
in detail by Bishop Meade in his "Old
Churches and Families of Virginia"
This quaint, peaceful country church
is situated in a grove of fine old oak
trees near Yeocomico creek, an estuary
of the lower Potomac river. While only
a Few miles from the river, the church
Is great many miles distant from a
village. As q consequence of it's COM
parative inaccessibility but few visitors
from the outside world cross its his
toric portals.
In the vicinity of "Old Yeocomico" in
the colonial period were situated the
estates of such influential families as
the Washingtons, Lees. Carters and
others descended from the nobility of
EnSland-families allied by ties of
blood 10 George Washington's parents
Among the manor houses in that sec
tion of Westmoreland county was
Sandy Point the home of Col George
Eskridge, the guardian of Mary Ball
mother of Washington. Lee Hall, the
home of Col. Richard Lee, was also
nearby
In letter written from Wakefield in
1888 Capt. Augustine Washington stat
ed that his family would shortly make
visit to the old homestead and would
bring their boy George, one year old
probably Sandy Point, where Mary Ball
had liNcd with her guardian from the
thirteenth year of her age until her
marriage.
There is little doubt that on the visit
referred TO Capt. Washington followed
the custom of that period, travelling
with has family and servants, from
house to house OF his numerous rela-
tIves In that section of what is known
d s the northern neck of Virginia An
old letter, in the possession of the
Mayo family of WestmoreIand refers
TO the visit and the christening of the
greatest of Americans as follows.
That on one Of these visits the mother of Wash
ing'pH. observing SOM ittl Lees ben. prepz red
for Baptism. would not he outd,ne and forthwith
was hc was baptized along with the little Lees, in
Tie old marble font in the eastern wing OF Old
ieocOHicu Church, and grow up i'll the same faith
with them. Tbs told me by descendant of
Tie Lees. who cited in support OF its probability
ilr caH" Of young nepice. "f hers who hap
rizrd under similar c!rc'. Instances many miles
from where be frst the ligat.
Old Yeocomico Church, a quaint relic
OF colonial Virginia, is built in the
form of cross or a hexagon Its sold
walls have weathered the storms of two
centuries, and IL has suffered the dew
astation of three wars. 1t was a favor
ite camping place of soldiers of the
revolution. of the war of 1872 and of
the civil war, some of whom accordinp q
70 tradition. stabl.d their horses in the
building, USED the marble font as a
horse trough, and also as punch
bowl. and the communion table as a
butchers block.
On one of the outside walls of the
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In another part of the wall are the
initials ''R. L." and figures "1706,'' evil
IDENTIFY referring to Richard Lee, whose
wealth contributed to the erection of
the church. Other curious symbols ap-
pear on the exterior of this venerable
place of worship. These objects, to-
gether with the beautiful marble font
still used for christening embryo
Washingtons. the quaint windows and
communion table, the sundial bearing
date of l7l7, the old iron dipper in the
nearby spring, and the gallery for
slaves and carriage drivers are in
tensely interesting. All three quaint
and curious objects and many others
not mentioned. apart from the tradi-
tion that George Washington was
christened within the walls of "Old
Yeocomico.' make this one of the most
noteworthy of the old churches of
America.
When visited a few years ago by the
writer service was generally conduct
ed in the church in daylight and rare
ly at night. owing to lack of lighting
apparatus. When evening service was
held members of the congregation
brought oil lamps from their homes.
and these lamps, set on shelves in each
high-boxed pew. furnished the neces-
sary light to enable the communi cants
to follow the service. Just as in the
days before the revolutionary war.
Except for period following the dis
establishment of the Church of Eng
land as the state church of Virginia,
Yeocomico Church has been in con-
tinuous use since 1906 by the Episco-
palians as place of worship. For sew
eral years after the revolution the
church was used by other sects, during
which time. 1T is said, the blind Pres
byterian preacher. Rev. Mr.. Waddeli,
made famous by the eloquent descrip-
tion of William Writ, displayed on one
occasion his fervid oratory. Here also
the great but little known Scotch
clergyman and educator, Rev. Archi-
bald Campbell, the mn who taught
Washington. Madison, Monroe. John
who were born In and lived in the
northern neck" of Virginia. and wrote
their names high on the scroll of fame
Evening star., 1915-02-21

trained in the systematic methods of
great deliberative bodies; and above
all represented one of the very weak
est forms of governmental power-a
mere confederacy or league of several
states or colonies and without real
governmental functions
Although it assumed both executive
and legislative powers, it had no au-
thorlty to raise revenue and could only
emit bills of credit, their redemption
being pledged by the twelve United
Colonies" 1t is not singular that the
states refused to surrender to this
loosely connected congress the control
of the militia, with officers of state Sc
lection, gathered by sacrifice for the
protection of its own state, not fore
seeing, as was proven eventually, that
only by the longterm organized and
disciplined continentals, composing "a
small but good army
Congress in the winter of 1775. rec
ogniZing the necessity of raising troops
to take the place of those whose terms
expired, resolved to provide twenty
six regiments, with power to Wash
ington to select the officers, which re-
and his general officers. for, as Wash
ington wrote, connecticut wanted no
Massachusetts man in her corps. Mas
sachusetts could see no necessity for
having a Rhode Island man in hers
and New Hampshire says it is very
hard that her experienced officers
should be discarded because her own
regiments cannot provide for them.''
November IL he wrote: Many of the
officers expected promotion, others
stood aloof to see what advantage they
could make for themselves. The diff
Guilty with the soldiers was greater,
if possible, than with the officers. They
refused to enlist unless they knew their
colonel, lieutenant colonel, major and
captain"
Up to November 10 only 966 men had
enlisted. BY November % they had
reached $500. and they all wanted fur
Tough. Washington wrote: "Our .situa-
tion is truly alarming, and of this Gen.
Howe is well apprised. it being the
Evening star., 1915-02-21
Easily Spotted.

GIT HE Germans are distributing a
lot OF iron crosses. Apropos OF
this the Belgians tell a story.
The speaker was +. y. Hensi, Belgian
consul to Pittsburgh.
They say" he resumed, that a Ger
man landwehr man disappeared, and the
authorities sought some means of fden-
tifying him.
"'Oh, as to identification. landwehr
officer said, that will be easy. He is
the only man in the landwehr who
doesn't wear an iron cross"
Evening star., 1915-02-21

troops when the latter were not out
numbered.
a brief examination of the powers
of the Continental Congress will show
what were the chief causes of this
weakness in our armies that led so
near to the collapse of our national
defense and caused the intense anxiety
and distress to Washington and the
band of patriots about him in the army
and in Congress.
The Congress presented as able and
devoted men were ever gathered in
single body. but they were not
Evening star., 1915-02-21


III commander of the American
N Il armies knew better than any
" one else the offensive and de-
fensiye value of the forces under him;
and he has left a vivid written record
of the relative value of unframed
short-term men and of disciplined
long-term body made of individuals of
the same class. He plainly expressed
his opinion, fully confirmed by military
men since his time, of the army need
ed by this country when, soon after the
disaster at Camden. he wrote to Con-
gress: What we need is a good army,
not a large one"
Probably no war was ever carried on
where the one side was represented in
the field by so great a proportion of
lnorganized troops, not under a CEN
trail national control. and. no great
commander. before or since, has ever
succeeded with so rapidly shifting a
body of badly equipped men.
The battle of Bunker Hill. an army of
unframed American rinutemen and
militia, under the command. however
of veteran officers like Prescott, Stark,
Putnam and Knowlton of the higher
rank, and among the lower officers a
sprinkling OF men experienced in the
French and English wars, from behind
intrenchments hastily erected, but of
value against low-power armament
successfully resisted two attacks of
well organized and disciplined British
veterans. with a loss to the latter of
1854 killed and wounded. But these
same troops, by virtue not of superior
individual courage, but of their COM
bined valor and discipline, were rallied
by their well trained officers, made a
third charge, and, although outnum-
bered, succeeded in driving the Anleri-
cans, at the point of the bayonet, from
their trenches, their supply of powder
being exhausted and their muskets not
having bayonets.
The American force was justly proud
of its resistance and of the heavy pun
shment it had inflicted but the result
was, in spite of its good fight, defeat
20 it's arms-perhaps only through fail
ure in the quartermasters department.
The British, however. carried the hill
IN account of the better discipline of
their line, the better control of their
officers, and because its supply of am
inunltion was not exhausted. And they
thereby prevented the success of the
colonial military plan.
This story in various ways was many
times repeated in the war of the revo-
luton, always with the same result
In spite of the brilliant generalship of
Washington, Greene, Schuyler, Lee and
others, the Americans did not win a
single victory over the British regular
Evening star., 1915-02-21

bly, have been good speller, for or
biography was the one subject in which
school teachers formerly excelled. The
facts appear to be that while not a
highly educated man or a linguist.
Washington spelled and wrote as well
as most of his contemporaries and was
fairly well educated. His lack of
knowledge of foreign languages did
not handicap him in his relations with
the many foreign officers who served
under him in the revolution.
1t is evident that Washington was
Evening star., 1915-02-21
CONTINENTAL ARTILLERY, I1.7-17S3.

command of about 1900 men If this
force, seasoned by successful campaign,
instead of the usual dispersion. could
have been transferred to Washington's
command, is it not possible that the in
vestment of Gen. Howe in Philadelphia
would have ended the war?
If this had been done the terrible
winter would have been avoided at
Valley Forge, whittier Washington,
with 5000 continentals, who were to
become the nucleus of a triumphant
army, had retired.
Evening star., 1915-02-21

not a good speller and was not versed
In foreign languages. Judged by the
same standard--a weakness in orthog
raphy and lack of knowledge of for
eign languages-many college bred
men of today would also be accounted
lacking III education.
It is, however. fair to presume that
If, as has been asserted, the education
of Washington was practically con-
nned to the three RS, he would proba :
Evening star., 1915-02-21

and the forum, in his orders to the
army, private letters, public addresses
and in his state papers bespoke the
educated well trained mind.
1t appears that many American au-
thors have accepted without investiga-
tion misleading statements relative to
the education of Washington.
Upon the death of Capt. Augustine
Washington his widow sent her son
George. then about ten years of age.
from Fredericksburg to WeStmoreland
county, where he lived for six years
Evening star., 1915-02-21

with his brother Augustine WASH
ington. Parsons Weems states that
George, while living with his half
brother. went to school for five years
to Mr. Williams. an excellent teacher
in that neighborhood, but that George
did not learn Latin, as Williams did
not teach it. and that this teacher
taught only reading. spelling, grammar.
arithmetic. surveying, bookkeeping and
geography. No other writer of that
Evening star., 1915-02-21

MANI dDOut W dSH-
TN ington, there are two points
OF interest in his life that
are not generally known-frst, the To-
cation of the church in which he was
christened. and. second. his education.
Bishop Meade, ordinarily an authority
on matters pertaining to the old fam
Lies and old churches of Virginia, ex-
presses his belief that Washington was
christened at Pope's Creek Church.
Westmoreland county, Va, and gives as
his authority a work entitled Re
l!gious Opinions and Character of
Washington" by Rev. F. g Mcclure.
The last named author gives the names
Of Washington's godparents, but the
source from which Mr.. Mcclure de-
lived his Information relative 70 the
christening Of the first President has
1ot been found on record Pope's Creek
church has long been in ruins. and
here are few. if any. records of the
church IN existence.
Many residents OF Westmoreland
-ouuty, Va, who are descended from
-olontal families. assert that Washing
ION was christeued in old Yeocornico
church. one OF the quaintest and most
Interesting of the old churches OF
America. They have no record evI-
deuce TO offer in support Of their con
tention, for the registers Of the parish
during the colonial period We're de-
stroyed in the revolutionary war and
Tor proof of the great honor claimed
Tor that church they can only point 10
a local tradition that he vas chrlstened
II ''old Ieocouico," and to an ancient
ietter bearing on the subject How
ever, traditions or at least those OF
Virginia. are not 10 be brushed lightly
aside. and in the absence OF authentic
record evidence are at least worthy OF
consideration in arriving at conclu-
sion as 10 any doubtful matter of his
tory.
While il is true that the parents of
Washington. Augustine Washing ton
and Mary Ball Washington, were liv-
:ug at Wakefield, not far from Pope
creek Church, at the time George was
Oorn. February 22. 1892. and continued
TO reside there for i've years. or until
lhe removal of the family to Frede-
ricksburg, it is not believed that Popes
Creek Church was erected until some
time thereafter.
The tradition referred to, handed
down from generation 10 generation, Il
mat the infant George Washington was
baptized in "Old Yeocomico'' during 4
visit of his parents to relatives living
near this church yeocomico Church
was built in 1906. is well preserved and
IS sttll in use by the Episcopal Church
Evening star., 1915-02-21
YEcocoM1oo CHURCH, BUILT IN 1905.

trained in his youth to reason in a
logical and methodical manner, and
that he early developed that great fund
of common sense which enabled him
in after years to excel in military STRAIT
egy and to readily solve the grave
problems of state that confronted him
as the first President in the formative
period of the republic. Brilliancy he
lacked at all times. but his every ac-
ton and public utterance in the field
Evening star., 1915-02-21

church a curious inscription or cryptic
the letters therein represent no one at
present connected with the church is
able to explain. The inscription, which
is presumed to have been built into
the walls of the church in 1906, is as
follows
Evening star., 1915-02-21
Washington Found the Continental Army In

Has Left
Fighters Under E1mHe Spoke Relative
Disciplined Long of]ndNdual
Needed Good Not
Army Under Veteran Like Stark
ersofth Continena 1Conws
Evening star., 1915-02-21

After five years of experience in
command of the armies, Washington
thus expressed himself in a letter to
the President of the Congress, dated
August 20, 1880:
Had we formed a permanent army
in the beginning, which, by the con-
tinuance of the same men in service.
had been capable of discipline, we never
should have had to retreat with hand
full of men across the Delaware in 1776.
trembling for the fate of America, which
nothing but the infatuation of the
enemy could have saved; We should not
have remained all the succeeding winter
at their mercy, with sometimes scarcely
a sufficient body of men to mount the
ordinary guard. We should not nave
been at Valley Forge. destitute of every
thing in a situation neither to resist
nor to retire. We should not have seen
the country ravaged, our towns burned.
the inhabitants plundered. abused, muir
dered, with impunity, from the same
cause.
The arrangement of our finances is
essentially to be ascribed to it. The
expenses of the war and the emissions
of paper money have been greatly
multiplied by it. We have a great part
of the time had two sets of men 10
feed and to pay-the discharged men
going home and the levies coming in
our discipline has been much hurt,
il not ruined, by such constant
changes There is every reason to be-
ueye that the war has been protracted
on this account
A little later Washington wrote re-
garding the defeat of Cen Gates at
Camden: Regular troops alone are
equal to the eXigencies of modern war
fare, as we'll for defense as offense, and
wherever a substitute is attempted II
must prove illusory and ruinous.
In my IDEAS of the true system OF
war the object ought to be to have a
good army rather than large one.
During the entire war the lack or
money entailed greatest suffering upon
the army, but the men of the CONT
mental army. with the exception of one
or two regiments, were true to the END
through hunger. cold, sickness, poverty
at home, nakedness and defeat FOR
this fidelity there We're three reasons
patriotism, training and George WASH
ington-
Evening star., 1915-02-21

occasionally preached.
No doubt the talented and worthy
Scotch divine, the Rev. William Doug
las of that section, who tutored Monroe
and Jefferson, also conducted worship
at Yeocomico.
Historians err in portraying Wash
ington as a man Of limited education.
Some writers cite in support of this
statement the assertion that he was