This is a slightly longer post, but an easy and great read. I hope it provides much food for thought and an even greater amount of inspiration.
“George Washington was a farmer. That was all he ever wanted to be. But he knew there was more to life. He felt called to serve his God and his fellow men. So he did.
“In 1770, at the request of the governor of Virginia, Washington (who in his youth has made a name for himself as a professional land surveyor) led a small party into the Ohio wilderness in order to survey lands.
“,,,,The wilderness he sought to explore was near to the very place
he had fought 15 years earlier for the Crown in the French and Indian War. While he and his small party camped in the woods near the Kanawha River, a small party of peaceful Indians entered their camp….the leader of this band of Indians was an elderly man – the Grand Sachem, as he was called. And it soon became clear that the Grand Sachem, after hearing that Washington was in the territory, had traveled quite a distance to catch up with him and lay eyes on him.
“I am a Chief and ruler of many tribes. My influence extends to the waters of the Great Lakes , and to the far Blue Mountains. I have traveled a long and weary path that I might see the young warrior of the great battle.
“Scenes of the great battle flashed through Washington’s mind….It was a scene that marked the beginning of the French and Indian War – a fierce contest between the French and British over who would control the American continent.
“Though only 23 years old at the time of that war, Washington had been commissioned to be a colonel under the command of British General Edward Braddock….’Sir’ Washington would plead continuously, ‘I fear we are walking into a French trap. ‘
More…
“There was no need for Washington to replay the scene on his own, as the old chief would instead narrate it for the entire camp. For he himself had been there with Washington.
“By the waters of the Monongahela, we met the soldiers of the King beyond the Seas, who came to drive from the land my French Brothers. They came into the forest with much beating of drums and many flags flying in the breeze. Like a blind wolf they walked into our trap, and the faces of these red-clad warriors turned pale at the sound of our wat-whoop. It was a day when the white man’s blood mixed with the streams of our forests, and ‘twas then I first beheld the chief (points to Washington).
“I called my young men and said: “Mark you tall and daring warrior! He is not of the red-coat tribe, he is of the Long-knives. He has an Indian’s wisdom. His warriors fight as we do – himself alone is exposed to our fire. Quick! Let your aim be certain and he dies.
“Our muskets were leveled – muskets that, for all but him, knew not how to miss. I, who can bring the leaping squirrel from the top of the highest tree with a single shot, fired at this warrior more times than I have fingers. Our bullets killed his horse, knocked the war bonnet from his head, pierced his clothes, but ‘twas in vain; a Power mightier far than we shielded him from harm. He cannot be killed in battle.
“Washington’s travel companions listened in amazement. Washington knew that what the old man recounted – thought most bizarre – was in fact the truth….For two hours, the enemy had butchered the British-led forces. Of the 1,300 American and British soldiers in the battle, more than 700 were killed or wounded. (Conversely, of the roughly 850 French and Indian warriors, only 23 were reported killed and only 16 wounded). The casualties were even worse among the British officers: of the 86 in the battle, 62 were killed or wounded.
“The Indians had been instructed to wipe out all soldiers riding on horses. And so they did, with one exception. Washington was the only mounted officer not slain….Washington remained mounted, bravely leading his troops.
“Shortly after the battle, Washington put his thoughts on paper. ‘By the miraculous care of Providence,’ he wrote, ‘I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation, for I had four bullets through my coat and two horses shot under me and yet escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me.’
“As the Grand Sachem recounted to the group what he had come to tell them,, vivid and sobering thoughts of the bloody scene raced through their minds. After a brief pause, the old Indian opened his mouth again to make his concluding remarks, or, better said, his concluding prophecy:
“I am old and soon shall be gathering to the great council fire of my fathers, in the land of the shades, but ere I go, there is something, bids me speak, in the voice of prophecy. Listen! The Great Spirit protects that man, and guides his destinies – he will become the chief of many nations, and a people yet unborn will hail him as the founder of a might empire. I am come to pay homage to the man who is the particular favorite of heaven, and who can never die in battle.’
“After a moment of silence, the camp looked to Washington, who up until that time had remained silent, his eyes politely fixed on his elderly visitor. Finally, he responded:
“Our destinies are shaped by a might Power, and we can but strive to be worthy of what the Great Spirit holds in store for us. If I must needs have such lot in life as our Red Brother presages, then I pray the Great Spirit give unto me those qualities of fortitude, courage, and wisdom possessed by our Red Brother.”
(Excerpted from “The Washington Hypothesis”, by Timothy Ballard, Pages 1 – 7, copyright 2016)
This documented account occurred years before Washington gained the fame he would one day receive, as the Revolution and his part in it were still years away. Upon reading this account, supported by other narratives, documents and comments from the founding fathers of America noting the smile of God and Providence upon them with which many are familiar, I am truly inspired – and grateful. It would seem extremely difficult, and to require an immense amount of prideful stubbornness or rejection of the obvious, to not see that the hand, heart, and help of heaven were clearly upon Washington and the 56 courageous souls who risked all, even their very lives, to sign that Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, giving birth to freedom and hope, and a light and beacon to all of God’s children the world over.
Happy Birthday America – and may God bless you as you strive to stand true to those values and principles He gifted you at birth and continue to light the path for others the world over.
