Born of a distinguished family in the days when the American
colonies were still ruled by an aristocracy, Washington started
with all that good birth and tradition could give. Beyond this,
however, he had little. His family was poor, his mother was left
early a widow, and he was forced after a very limited education
to go out into the world to fight for himself He had strong
within him the adventurous spirit of his race. He became a
surveyor, and in the pursuit of this profession plunged into the
wilderness, where he soon grew to be an expert hunter and
backwoodsman. Even as a boy the gravity of his character and his
mental and physical vigor commended him to those about him, and
responsibility and military command were put in his hands at an
age when most young men are just leaving college. As the times
grew threatening on the frontier, he was sent on a perilous
mission to the Indians, in which, after passing through many
hardships and dangers, he achieved success. When the troubles
came with France it was by the soldiers under his command that
the first shots were fired in the war which was to determine
whether the North American continent should be French or English.
In his earliest expedition he was defeated by the enemy. Later he
was with Braddock, and it was he who tried, to rally the broken
English army on the stricken field near Fort Duquesne. On that
day of surprise and slaughter he displayed not only cool courage
but the reckless daring which was one of his chief
characteristics. He so exposed himself that bullets passed
through his coat and hat, and the Indians and the French who
tried to bring him down thought he bore a charmed life. He
afterwards served with distinction all through the French war,
and when peace came he went back to the estate which he had