Posted on 07/30/2019 4:51:24 PM PDT by Perseverando
It also showed people that one can grow and mature as a leader. George Washington pretty much blundered in his first major mission, became a good leader during the course of the French-Indian War, made a TON of mistakes leading the Colonials against the British, but learned from these mistakes and by the time the Americans and British signed the 1783 Peace Treaty, he was one of the great men of the 18th Century.
Bookmark
I just read Pioneers by David McCollough. Not about the French and Indian war but about the settling of the Ohio River Valley. Really fascinating.
A good article about a great man. Thanks for posting.
My 6th great grandfather Capt Timothy McGinnis of the Provincial Army was killed at Lake George, NY in the Battle of Bloody Pond Sept 8, 1755...one of the buckskinned “Yankee Doodle Dandies” of the song...
mark
It’s on Netflix ( yeah I know, I’m going to cancel) but such a great portrait of Washington’s spy network in New York.
I’m going to have to read that.
Another great book is Westward of ye Laural Hills by Helen Vogt.
Great show, indeed. I’m especially fascinated with the Robert Rogers character. I’ve begun reading a fantastic book about him titled: “War on the Run”, a very detailed biography of the man himself.
I’ll have to check that out. I like the history of that area and time period.
A wonderful book about Mary Draper, Follow the River, was read by most of my family, several times.
I’ll get that. I love any stories/history about the pioneers. McCullough’s book is really good and not too long.
It’s really good. You will like it!
I’m going to get that book.
I love these stories of our ancestors. One of mine was entertaining the British generals at his home on the night Washington crossed the Delaware. An errand boy came to deliver a note to the British officers as to what was happening but alas, it never got delivered. My ancestor was a merchant in Trenton NJ. Don’t know why he was entertaining them that night.
Thanks for the book suggestion. Will definitely check it out as Robert Rogers as portrayed is indeed a scene stealer in the series.
Rogers ended up on the side of the British in the Revolutionary War.
It's a good thing the Brit generals didn't know how to utilize his services, otherwise the outcome may have been different.
Theres a large stone at the bottom end of Lake George with a plaque about the battle and it mentions my Capt McGinnis... The area is so overgrown now though that I haven’t been able to actually find it...
http://www.historiclakes.org/wm_henry/bloody.html
“My ancestor was a merchant in Trenton NJ. Don’t know why he was entertaining them that night.”
It was a fairly common practice for “undercover” patriots (spies) to entertain British officers and loosen their tongues with strong drink and praise. Depending on the information gathered it could reach General Washington’s desk in two or three days.
Slaves were often in use in the spy game.
I forget the particulars but one slave, “appropriated” by British officers, heard them going over a plan of action. He communicated the information to a local patriot who gave the information to one of his slaves who then delivered the information to General Lafayette who delivered it to Washington.
General Washington developed a spy ring any modern dictator would be proud of.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.