proportion of officers。
Philadelphia； far away； did not know what was happening when； two days before the battle of Bunker Hill； the Continental Congress settled the question of a leader for a national army。 On the 15th of June John Adams of Massachusetts rose and moved that the Congress should adopt as its own the army before Boston and that it should name Washington as Commander…in…Chief。 Adams had deeply pondered the problem。 He was certain that New England would remain united and decided in the struggle； but he was not so sure of the other colonies。 To have a leader from beyond New England would make for continental unity。 Virginia； next to Massachusetts； had stood in the forefront of the movement； and Virginia was fortunate in having in the Congress one whose fame as a soldier ran through all the colonies。 There was something to be said for choosing a commander from the colony which began the struggle and Adams knew that his colleague from Massachusetts； John Hancock； a man of wealth and importance； desired the post。 He was conspicuous enough to be President of the Congress。 Adams says that when he made his motion； naming a Virginian； he saw in Hancock's face 〃mortification and resentment。〃 He saw； too； that Washington hurriedly left the room when his name was mentioned。
There could be no doubt as to what the Congress would do。 Unquestionably Washington was the fittest man for the post。 Twenty years earlier he had seen important service in the war with France。 His position and character commanded universal aspect。 The Congress adopted unanimously the motion of Adams and it only remained to be seen Whether Washington would accept。 On the next day he came to the sitting with his mind made up。 The members； he said； would bear witness to his declaration that he thought himself unfit for the task。 Since； however； they called him； he would try to do his duty。 He would take the command but he would accept no pay beyond his expenses。 Thus it was that Washington became a great national figure。 The man who had long worn the King's uniform was now his deadliest enemy； and it is probably true that after this step nothing could have restored the old relations and reunited the British Empire。 The broken vessel could not be made whole。
Washington spent only a few days in getting ready to take over his new command。 On the 21st of June； four days after Bunker Hill； he set out from Philadelphia。 The colonies were in truth very remote from each other。 The journey to Boston was tedious。 In the previous year John Adams had traveled in the other direction to the Congress at Philadelphia and； in his journal； he notes； as if he were traveling in foreign lands； the strange manners and customs of the other colonies。 The journey； so momentous to Adams； was not new to Washington。 Some twenty years earlier the young Virginian officer had traveled as far as Boston in the service of King George II。 Now he was leader in the war against King George III。 In New Jersey； New York； and Connecticut he was received impressively。 In the warm summer weather the roads were good enough but many of the rivers were not bridged and could be crossed only by ferries or at fords。 It took nearly a fortnight to reach Boston。
Washington had ridden only twenty miles on his long journey when the news reached him of the fight at Bunker Hill。 The question which he asked anxiously shows what was in his mind： 〃Did the militia fight？〃 When the answer was 〃Yes；〃 he said with relief； 〃The liberties of the country are safe。〃 He reached Cambridge on the 2d of July and on the following day was the chief figure in a striking ceremony。 In the presence of a vast crowd and of the motley army of volunteers； which was now to be called the American army； Washington assumed the command。 He sat on horseback under an elm tree and an observer noted that his appearance was 〃truly noble and majestic。〃 This was milder praise than that given a little later by a London paper which said： 〃There is not a king in Europe but would look like a valet de chambre by his side。〃 New England having seen him was henceforth wholly on his side。 His traditions were not those of the Puritans； of the Ephraims and the Abijahs of the volunteer army； men whose Old Testament names tell something of the rigor of the Puritan view of life。 Washington； a sharer in the free and often careless hospitality of his native Virginia； had a different outlook。 In his personal discipline； however； he was not less Puritan than the strictest of New Englanders。 The coming years were to show that a great leader had taken his fitting place。
Washington； born in 1732； had been trained in self…reliance； for he had been fatherless from childhood。 At the age of sixteen he was working at the profession； largely self…taught； of a surveyor of land。 At the age of twenty…seven he married Martha Custis； a rich widow with children； though her marriage with Washington was childless。 His estate on the Potomac River； three hundred miles from the open sea； recently named Mount Vernon； had been in the family for nearly a hundred years。 There were twenty…five hundred acres at Mount Vernon with ten miles of frontage on the tidal river。 The Virginia planters were a landowning gentry； when Washington died he had more than sixty thousand acres。 The growing of tobacco； the one vital industry of the Virginia of the time； with its half million people； was connected with the ownership of land。 On their great estates the planters lived remote； with a mail perhaps every fortnight。 There were no large towns； no great factories。 Nearly half of the population consisted of negro slaves。 It is one of the ironies of history that the chief leader in a war marked by a passion for liberty was a member of a society in which； as another of its members； Jefferson； the author of the Declaration of Independence； said； there was on the one hand the most insulting despotism and on the other the most degrading submission。 The Virginian landowners were more absolute masters than the proudest lords of medieval England。 These feudal lords had serfs on their land。 The serfs were attached to the soil and were sold to a new master with the soil。 They were not； however； property； without human rights。 On the other hand； the slaves of the Virginian master were property like his horses。 They could not even call wife and children their own； for these might be sold at will。 It arouses a strange emotion now when we find Washington offering to exchange a negro for hogsheads of molasses and rum and writing that the man would bring a good price； 〃if kept clean and trim'd up a little when offered for sale。〃
In early life Washington had had very little of formal education。 He knew no language but English。 When he became world famous and his friend La Fayette urged him to visit France he refused because he would seem uncouth if unable to speak the French tongue。 Like another great soldier； the Duke of Wellington； he was always careful about his dress。 There was in him a silent pride which would brook nothing derogatory to his dignity。 No one could be more methodical。 He kept his accounts rigorously； entering even the cost of repairing a hairpin for a ward。 He was a keen farmer； and it is amusing to find him recording in his careful journal that there are 844；800 seeds of 〃New River Grass〃 to the pound Troy and so determining how many should be sown to the acre。 Not many youths would write out as did Washington； apparently from French sources； and read and reread elaborate 〃Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation。〃 In the fashion of the age of Chesterfield they portray the perfect gentleman。 He is always to remember the presence of others and not to move； read； or speak without considering what may be due to them。 In the true spirit of the time he is to learn to defer to persons of superior quality。 Tactless laughter at his own wit； jests that have a sting of idle gossip； are to be avoided。 Reproof is to be given not in anger but in a sweet and mild temper。 The rules descend even to manners at table and are a revelation of care in self…discipline。 We might imagine Oliver Cromwell drawing up such rules； but not Napoleon or Wellington。
The class to which Washington belonged prided itself on good birth and good breeding。 We picture him as austere； but； like Oliver Cromwell； whom in some respects he resembles； he was very human in his personal relations。 He liked a glass of wine。 He was fond of dancing and he went to the theater； even on Sunday。 He was； too； something of a lady's man； 〃He can be downright impudent sometimes；〃 wrote a Southern lady； 〃such impudence； Fanny； as you and I like。〃 In old age he loved to have the young and gay about him。 He could break into furious oaths and no one was a better master of what we may call honorable guile in dealing with wily savages； in circulating falsehoods that would deceive the enemy in time of war； or in pursuing a business advantage。 He played cards for money and carefully entered loss and gain in his accounts。 He loved horseracing and horses； and nothing pleased him more than to talk of that noble animal。 He kept hounds and until his burden of cares became too great was an eager devotee of hunting。 His shooting was o