George Washington ordered his overseers to begin the 1767 wheat harvest on June 24, a hot, cloudy Saturday at the end of a dry week. Thus began twenty days of unrelenting exertion for Mount Vernon’s slaves and no little anxiety for their master, who for the first time had given over his holding almost entirely to the cultivation of grain. Much depended on the success of this experiment, which was a crucial element in Washington’s scheme to free himself of the debts he had accumulated over the years of failing to produce tobacco that would sell on London’s finicky market. Rich as he was in land, he feared that, like so many of his fellow planters, he too would become permanently dependent on his English merchant creditors. It was a fate he dreaded above all, for to suffer it meant that he would lose the essence of a gentleman’s character, independence, and with it the capacity to behave in a truly virtuous way.
Sullivan, John
Portsmouth, RI — The earthwork redoubt is still discernible, it was a key position during the Battle of Rhode Island (1778), and provides a panoramic view of Mt. Hope Bay.
Trenton, NJ — Built in 1758 for use by British and Irish soldiers during the French and Indian War, in 1776 it housed Hession troops when Washington attacked them in the 1776 Battle of Trenton.
Princeton, NJ — Dedicated in 1922, the monument commemorates the battle won by Washington on 3 January 1777.
Princeton, NJ — This National Historic Landmark covers 85 acres; includes the Clarke House Museum and adjacent trails.
Trenton, NJ — A 155-foot granite column that commemorates the 1776 Battle of Trenton; accessible by means of an elevator with good views of the capital of New Jersey.
Crucible of War: The Seven Years’ War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754 - 1766 (2000)