Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Josephine Paolucci and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. [Illustration: EARLY LOVE OF TRUTH.--P. 6.] THE LIFE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON. _IN WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE._ BY JOSEPHINE POLLARD, AUTHOR OF "OUR HERO, GENERAL GRANT," "OUR NAVAL HEROES," "THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES," "THE LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS," ETC., ETC. NEW YORK: McLOUGHLIN BROTHERS. PREFACE. The Life story of a public man cannot help being to some extent the same thing as a history of the times in which he lived, and to the case of none does this remark apply with more force than to that of the "Father of his Country;" which very title shows the degree to which the personality of its bearer became identified with the public life of the nation. While a great deal of the space in this book, consequently, has had to be devoted to American Revolutionary History, it is hoped that excess in this direction has been avoided, and that the main purpose of the work will be attained, i.e. to give its young readers a distinct and vivid idea of the exalted character and priceless services of Washington, so far as these can be brought within the understanding of a child. CONTENTS. PAGE. CHAPTER I. BOYHOOD 05 CHAPTER II. YOUTH 11 CHAPTER III. THE FIRST STEP TO FAME 17 CHAPTER IV. TO THE FRONT 24 CHAPTER V. AS AIDE-DE-CAMP 33 CHAPTER VI. COLONEL OF VIRGINIA TROOPS 39 CHAPTER VII. THE HOME OF WASHINGTON 45 CHAPTER VIII. THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL 52 CHAPTER IX. COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 61 CHAPTER X. IN AND NEAR NEW YORK 71 CHAPTER XI. A SAD YEAR 78 CHAPTER XII. FOES IN THE CAMP 84 CHAPTER XIII. THE HARDSHIPS OF WAR 93 CHAPTER XIV. THE CLOSE OF THE WAR 103 CHAPTER XV. FIRST IN PEACE 110 THE LIFE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON. CHAPTER I. BOY-HOOD. George Wash-ing-ton was born in the State of Vir-gin-i-a, at a place known as Bridg-es Creek, on Feb-ru-a-ry 22, 1732. His great grand-sire, John Wash-ing-ton, came from Eng-land in the year 1657, and took up lands in that state and was a rich man. George was the son of his grand-son Au-gus-tine. Au-gus-tine's first wife was Jane But-ler who died and left him with two boys. His next wife was Ma-ry Ball, and George was her first child.