The Newburgh, NY Headquarters of General Washington
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Posted on 02/15/2010 4:21:18 AM PST by Pharmboy
CIVILIAN control of the military is a cherished principle in American government. It was President Obama who decided to increase our involvement in Afghanistan, and it is Congress that will decide whether to appropriate the money to carry out his decision. It is the president and Congress, not the military, that will decide whether our laws should be changed to allow gays and lesbians to serve in our armed forces. The military advises, but the civilian leadership decides.
Yet if not for the actions of George Washington, whose birthday we celebrate, sort of, this month, America might have moved in a very different direction.
In early 1783, with Revolutionary War victory in sight but peace uncertain, Washington and the Continental Army bivouacked at Newburgh, N.Y. Troops were enraged by Congress’s failure to provide promised back pay and pensions. Rumors of mutiny abounded.
snip
Washington then opened a letter from a sympathetic congressman, but soon appeared to grow distracted. As his men wondered what was wrong, Washington pulled out a pair of glasses, which even his officers had never seen before. “Gentlemen,” he said, “you must pardon me, for I have grown not only gray but blind in the service of my country.”
The officers were stunned. Many openly wept. Their mutinous mood gave way immediately to affection for their commander.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Aside from character and incredible courage in the face of battlefield danger, this is a man whose instincts--no matter how much they went against his time's conventional wisdom--almost always were right.
As I have taught my children, make no mistake: this country was founded upon the character of The General.
The RevWar/Colonial Histroy/General Washington ping list...
Obama and Congress are not CIVILIANS. They are the Government. The people should decide if homosexuals should serve in THEIR military..
Many revolutions have failed due to the egos of generals. It is easy to forget just how remarkable the founding fathers were in human history.
Oh my! God is good!
“As his men wondered what was wrong, Washington pulled out a pair of glasses, which even his officers had never seen before. “Gentlemen,” he said, “you must pardon me, for I have grown not only gray but blind in the service of my country.”
His officers began to weep openly as I am doing right now.
You’re right, Pharmboy - that the NYT would print this today - is another of God’s many miracles going on right now.
Pinging a few again please forgive.
By the way - my DAR membership application is now in.
Oh my! God is good!
“As his men wondered what was wrong, Washington pulled out a pair of glasses, which even his officers had never seen before. “Gentlemen,” he said, “you must pardon me, for I have grown not only gray but blind in the service of my country.”
His officers began to weep openly as I am doing right now.
You’re right, Pharmboy - that the NYT would print this today - is another of God’s many miracles going on right now.
Pinging a few again please forgive.
By the way - my DAR membership application is now in.
Excellent! The DAR is a wonderful organization as is the Sons of the American Revolution.
I’m interested in the DAR. I believe I am eligibe, sinc my Great great great........granfather was Washington’s commander until about 1754. At the time my ancestor died, Washington was promoted to Commander to replace Joshua Fry, my gr.gr.gr...etc. Grandfather.
I wonder what value it might be for me to join the DAR.
I often wonder if many American now days appreciate how truly incomparable our system is.
Since teachers (along with the MSM) now insist on revisionist versions of our history and stress everything that is negative in the political/social/military equation which produced the U.S.A… I am not optimistic.
The premise that most young people miss and I think, many others have forgotten is that the U.S. was a gigantic gamble on the part of the founders. The entire civilized world held the lowest opinion of the idea of a ‘democracy’ in practice and had no confidence that such a system could endure…anywhere, least of all in a new, weak, disorganized, vulnerable and struggling nation.
Europeans had an experience with governments and power which was cynical and they distrusted human nature so far that their expectations for the ‘American’ experiment were minimal.
I remember reading that Napoleon I was shocked that Washington stood down at the end of his term of office. No one on earth could believe that an individual who held full power with access to all resources of government would voluntarily walk away from such a position. It WAS the most noble and selfless act anyone had ever seen!
I wish that this country could fully comprehend how remarkable our history has been. I am sure that once they understand, our country could NOT remain the home that it is to all and sundry who wallow in their ignorance and gratuitous hatred for America and Americans.
Simply, The Greatest. Period.
That would not be DAR. Long before the Revolution.
If you are female (I assume, by D-AR), perhaps Colonial Dames? Maybe there is another 7-Years’ War/French-Indian society.
I think you mean George III. Nappy was not even in any real service at that time. But legend has it that Nap remarked that “They wanted me to be a Washington” on his deathbed.
That's a stretch. There had been no hostilities or military action in about two years. Negotiations were ongoing in Paris toward a peace treaty, which was agreed to about 6 months after Washington's eyeglasses speech.
Don't get me wrong - this was a great and effective speech by Washington, but the Times is acting the part of a drama queen here. The issue wasn't fear of the war moving forward, but the mistreatment of the military forces WRT to pay and such.
It was Napoleon I as well as Geo. III. I remember that distinctly, because I have read about 150 biographies of the guy, and many included his personal conversations and comments....
That’s where Joshua lost his life, the French/Indians wars. That’s where he was Washington’s commander.
Joshua sired a LOT of children, and his descendents keep popping up in history after that. There is a very close relationship between Lincoln and Joshua Fry Speed.
Interesting stuff.
And to your point, although my children were all taught in public schools, I always "home-schooled" them in US history.
It's a good thing if school-age children in this country have people at home to de program the propaganda in the public schools.
If nothing else, children should know that the school ‘version’ is not the only version and certainly NOT the complete version, because omission is as much as a lie when talking about history. How would a young person get any kind of perspective on history if facts are omitted?
I guess Nap could’ve been “shocked” even if just a grunt in school. I just haven’t heard any reference between the 2 except Nap as leader.
When you stated “the guy”, which guy?
Well, here is a list of battles AFTER Yorktown:
Revolutionary War Battles for the Year 1782-1783
JANUARY
3rd, Videau’s Bridge, SC
12th-15th, New Cut/Johns Island, SC
14th, Dorchester, SC
FEBRUARY
11th, Deep River, NC
14th, Wambaw Creek, SC
24th, Durant’s Plantation/Wambaw Creek, SC
24th, Beaufort, SC
25th, Tydimon’s Plantation, SC
MARCH
4th, Morrisania (Third), NY
8th, Gnaddenhutten, OH
15th, Middleton Plantation, SC
19th, HMS Alligator captured
31st-April 1st, Farrow’s Station, SC
??, Lower Settlements, SC
APRIL
2nd, Bryant’s Mills, SC
4th-17th, Beaufort, SC
9th-12th, Saintes Passage, West Indies
12th, Altamaha River, GA
21st, Dorchester, SC
24th, Dorchester (Third), SC
MAY
8th, New Providence, Bahamas
8th, Orangeburgh, SC
20th, Ogeechee Ferry/Harris’s Bridge, GA
21st, Ogechee Road, GA
24th, Sharon, GA
24th, Dean’s Swamp, SC
28th, Dorchester, SC
JUNE
1st, Amelia Township, SC
4th, Sandusky, OH
23rd, Ebenezer, GA
JULY
11th, Savannah, GA
13th, Hannastown, PA
25th, Skidway Island, GA
??, James Island, SC
AUGUST
7th, Badge of Military Merit (Purple Heart) medal established
19th, Blue Licks, Ky.
27th, Combahee Ferry, SC
29th, Fair Lawn, SC
29th, Wadboo, SC
??, Whitehall, SC
SEPTEMBER
2nd, Port Royal Ferry, SC
11th-13th, Fort Henry, VA
??, Edisto Island, SC
OCTOBER
20th, Cape Spartel, Tangier
??, Saltketcher Swamp, SC
NOVEMBER
4th, Johns Island, SC
10th, Chillicothe, OH
14th, James Island, SC
27th, Peace Talks begin
30th, Paris, France (Provisional Treaty)
DECEMBER
14th, Charlestown, SC
1783
.......... JANUARY
20th, Preliminary Articles of Peace signed
.......... FEBRUARY
4th, England proclaims a Cessation of Hostilities with United States
.......... APRIL
11th, Congress proclaims a Cessation of Hostilities
15th, Congress ratifies Treaty of Peace .......... SEPTEMBER
3rd, Paris, France (Treaty of Paris)
.......... NOVEMBER
3rd, Continental Army troops discharged
25th, New York City, NY
.......... DECEMBER
4th, Last British troops leave
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