CHAPTER XVIII.

LIFE AT MOUNT VERNON.*

WASHINGTON RESIGNS HIS COMMISSION-IN RETIREMENT AT MOUNT VERNON - HIS OWN. ARCHITECT AND OVERSEER-IMPROVEMENT OF HIS ESTATE-ENJOYMENT OF PRIVATE LIFE -Two OF HIS AIDS AT MOUNT VERNON-BISHOP THE OLD BODY-SERVANT-Bishop on "BRADDOCK'S FIELD"- HIS ATTACHMENT TO THE FORTUNES OF WASHINGTON-TOO OLD FOR CAMPAIGNING IN THE REVOLUTION— WASHINGTON'S INTERCOURSE WITH HIM - COLONEL SMITH'S GALLANTRY -BISHOP'S DAUGHTER AFFRIGHTED - THE WRATH OF BISHOP BILLY A PEACEMAKER-BISHOP'S WRATH ASSUAGED-WASHINGTON IN THE CONVENTION OF 1787- CHARLES THOMSON AT MOUNT Vernon - WASHINGTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

AFTER the sublime and touching event of the "resignation of the commission," at Annapolis, on the twentythird of December, 1783, Washington hastened to his beloved retirement, hung up his sword, and prepared to enjoy the delights of rural and domestic life.t

* This was first published in the National Intelligencer, on the twenty-second of February, 1848.

†The British army evacuated the city of New York, their last resting-place on the soil of the United States, on the twenty-fifth of November, 1783. The American army was disbanded immediately afterward, and on the fourth of December, Washington bade his officers farewell, in a most touching personal interview, in New York. He then went to Philadelphia, where the fiscal officers of the government received from his hands a full statement of his receipts and expenditures during the war. The Congress were then in session at Annapolis, to which place he journeyed, and on the twenty-third of December, he resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the armies of the United States, into the hands of Thomas Mifflin, the president of Congress. This was done at a public audience, Washington addressing the president in words appropriate for the occasion, and Mifflin replying in a most complimentary manner. "Having defended," he said, "the standard of liberty in this new world-having taught a lesson useful to those who inflict and to those who feel oppression-you retire from the great theatre of action with the blessings of your fellow-citizens. But the glory of your virtues will not terminate with your military command; it will continue to animate remotest ages."

The same exact and economical distribution of time, the same methodical and active habits of business, that had so triumphantly borne the commander of armies through the mighty labors of an eight years' war, were now destined, in the works of peace, alike to distinguish the illustrious farmer of Mount Vernon.

After so long an absence, the retired general, on returning to his home, found that there was much to create. Previous to the war, the establishment of Mount Vernon was upon a very limited scale. The mansionhouse was small, having but four rooms on a floor; and there were wanting nearly all of the present outbuildings and offices.

Washington was his own architect and builder, laying off everything himself. The buildings, gardens, and grounds all rose to ornament and usefulness under his fostering hand.*

His landed estate, comprising eight thousand acres, underwent many and important changes and improvements. It was divided into farms, with suitable enclosures; hedges were planted, and excellent farm-buildings were erected, from European models. Devoting much time and attention to these various objects, Washington accomplished the most important of his improvements in the very short space of from four to five years.+

* In the arrangement and embellishment of his grounds, as well as in the enlargement and improvement of the mansion-house, Washington attended to the minutest details. He made drawings of every plan, made a memorandum of every relative distance of buildings, inclosures, et cetera, and designated the position of every tree that was planted. I have before me some of his original drawings, in which all these details appear, with memoranda in his neat handwriting. One of these drawings, published in "Mount Vernon and its Associations," shows the form of the lawn on the west front of the mansion, the flower and vegetable garden, and the name and position of every tree.

At the close of the war, Washington commenced very extensive improvements

Nor was his time exclusively allotted to business; he had a "time for all things." He enjoyed the pleasures at Mount Vernon. The mansion was greatly enlarged, the noble piazza that adorns the river-front, the observatory and cupola upon the roof, and the kitchen and laundry, and connecting colonnades, as they now appear, were erected. In all these improvements, Washington had an eye to utility and durability. The out-buildings were made of the most substantial materials, and the floors of the piazza and the covered colonnades were paved with cut stone. In this connection, the following letter to Mr. Rumney, of Alexandria (formerly an aid to General Lee), already alluded to in a note on page 171, will be found very interesting:

"General Washington presents his compliments to Mr. Rumney-would esteem it as a particular favor if Mr. Rumney would make the following enquiries as soon as convenient, after his arrival in England; and communicate the result of them by the Packet, or any other safe and expeditious conveyance to this country. "First. The terms upon which the best kind of Whitehaven Flag stone-black & white in equal quantities-could be delivered at the Port of Alexandria by the superficial foot, workmanship, freight & every other incidental charge included.The stone to be 2 Inches, or thereabouts, thick; and exactly a foot square-each kind. To have a rich polished face, and good joints so as that a neat floor may be made therewith.

"2nd. Upon what terms the common Irish Marble (black & white if to be had) -same dimensions, could be delivered as above.

"3rd. As the General has been informed of a very cheap Kind of Marble, good in quality at or in the neighborhood of Ostend, he would thank Mr. Rumney, if it should fall in his way, to institute an enquiry into this also.

"On the Report of Mr. Rumney, the General will take his ultimate determination; for which reason he prays him to be precise and exact. The Piazza or Colonade for which this is wanted as a floor is ninety-two feet, eight inches, by twelve feet eight inches within the margin, or border that surrounds it. Over and above the quantity here mentioned, if the above Flags are cheap-or a cheaper kind of hard Stone could be had, he would get as much as would lay floors in the Circular Colonades, or covered ways at the wings of the House-each of which at the outer curve, is 38 feet in length by 7 feet 2 Inches in breadth, within the margin or border as aforesaid.

"The General being in want of a House Joiner & Bricklayer who understand their respective trades perfectly, would thank Mr. Rumney for enquring into the terms upon which such workmen might be Engaged for two or three years; (the time of service, to commence upon the Ship's arrival at Alexandria,) a shorter term than two years would not answer, because foreigners generally have a seasoning; which with other interruptions too frequently waste the greater part of the first yearmore to the disadvantage of the employer than the Employed.—Bed board & Tools to be found by the former, clothing by the latter.

"If two men of the above Trades and of orderly and quiet deportment could be obtained for twenty-five or even thirty pounds sterling, per annum each (estimating

of the chase, visited his friends, and received and entertained the numerous guests who crowded to his hospitable mansion. Indeed, in the retirement at Mount Vernon, from '83 to '89, were probably passed the very happiest days of this great man's life. Glorying in the emancipation of his country from foreign thraldom; surrounded by many and dear friends; hailed with love and gratitude by his countrymen wherever he appeared among them; receiving tokens of esteem and admiration from the good, the gifted, and the great, of the most enlightened nations in the civilized world; engaged in the pursuits of agriculture-pursuits that were always most congenial to his tastes and wishes-amid so many blessings we may well believe that in the retirement at Mount Vernon Washington was happy.

On leaving Annapolis the general was accompanied by two of the officers of his former staff, Colonels Humphreys and Smith, who were a long time at dollars at 4/6) the General, rather than sustain the loss of Time necessary for communication would be obliged to Mr. Rumney for entering into proper obligatory articles of agreement on his behalf with them and sending them by the first vessel bound to this Port. "GEO. WASHINGTON.

"Mount Vernon, July 5, 1784."

*David Humphreys was distinguished as a poet and soldier. He was born at Derby, Connecticut, in 1753, and was graduated at Yale college in 1771, when he went to reside with Colonel Phillipse, of Phillipse's manor, in Westchester county, New York, as tutor. He joined the continental army, and in 1778 became one of General Putnam's aids, with the rank of major. In 1780 he entered the military family of Washington, as aid to the chief, and remained in that position until the close of the war. For his valor at Yorktown, Congress presented him with a sword. In 1784 he accompanied Jefferson to Paris, as secretary of legation. In 1786 he was a member of the Connecticut legislature, and at that time he was associated with Joel Barlow in a literary enterprise. He was minister to Portugal in 1788. In 1790, he resided at Mount Vernon by invitation of Washington, and there wrote his life of Putnam. He was appointed minister to Spain in 1794. He returned to America with a wealthy wife in 1801, and devoted the remainder of his life to agriculture. He died suddenly in 1812.

† Lieutenant-Colonel William S. Smith, of New York, had been a very active

Mount Vernon, engaged in arranging the vast mass of papers and documents that had accumulated during the War for Independence. Humphreys was a man of letters and a poet, and, together with Colonel Smith, served in the staff of the commander-in-chief on some of the most important occasions of the Revolutionary war.

At a short distance from the mansion-house, in a pleasant and sheltered situation, rose the homestead of Bishop, the old body-servant. Thomas Bishop, born in England, attended General Braddock to the Continent during the seven years' war, and afterwards embarked with that brave and unfortunate commander for America, in 1775.

On the morning of the ninth of July, the day of the memorable battle of the Monongahela, Bishop was present when Colonel Washington urged upon the English general for the last time the propriety of permitting him (the colonel) to advance with the Virginia woodsmen and a band of friendly Indians, and open the way to Fort Duquesne. Braddock treated the proposal with scorn; but, turning to his faithful follower, observed: "Bishop, this young man is determined to go into action to-day, although he is really too much weakened by illness for any such purpose. Have an eye to him, and render him any assistance that may be necessary." Bishop had only time to reply, "Your honor's orders shall be obeyed,"

young officer during the war. He was acting commissary-general of prisoners for a while, and at the close of hostilities, he was an associate commissioner with Egbert Benson and Daniel Parker, to inspect and superintend the embarkation of the persons and property of the loyalists, who left the city when it was evacuated by the British army. He was at Mount Vernon for several months, assisting Colonel Humphreys in the arduous task of arranging Washington's military papers, and until the close of his life, the chief regarded him with the warmth of true friendship.