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Sj Henry Lefftoann
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[Authorized reprint from Vol. XXI, No. 4 (October, 1504), of the copyrighted Proceedings
OF The Engineers' Club of Philadelphia.]

GEORGE WASHINGTON AS AN ENGINEER.
HENRY LEFFMANN.
.fiend Septem.ber 17, 1901.
George "Washington, General of the armies of the Continental
Congress, President of the Constitutional Convention, and first Presi
dent of the United States, is conspicuous among the heroes of all times
and places. Few men have exhibited such strength of character
united with sincerity and simplicity of method ; few men have deserved
and received such great respect and admiration for their qualities.
Even. some of those who, by descent, might be expected to feel enmity
toward him have been prominent in declaring his virtues. Less than
fifty years after his death, and, when the resentments of two wars and
international antagonism might be expected to be active, the great
historian, Macaulay (who cannot be suspected of any undue admira
tion for America or Americans) named George "Washington as a type
of the stainless politician. Even the great abuser of colonial states
men, who calls Jefferson "timid and vacillating," Madison "helpless,"
and Monroe "foolish," and who, in disregard of both the facts of
history and decencies of historical discussion, has called one of the most
active of revolutionary patriots "a filthy little atheist," has words of
approval for Washington.
The military and political incidents in "Washington's life have been
1 277

278 Leffmann — George Washington as an Engineer.
treated at such length that there is scarcely further need for work
along'this line, but it is, nevertheless, true that a sufficient biography of
the man has not yet been written. Phases of his character that are
deserving of much admiration are overlooked in the brilliancy of his
later life. The prominence of "Washington the Commander and
President hides the merit of "Washington the citizen and subaltern.
It has been for some years my^ wish to bring before the Club an
account of "Washington's work as an engineer, about which compar
atively little is said. It is, of course, known to all who have more
than the school-book knowledge of the man, that he was, in early life,
a land surveyor, but the extent and character of his work in this direc
tion, and the early views he entertained and advocated concerning
great engineering operations, are not widely appreciated. Most of his
biographers pass rather rapidly over those phases of his career in
which he was connected with arts of peace, finding more attractive
materials in his campaigns, beginning with those under the flag of
England and ending with those under the Stars and Stripes,
The material for the biography of "Washington is fortunately unusu
ally abundant and authentic. It consists largely of his own wrritings.
These begin at a very early age. He was minute and painstaking in
the records of all his doings. His diaries are not filled with the gossip
of courts or camps, but with accurate and comprehensive notes of
actual work. If genius is correctly defined as "an infinite capacity
for taking trouble," "Washington stands as one of the greatest of gen
iuses, for the habit of carefully recording his work began in childhood
and continued throughout his V^ery active life. These records are
mostly preserved, the bulk of them now restihg securely in the Library
of Congress.
It is to be regretted that the United States authorities have not
yet seen fit to reproduce all this material by the excellent photographic
methods now^ available, and thus place the records at the disposal of
all who are interested in the subject. Some enterprising citizens have
attempted to remedy this defect, and have accomplished considerable,
but their transcripts, however carefully made, cannot take the place
of photographic reproductions. Among the most serviceable tran
scripts of the 'Washington records are those made by the late Dr.
J. M, Toner. I am much indebted to his work for the material I use
in this essay. Dr. Toner intended to reprint all the "Washington
material to which he could secure access, but did not accomplish the
entire task.

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Facsimile of a tagb of Washington's School Copybook.
Photographed from the original in Library of Congress. There is a mistake in multiplication, and in the application ol a rule.

280 Leffmann— George Washington as an Engineer.
"Washington was not a college man. He had no training in the classics,
hence we miss in his writings those scraps of Horace, Homer, and Cicero
that are §o common in the writings of his period and are still often
observed in this less classical age. This is no loss, for we have in
place of such allusions, unaffected expressions of sentiments and simple
recital of facts.
Even as to the French language, which in his day was the language
of the cultured classes of all Europe, and which he must have heard
more or less in his home, he was so deficient that he was unable to under
stand the articles of capitulation of Fort Necessity, He signed these,
after verbal translations of them by one of his staff, and, as appeared
later, was deceived on some points.
"Washington had some sense of humor, but not nearly so much as
some of those who labored with him in his great works. He was
entirely different from Thomas Paine and Benjamin Frankhn. He
could not have written "Common Sense" or edited "Poor Richard's Al
manac. " Indeed, he took himself rather seriously, and his early train
ing in aristocratic surroundings, while it did not corrupt his sense of
justice or render him indifferent to rights of mankind at large, naturally
developed a conservatism in politics and religion and a reserve in
manners which would today probably seriously restrict his popularity.
He was entirely satisfied during a large part of his life to owe an alle
giance to a hereditary monarch, and he gave his best efforts in
obedience to that allegiance. He was opposed to the movement for
independence of the colonies in the initiative disputes with the mother
country, as indeed were many colonial statesmen, but he bowed to the
logic of events and was second to none in his readiness to make sacrifices
for the cause of independence. Looking at the question without the
knowledge of events, as he was obliged to do, it seems, indeed, that
"Washington and his immediate associates had more to lose than gain
by independence. As landed gentry, holding large tracts of territory
by patents from the Crown, they might consider themselves more secure
than in a republic, in which socialistic and communistic notions may
arise and spread with great rapidity. "We must give great credit to-
the men who risked their lives and fortunes in the revolutionary cause.
Many of the well-to-do were not so self-sacrificing.
Notwithstanding the conspicuous life of "Washington and the large
amount of autograph material that has been available to historians for
over a century, the real Washington is not yet known. The myth-
making tendencies of mankind have been exercised upon his personality

Leffmann — George Washington as an Engineer. 281
and he has been enveloped in a haze of legend and misrepresentation
that partially hides his merits from us, I do not now refer to the
cherry-tree story, which has been relegated by sensible persons to
the limbo of amiusing inventions, but to the more serious works of his
biographers. Some of these, in an excess of zeal, have deemed it
necessary to suppress the evidence of his human temperament, to
pass unnoticed his occasional bursts of passion and the strong language
that expressed his feelings at those times, to correct the slips in grammar
and spelling that are by no means infrequent in his letters and memo
randa. Concerning this latter point, it is but fair to note that in Wash
ington's earlier days less care than now was exercised in literary
composition by many persons, especially those outside of strictly
literary circles. If we may trust the official reprint of the Pennsylvania
Colonial Records, Patrick Gordon, Governor of the colony, in a proc
lamation issued a few years before Washington was born, spells the
pronoun "their" two different ways in the same paragraph,
Dr, Toner, to whom I have just referred, regards this question in a
scientific spirit, and in his transcripts of the Washington memoranda
has retained the forms exactly as he finds them.,
Washington was a great engineer. His claim to rank in this honor- «f>v
able station rests not upon great constructions, but upon the forethought
that he exhibited in regard to the necessity of certain engineering
operations and the energy, ability, and disinterestedness with which
he advocated his views. These suggestions were not based on theo
retical speculation, the studying of maps, or listening to the relations
of travellers. While yet a lad, he left a comfortable home to spend a long
period in the wild regions of the head-waters of the Potomac, Yough-
iogheny, and Monongehela. When, in the early part of 1748, just
after he passed into his sixteenth year, he made the expedition into
the interior of northern "Virginia, to survey the lands of Lord Fairfax,
he ventured upon as great a task as would now characterize a journey
to the poles or to the interior of Alaska or Africa, For it must be
remembered that the means, of dealing with natural difficulties were
far cruder than at present, and that while the weapons of offense and
defense available to civilized men were superior to those of savages,
yet they were far inferior to those now in use. The old flint-lock
musket did not excel the bow and arrow in skilful hands as much as
we might now suppose. Indeed, at the opening of the Revolution,
Benjamin Franklin (who was certainly not a visionary or a crank)
suggested arming the colonial troops with bows and arrows in prefer-

282 Leffmann— George Washington as an Engineer.
ence to muskets, and adduced several reasons in favor of the older
weapons. Accurate, rapid-firing, breech-loading rifles, of light weight
and long range, with compact, waterproof, self-primed cartridges, make
modern operations against hostile savages much safer than in Wash
ington's day.
At the time these journeys were made no swifter methods of for
warding men, material, and news were available than by use of the
horse. The roads were mostly rude openings through the forest,
maps were imperfect, derived partly from the statements of venture
some Indian traders, trappers, or fortune-hunters, not always sure
to relate correctly what they knew, Hable even to give false information
or to exaggerate dangers, with a view of deterring coinpetition. The
common people, from whom the bulk of the expedition was recruited,
were more or less superstitious and liable to be discouraged by signs and
omens interpreted according to their folk-lore.
Washington's proficiency in the procedures involved in engineering
enterprises was manifested in very early life. His school copj'books,
which are still in existence, show neatness and skill in mathematical
work and in geometric drawing. His first remunerative labor of
"+ which we have definite record was in surveying portions of the lands
of Lord Fairfax, located in what was then known as the " Northern
Neck" of Virginia, now included, in part, in West Virginia, During
the spring of 1748, when Washington had just turned sixteen years
of age, a considerable emigration of settlers was taking place into the
region of the Shenandoah, and a need for land-surveying arose. The
great grants of land by European monarchs to favorites or adventurers
(the latter term not then being a derogatory one) were often made
vaguely, by assigning some line of longitude or latitude, or based on
incomplete and erroneous maps. The office of surveyor was in good
repute; persons of good social position could undertake it without
derogation. That Lord Fairfax should have chosen for the important
task of such surveys a youth not yet seventeen, speaks for the ability
and trustworthiness that must have been recognized in young George,
and the sequel amply demonstrated that Lord Fairfax made no mis
take, Washington's pen was active in early childhood. He was not,
however, a Hterary genius. He was strictly practical. It is true a
few lines of rhyming dissertation on love are found scribbled upon the
spare pages of a memorandum book, but these cannot add to his
fame. The following are selections from these:

i_

Leffmann — George Washington as an Engineer. 283
'Twas Perfect Love before

But Now I do adore ' ^ ' ^'°^"^ ^ = '"^ ' ^^^ ^
Oh Ye Gods why should my Poor Resistless Heart
Stand to oppose thy might and Power
At Last surrender to cupids feather'd Dart
And now lays Bleeding every Hour.
His earliest connected writing is a version of a series of rules for be
havior, entitled "Rules for Civility and decent Behavior in Com
pany and Conversation." It was formerly supposed that it was
original, but it is now known that in the main it is from the French ;
but, as he did not understand that language, the translation was not
by him.
While visiting at the house of his brother, Lawrence Washington,
at Mount Vernon, he amused himself and entertained others by
surveying plots of ground and making maps. One of these, a map
of Lawrence's turnip field, is still in existence, and a facsimile is an
nexed. The date is sixteen days after the sixteenth anniversary of
his birth, as the chronology is " old style," a fact that is further indi
cated in the 3'ear-mark, The year 1748, according to one system,
began on January 1st; according to another, on March 25th, To
avoid ambiguity in dates during the intervening period, both year-
numbers were written.
Much attention is being given at the present day to the determination
of character from handwriting. I think there is considerable basis
for the theory that principal traits may be determined by a such a
study. I see in the handwriting of this map, especially the legend
" surveying, " evidence of Washington's traits. Deliberation, thorough
ness, attention to detail, practical rather .than sentimental tendencies,
are exemplified.
The notes of the surveys made for Lord Fairfax are in considerable
part extant, and have been reprinted with great care by Dr, Toner,
They begin with an entry "A Journal of my Journey over the Moun
tains began Fryday, the 11 of March 174-78.
"Fryday, March llth 1747-8, Began my Journey in Company
with George Fairfax, Esq., we travell'd this day 40 miles to Mr. George
Neavels in Prince William County."
This start was made from the estate of Hon. William Fairfax, which,
in a letter written many years later, Washington described as "within
full view of Mount Vernon" and separated therefrom only by water,
A few lines of the diary may be quoted exactly as written :

< //yf_2p

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Map made by Washington when just past sixteen.
Photographed from the original in Library of Congress.

Facsimile of a Map prom the collection of the late Moses Polock, now in possession op The Eosenbach Company op Philadelphia.
Upon the back of the Map is a brief note in Washington's handwriting.' The map was probably made at an early date.

Leffmann — George Washington as an Engineer. 285
Tuesday 15"' We set out early with Intent to Run round y^ s"*
Land but 'being taken in a Rain & it Increasing very fast obliged
lis to return, it clearing about one oClock & our time being too
Precious to Loose we a second time ventured out & Worked hard
till Night & then return' d to Penningtons we got our Suppers &
was Lighted into a Room & I not being so good a Woodsman as
y^ rest of my Company striped myself very orderly & went in to tf'
Bed as they called it when to my Surprize I found it to be nothing
but a Little Straw — Matted together without Sheets or anything else
but only one thread Bear blanket with double its Weight of Vermin
such as Lice Fleas &c I was glad to get up (as soon as y" Light
was carried from us) I put on my Cloths & Lays as my Companions.
Had we not have been very tired I am sure we should not have slep'd
much that night I made a promise not to Sleep so from that time
forward chusing rather to sleep in y" open Air before a fire as vrill
appear hereafter
The journal gives many notes of surveys, written in the same manner
as to spelling, use of capitals, and absence of punctuation as exempli
fied in the extract given. In addition to the fact already mentioned,
that in Washington's time somewhat more laxity existed in these
matters, it must be borne in mind that these are merely rough notes
intended for his own guidance. He had no thought that they would
ever be of interest to any one ; much less that they would be treas
ured and published. As a matter of fact, he was much more careful
in writings intended for transmission to others or for publication,
making rough drafts first and then recopying these after correcting.
This journal ends, as far as regards memoranda of the journey,
on Wednesday, April 13, 1748 (0, S,), the entry being:
M'' Fairfax got safe home and I myself safe to my Brothers which
concludes my Journal
Many notes of surveys are entered, however, of later date up to
November 3, 1750 (0, S,), I transcribe one of these as an illustration
of the style:
April 2-^. 1750
Then Survey'd for Even Pugh a certain Tract of Waste and un-
granted Land Situate in Frederick County on the Trout Run a
branch of Cacapehon & bounded as followeth beg" at a white Oak
& two Poplars stand" on the Run & Run thence S 85 E^ Three
hun^ and twenty Poles to two red Oaks two Gums & a Maple thence

286. Leffmann — George Washington as an Engineer.
N° 40° W Three hund'^ & twenty poles to a white Oak from thence
to the Beg" S 27 TF« 244 Po Con" 226
Plat drawn
David Edwards 1 ^ . ,1^
Joseph Powell J
Evan Pugh Jun" Mark
C:M stands for chainmen; Mark, for marker.
By the death of his brother, in 1752, Washington became the owner
of Mount Vernon, "Wliile he did not do much detail survey work after
this, yet he was very active in exploration, and in all his journeys
he kept records, and observed facts that were to be apphed by him
in the furthering of great engineering enterprises.
In 1754 he went on a mission to the French, then actively operating
in. the region around Pittsburg, The journal of this march fell into
the hands of the enemy. Considerable portions of it were subsequently
printed in French, with annotations, largely directed to showing the
unjust character of the British movements.
It was on this march that, at Fort Necessity, on July 3, 1754, he
had the first encounter with the armies of the French king, and after
a gallant struggle surrendered.
In the years immediately preceding the Revolution, Washington
made several journeys to the territory of the Ohio and its head- waters.
He had already perceived the great problems involved in the settle
ment of this region, especially in relation to the colonies. At that
time he was, of course, a loyal subject of George III, and nothing was
further from his thoughts than that he should break that allegiance.
He recognized the two dangers with which the English dominion was
threatened, the encroachments of Spain and France, The latter were
setthng and fortifying the regions immediately to the west of the
colonial line, and the government established there was in two aspects
objectionable to Washington and all who were closely associated with
him. The French were the long-standing enemies of the English and
their monarch was the champion of that phase of Christianity against
which the English had fought so bitterly and which was held in such
detestation and fear that its adherents had for many years been de
barred from some civil rights in England,
Washington saw that the ranges of mountains lying to the immediate
westward of the well-settled portions of the colonies were barriers,
geographically, socially, and politically, and that, unless early efforts

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288 Leffmann — George Washington as an Engineer.
'^were made to establish some means of convenient transportation,
alien influences would arise, and hostile nations be created on the
colonial borders.
At that time no plans could suggest themselves but the construction
of roads and water-ways. The railroad was unthought of. Roads
over mountains would be expensive to construct and operate.
The far-seeing men of that day (for Washington was not alone in
these matters, but he was foremost and among the best equipped
for proper judgment) turned to the question of water- transportation ,
and, by the improvement of the rivers and the construction of canals,
hoped to accomplish their purpose. Difficulties of several types
were encountered. The colonies were poor. The enterprises did
not possess that excitable quality that leads to widespread speculation,
nor were the promoters of the plans men who would have cared to
take advantage of this weakness of human nature. The colonies
were not nearly so friendly as could be desired. It is a common opin
ion that the thirteen colonies that afterward united in prosecution
of the war were always living in affectionate relations, but this is not
true. Political and social enmity was rife. Disputes about boundaries
were active. Connecticut, for instance, claimed the territorj^ directly
westward, which if conceded -would have taken off nearly one-half of
Pennsylvania. All plans for these internal improvements were interrupted bj'
the events that took place in the early seventies. The dramatic
incident at Concord bridge was followed by the battle of Bunker
Hill, and the Continental Congress recognized that it must begin at
once to organize an army. On June 15, 1775, the Congress unani
mously chose George Washington, Esq., General of all forces raised or
to be raised in defence of American liberty. From that time until the
23d day of December, 1783, he was entirely occupied with war. The
transportation problems which he had so carefully studied were set
aiside. Yet we may be sure that his training in this field of work
; stood him in good stead in all his military operations, and that the
success of the colonies was due not a little to the fact that the general
of their armies united to the quahties of integrity, bravery, and atten
tion to detail, the attainments of a practical engineer.
On the 23d of December, 1783, Washington resigned unconditionally
his military authority. Of the momentous nature of this step and of
its influence on the future history of the nation it is not necessary here
to speak. He had earned fully the right "to retire to private Hfe and

Leffmann — George Washington as an Engineer. 289
to leave to others the civil duties that had arisen. The condition of
the colonies at the close of the Revolution was in some respects worse
than before it. They had gained independence, they had maintained
successfully the principle that taxation without representation is
tyranny, but, on the other hand, they had lost the protecting arm of
what was probably the strongest nation in the world. They had,
it is true, the support, in some way, of the French, but, as events soon
proved, this was of no value, for within a few years came the fall of
the Bastille, the overthrow of the monarchy, and the Terror. Indeed,
before the century expired, a war between the friends had actually
broken out.
The thirteen colonies were bound by a loose federation; there
was no strong central authority. Local conditions, territorial and
other disputes were beginning to work disintegration. Washington
saw clearly that there were few influences better adapted to cementing
these inter-colonial bonds than a community of business interests.
Though he had relinquished his official positions, he had not relin
quished his interest in his country, nor did he contemplate a life of
ease and idleness. He began at once to make explorations and inves
tigations into the question of internal improvements. In the autumn /
of 1784 he made a tour to the region included between the head-waters
of the Potomac and Ohio, to renew his knowledge, to observe the
progress of settlements, and to be enabled to formulate more precisely
plans for the construction of a public highway across the mountains.
Shortly after his return from this expedition, October 10, 1784, he
wrote a long letter to Benjamin Harrison, Governor of Virginia, in
which he set forth in much detail the views he held and the difficulties
to be overcome.
Letters were written by him to several other persons calling atten
tion to the plans he had formulated. One to Marquis Chastelleux,
which is printed in Hon, Andrew Stewart's report (1st Sess., 19th
Cong,, No. 228, H. R,), will show his views vividly:
" I have lately made a tour through lakes George and Champlain,
as far as Crown point, then returning to Fort Schuyler, crossed
over to Wood creek which empties into Onieda lake and affords
water communication with Ontario. I then traversed the coun
try to the head of the eastern branch of the Susquehannah, and
viewed lake Otswego and the portage between that lake and the
Mohawk River at Conajoharie. Prompted by these actual ob
servations, I could not help taking a more contemplated and

290 Leffmann — George Washington as an Engineer.
^ extensive view of the vast inland navigation of these United
States ******! shall not rest contented until I
have explored the western country, and traversed those fines (or
a great part of them) which have given bounds to a new empire,"
Among his manuscripts are some calculations as to the comparative
distance by water routes and roads, as follows:
Distance from Detroit to the several Atlantic seaports.
From Detroit by the' rOute through Fort Pitt and Fort Cumber
land To Alexandria 607 miles
" Richmond 840 "
" Philadelphia 745 "
" Albany 943 "
" New York 1103 "
About this time Washington made a map showing the water-courses
of the Potomac and Ohio and the relation of them to the main divide
between these river-systems, A facsimile of this has been obtained
from Stewart's report. The plan, it will be seen, was to establish a port
age across the divide. This is indicated by the dotted line A B, More
than a quarter of a century afterwards the United States engineers,
after their surveys, laid down a portage line only about a mile below
that suggested by Washington. Another and longer line of portage
is indicated from Cumberland into a region which is now part of Fayette
County, Pennsylvania. He had studied this latter region in his cam
paign of 1754, that ended in the disaster at Fort Necessity,
In connection with these plans he prepared a statement as to the
diflSculties to be encountered, partly as follows:
"From the mouth of Patterson's creek to the beginning of
Shenandoah falls, there is no other obstacles than shallow water,
thence for six miles, rocky, swift and uneven water, in which
distance there are four falls; the first tolerably clear of rocks,
but shallow, may be much amended by a passage on the Mary
land side. Two miles from this, and half a mile below the Shen
andoah is the spout, a considerable rapid of swift and uneven
water, which is confined to a narrow passage; a passage to avoid
this by removing some rocks on the Maryland side may be had.
One of the other two falls is also swift and ugly, not much unfike the
spout, but a passage between. Eight miles lower down is another
fall, but easy and passable. Two miles further are a cluster of
small Islands with rocks and rapid waters — from hence to Seneca
Falls fine smooth water; Seneca falls not very difficult,"

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Map Made in 1784 by Washington to show the

GENERAL PLAN FOR OPENING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN HEAD-WATERS

OF Potomac and Ohio Riyers.
Photographed from facsimile in report of Hon. Andrew Stewart. (lOtli Cong., 1st Sess., H. E.)

292 Leffmann — George Washington as an Engineer.
' In a communication to Governor Johnson (of Maryland), who
favored a limited enterprise, he wrote:
" Whereas if it was recommended to the pubhc notice upon a more
enlarged plan, and as a means of becoming the channel of conveyance
of an extensive and valuable trade of a rising empire," going on to
say that the effort to form a company to explore the plan would be
more likely to be successful if undertaken on a large scale.
The result of the active and intelligent propaganda carried on by
Washington was that the citizens of Virginia took up the question of
the improvement of western transportation. Local jealousies, even
within the State, were such that in order to secure the interest of
some sections a second scheme had to be included, namely, the im
provement of the James River.
In the latter part of 1784 a bill was passed by the Legislature of
Virginia providing for the incorporation of companies for these pur-
poses_,._^Washington at once wrote to Madison, then a prominent
member of the Virginia legislature, earnestly recommending the ap
pointment of commissioners with full powers to consult with com
missioners that might be appointed by the Legislature of Maryland
(the concurrent action of which was necessary to any operations on
the Potomac), These joint commissioners were to prepare a bill
that would be acceptable to both States, The Virginia Legislature
promptlj^ agreed to this suggestion, and the commissioners named
were George Washington, Horatio Gates, and Mr, Blackburn, On
December 22d the commissioners met those designated by the Legis
lature of Maryland, among whom was Charles Carroll of Carroll ton,
and organized by appointing Washington as chairman.
After much discussion a report was unanimously adopted, the
features of which were that joint action should be taken by the two
States to open the navigation of the Potomac to boats of light draft,
and that roads be constructed at points at which navigation is not
practicable, such roads being laid out so as to pass through Maryland
and Virginia only and avoid Pennsylvania soil.
Bills embodying these plans and providing for incorporation of
" The Potomac Company" were soon drawn and passed by the States
concerned. Passing over the many formal clauses of the law, it will
be sufficient to quote the following, which suggests the scope of the
work: That the tolls hereinbefore allowed, to be demanded and received
at the nearest convenient place below the mouth of the South

Leffmann — George Washington as an Engineer. 293
Branch are granted, and shall be paid on condition only, that the
Potomac Company shall make the river well capable of being
navigated in dry seasons by vessels drawing one foot water, from
the place on the North Branch at which a road shall set off to the
Cheat River, agreeably to the determination of the Assembhes
of Virginia and Maryland, * * *
In testimony of the public appreciation of the value of Washington's
services the Legislature of Virginia passed a bill vesting in him fifty
shares of the Potomac Company and one hundred shares of the James
River Company. News did not travel in those days as it does now,
nor was it collected or published in modern fashion. No yellow jour
nal existed which could announce these facts in red letters, three
inches long, on the front page, together with interviews with promi
nent parties.
The Governor of Virginia, Benjamin Harrison, by letter advised
Washington of the action of the Legislature, Washington replied in
a letter that ought to be read by every citizen of the United States,
In this he requested that the gift be made to him only in trust, so that w,
he might by will devise it for public purposes.
On May 17, 1785, a public meeting of the shareholders of The Poto
mac Company was held at Alexandria, Va,, and it was reported that
403 shares of the stock had been subscribed at £100 per share, or, as
the act expressed it, $444f, a total of nearly $180,000, The company
was organized and Washington was elected president.
It will not be necessary to follow in detail the course of its history.
The difficulties in its work were great, and it failed after a long struggle,
but, like so many other enterprises and efforts, its failure showed the
way to successes. The construction of the Erie^Canal showed that v
more could be done in aid of water-transportation by such method
than by slack- water systems in torrential streams,
'"Tis not in mortals to command success.
But we'll do more, Sempronius, we'll deserve it,"
Washington did not use this motto, possibly he did not know it,
but he represents its principles. He had done everything that could
be done in his time to the furtherance of the plan, and if other methods
of transportation had not been invented, a completion of the work, even
at large outlay, would have been required.
An interesting item in the minutes of the company is the record of
trouble with laborers, and a resolution to appoint agents at Baltimore

294 Leffmann — George Washington as an Engineer.
and Philadelphia to purchase sixty servants for the use of the company.
The plaii apparently failed, for later it was decided to hire laborers.
Washington continued to serve as president until 1788, when it
became evident that he would be called to a presidency of greater
moment. In 1822, after thirty-six years of effort, and the expenditure of over
$700,000, the Potomac Company went to pieces, and upon its ruins
arose The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. In all these years only one
dividend ($5,50 per share) had been paid.
The James River Company was more fortunate. It was organized
in 1784 with a stock of 500 shares at $200 per share, and by October,
1785, $98,600 of this had been taken. By 1790, a considerable part
of the canal was in operation, Washington was offered the first presi
dency, but could not accept. After the enterprise was well estab
lished, it was taken over by a new company, the original stockholders
receiving an annuity of 15 per cent, on a capital of $140,000, a total
annual rental of $21,000,
By act of legislature, Washington had been presented with 100 shares
of this stock, which he accepted only as a trust. He bequeathed it to
Liberty Hall Academy, which afterward became Washington College
and is now Washington and Lee University.
He bequeathed his Potomac Company stock (50 shares) to found an
institution in the District of Columbia, but, as noted, this became
valueless. I have sought in this essay to bring together facts that will assist in
sho.wing that Washington possessed, and in his own day was esteemed
for, abilities that are now not often ascribed to him. Of his many
merits, none seems to me more striking and more valuable to the new
born nation than his foresight, his. early perception of the importance of
i>', highways of commerce. His advocacy of engineering constructions
was based upon laborious and dangerous journeys, but he was not a
mere globe-trotter. He was, through his training as a surveyor, cap
able of ascertaining, interpreting, and recording all the data necessary
to present his plans to those who were to assist in developing them.
In the records of the two companies which were formed to improve
Virginia waters, we have ample evidence of the great confidence in
which he was held by all classes of citizens.
It has been said by Professor McMaster that in spite of all that has
been written and spoken about Washington, the world does not know
the man.

Leffmarm — George Washington as an Engineer. 295
This has been largely due, as I have said, to the disproportionate
brilliancy of certain periods of his life, but an unfortunate tendency
to idealize him has been also responsible. The biographers and histo
rians pass over the striking features of his early life, but they record
tlie story that he said that the mosquitos were so bad at Skenesboro'
that they bit through the leather of his boots. This story, which might
give much pain to those who have formed their ideas of him from the
incident reported from his father's orchard, was afterward explained
by the statement that he really said that they bit through his stock
ings above the boots. His career lay too far within the period of sci
entific activity to be completely subjected to myth-making tendencies.
A similar personahty two thousand years ago would have been as
completely overlaid with legend and folk-lore as are the heroes of the
great empires or religions.
It will be the duty of some historian to give us a correct picture of
this great man, and when this is done, I feel sure that alongside of
Washington the General, and Washington the President, will stand
as a shining example, Washington the Engineer.
I desire to acknowledge with thanks the assistance in obtaining
materials for this paper rendered by Mr. T. Wilson Hedley, Librarian
of the Mercantile Library; Mr, Herbert Friedenwald, formerly in
charge of MSS. in Library of Congress, and Dr. C. H. Lincoln, at present
in charge; also to Dr. W. J, Campbell for loan of a facsimile of a
Washington map, and to The Rosenbach Company for permission to
examine the original of the same and reproduce it for publication.

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