George Washington's War: The Forging of a Revolutionary by Bruce Chadwick

Show description

Then he implored him to help. “Borrow money where it can be done,” he said, and invoked patriotism as he told him the revolution was out of time. “Every man of interest and every lover of his country must strain his credit upon such an occasion. ” George Washington's War int 4/14/04 3:24 PM Page 24 24 George Washington’s War Morris wrote back that he was overwhelmed with earlier requests from Washington and Congress and had little time to raise money for what amounted to an illegal offer. Everyone knew, though, that if anyone could find money in a bankrupt city, it was Morris.

Many were impressed that their new military leader was also a wealthy patrician, a man who, with his stature, certainly did not have to join the army, much less lead it. Although they rarely discussed it, the delegates knew that the British would execute the leaders of the Revolution if the enterprise failed, just as they had executed the heads of a Scottish rebellion in 1747. The first on that list would be the commander of the army. Here, in front of them, in his pristine blue and red uniform, then, was a man who had absolutely nothing to gain and everything to lose.

They made certain that friends and relatives visited Mount Vernon often and that they spent time with the children. But Martha’s fear that danger would come to one or the other proved correct. For no apparent reason, Patsy first collapsed and went into convulsions when she was eleven as George and Martha enjoyed tea. The fits, which were epileptic seizures, continued on a regular basis. Doctors bled George Washington's War int 4/14/04 3:24 PM Page 52 52 George Washington’s War her, gave her medicines, and put an iron ring on her finger to bite on when she was overcome by a seizure.