To guard against this evil, let us take a review of the ground upon which we now stand.
—GEORGE WASHINGTON
STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK
A light snow fell on the close of a winter evening with a purple-hued sky. The sun was setting not only on the day but on George’s spirit. A sharp wind bit his face. The freeze clung to his nose. He charged along frost-heaved roads lined with trees that had lost their dress months ago. Woodfin under him galloped as if knowing the necessity of finding a faster pace. Hooves thundering over the dirt released the sound of steady speed. George bounced his heels back to take further command of the horse. At least the horse bent freely to George’s will. If only his life acquiesced with the same ease.
He disembarked from the ferry that brought him from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, to Staten Island, New York, at five in the evening. Nearly fourteen miles still lay ahead of him. He hadn’t much time to board the next. York Ferry would take him to Pearl Street by nine in the evening.
He wanted to turn off his thinking and stop his brain from analyzing the evil he surmised had transpired. After leaving Belvoir and returning to Fort Loudoun, he had again asked for leave. George made numerous requests to Colonel Stanwix, even to the governor. The responses were the same as they had been since the beginning:
I cannot Agree to allow you Leave. You know the Fort is to be finish’d & I fear in Your Absence Little will be done.
The denials swam in his head as he rode faster.
Surely the Commanding Officer Should not be Absent when daily Alarm’d with the Enemys Intents. I think you are in the wrong to ask it.
He hoped the letter he had written to Beverley had been received.
For a year and ten months, George had remained trapped. How much longer did he have to wait? He picked up speed. He was traveling solely in the company of his horse. The gifts Sally had ordered for him never arrived. The order for items had been sent in September!
George would rather have not read what Captain Stewart’s hand had written months later, from Fort Loudoun—addressed to Colonel John Stanwix. He remembered every word of Stewart’s letter, having committed it to memory:
Sir
For near Four Months past Colo. Washington has
Labour’d under a Bloudy Flux which till of late he
did not conceive could be productive of those bad
consequences it now too probably will terminate in,
at least he would not be prevail’d upon in any Degree
to abate the exertion of that steady Zeal for the Interest
of the Service he in so emenent a manner has always been
remarkable for, however about two weeks ago his Disorder
greatly encreas’d and at same time was Seiz’d with Stitches
& violent Plueretick Pains under that Complication of
Disorders his Strength & viguour diminish’d so fast that
in a few days he was hardly able to Walk and was (by the
Docr) at length prevail’d upon to leave this place as change
of air & quietness (which he could not possibly enjoy here)
was the best chance that remain’d for his Recovery …
… he expresses much concern for his omission of not giving
you previous Notice of the necessity he was under of leaving
this place and as he’s not in condition to write himself desires
me to inform you of the reasons of it which I have now the
honr to do …
George traveled without stopping.