Washington - Commander In Chief Commander in Chief

WASHINGTON COMMANDER IN CHIEF THOMAS G. FROTHINGHAM CAPTAIN U. S. R. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY KbefcttttWfce frtes Cambridge 1930 Foreword to the Reader r II HE object of this work is to set forth in its true light, JL and with its right perspective, the military record of George Washington, American Commander in Chief throughout the Revolution. The many biographies of Wash ington have not approached their subject from the military point of view, with the account of the actual military operations as the inflexible basis for the text. There is an urgent need for such a book, because, es pecially of late, the character of Washington has been dis torted out of all semblance of reality. There has been a constant stream of books filled with petty and personal comment, and with ex parte treatises that have blurred the great issues and the great events. The recent biographers of Washington have made the mistake of controversial argu ment, to an extent that has colored their statements of his career. At this approaching two-hundredth anniversary of his birth, it is fitting that we should study the actual facts of the case and that we should allow these facts to shape the verdict, without special pleadings. In a book which deals with the course of military events, the narrative of facts must be the main theme, and adhering to this is the only sound method of treatment. For, in the military field of action above all, res ipsa loquitur. In this work every effort will be made to give a true statement of the military events, PREFACE and, as the character of George Washington was bound up in these events, the writer believes that a true picture of the characterof Washington will be reflected in the following narrative. Contents I. SELF-TUITION IN BOYHOOD I H. GRADUATION TO MANHOOD 8 III. FIRST MILITARY ADVENTURES 14 IV. THE LESSONS OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 2O V. THE CLEAVAGE BETWEEN THE AMERICAN COLO NIES AND GREAT BRITAIN 2Q VI. THE OUTBREAK OF THE REVOLUTION 37 vii. THE UPRISING WASHINGTON MADE COMMANDER IN CHIEF 45 VIII. THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL 54 IX. THE SITUATION AT BOSTON 68 X. THE SIEGE OF BOSTON 80 XI. THE COURSE OF EVENTS IN THE WINTER OF 775 776 88 XH. EXPULSION OF THE BRITISH FROM BOSTON 96 XIII. THE MILITARY SITUATION DEVELOPED 104 XIV. AFTER THE EVACUATION OF BOSTON 112 XV. THE SHIFT OF THE SCENE TO NEW YORK 121 XVI. THE BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND AND THE WITH DRAWAL OF THE AMERICANS 131 XVH. THE BRITISH OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 140 XVIII. THE ABANDONMENT OF ALL MANHATTAN ISLAND 149 XIX. RETREAT AND COUNTERATTACK IN NEW JERSEY 158 vii CONTENTS XX. THE SITUATION SAVED 169 XXI. 1 777 FRANKLIN AND BURGOYNE 1 76 XXII. THE MILITARY SITUATION IN AMERICA IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1777 l82 XXIII. WASHINGTON WATCHING HOWE IQI XXIV. THE INTERVAL BEFORE THE ATTACK ON PHILA DELPHIA 2O3 XXV. THE CAPTURE OF PHILADELPHIA BY THE BRITISH 2 1 3 XXVI. THE FALL OF 1777 223 XXVII. VALLEY FORGE 234 XXVIII. THE SITUATION AT THE BEGINNING OF 1778 243 XXIX. THE BRITISH RETREAT TO NEW YORK 252 XXX. THE ARRIVAL OF FRENCH TROOPS AND NEWPORT 265 XXXI. THE NEW SITUATION AT THE END OF 1778 273 XXXII. THE FIRST MONTHS OF 1779 28 1 XXXIII. THE LAST PART OF 1779 290 XXXIV. THE SHIFTING CONDITIONS FOR 1 780 300 XXXV. DEFEAT IN THE SOUTH AND THE FRENCH RE INFORCEMENT IN THE NORTH 309 xxxvi. ARNOLDS TREASON THE TURN OF THE TIDE IN THE SOUTH 318 XXXVII. THE BEGINNING OF1781 330 XXXVIII. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITUATION OF 1781 338 xxxix. WASHINGTONS MOVE TO THE SOUTH 347 XL. THE SIEGE OF YORKTOWN 355 XLI. THE RESULTS OF YORKTOWN 364 XLII. THE ACHIEVEMENT OF INDEPENDENCE 372 XLm. THE FINAL SCENES 384 INDEX 391 Illustrations and Maps THE ATHENAEUM PORTRAIT OF WASHINGTON, BY GILBERT STUART frontis. This was the study made from life, and was the origin of the many Stuart portraits. The artist kept it throughout his life, and it was purchased from his widow by sub scription for the Boston Athenian in 1831...