George Washington - Early Life

Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron

The mansion called "Belvoir" was close by. It was the home of the great English Fairfax family that was given a royal grant. Lord Fairfax owned a large portion of the colony which the Virginians were continually protesting. George regularly visited the Fairfax clan. At Belvoir George saw how the English upper class lived. William Fairfax was the insignificant son of an insignificant son. He needed the English Fairfax's to use their influence to keep his employment in ways suited to his station.Lawrence married into the Fairfax clan. This gave George opportunities for years to come. William Fairfax was the master of Belvoir and the cousin of the Lordship. George was very popular with the Fairfax clan. His riding skills and fox hunting skills were very helpful to riding to hounds which was a Fairfax pastime. The Fairfax connection could have elevated George in the British Army but his mother was against it.

Link to Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron on Wikipedia.

Between 1753 and 1754 England was in a "Cold War" with France and many other countries trying to claim the new world as their property for colonization. The Ohio valley was up for grabs and France was going fully out to gain Canada and as much land as possible. The Ohio Valley was being claimed by both England AND France. Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie was the highest resident crown office in Virginia. The French were coming down from the Great Lakes to claim the Virginia land.

With winter soon to come a plan of action was given to George Washington since he knew much of these areas and had experience in the wilderness.

The British give Washington a few translators and a few woodsmen. Their mission was to see where the French were. George found the forks of the Ohio (now PitPittsburgh) was the strategic position that would control the region. George made an alliance with the Iroquois chief "Half-King" and 3 old chiefs that accompanied their party. They also provided an able-bodied hunter to supply the party with meat.

Washington visited numerous outposts and spoke to indians and French officials. George Washington gave the ultimatum of George II (the English King) at the French Fort to Legardeur de St. Pierre, Knight of the Military Order of St. Louis. George was wearing his dress uniform of a Virginia major. The old French officer didn't care. Washington began his treck back home in mid-December. Conditions were terrible.

The Indian Half-King explained that the French had sent a party to ambush them. Washington believed the half-king and attacked a 32 man party in the early morning of the 26th before sunrise. There was little return fire but the French surrendered within minutes. The victory was quickly won with 10 Frenchmen killed and the rest taken prisoner. A diplomat, Joseph Coulon, Sieur de Jumonville, was killed who was on the same mission to tell the English that this was "their land". The prisoners explained that

Washington's men just killed an "Ambassador of France".

Washington found out that a French fort called Fort Duquesne had been erected and 800 soldiers and 400 Indians were on their way to take action on Washington's small group. Washington was deserted by his Indian alliances.

A small fort was erected by Washington previously called "Fort Necessity" and they headed to it for the battle. The battle began on July 3, 1754 and Washington was outmanned by over 4 times. The battle began and it looked hopeless. Out of the 300 men trying to hide and fight from the small fort over 100 men had been killed. Miraculously Washington had not been shot. As everything looked perilous clouds began to form and a violent rain storm burst on the armies. This had to be an act of providence.

Washington found out that a French fort called Fort Duquesne had been erected and 800 soldiers and 400 Indians were on their way to take action on Washington's small group. Washington was deserted by his Indian alliances.

In America Washington was a hero. He was considered very brave and won a victory. He expected a grand British commission but none came. No promotion came and George Washington resigned from the Army.

December, 1754, George Washington went back to the tobacco farm at "Mount Vernon" and rented it from his deceased brother's wife. Washington was in love with a married woman, Sally Cary, who was the wife of a Fairfax. They both attended a "review" of the British army for Commanding General Braddock. Braddock liked Washington and heard about his understanding of the wilderness. He offered Washington to help the British army but his mother fought against this ardently. Washington was not given a commission but he volunteered to help with procuring supplies and horses as a volunteer.

General Braddock was "taken" with Washington and promised when this war was over that he would make him a permanent colonel in the regular army. Braddock did not listen to Washington's warnings of irregular fighting in the wilderness. Washington knew that the army would not get to Fort Duquesne before winter. General Braddock would not listen. Washington got extremely ill. Washington could not leave with the troops because of his illness.

George Washington crawled to the road and after traveling for some time found the reinforcements but they were too terrified to fight. Braddock died. What was left of the British army fled to Philadelphia. Washington barely made it back to Mountain Vernon.

Washington was expecting a position of authority in the British Army after saving them from almost complete annihilation. The the British explained that he was not needed and they would not give him a commission.

The British regulars agreed that this was wrong and that Washington should resign and return to private life due to the British governments lack of appreciation. Washington was offended with the British but continued to serve with the local Virginia militia as their commander.

Virginia was as upset as Washington. In the spring the indians were striking homes and Washington asked for more militia. But when they arrived from the south they took the food and clothing they wanted but fled whenever there was a report of battle. Washington wanted more "regular soldiers" from central Virginia. This army in Virginia would eventually become "The Continental Army".

Washington was considered a hero in America even though the British were defeated. Washington lead those that survived out of the woodlands back to safety. Washington's reputation was now known throughout the colonies. He was also admired somewhat in England, but with reservations from his previous French and Indian debacle.

Washington became the Commander in Chief of all of the Virginia forces. Virginia created their own army. But the other armies in other states took and used up many of the supplies and food he procured for his troops saying that they had more authority than he had. Washington's troops were ordered to march his troops to Fort Cumberland, Maryland. The colonies were not cohesive and conflicted on who was in charge and who would govern the Virginia militia. Virginia should be in charge of their militia, not other colonial regents.

He left his troops and traveled to the Massachusetts Governor, William Shirley. He met with the Governor of Massachusetts to complain about the other colonies making him serve them and not Virginia. Washington was upset that the Virginia militia with their supplies and soldiers might be given to Governor Sharpe of Maryland.

Keeping an army together was very difficult. George Washington used his officers to help keep the army as stable as possible. Washington sent messages to the Governor and the legislature of their failure to provide needed supplies. They attacked back instead of supporting him.

When the word was out that a new commander from England was coming on a ship, Washington started a plan to the talk to him about the plan for the colonial armies. The Virginia legislators created a "draft law of 1757" (conscription) but very few actually came to the call. Many were marched off to other states (Loudoun, South Carolina). The fighting season had begun and the French Indians were destroying and pillaging very close to Winchester.

Washington became Ill in the Autumn. His previous dysentery came come back along with tuberculosis. He also had pleuritic pains. The doctor bleed him to try to help the situation.

He went back to Mount Vernon to try and recover. In January of 1758 he tried to go to Williamsburg for help but had to return. By March he was more fit than expected.

Now the British were planning another attack of Fort Duquesne. They were now using the local military to help with the battle. The officers of the local forces would lead their own troops. The British changed their rules of officer rank authority and honored the colonists officers. In the past the British didn't honor the American soldiers at all. Past experience with the British army ranking system for colonists made even the highest highest rank of the American officers below the lowest British officer. Washington was happy that the British showed some respect for the American officers.

The British officer, Brigadier General John Forbes felt that a new road through Philadelphia would be best. The Virginians were upset because there was already a road constructed through Virginia. Washington insisted that building a new road would slow down the process of getting to the battlefield before winter set in. Politics began it's fighting but Washington was ignored and even chastised.

Now an official war was declared between England and France and England sent their war ships across the Atlantic. Many delays went on and Washington was beside himself. Forbes was smart enough to elevate Washington to a temporary rank of brigadier general. At one point the 2 Virginia fighting groups mistook each other as the enemy and began shooting.

Washington rode between the two groups and hit their guns up with he sword. 14 were killed and 26 wounded, but Washington was not touched.

As winter descended Forbes was still deep in the forest due to poor planning. They decided to camp through the winter and begin the attack in the spring. There was information that stated that the fort was being evacuated. Washington's men cut a small road for the military to advance. As Washington approached Indians were making signs of friendship and rode off. There was a large smoky area toward the fort. As they approached the fort they found out that the French had burned the fort down because their supply lines had been cut from Canada and they had to evacuate before the battle.

After 4 long years the battle was over without a shot. Now that the frontier was safe he could retire from the military and return to Mount Vernon.

George Washington was engaged in the French and Indian War at age 21 to age 26. He was always a leader. He was considered Virginia's most celebrated hero. He was elected in the middle of the war the representative to the Virginia Assembly. He resigned from the military at age 26. He could finally go home to his beloved Virginia and live peacefully in "Mount Vernon".

George Washington now turned his time and energy to again being a farmer and businessman. He experimented with different crops and tried to creating items for the people of Virginia to purchase.

He was Married January 6, 1759 to Mrs. Martha Dandridge Custis. She was a wealthy widow who inherited the many plantations her husband owned. This gave Washington a higher status in Virginia economically, politically and socially. He was already a hero and now he was involved in larger business practices than before.

By 1765 Washington grew very little tobacco and eventually by 1766 stopped tobacco production all together. He grew corn and wheat. He eventually grew his weaving operation along with his mill. He even built a commercial mill that serviced a large area in Virginia.

By 1765 Washington grew very little tobacco and eventually by 1766 stopped tobacco production all together. He grew corn and wheat. He eventually grew his weaving operation along with his mill. He even built a commercial mill that serviced a large area in Virginia.

Slaves were part of the Washington businesses. He treated them kindly and made sure that their families were not split up.

He helped others that needed help. He was helpful for those that needed financial aid. He also helped women that were being leveraged by their husbands in land ownership by using the Virginia laws. He was a model of a man that continued to show "charity" for those that needed it, including orphaned children. He invested in land grants that were difficult to manage. He continued his part as a member of "The House of Burgesses".

Washington was interested in natural justice. He considered the way England ruled repugnant". He opposed the rule of England. He was not that surprised to learn of the "Boston Tea Party". Feeling of hostility were brewing throughout the colonies regarding the many mandates by the British King George III.