The New York herald., 1922-02-19
Washington Was Denoted
to the Turf and Chase
Merry Times in Old Annapolis When the Squire of
Mount Vernon Mixed With Gov Bob Eden and
All the Other Turfmen During Race Week There
BY GURNEY c. CUE.

Shared Sparks, once president Of Har-
Yard University, said of the man whose
ls0th birthday Americans win celebrate
on Wednesday that whoever would un-
dcrstand the character of washington
must learn it from his own writings.
10 this is measurably true of his public
career as soldier and statesman :;
is much more so of his private character
as horserhan and sportsman. But for
the diaries and account books he kept
and the letters he wrote during the few
wears he was permitted to spend in tn.
prime of life as a country gentleman
and farmer at Mount Vernon the world
would know little OF his love Of horses
and dogs. OF horse racing. horse brecd-
ipE. fox hunting, shooting, fishing and
other diversions interesting to the man
ae spirit and enterprise. Even John
Marshall. himself a lifelong votary Of the
turf, ignores or suppresses this interes,-
ing phase of his character in ''The Life
Of George Washington" and there are
only brief references. If any, in any OF
the hundreds Of other books that have
been written about the man of whom an
other devoted turfman, Gen. Henry Lee,
owner Of Lees Mark Antony. sad :
First in war, first in peace. and first
In the hearts of his countrymen."
When you turn to the writings OF
Washington himself in the years be-
tween the French and Indian war and
the Revolution you get an insight into
the tastes and habits of a sportsman
who might have been leader of the
Virginia turf If series of improbable
tobacco crops had not made him feel a
little hard up and his fellow countrc-
men had not drafted him into the pub
lie service again to continue until he was
an old man.
Told I'm His Diary.
Washington's entries in his diary
were extremely brief, barely noting how
and with whom he spent each day. with
practically no details of his activitla.
or comments thereon. And il he kent
a diary more than part of very few
years when he was living at Mount
Vernon before the war these records
have not come to light. One OF the
earliest entries relating to horse rae
ing is dated September 20. I76S.
''Went to n Purse Race at Accotinck
and returned with Messrs. Robt. and
GEORGE Alexander" it runs. and that
Is 81 FOR the day. Accotinck was the
name of creek on which Daniel Nc.
Carty's country seat, Cedar Grove, was
locate and it suggests the probability
that the course visited by Washington
and the two Alexanders may have been
one of the many private race grounds
maintained by horse loving Virginia
- - =.
courses were as yet very few. 1t was a
notable party of racegoers that rode
home together from Accotincll that day.
The Alexanders were of the family CT
land barons whose name was later givea
to the city OF Alexandria. just across
the Potomac from the capital city AZ
terward named in honor of the other
horseman.
Went UP to a Race by Mr. Beck
with's & lodged at Mr.. Edward Paynes -,
Is the entry on November II. and this
on the following day: Returned home.
brcakfasted at Captain McCarty's &
came by the mill and Muddy hole" An
other local race course frequented by
the future President was in meadow
Just west OF the Pohick church, of which
he and Capt. McCarty. as well as the
distinguished statesman and turfman
George Mason. were vestrymen. There
Is good reason to suspect they sometimes
fought the racing battles over again on
the grounds OF the old church. for in de-
scribing the social side of churchgoing
IN Colonial days Philip vickers Fithian
has said There are three grand divi-
sions of time at the church on Sundays
viz. before service. giving and receiving
letters OF business. reading advertise
nnents, consulting about the price OF to-
~. IL, f,n iro nit
lineage. age or qualities of favorite
horses" Pohicl1 was well provided with
the setting for such preliminaries, the
contract for building IL having specified
the construction OF two horse blocks and
"six benches for the people to sit on un-
der the trees"
~ Seven Miles to Church.
Washington had two large square box
pews at Pohick and frequently rode or
drove with family and guests the seven
long miles through the Virginia mud and
back again 10 attend Sunday services or
meetings OF the vestrymen there Reac-
ton against everything English during
the Revolutionary war left the historic
structure deserted and almost in ruins
century ago, when a correspondent or
the Spirit of the Times told how a friend
who went there to rescue a relic or
washington's pew found the door OF it
doing service as one side of negro
slaves chicken coop. Since then the old
church has been restored and now is
regularly used for the purpose for which
81 was built.
The apparent beginning OF Washing
tons interest In racing soon after his re-
TERN from the French and Indian war
suggests the possibility that he may
have been initiated into the art and mys-
terry OF the turf around the campfires OF
Braddocks ill-fated campaign. Col
William Byrd of Westover, who had
raced Tryal against the great Selma !:
Col William Fitzhugh OF Chatham. who
owned Rcguius and Volunteer. and Gov
Sharpe OF Maryland. the owner OF Bri-
tannia, were his companions In arms in
this campaign. and Col. Byrd seems to
have been his most intimate friend.
In his interesting book on Mount
Vernon" Paul Wilstach says: THE
races at Annapolis always drew the
family from Mount Vernon. On these
crasions the great coach. the horses,
- foctmen and positions were sent
@c-oss the river the day before 20 be
IN readiness without delay for the ar
rival OF the master and mistress the
next morning for an early start. The
trip was broken by stops in Marlboro
and at Mount Airy, the home OF Lord
Baltimore's kinsmen. the calverts. who
were later to be connected with the
family at Mount Vernon by the mar
rage OF Miss Eleanor Calvert. to John
Psrkc Custis."
Week At Anna uOIfs.