The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1932-03-31
WASHINGTON'S TRAVELS

a geographer who gained his informa-
ton at first hand, the Father of His
Country earned the right to another
"first."
Many places Washington visited
have been unaware of the fact; other
places where he is reputed to have
stopped" or "spent the night" are
far from the verified records of his
travels. This information developed
when the map makers of the National
Geographic Society started on the ex-
tensive research task-research con-
Stunning more than a year-to record
all of Washington's journeys on sim
gle map.
Thorough checks were made of the
diaries of Washington, of the contem-
porary accounts of his travels, and in
many ceases personal visits had to be
made to places and musty courthouse
files scanned, because of places that
have changed names, or have their
names duplicated.
The compilation of his information
shows that George Washington trav-
eled over a larger area than any other
official of his time. His travels ex-
tended from the heart of Georgia to
Kittery, Maine. Westward, he went
to the vicinity of Lake Erie, in Penn
sylvania; to the neighborhood of Point
Pleasant, in West Virginia, and to
Gallipolis, Ohio.
In three sea voyages Washington
made, one was to foreign soil, Barba-
dos. But the most amazing aspect OF
his travels, perhaps, are his journeys
on horseback-journeys ranging from
Virginia to Fort LIE Boeuf, and from
Noun; Vernon to Boston. However,
so f. as records show, he did not
visit he birthplace of his mother, Ep-
ping crest.
Long Horseback Trips
W.: hington's horseback trips were
often arduous. He was known to
average IS miles day for periods of
more than week. Once he rode $50
miles in 16 days. That trip was from
Cumberland, Md, to Williamsburg,
Va, and two days of the 16 were
"time OUT, waiting for an armed es-
cort. He carried the pay for Brad
docks army in his saddlebags.
Horses often broke under the strain,
when public duty called Washington
to move with dispatch. For instance,
when riding to join General Braddock,
upon reaching the vicinity of what is
now Charles Town, W. Va, he re-
ported that he killed one horse out
right and had rendered the three
others he had brought along unfit for
service.
When there was no urgency of pub
lie business his horses Jared better.
After his trip to his western lands in
1884, during which he had twice
crossed the Appalachians and had
been so far from civilization that he
could get no corn for his horse (and
nothing or only boiled corn for him
self, he sets down with satisfaction
that he had travelled $50 miles be-
tween the first day of September and
the fourth day of October, on the same
horses.
Washington's geographic instincts
began to develop on this early trip.
The trough of the south branch of the
Potomac, where many years later
President Grover Cleveland fished for
bass, he described as (a) couple of
Lodges of Mountain impossible run
ming side and side together for above
seven or eight miles and We River
down between them" He adds: "You
must Ride Round We back of we noun
tain for to get below them"
With boyish zest Washington ate
his evening meal on Friday, April 8.
eve camped this Night in We Woods
near a Wild Meadow where was a
Stack of Hay after we had Pitched
our Tent and made very Large Fire
we pulld out our Knapsack in order
to Recruit ourselves every (one) was
his own Cook our Splits were Forked
Sticks our Plates was Large Chip
as for Dishes we had none"
Good Pay, Small Expense
A letter written to a friend while
on one of the several other surveying
trips he made to the waters of the
Shenandoah, the Cacapon, and the
South Branch in 1749, 1850, 1851 and
1852 indicates it was the good pay
that reconciled young Washington to
the hardships of surveyors life.
Therein he says that had not slept
above three or four nights in a bed,
but after walking all day he lay down
"before the fire upon a Little Hay
Straw Fodder or bairskin which ever
is to be had with Man Wife and Chill
dren like a parcel of Dogs or Cats
and happy he that gets the Berth
nearest the fire there's nothing would
make it pass of tolerably but good
Reward a Dubbleloon ($7.16 2-3) is