July 26, 2025 • 13 mins
Dive into the inspiring life story of George Washington, a man whose personal journey is intricately linked with the history of the nation he helped shape. This book offers not just a look into the American Revolutionary History but also an intimate portrayal of the Father of his Country. Carefully crafted to engage young readers, the book seeks to offer a clear and compelling picture of Washingtons exceptional character and invaluable contributions to the nation. Discover how he became an enduring symbol of American values and leadership in a story that unfolds within a childs comprehension.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter fourteen, The Life of George Washington in Words of
one syllable by Josephine Pollard. This is a LibriVox recording.
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. The
Life of George Washington in Words of one syllable by
(00:20):
Josephine Pollard, Chapter fourteen, the close of the war. In
the month of May, Cornwallis had planned to bring his
troops to Petersburg and strike a blow at Lafayette, who
was near Richmond. Lafayette fled as soon as he heard
that Cornwallis had crossed the James River, for he had
but few troops and did not care to bring on
a big fight till the men came up, who were
(00:41):
then on the way to aid him. Cornwallis thought he
could soon catch the boy, as he called him, but
his youth made him spry, and the Redcoats did not
get up to him. On June tenth, General Wayne came
up with nine hundred men to add to Lafayette's strength,
and this made him change his whole place. With four
thousand men and Baron Steuben, he might hope to win
(01:04):
in a fight with the Red Coats, and he turned
his face to the foe. Cornwallis was at the time
TwixT Lafayette and Albemarle Court House, where stores were kept.
The marquis, by a night march through a road that
had long been out of use, got in front of
the King's troops and held them in check. Cornwallis turned
back and marched first to Richmond and then to Williamsburg,
(01:27):
while Lafayette kept close in his rear. Here they had
a fierce fight in which the loss was great on
both sides, and the gain but small. At this time,
word came to Cornwallis that Washington had borne down on
New York and that he must send some of his
troops to that town. This would leave him too weak
to stay where he was, so on July fourth he
(01:50):
set out for Portsmouth. Lafayete gave chase the next day
and took post nine miles from his camp. His plan
was to fall on the rear guard when the main
four should have crossed the fort at Jamestown, but Cornwallis
guessed what he meant to do and laid a trap
for him. A sharp fight took place, into which Waine
threw himself like a madman, but the foe were as
(02:13):
ten to one, and our troops were forced back to
Green Springs. In July, Lafayette wrote to Washington that Cornwallis
had left Portsmouth by sea, and he thought he was
on his way to New York. It was true the
troops had gone on board the boats, but though wind
and tide were fair, they did not sail with the
French fleet to help him. Washington saw a chance to
(02:36):
fight the foe by land and sea, so he turned
from New York and marched to Virginia to aid Lafayette,
who longed to have his chief at the head of
his troops, but did not know he was so near.
As our war worn troops went through Philadelphia, they were
hailed with shouts and cheers from the throngs that filled
the streets. They kept step to the sound of the
(02:58):
drum and fife, and raised a great cloud of dust,
for there had been quite a drought. The French troops
passed through the next day, but were not in the
same style. They made a halt a mile from the town,
where they brushed off the dust from their guns and
their gay white and green clothes, and then marched with
(03:18):
a light step to the sound of a fine band.
Crowds were on the streets, and bright smiles and loud
shouts met these who had come from France to lay
down their lives if need be, for the cause we
had at heart. When Washington turned his back on New York,
Sir Henry Clinton sent word to Cornwallis that he would
(03:39):
not need the troops he had asked for. So Cornwallis
went from Portsmouth to Yorktown, where he took his stand.
Yorktown was a small place on the south side of
York River. The stream at this point was not more
than a mile wide, but it was so deep that
ships of large size and weight could go through. Here
(03:59):
he threw up works on both sides of the stream,
which gave him a fine stronghold. As the banks were
high and set out from the mainland, he thought there
was no foe near but Lafayette, and had no great
fear of one so young. He felt so safe that
he wrote to Clinton that he could let him have
(04:21):
a large force of men to add strength to New York,
where it was thought our troops would strike the next blow.
In the meantime, Lafayette threw out troops to the rear
to work with the French fleets that would soon be
in Chesapeake Bay, and so a net was drawn round
Cornwallis at a time when he thought he was most safe.
(04:41):
Washington was at Philadelphia in September fifth, and at Baltimore
three days from that time. He left Baltimore on the
ninth at daybreak with but one of his suite, as
he was in haste to reach Mount Vernon the rest
of his suite rode at their ease and joined him
the next day at noon. It was six years since
(05:02):
Washington had seen his old home, and how full of
toil and care those years had been. In three days
he had to leave the dear old place, and with
his guests push on to join Lafayette, who was at Williamsburg.
By September twenty fifth, the French and our troops were
in camp near that town, and at once set to
(05:23):
work to get things in train for the next fight.
Cornwallis had built forts on the north and south banks
of the stream, and had done all he could to
add strength to yorktown. Ships of war were in front,
and boats had been sunk at the mouth of the stream.
Field works were at the rear with big guns on top,
and there were long rows of trees that had been
(05:44):
cut down and left so that their limbs stuck out
and made a fence. It would not be safe to climb.
At the right and left of Yorktown were deep dells
and creeks, and it was not strange that Cornwallis felt
that he was in a sure stronghold. Our troops were
twelve miles off when they took up their march on
September twenty eighth, and that night they went in camp
(06:06):
two miles from Yorktown. Washington and his staff slept on
the ground, his head on the foot of a tree.
The next morn, our troops drew out on each side
of beaver Dam Creek, the Americans on the east side
and the French on the west. The count de Grass
with the main fleet, stayed in Lynnhaven Bay so as
to keep off the ships that might come from sea
(06:28):
to aid the Red Coats. On the night of the
first of October, our troops threw up two earthworks on
which the Red Coats turned their guns at daylight and
killed three of the men. While Washington stood near the works,
a shot struck the ground close by him. And threw
up a great cloud of dust. One of his staff,
who stood near, was in a great fright, but Washington
(06:50):
was calm and showed no signs of fear. On October
sixth our troops set out to dig the trench that
the first Line would use in the siege of Yorktown.
So dark was the night and so still were the
men that the Foe did not know of it until daylight.
Then they fired on them from the forts, but the
men were screened and kept at their work. By the
(07:12):
ninth the trench was dug and the guns fixed to
fire at the town. Wash ing Ton put the match
to the first gun, and a storm of balls and
bomb shells dared Carnwallis to come out and fight. For
three or four days, the fire was kept up on
both sides, and bomb shells crossed in mid air, and
at night flashed forth like great stars with tails a
(07:34):
blaze of light. Our shells did much harm in the
town and to the earthworks of the Foe. The red
hot shot from the French forts northwest of the town
reached the King's ship of war, the Sharon, a forty
four gun ship, and three large boats for troops were
set on fire by them. The flames ran up to
the tops of the masts, and as the night was dark,
(07:55):
the scene was a grand one to the eye, but
a sad one to the heart. On the night of
the eleventh a new ditch was dug by the troops
led by Baron Steuben, and for two or three days
the foe kept up a fire on the men at work.
At eight o'clock on the night of October fourteenth, they
set out to storm both Yorktown and the Point on
the North Bank at the same time. The vanguard of
(08:18):
our troops was led by Alexander Hamilton. When at school
he wrote to one of his boy friends, I wish
there was a war, and in seventeen seventy six, when
he was all but nineteen years of age, he was
placed at the head of the men who fired the
guns and bomb shells. The next year he was aide
de camp to wash ing Ton, in whom he found
(08:38):
a true and wise friend. With great joy and pride,
Hamilton led the van in a headlong dash past the trees,
which they pushed or pulled down with their own hands
where they could not climb them, and was the first
to mount the wall. One of his men knelt so
that Hamilton could use him for steps, and the rest
of the men got up the best way they could
(09:00):
hood Not a gun was fired, and the fort fell
into the hands of our troops, with a small loss
on both sides. The French stormed the fort at the
point in as brave a way, but with less speed
and lost more men. Washington stood on the ground in
the grand fort, where he could see all that took place.
An aide de camp near him spoke up and said
(09:22):
that he ran a great risk from a chance shot
through one of the portholes. If you think so, said Washington,
you can step back. Soon. A ball struck the gun
in a porthole, rolled on and fell at his feet.
General Knox seized him by the arm. My dear General,
said he. We can't spare you yet. It is a
(09:42):
spent ball, said Washington, in a calm voice. No harm
is done. When each charge was made and both forts
were in our hands, he drew a long breath, turned
to Knox and said the work is done and well done.
Then he said to his black man, bring me my horse,
and rode off to see where next his lines should
(10:03):
move and how the trap could be closed on Cornwallis.
Cornwallis found that he could not hold his forts, No
troops had come to his aid, and he would soon
have to yield to the foe. This was too much
for his pride, so he made up his mind to
leave those who were sick or had wounds and fly
from Yorktown. His scheme was to cross the stream at
(10:26):
night fall on the French camp ere daybreak, push on
with all speed, and force his way to the north
and join Sir Henry Clinton in New York. A large
part of his troops had crossed the stream on the
night of October sixteenth, and the rest were on their
way when a fierce storm of wind and rain drove
the boats down the stream. They could not be brought
(10:47):
back till daylight, and it was then too late for
them to move on or turn back. The hopes of
Lord Cornwallis were at an end, and on the seventeenth
he sent a flag of truce and a note to
wash ing Ton and ask that his guns might cease
their fire for one day so that terms of peace
could be drawn up. Washington feared that in the meantime
(11:08):
troops from New York would reach Cornwallis, so he sent
word back that his guns would seize their fire for
but two hours. Washington did not like the terms drawn
up by Cornwallis, so he made a rough draft of
such terms as he would grant. These were sent to
Cornwallis on the nineteenth, and he was forced to sign them,
and in two hours his troops were to march out
(11:31):
of the forts. At noon, our troops were drawn up
in two lines more than a mile in length, the
Americans on the right side of the road, the French
on the left. At two o'clock, the Red Coats passed
out with slow steps and were led to a field
where they were to ground their arms. Some of them,
in their rage, threw down their guns with such force
(11:52):
as to well nigh break them. On the day that
Cornwallis had been forced to lay down his arms at Yorktown,
the large force that was to aid him set sail
from New York. They did not reach Chesapeake Bay till
October twenty ninth, and when they found they were too late,
they turned their prows and went back to New York.
The downfall of Cornwallis was felt to be a death
(12:13):
blow to the war, and a great joy was felt
throughout the land. Votes of thanks were sent to Washington,
to De Rochambeaux, and to de Grace, and Washington gave
high praise to all the troops for the way in
which they had fought at the siege of Yorktown. From
that time the Red Coats lost heart, and on November
(12:33):
twenty fifth, seventeen eighty three, they marched out of New York,
and Washington marched in at the head of his brave men,
who had fought and bled and borne all the ills
that flesh could bear, that the land they loved might
be free. In a few days, Washington was called to
Annapolis to meet with those who had made the laws,
and his chief men, who had been with him through
(12:56):
all the sad scenes of the war, came to bid
him goodbye. With a heart full of love. He said
to them, I cannot come to each of you to
take my leave, but shall be glad if each of
you will come and take me by the hand. This
they did, no one spoke a word, Tears were in
all their eyes. Washington left the room and went on
(13:18):
foot to the boat, which lay at the end of
what was then and is now Whitehall Street. His friends
kept close in the rear. When Washington was in his barge.
He turned, took off his hat, and waved good bye,
and those on shore did the same and watched the
barge till it passed out of their sight. End of
(13:39):
Chapter fourteen.
Chapter fourteen, The Life of George Washington in Words of
one syllable by Josephine Pollard. This is a LibriVox recording.
All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. The
Life of George Washington in Words of one syllable by
(00:20):
Josephine Pollard, Chapter fourteen, the close of the war. In
the month of May, Cornwallis had planned to bring his
troops to Petersburg and strike a blow at Lafayette, who
was near Richmond. Lafayette fled as soon as he heard
that Cornwallis had crossed the James River, for he had
but few troops and did not care to bring on
a big fight till the men came up, who were
(00:41):
then on the way to aid him. Cornwallis thought he
could soon catch the boy, as he called him, but
his youth made him spry, and the Redcoats did not
get up to him. On June tenth, General Wayne came
up with nine hundred men to add to Lafayette's strength,
and this made him change his whole place. With four
thousand men and Baron Steuben, he might hope to win
(01:04):
in a fight with the Red Coats, and he turned
his face to the foe. Cornwallis was at the time
TwixT Lafayette and Albemarle Court House, where stores were kept.
The marquis, by a night march through a road that
had long been out of use, got in front of
the King's troops and held them in check. Cornwallis turned
back and marched first to Richmond and then to Williamsburg,
(01:27):
while Lafayette kept close in his rear. Here they had
a fierce fight in which the loss was great on
both sides, and the gain but small. At this time,
word came to Cornwallis that Washington had borne down on
New York and that he must send some of his
troops to that town. This would leave him too weak
to stay where he was, so on July fourth he
(01:50):
set out for Portsmouth. Lafayete gave chase the next day
and took post nine miles from his camp. His plan
was to fall on the rear guard when the main
four should have crossed the fort at Jamestown, but Cornwallis
guessed what he meant to do and laid a trap
for him. A sharp fight took place, into which Waine
threw himself like a madman, but the foe were as
(02:13):
ten to one, and our troops were forced back to
Green Springs. In July, Lafayette wrote to Washington that Cornwallis
had left Portsmouth by sea, and he thought he was
on his way to New York. It was true the
troops had gone on board the boats, but though wind
and tide were fair, they did not sail with the
French fleet to help him. Washington saw a chance to
(02:36):
fight the foe by land and sea, so he turned
from New York and marched to Virginia to aid Lafayette,
who longed to have his chief at the head of
his troops, but did not know he was so near.
As our war worn troops went through Philadelphia, they were
hailed with shouts and cheers from the throngs that filled
the streets. They kept step to the sound of the
(02:58):
drum and fife, and raised a great cloud of dust,
for there had been quite a drought. The French troops
passed through the next day, but were not in the
same style. They made a halt a mile from the town,
where they brushed off the dust from their guns and
their gay white and green clothes, and then marched with
(03:18):
a light step to the sound of a fine band.
Crowds were on the streets, and bright smiles and loud
shouts met these who had come from France to lay
down their lives if need be, for the cause we
had at heart. When Washington turned his back on New York,
Sir Henry Clinton sent word to Cornwallis that he would
(03:39):
not need the troops he had asked for. So Cornwallis
went from Portsmouth to Yorktown, where he took his stand.
Yorktown was a small place on the south side of
York River. The stream at this point was not more
than a mile wide, but it was so deep that
ships of large size and weight could go through. Here
(03:59):
he threw up works on both sides of the stream,
which gave him a fine stronghold. As the banks were
high and set out from the mainland, he thought there
was no foe near but Lafayette, and had no great
fear of one so young. He felt so safe that
he wrote to Clinton that he could let him have
(04:21):
a large force of men to add strength to New York,
where it was thought our troops would strike the next blow.
In the meantime, Lafayette threw out troops to the rear
to work with the French fleets that would soon be
in Chesapeake Bay, and so a net was drawn round
Cornwallis at a time when he thought he was most safe.
(04:41):
Washington was at Philadelphia in September fifth, and at Baltimore
three days from that time. He left Baltimore on the
ninth at daybreak with but one of his suite, as
he was in haste to reach Mount Vernon the rest
of his suite rode at their ease and joined him
the next day at noon. It was six years since
(05:02):
Washington had seen his old home, and how full of
toil and care those years had been. In three days
he had to leave the dear old place, and with
his guests push on to join Lafayette, who was at Williamsburg.
By September twenty fifth, the French and our troops were
in camp near that town, and at once set to
(05:23):
work to get things in train for the next fight.
Cornwallis had built forts on the north and south banks
of the stream, and had done all he could to
add strength to yorktown. Ships of war were in front,
and boats had been sunk at the mouth of the stream.
Field works were at the rear with big guns on top,
and there were long rows of trees that had been
(05:44):
cut down and left so that their limbs stuck out
and made a fence. It would not be safe to climb.
At the right and left of Yorktown were deep dells
and creeks, and it was not strange that Cornwallis felt
that he was in a sure stronghold. Our troops were
twelve miles off when they took up their march on
September twenty eighth, and that night they went in camp
(06:06):
two miles from Yorktown. Washington and his staff slept on
the ground, his head on the foot of a tree.
The next morn, our troops drew out on each side
of beaver Dam Creek, the Americans on the east side
and the French on the west. The count de Grass
with the main fleet, stayed in Lynnhaven Bay so as
to keep off the ships that might come from sea
(06:28):
to aid the Red Coats. On the night of the
first of October, our troops threw up two earthworks on
which the Red Coats turned their guns at daylight and
killed three of the men. While Washington stood near the works,
a shot struck the ground close by him. And threw
up a great cloud of dust. One of his staff,
who stood near, was in a great fright, but Washington
(06:50):
was calm and showed no signs of fear. On October
sixth our troops set out to dig the trench that
the first Line would use in the siege of Yorktown.
So dark was the night and so still were the
men that the Foe did not know of it until daylight.
Then they fired on them from the forts, but the
men were screened and kept at their work. By the
(07:12):
ninth the trench was dug and the guns fixed to
fire at the town. Wash ing Ton put the match
to the first gun, and a storm of balls and
bomb shells dared Carnwallis to come out and fight. For
three or four days, the fire was kept up on
both sides, and bomb shells crossed in mid air, and
at night flashed forth like great stars with tails a
(07:34):
blaze of light. Our shells did much harm in the
town and to the earthworks of the Foe. The red
hot shot from the French forts northwest of the town
reached the King's ship of war, the Sharon, a forty
four gun ship, and three large boats for troops were
set on fire by them. The flames ran up to
the tops of the masts, and as the night was dark,
(07:55):
the scene was a grand one to the eye, but
a sad one to the heart. On the night of
the eleventh a new ditch was dug by the troops
led by Baron Steuben, and for two or three days
the foe kept up a fire on the men at work.
At eight o'clock on the night of October fourteenth, they
set out to storm both Yorktown and the Point on
the North Bank at the same time. The vanguard of
(08:18):
our troops was led by Alexander Hamilton. When at school
he wrote to one of his boy friends, I wish
there was a war, and in seventeen seventy six, when
he was all but nineteen years of age, he was
placed at the head of the men who fired the
guns and bomb shells. The next year he was aide
de camp to wash ing Ton, in whom he found
(08:38):
a true and wise friend. With great joy and pride,
Hamilton led the van in a headlong dash past the trees,
which they pushed or pulled down with their own hands
where they could not climb them, and was the first
to mount the wall. One of his men knelt so
that Hamilton could use him for steps, and the rest
of the men got up the best way they could
(09:00):
hood Not a gun was fired, and the fort fell
into the hands of our troops, with a small loss
on both sides. The French stormed the fort at the
point in as brave a way, but with less speed
and lost more men. Washington stood on the ground in
the grand fort, where he could see all that took place.
An aide de camp near him spoke up and said
(09:22):
that he ran a great risk from a chance shot
through one of the portholes. If you think so, said Washington,
you can step back. Soon. A ball struck the gun
in a porthole, rolled on and fell at his feet.
General Knox seized him by the arm. My dear General,
said he. We can't spare you yet. It is a
(09:42):
spent ball, said Washington, in a calm voice. No harm
is done. When each charge was made and both forts
were in our hands, he drew a long breath, turned
to Knox and said the work is done and well done.
Then he said to his black man, bring me my horse,
and rode off to see where next his lines should
(10:03):
move and how the trap could be closed on Cornwallis.
Cornwallis found that he could not hold his forts, No
troops had come to his aid, and he would soon
have to yield to the foe. This was too much
for his pride, so he made up his mind to
leave those who were sick or had wounds and fly
from Yorktown. His scheme was to cross the stream at
(10:26):
night fall on the French camp ere daybreak, push on
with all speed, and force his way to the north
and join Sir Henry Clinton in New York. A large
part of his troops had crossed the stream on the
night of October sixteenth, and the rest were on their
way when a fierce storm of wind and rain drove
the boats down the stream. They could not be brought
(10:47):
back till daylight, and it was then too late for
them to move on or turn back. The hopes of
Lord Cornwallis were at an end, and on the seventeenth
he sent a flag of truce and a note to
wash ing Ton and ask that his guns might cease
their fire for one day so that terms of peace
could be drawn up. Washington feared that in the meantime
(11:08):
troops from New York would reach Cornwallis, so he sent
word back that his guns would seize their fire for
but two hours. Washington did not like the terms drawn
up by Cornwallis, so he made a rough draft of
such terms as he would grant. These were sent to
Cornwallis on the nineteenth, and he was forced to sign them,
and in two hours his troops were to march out
(11:31):
of the forts. At noon, our troops were drawn up
in two lines more than a mile in length, the
Americans on the right side of the road, the French
on the left. At two o'clock, the Red Coats passed
out with slow steps and were led to a field
where they were to ground their arms. Some of them,
in their rage, threw down their guns with such force
(11:52):
as to well nigh break them. On the day that
Cornwallis had been forced to lay down his arms at Yorktown,
the large force that was to aid him set sail
from New York. They did not reach Chesapeake Bay till
October twenty ninth, and when they found they were too late,
they turned their prows and went back to New York.
The downfall of Cornwallis was felt to be a death
(12:13):
blow to the war, and a great joy was felt
throughout the land. Votes of thanks were sent to Washington,
to De Rochambeaux, and to de Grace, and Washington gave
high praise to all the troops for the way in
which they had fought at the siege of Yorktown. From
that time the Red Coats lost heart, and on November
(12:33):
twenty fifth, seventeen eighty three, they marched out of New York,
and Washington marched in at the head of his brave men,
who had fought and bled and borne all the ills
that flesh could bear, that the land they loved might
be free. In a few days, Washington was called to
Annapolis to meet with those who had made the laws,
and his chief men, who had been with him through
(12:56):
all the sad scenes of the war, came to bid
him goodbye. With a heart full of love. He said
to them, I cannot come to each of you to
take my leave, but shall be glad if each of
you will come and take me by the hand. This
they did, no one spoke a word, Tears were in
all their eyes. Washington left the room and went on
(13:18):
foot to the boat, which lay at the end of
what was then and is now Whitehall Street. His friends
kept close in the rear. When Washington was in his barge.
He turned, took off his hat, and waved good bye,
and those on shore did the same and watched the
barge till it passed out of their sight. End of
(13:39):
Chapter fourteen.
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