The Oxford Companion to American Literature | Washington, George
Washington, George( 1732–99), 1st President of the U.S. (1789–97), was born on the family estate in Westmoreland County, Virginia. His education was elementary, and after his father's death (1743) he was guided mainly by his half-brother Lawrence, who obtained him a position as surveyor. His first military experience (1753) was in the Ohio country against the French and Indians, and is recorded in his report The Journal of Major George Washington (1754). His next service was to build Fort Necessity at Great Meadows, near the present site of Pittsburgh, where he defeated the French of Fort Duquesne (May 1754), but was soon forced to retreat and arrange a peace. He then accompanied Braddock in his unsuccessful attack (1755) on Fort Duquesne.
On his return, Washington was engaged for two years as commander of the Virginia forces in repelling attacks on the colony's western frontier. In 1759 he married Mrs. Martha Dandridge...
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