"Our
rifles were leveled—rifles which, but for him, knew not how to miss. Twas all
in vain; a power far mightier than we shielded him from harm. He cannot die in
battle. The Great Spirit protects that man, and guides his destinies. He will
become chief of nations, and a people yet unborn will hail him the founder of a
mighty nation" (Hyatt, Pilgrims and Patriots, 128)
These
were the words of a Native American chief as he reminisced with George
Washington and others about a battle 15 years previous when they were on
opposite sides during the French and Indian Wars.
Washington Miraculously Spared
It
was the Battle of Fort Duquesne in July 1755 when 1,459 British soldiers were
ambushed by a large contingent of Native American warriors who had joined the
French in their fight with the British for control of the North American
continent.
It
proved to be one of the bloodiest days in Anglo American history with 977
British soldiers killed or wounded. It was a day, however, when Washington's
reputation for bravery began to spread throughout the land.
Washington,
in his early 20s, had been recruited by the British because of his knowledge of
the ways of the wilderness and the American Indians. He had acquired this
knowledge in his work as a surveyor of wilderness territory.
Assigned
to travel with the British General Braddock to take Fort Duquesne (present day
Pittsburgh), Washington found his advice for traveling through the wilderness
and dealing with the Indians ignored by Braddock who considered him a young,
upstart colonist.
But
when the ambush occurred and Braddock himself was wounded, Washington took
charge and organized an orderly retreat while at the same time putting his own
life at risk, rescuing the many wounded and placing them in wagons. During this
time, two horses were shot out from under him and his clothes were shredded
with bullets.
He
emerged unscathed and gave glory to God, saying, "I was saved by the
miraculous care of Providence that saved me beyond human expectation." His
reputation for bravery spread among both the English and the Native Americans.
Years
later, according to historian George Bancroft, Washington and a friend were
exploring an area along the Ohio River when they encountered a group of Native
Americans. Recognizing Washington, the natives invited the men back to their
camp to meet with their chief, whom it turned out had fought on the side of the
French in the Battle of Duquesne. They had a cordial visit and then the old
chief, pointing to Washington, spoke these amazing words.
"I
am chief and ruler over all my tribes. My influence extends to the waters of
the Great Lakes, and to the far blue mountains. I have traveled a long and
weary path that I might see the young warrior of the great battle. It was on
the day when the white man's blood mixed with the streams of our forest that I
first beheld this chief. I called to my young men and said, 'Mark yon tall and
daring warrior? He is not of the redcoat tribe—he hath an Indian's wisdom, and
his warriors fight as we do—himself alone is exposed. Quick, let your aim be
certain, and he dies.' Our rifles were leveled—rifles which, but for him, knew
not how to miss. Twas all in vain; a power far mightier than we shielded him
from harm. He cannot die in battle. The Great Spirit protects that man, and
guides his destinies. He will become chief of nations, and a people yet unborn
will hail him the founder of a mighty nation" (Hyatt, Pilgrims and Patriots, 127-28).
The
prophecy came to pass. Washington was later appointed commander in chief of the
colonial army, and at great sacrifice, led his outnumbered, outgunned troops to
an amazing victory over the British through numerous providential events. He later
presided over the Constitutional Convention, was unanimously elected the first
president of the United States and known as “the father of his country.”
Washington the Devout Christian
Washington
was very devout in his Christian faith and respectful toward the Native people
and culture, but he never allowed the two to be in conflict. He clearly
expressed this in a 1779 meeting with chiefs from the Delaware tribe who had expressed
a desire for their children to be trained in American schools.
Washington responded by assuring them
that the new nation would look upon their children as their own. He then commended
the chiefs for their decision and said,
“You do
well to wish to learn our arts and our ways of life and above all, the
religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people
than you are. Congress will do everything they can to assist you in this wise
intention.”
Washington
was not a multiculturalist and did not promote religious pluralism. He was
tolerant of those who held differing views but was uncompromising in his belief
that only Jesus Christ and Christianity offered a belief system that would
serve as a basis for national stability and individual happiness.
This
was expressed in many ways, including his Farewell Address in which he warned
the nation to guard Christianity and morality, which he described as “indispensable
supports” for political prosperity and human happiness. This utilitarian view
of Christianity was why he once prayed in public, “Bless, O Lord, the whole
race of mankind and let the world be filled with the knowledge of Thee and Thy
Son, Jesus Christ” (Hyatt, Pilgrims andPatriots, 138).
Concluding Prayer
Just
as we remember George Washington on his birthday (Feb. 22), let us not forget
that we, as a nation, owe our very existence to the Providential mercies of
Almighty God. And let us not suppose that we can continue as a nation without
His Providential care, as Washington warned in his Farewell Address.
Let
us, therefore, pray for America as the Psalmist prayed for the people of Israel
in Psalm 85:6-7. He prayed, "Will you not revive us again, that Your
people may rejoice in you? Show us Your mercy LORD, and grant us Your
salvation."
This article is derived from Dr. Eddie
Hyatt’s book, Pilgrims and Patriots,
in which he documents the radical Christian roots of American democracy and freedom.
This book, and others, are available from Amazon and his website at
www.eddiehyatt.com.
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