Edward G. Lengel - General George Washington: A Military Life

To my parents,
Alan and Shelbia Lengel

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

O NCE UPON A TIME , many historians thought there was nothing new to be learned about George Washington. The Papers of George Washington documentary editing project proved them wrong. Established at the University of Virginia in 1969 by the late Donald Jackson, the project began with a comprehensive search for Washington documents in public and private repositories all over the world. Since then it has amassed a collection of photographic copies of some 135,000 documents, including letters written to and from Washington; his diaries, accounts, school exercises, and miscellaneous personal papers; and reports, returns, and other administrative materials relating to his careers in the military and in politics. The search continues, and the project turns up new documents almost monthly. At the time of writing, the project has transcribed, annotated, and published fifty-two volumes of Washingtons papers, with another forty yet to go.

Since 1996 it has been my privilege to work at the Papers of George Washington, first as a graduate student and now as an associate editor. The privilege comes not just from access to the projects unparalleled collection of documents and research materials, but also from working with such a group of fine scholars and good people. My list of debts at the project, both intellectual and personal, includes Ted Crackel, Frank E. Grizzard, Jr., David R. Hoth, Beverly H. Runge, Christine Sternberg Patrick, Philander D. Chase, Beverly S. Kirsch, James E. Guba, Daniel B. Smith, and Adam Jortner. I am particularly grateful to W. W. Abbot, editor emeritus, who continues to inspire as a mentor, scholar, and friend; and to J.C.A. Stagg, editor in chief of the Papers of James Madison, for his help and encouragement as I struggled to find time to finish writing this book. Thanks must also go to the Papers of George Washington projects primary sources of financial support, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, and the University of Virginia.

Several scholars read drafts of my book at various stages in its writing, and while none of them are responsible for its shortcomings, all of them saved me from embarrassing gaffes and helped make the book better than it was. My heartfelt thanks go to Peter Henriques, emeritus professor at George Mason University; Don Higginbotham of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Frank E. Grizzard, Jr., of the Papers of George Washington; and Guy Chet of the University of North Texas. I also appreciate the encouragement and advice on research, writing, and interpretation given by John Whiteclay Chambers II of Rutgers University, John P. Resch of the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, Gary Wheeler Stone of Monmouth Battlefield State Park, David R. Hoth of the Papers of George Washington, Patricia Brady, Mike Hill, and Ed Crews; and the folks at the Society for Military History and the Association for Documentary Editing.

I cannot adequately express my gratitude to Rick Britton, cartographer and creator of the wonderful series of maps that grace this volume. His artistry, skill, and patience have been on constant display as he balanced contradictory sources, complicated maneuvers, and squiggly colonial road systems, to make visual sense out of my sometimes opaque summaries of Washingtons battles. Rick would have made a fine addition to General George Washingtons military staff!

Writing well is a skill not easily acquired, particularly for one who has spent years writing only for academics. I was fortunate to polish my rough edges under the tutelage of the fine team of editors at Random House, who rapped my knuckles when I wrote astray and patiently worked to clarify my prose. I would like to offer particular thanks to my editor Will Murphy, and to Robert Loomis, Ed Cohen, Benjamin Dreyer, Dennis Ambrose, and Fleetwood Robbins. Thanks also to my indefatigable agent Peter Matson, and to Patricia Hass, who seized on the idea of a military life of George Washington and helped the book to get off the ground.

My deepest gratitude is reserved for my family: my father, Alan, who always believed I would be a writer; my mother, Shelbia, who read and edited every word of the manuscript, making it much better; my wife, Laima, who encouraged me to write and wouldnt let me give up even when I became absolutely convinced of my incompetence; my brother, Eric, who bragged about me to his friends; my brother-in-law, Julius, who took that nifty snapshot of me in Gdansk; my son Mike, who couldnt wait to show this book to his class; my daughter, Laura, and the girls on her soccer team, who welcomed me as their coach and kept me distracted from the foibles of the grown-up world; and my son Tomas, who by pushing all my buttons helped to keep me both awake and alive.

LIST OF MAPS

BIOGRAPHIES

J OHN A DAMS (17531826) Massachusetts delegate to the Second Continental Congress who formally introduced Washington to that assembly as a potential commander-in-chief in June 1775. His opinion of Washingtons military acumen subsequently declined somewhat, although he was never a vehement critic. Adams later served as Washingtons vice-president (178997); as president during the Quasi-War with France (179899) he nominated Washington commander-in-chief of the army and then quarreled with him over the ranking of the armys major generals.

W ILLIAM A LEXANDER (17261783) New Jersey native known as Lord Stirling because of his claim to an English title. A veteran of the French and Indian War and an acquaintance of Washington, Alexander was appointed colonel of the First New Jersey Regiment in November 1775. He rose to the rank of brigadier general in March 1776 and became a major general in February 1777. Captured at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776, he returned to service in time to see action at Brandywine (September 1777), Germantown (October 1777), and Monmouth (June 1778). Stubborn and courageous, he was one of Washingtons better officers.

B ENEDICT A RNOLD (17411801) A well-educated, handsome, wealthy, and mercurial businessman from New Haven, Connecticut, Arnold established his military reputation by capturing the British garrison at Ticonderoga, New York, together with Ethan Allen in May 1775. Washington made his acquaintance a few months later and sent Arnold, a newly commissioned colonel, on an expedition to Canada that autumn. That expedition ended in disaster, but Washington continued to hold him in high regard and finally convinced Congress to commission Arnold a major general in the spring of 1777. Arnold subsequently played a major role in the victory at Saratoga in October 1777, an action for which Horatio Gates received all the public credit. This and other perceived slights finally drove Arnold into a treasonous correspondence with the British that ended in a failed attempt to betray the American garrison at West Point in September 1780. Arnold was subsequently commissioned a brigadier general in the British army and, an unquestionably talented commander, led raids on Connecticut and Virginia. He left Yorktown before its capitulation in October 1781thus avoiding capture and certain executionand moved to England, where he died in bitter obscurity. Washington never forgave Arnolds perfidy, which he considered not only a betrayal of the nation but a personal affront from a man he had considered his friend.