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.
“It also showed people that one can grow and mature as a leader.”
I read that Washington’s greatest asset was that he KNEW he wasn’t ALWAYS the smartest man in the room which enabled him to see that others had better plans and he would accept and execute those plans with the same vigor and determination as he would his own.
General Washington was particularly galled by the fact he had been run out of the city of New York. It was his burning passion to retake the city and keep the British out.
When the French naval leader de Grasse informed Washington that he intended to blockade the Chesapeake bay Washington abandoned New York, the apple of his eye, and set out for Virginia.
Washington was also known for his loyalty, honor and sense of justice.
When Cornwallis forced the surrender of Charles town, SC he denied the request of Continental General Benjamin Lincoln to be allowed to surrender with Military Honors of War.
When Cornwallis asked to surrender with Military Honors of War General George Washington insisted: “The same Honors will be granted to the Surrendering Army as were granted to the Garrison of Charles Town.”
When Cornwallis’s sword was presented to General Washington by the British second in command he refused and gestured to his second in command, Major General Benjamin Lincoln, the same man who had been treated so shabbily at Charles town.
Is there any wonder his officers loved him?