Came very near entering the British Navy at the age of fourteen—attends school at Fredericksburg—becomes a practical surveyor at the age of sixteen—the Indian war dance—continues surveying three years—is appointed Adjutant General of the Militia, with the rank of Major, at the age of nineteen—accompanies his half-brother Lawrence to Barbadoes—Lawrence dies and leaves George the Mount Vernon estate.

While George lived with his half-brother Augustine at Pope’s Creek, he was taught the manual exercise by Adjutant Muse, a Westmoreland volunteer, who had been in the service with his other half-brother, Lawrence. He was also instructed in the art of fencing, by Mr. Van Braam, who afterwards accompanied him against the French as his interpreter.[2]

In the summer of 1746, George left Mr. Williams’s school in Westmoreland county, and returned home to his mother’s, in Stafford county. He was then about fourteen years old. Soon after his return he became very desirous to enter the British navy.—His half-brother Lawrence approved his choice. Mr. William Fairfax, the father-in-law of Lawrence, was desirous that George’s inclination for the navy should be gratified. They both used their influence with his mother in favor of the project. She at first seemed to consent, though reluctantly.—Lawrence procured him a midshipman’s warrant. But as the time of separation drew near, her maternal feelings and more mature reflection caused his mother to waver in her decision. She suggested many objections to the plan; and seemed to listen with more satisfaction to those who opposed, than to those who approved of it. In September, during her suspense upon the subject, George went to see and further consult his brother Lawrence at Mount Vernon, and other friends in the county of Fairfax. On this occasion he spent a little time at the house of Mr. William Fairfax, who is said to have been an amiable and excellent man. During this visit, George told Mr. Fairfax that he was willing to follow the advice of his brother Lawrence, as his best friend. On his return home, however, George found his mother so decidedly opposed to his going to sea, and her feelings so tenderly affected at the thought of his leaving her, that he gave it up entirely; thinking it his duty to sacrifice his inclinations, in this case, to her happiness. When we consider that this scheme was suited to captivate his youthful fancy, that it was encouraged by some of his most judicious friends, and that the necessary preparations were made for carrying it into effect, it is evident that the sacrifice was great, and a proof of filial affection and dutiful regard highly honorable to him. It must be admitted that the mother’s feelings were truly parental, and her wishes reasonable, when it is considered that George was her eldest son, that his father was dead, and that she was left with five younger children.—This decision was probably an event of Providence, upon which the very existence of the United States, as an independent nation, depended.

After this, George lived a part of his time with his brother Lawrence, at Mount Vernon, and a part of the time with his mother, near Fredericksburg, and went to school in that town. Here he made great improvement in the art of surveying.

In March, 1748, being then sixteen years old, he engaged as a surveyor of lands, associated with Mr. George Fairfax, in the employ of Lord Thomas Fairfax. They set out on a surveying tour to the western parts of Virginia, on the 13th of March, accompanied by their assistants, and travelled in a north westerly direction, nearly in range with the Potomac. The first day they rode to the residence of Lord Fairfax, in Frederick county, passing through beautiful groves of sugar trees, and admiring the richness of the land upon the river Shenandoah. The next day they sent on their baggage to a place now called Winchester, and worked industriously for several succeeding days, surveying land in the neighborhood. They then travelled about forty miles further into the country, in a continual rain, swimming their horses over the rivers, which were then very high. Just after the rain ceased and the weather had cleared away, they were agreeably surprised by the appearance of more than thirty friendly Indians, returning from war. The surveying party remained to witness the performance of their war dance. After clearing a large space of ground and making a fire in the middle of it, the Indians seated themselves around the fire. The speaker then made a grand speech, in which he told them in what manner they were to dance. When the speech was ended, the best dancer jumped up as if suddenly awaked from sleep, and ran and jumped about the ring in a most comical manner. He was soon followed by the others, in a similar style. Their dance was accompanied by appropriate music.—One Indian beat time upon a deer-skin stretched tightly over a vessel half full of water, while another rattled a gourd shell with shot in it, and a piece of a horse’s tail tied to it, to make it look finely.

One windy night, about a week after, the straw on which Washington was asleep, in the tent, took fire; but one of the party fortunately awoke in time to extinguish it. A few days after, their tent was blown down by the violence of the wind. They occasionally shot a wild turkey or two, which they cooked upon forked sticks instead of spits, and ate upon large chips instead of plates. After becoming fatigued by travelling about all day, they usually camped out in the forest, and slept with their clothes on all night. During this tour, young Washington and his party surveyed between two and three thousand acres of land, and arrived safely home on the 12th of April, having been absent just one month.

For three years, young Washington was occupied nearly all the time, when the season would permit, in surveying wild lands among the Alleghany mountains and on the southern branches of the river Potomac.[3] His surveying expeditions were attended with so many hardships and privations, that he was rarely out more than a few weeks at a time, upon any one of them. In the intervals of these expeditions, he made it his home with his brother Lawrence, at Mount Vernon, though he passed a part of his time with his mother.[4]

In the year 1751, young Washington, though but nineteen years of age, was appointed Adjutant General of the northern division of the Virginia militia, with the rank of Major.[5]

The health of his brother Lawrence had been declining for several years. He had made a voyage to England, and afterwards passed some time at the Bath springs, in Virginia, without receiving any material benefit from either. In the autumn of 1751, he decided to take a voyage to the West Indies, as the last remedy proposed by his physicians. By his request, his brother George, to whom he was much attached, accompanied him on this voyage. They sailed for the island of Barbadoes on the 28th of September, and arrived there about the 3d of November. They procured a pleasant and airy place to board, near the sea shore, and were treated with great hospitality and attention by the principal inhabitants on the island. George was pleased with the richness of the soil, the value of the crops, the variety and excellence of the fruits, and the elevated and beautiful prospects in every direction. He was seized with the small pox on the 17th of November, and it was nearly a month before he recovered from it. On the 22d of November, he embarked on board a vessel called the Industry, for Virginia, leaving his brother still at Barbadoes. After a tempestuous passage of more than five weeks, he arrived in Virginia.

Lawrence, not receiving the relief expected from the climate of Barbadoes, went to Bermuda, in March. His health continuing to fail, he returned home in the course of the summer, and died at Mount Vernon, July 26, 1752. George was at Mount Vernon when his brother died, and immediately took charge of his affairs. On opening his will, it was found that he had given to George the Mount Vernon estate, and some valuable lands in Berkley county, Virginia.