Life of Washington Tour - Day 1

Posted by Gabrielle

Here is the first of my posts about the Washington Tour! It's great review about what I learned just putting these posts together! :)

Our first stop was in Winchester, Virginia, at Washington's Office from which he worked as a young Colonel in the Militia.


This Marker from outside the office reads: While constructing Fort Loudoun, George Washington used the center room of this building as an office from the fall of 1755 until he moved into the fort in Dec. 1756. He was a Colonel in the Virginia Militia and responsible for protecting Virginia's 300 mile frontier from the French and Indians.

The statue of George Washington in front of the building. The marker reads: In March of 1748, George Washington, at age sixteen, arrived in Winchester, then called Frederick Town. During the next four years, he worked as a surveyor throughout the colonial Virginia frontier.

Mr. Horn giving a talk on Washington's early years. Specifically, he encouraged young men to follow in Washington's footsteps and spend their early years wisely by learning skills and character, not idling the years away.
He gave several points of character that Washington had as a young man that helped him to mature. Though directed towards young men, they are equally applicable for young ladies.

• God uses hardships to prepare us for greater things. Washington's early years were full of hardships.
• Cowardice is not fulfilling the Great Commission. To mature, boys must be in positions of danger, as was Washington on more than one occasion.
• Leisure is wasting our time and Scripture says that time matters. Washington worked diligently to make himself presentable in the society to which he aspired. He was ambitious and faithful in every job he was given.
  

You can see a video of the office here.
And you can watch part of the talk here.

Jedidiah taking notes :)

Our next stop of the day was at Jumonville Glen in Pennsylvania.

This was where Washington began the French and Indian War by attacking a party of French "ambassadors" camped there. He was only 21 at this time.
I loved the glen enclosed by towering rock walls and could almost imagine what happened there.

Our last stop of the day was the site of Washington's first battle, first defeat, and only surrender:

Fort Necessity.

In his talk, Mr. Horn pointed out a couple mistakes of Washington's which caused him to be defeated. Still, we can learn from his example. Even though he was defeated, he continued the war and ended up winning it. If he had not fought this battle, we would have lost the war.

• Washington should have waited for more reinforcements before attacking, and,
• He should not have built this fort in a valley.
  

See a video of the fort here.

Mr. Horn talking at Fort Necessity

Elliot and a friend comparing notes

On the way back to the buses, we made a short stop in the Fort Necessity Visitor's Center Park...You look beautiful, Christianna! :)

We arrived at our hotel in Philadelphia after midnight, so it was a very long first day.