George Washington's Informative Speech

On frigid day in December, George Washington rode his horse about his estate in Mount Vernon, Virginia during an array of occasional rain fall and snow flurries, as he administered his daily activities and duties. Later that evening, Mr. Washington would remark on having a runny nose, coughing, and a hoarseness of his voice. Early the next morning, on December 14, 1799, Martha Washington was awoken to witness her husband George Washington embracing his chest, with an overwhelming shortness of breath. As Martha became further concerned for his health, she sought to go for assistance, but Mr. Washington refused to let her go outside in the damp weather as she too was recovering from a recent cold. Nevertheless, Martha persisted and requested …show more content…
Mr. Washington later communicated saying, “Doctor, I die hard; but I am not afraid to go; I believed from my first attack that I should not survive it; my breath cannot last long” (Markel, 2014). Through what was believed to be an agonizing night before his death, Mr. Washington demeanor never altered. After the various procedures from doctors, at the end of the day Mr. Washington showed his gratitude to all three doctors for their help and support. Through everything this man had endured, in the end he was still gracious and for this may be the reason he was a great leader and the father of our country. During Mr. Washington’s eulogy, Henry Lee Jr. addressed Congress on Dec. 26, 1799 and provided this infamous phrase to honor Mr. Washington, “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen” (Markel, …show more content…
Washington began exhibiting signs of natural leadership and soon after his step-brother’s death, Virginia's Lieutenant Governor, Robert Dinwiddie, selected Washington to become a Major in the Virginia militia. Then in 1755, Washington joined the British Army forces under General Edward Braddock and assumed the honorary rank of colonel. With a natural born leadership that was undeniable to many, Mr. Washington was made the commander of the entire Virginia Army at the young age of 23. As he commenced his new role of commander, he was directed to the frontier to not only guard, but to defend nearly 400 miles of border. Not only was this an enormous undertaking, but Mr. Washington would have some 700 ill-disciplined colonial troops under his command, along with a Virginia colonial legislature reluctant to advocate