/-2 George Washington: A Revolutionary "Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying rvhen there seemed to be no help at all." Dale Carnegie After his father's death, George Washington became impatient, impetuous, self reliant and independent. His belligerent mother drove him away from rural Virginia and Washington began building his self worth by slowly acquiring land. With his lack of education and rugged edges, George was always trying to protect his reputation which he later gained not from his wealth of land, but from his persistent role in overcoming the impossible as Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. George Washington is known in America as our first president but slightly less known for his leadership in the American Revolution. His actions and guidance have been praised and criticized, but the overall outcome of his dealings regarding the rebel forces were positive as they were the start of the land of the free and the beginnings of America. "...tactics...is only a small part of generalship. For a general must also be capable of furnishing military equipment and providing supplies for the men; he must be resourceful, active, careful, hardy and quick-witted: he must be both gentle and brutal, at once straightforward and designing, capable of both caution and surprise, lavish and rapacious, generous and mean? skilful in defense and attack: and there are many other qualifications. some natural, some acquired, that are necessary to one who would succeed as a general." - Socrates. t3 A great leader should have most if not all of the characteristics mentioned by the illustrious Socrates. Many criticize the actions of General Washington as commander-in-chief of the rebel forces but he did not lack those appealing assets of the aforementioned. He merely lacked necessary supplies to thrive as an army force, a trained army and success in nearly every battle that came their way. In Washington's first battle, he and his men surrendered Fort Necessity. He ventured on only to have horses shot from under him at Fort Duquesne. But as Winston Churchill says, "success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." washingon's defeats are what kept his army going and pushing through. On top of the lack of enlistment, supplies, and trained militia the Continental Army,s defeat preserved the loss of hope. General Washinglon continued to remain loyal and fight for his troops. Although he disliked and often complained of their incompetence, he knew that that was aii he haci to work with anci that just one fight wouici unciermine the British tbrce. That is exactly what happened. General Washington's greatest victory was on December 26,1776 at the Battle of Trenton. His creative plan of a sneak attack on the British the day after Christmas surprised everyone' The hazardous crossing of the Delaware River made it possible for Washington to reach Trenton where they defeated the astonished British. This battle not only claimed a victory for the rebel forces but sparked interest in the Continental Army and inspired re-enlistments. This victory serves today as proof that the weary and tired can overcome. Even though General Washington continuously lost battle after battle phvsically he was winning mentally. Despite British provocation, he stayed with his hit and run tactics throughout the war, keeping them in New York for some time, mentally frustrating his opponents. In l-1 addition, Washington continuously wrote to others discussing his tactics and trying to get shoes, clothing and food for his inen, ai1 attempt to enfbrce continuous improvement of his regiine. And when their misfortune remained unrelenting he didn't give up. "George Washington was not a great general but a brilliant revolutionary." When American Citizens today learn about our nation's history, they do not memorize every detail regarding George Washington's decisions and battles, but his overall livelihood. What we all must realize is that George Washington was human. He made mistakes and he was far from perfect. After all, it is a righteous man that falls seven times, and rises again," [Proverbs 24..161. Washington's extraordinary characteristics were his innovations, persistence, daring nature, and courage. Despite the obstacies he anci his miiitia haci to overcome, he heici his ragtag army together and weathered every storm. Because of his and his militia's role in the American Revolution our ancestors were able to take a step forward in the direction of freedom and declare our independence from Britain. Washington is more than our first president or commander-in- chief of the Continental Army. He proves that no matter what, staying true to yourself and those who support you can only bring success. Furthermore, today's proud Americans owe it to him the fact that can speak the word freedom and mean it, something we wouldn't be able to say without the actions of the notorious George Washington. 2-L George Washington, one of America's finest veteran commanders of all time, led his troops to many key victories and gains during the American War for Independence. He ultimately gained freedom from Great Britain in 1776 by using his audacious tactics and never surrender attitude. He built an army of strong, sturdy men around him that he envisioned would succeed in battle. He organized and trained many of the recruits during their time and came up with the plans for attacking. Washington brought with him several war veterans that knew how to win and do well on the battle field. One of these men included a member of the General Staff of the Prussian Army, Baron Van Steuben. Van Steuben brought an attitude of confidence that these men lacked and was constantly with them drilling war tactics. Along with Washington, Van Steuben changed the group of ragged men fighting for independence into a well organized army that the British needed to fear. He helped adjust the demeanor of the men, changing it from a softened attitude to conquering mind set. Although Washington lost many battles during his reign, he never pictured an ending of the war resulting in a loss. He was a leader who put all his trust in the men that fought for him and made sure they believed in him as well. A strong army is one which has each other's backs and fight for the same goal. Washington knew this and made sure his team was on the same page throughout the entire war. He beat an attitude into these men that the loss of so many lives was not going unnoticed. They were not going to die for no reason. They were sacrificing their bodies for a nation that deserved more than what they had, a nation that deserved its own independence. Through the cold, harsh winters Washington constantly kept the spirits of his men ascended. He was in constant contact with Congress, making sure necessities such as clothes, 2-s shoes. and food were being sent to his militia. Many of his men were not only fighting the British army, but the sunken temperatures without clothes. Tons of men did not lose their lives due to gunshot wounds or cannons but, by freezing to death and diseases. The gruesome picture of others dying challenged the troops inner strength and determination. The only thing that kept them willing to pursue their ultimate goal was George Washington and his motivational talks. He often kept their eyes on the same goal by reciting poems or pieces of work by famous authors. One such piece was Thomas Paine's "The American Crisis." It was a series of sixteen pamphlets explaining the hardships the troops were undergoing and the unfairness of the British government. They were meant to inspires the men of the Continental Army and cause them to fight as long as their heart was beating. The British were trying to take control that only God is capable of and the army needed to put an end to that. It was not fair to the people of the thirteen colonies. Works like Pain's were read to troop members a day or two before going into battle to inspire them. They were seen as sometimes being the reason they were able to pull out some victories on the battle field. Some of these battles included Trenton, Princeton, and Saratoga. The victories enlightened the morale of the men fighting and showed they could win this war. George Washington and his tactics were beginning to work. Independence was in sight and graspable. It was only a matter of time before the colonies would be able to make their own decisions on government and officials. George Washington eventually led his army to an overall victory at the Siege of Yorktown, where Lord Cornwallis eventually gave an order of surrender. He broke down the British army that was said to be unbeatable and stronger. He inspired the men of the thirteen 2-l colonies to reach for a goal that had been set years in advance. They knew it was time to separate from other rule and did it when they were given the opportunity. Washington will be remembered as one of the best leaders ever in American history. He did not just win the war or gain independence for his country, but affected the lives of so many at the time. He inspired men to go beyond their limits and fight for their goals. America's goal was independence and he was able to reach that by stepping beyond their limitations and beating an army that was supposed to be stronger.