Dakota Beacon

July and the celebration of America’s Independence would not be complete without a bit of authentication from the halls of history about the Father of our Country. A little-known narrative about George Washington should not go unnoticed.

I first came across the following account in Peter Marshall’s book “The Light and the Glory,” Revell Company, 1977. Marshall, as some will recognize, was the son of the late US Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall, Sr. His mother was Catherine Marshall. Peter Marshall (son) graduated from Yale University and Princeton Theological Seminary. He co-authored his book with David Manuel, formerly an editor at Doubleday and executive editor of Logos. He was also a graduate of Yale. These authors were not too shabby.

It was during the French and Indian Wars that George Washington distinguished himself. As a 23-year-old colonel, Washington fought at the Battle of the Monongahela on July 9, 1755, under British General Edward Braddock. Braddock was killed in action during that fight. Years later while exploring the wilderness territory near the confluence of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, a group of Indians approached Washington with an interpreter. An old chief wished to have words with Washington.

A council fire was lit and the old chief spoke telling of Washington’s destiny.

“I am a chief and ruler over my tribes. My influence extends to the water 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. It was on the day when the white man’s blood mixed with the streams of our forest, that I first beheld this chief. I called to my young men and said, ‘Mark yon tall and daring warrior? He is not of the red-coat tribe – he hath an Indian’s wisdom, and his warriors fight as we do – himself alone is exposed. Quick let your aim be certain, and he dies’ Our rifles were leveled, rifles which, but for him, knew not how to miss…’Twas all in vain; a power mightier far than we shielded him from harm. He cannot die in battle. I am old, and soon shall be gathered to the great council fire of my fathers in the land of shades, but ere I go, there is something that 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 nations, and a people yet unborn will hail him as the founder of a mighty empire.”

Marshall indicates that the passage appears on pages 41-42 of William Johnson’s book “George Washington, The Christian,” Abingdon Press, 1919. Further confirmation may be found in George Bancroft’s 19^th century history of the United States “Bancroft’s History of the United States, Vols. I-X,” Little & Brown, 1838. As such, citations may be found in Vol. IV on page 190. Other sources, including Washington’s own journal, confirm that during that battle he had two horses shot out from under him and four musket balls passed through his coat. Another source, Rev. Charles E. Kistler’s book, “This Nation Under God,” The Gorham Press, 1924, agrees with the story. Even Lord Halifax in London allegedly inquired, “Who is Mr. Washington? I know nothing of him, but that they say he behaved in Braddock’s action as bravely as if he really loved the whistling of bullets.”

Acknowleged guidelines exist for writing good history. At the risk of oversimplifying the application of these guidelines, suffice it to say that historians follow recognized conventions when writing relevant narratives.

            -- Proximity in time of witnesses or other evidence to the event in question.

            -- A verifiable number of witnesses independently corroborating the event.

            Compare two events and the source material. One witness documenting Ceaser crossing the Rubicon 500 years after the fact should carry less weight than thousands of witnesses observing President Trump having his ear shot off in real time during an assassination attempt. No one doubts Ceaser crossed the Rubicon. It will be interesting to see how historians treat Trump’s trauma.

In this light, is the account concerning George Washington, the Battle of the Monongahela, and the old Indian chief’s tale anecdotal or historical? Let the reader decide.

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).