Evening star., 1932-03-26
Along Washington's Path
First President Returns to Dreary OUTPOST at Win.
chester, Nov the Little Capital of the
Lower Shenandoah Valley.

WINCHESTER, Va, March 26
MAN his grand tour OF
dining and dancing all the way to Bos-
ton and back. Washington returned to
his drearv outpost here in this now
brilliant little capital of the Lower
Shenandoah valley.
His old stone and timbered headquar-
tiers stands today in its yard on Brad
dock street. graSS-grown bastion OF
his Fort Ioudoun. which he built OF
Io0s still is visible on a hill few
blocks away and in the midst OF the
town.
toms trade to make bricks without straw
he could not have had more thorough
apprenticeship for the task that fell to
him in the Revolution than he served
right here in this cabin OF stone and
wood
Virginia had laid upon his 24-year-
old shoulders the duty OF defending a
35O-mile frontier. which the French and
Indians were raiding through every gap
in the Allegheny Mountains. he hao 10
ride wilderness trails 80 miles Gay 1or
davs together and build an army out of
the dregs of the poor whlte population
of the Colony These mostly deserted
or got drunk when they found their pay
was to be only pence a day, with a
third of that deducted for their uniforms.
CIamor for Protection.
The settlers clamored for protection
from the Indians until Washington
groaned that he would be willing
offering to savage fury and die by
inches" If that sacrifice would propitiate
the enemy. While he kept the whip
ping post busy in his rowdy camp, and
even hanged some of his unruly re-
cruits he defended and pleaded for his
hill-billy crew in scolding letters to Gov
Dinwiddie until the Governor bitterly
retorted with an accusation OF IN
gratitude.
Although his health broke under his
distressing responsibilities, made heavier
by public censure-and he believed him
self sick unto death--the young COM
mander did succeed at last in welding a
force proud of itself and OF him. To-
gether they were in the van when he
adventured for the fourth time through
the AlleghenyS as part of the army OF
Gen. Forbes sent out by England to
erase from her colors the stain Of Brad
docks defeat.
Forbes chose a new line of advance
against the French. and wholly through
Pennsylvania, which diSpleased the Vlr-
ginianS and their colonel, whose too free
criticism brought down upon his head
the generals rebuke.
His behavior about the roads" said
his commander. was noways like a
soldiers" Yet his force did the hard
pioneer work of the campaign. When
he came within a days march of his
long-sought goal, the French blew up
Fort Duquesne and took to their canoes,
leaving only smoking ruin for the
British.
View of Comrade.
Pause now. Look at Washington at
that period and look at him through
the eyes of a comrade, who tells us
across the years that he may be de
scribed as being straight as an Indian,
measuring 6 feet inches in his stock
ings and weighing IT'S pounds. His
frame is padded with well developed
muscles, indicating great strength. His
bones and joints are large, as are his
hands and feet. He is wide shouldered,
but has not a deep or round chest; is
neat wasted, but Is broad across the
hips, and has rather long legs and arms.
His head is well shaped, though not
large, but is gracefully poised on a
superb neck A large and straight
rather than prominent nose; blue-gray,
penetrating eyes, which are widely sep
arated and overhung by heavy brow.
His face is long rather than broad, with
high, round cheek bones, and termi-
mates in a good. firm chin. He has a
clear though rather colorleSS skin,
which burns in the sun dark
brown hair. which he wears in queue.