The History Book Club discussion

Hello Everyone,

For the week of September 26th - October 2nd, we are reading the Preface and Chapters One - Five of Washington, A Life by Ron Chernow.

The first week's reading assignment is:

Week One - September 26th - October 2nd
Preface and Chapter One - Five - (pages XIX - 62)

We will open up a thread for each week's reading. Please make sure to post in the particular thread dedicated to those specific chapters and page numbers to avoid spoilers. We will also open up supplemental threads as we did for other spotlighted books.

This book is being kicked off on September 26th.

We look forward to your participation. Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other noted on line booksellers do have copies of the book and shipment can be expedited. The book can also be obtained easily at your local library, local bookstore or on your Kindle. This weekly thread will be opened up September 26th.

There is no rush and we are thrilled to have you join us. It is never too late to get started and/or to post.

Bentley will be moderating this discussion and Assisting Moderators Teri, Jill, and Samanta will be backups.

Welcome,

~Bentley

TO ALWAYS SEE ALL WEEKS' THREADS SELECT VIEW ALL

by Ron Chernow

REMEMBER NO SPOILERS ON THE WEEKLY NON SPOILER THREADS - ON EACH WEEKLY NON SPOILER THREAD - WE ONLY DISCUSS THE PAGES ASSIGNED OR THE PAGES WHICH WERE COVERED IN PREVIOUS WEEKS. IF YOU GO AHEAD OR WANT TO ENGAGE IN MORE EXPANSIVE DISCUSSION - POST THOSE COMMENTS IN ONE OF THE SPOILER THREADS. THESE CHAPTERS HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION SO WHEN IN DOUBT CHECK WITH THE CHAPTER OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY TO RECALL WHETHER YOUR COMMENTS ARE ASSIGNMENT SPECIFIC. EXAMPLES OF SPOILER THREADS ARE THE GLOSSARY, THE BIBLIOGRAPHY, THE INTRODUCTION AND THE BOOK AS A WHOLE THREADS.

Notes:

It is always a tremendous help when you quote specifically from the book itself and reference the chapter and page numbers when responding. The text itself helps folks know what you are referencing and makes things clear.

Citations:

If an author or book is mentioned other than the book and author being discussed, citations must be included according to our guidelines. Also, when citing other sources, please provide credit where credit is due and/or the link. There is no need to re-cite the author and the book we are discussing however.

If you need help - here is a thread called the Mechanics of the Board which will show you how:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Also the citation thread:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Introduction Thread:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Table of Contents and Syllabus

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Glossary

Remember there is a glossary thread where ancillary information is placed by the moderator. This is also a thread where additional information can be placed by the group members regarding the subject matter being discussed.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Bibliography

There is a Bibliography where books cited in the text are posted with proper citations and reviews. We also post the books that the author used in his research or in his notes. Please also feel free to add to the Bibliography thread any related books, etc with proper citations. No self promotion, please. We will be adding to this thread as we read along.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Book as a Whole and Final Thoughts - SPOILER THREAD

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...


by Ron Chernow

Everyone, for the week of September 26th - October 2nd, we are reading the Prelude and Chapter(s) 1 - 5 of Washington: A Life

The first week's reading assignment is:

Week One - September 26th - October 2nd
Prelude and Chapter(s) One - Five - pages XIX - 62

Chapter Overview and Summary:

Prelude: The Portrait Artist
The author discusses the artist Gilbert Stuart, the man who created the portrait of Washington that we know today on the one-dollar bill.

Chapter 1: A Short Lived Family
This chapters gives some background into Washington's family and his life as a young boy. His father was Augustine and mother Mary Johnson Bell and George was the oldest of five children by them.

Chapter 2: Fortune's Favorite
As a young man, Washington lived with his half-brother and studied to be a surveyor. He later became an apprentice at the local Masonic Lodge.

Chapter 3: Wilderness Mission
In 1753, Washington becomes a district adjutant. He was caught up in a disagreement between the British and French over land in the Ohio Country. Washington volunteers to go on a mission to take a message to the French. Once in Fort LeBoeuf, he passes the message to Captain St. Pierre. The message demands that the French leave their settlements but St. Pierre refuses and sends a return message for Governor Dinwiddie.

Chapter 4: Bloodbath
Washington is now a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army. In the spring of 1754, he begins a march into the Ohio Country. In May, Washington expects a raid on his camp so he sets up a position at Fort Necessity. Washington then leads a raid on the French that turns into a bloodbath with more than twenty French captured and ten killed. One of those killed was an important Ensign carrying a diplomatic message. The French cried massacre but the British, considered it a victory. Washington and his men continued to fortify their defenses at Fort Necessity. But in July the French attacked with an overwhelming victory. Washington was tricked into signing a confession of assassination on the French diplomat at the previous raid. After the debacle plans were made to divide the Virginia Regiment into ten independent companies and to demote Washington to a colonel, he resigned from the army.

Chapter 5: Shades of Death
Major General Edward Braddock arrives in Virginia requesting Washington to be his aide-de-camp. Washington joins Braddock and tries to teach him the techniques of the Indians and French. Braddock then faces the enemy for the first time and his men are slaughtered while Washington is heroic in battle.

All, welcome to the discussion of Washington, A Life. We are happy to have all of you with us. Everyone should have their books and we will open up the threads and move forward with the kick off this weekend. Please check back. The official kickoff is today - September 26th, 2016.

Please post and check the table of contents and syllabus.

We Begin:

As an introduction - for all folks who are joining - please post a brief intro here for your fellow readers of Washington, A Life introducing yourself and at the same time give us your general impression of your reading thus far and details that made an impression on you right from the start - Remember we are only talking about through page 62 right now. If you have followed the directives already and have posted on the Introduction thread - you do not have to post your intro here but please tell us what your initial thoughts of the book are as we begin

by Ron Chernow

Folks, please introduce yourselves here (only if you have not introduced yourself on the introduction thread) - on a long read it is good to get to know your fellow members who are participating. Please also check the introduction thread because some of our members have already introduced themselves as requested.

Sample:

Hello - I am Bentley - group owner - lead and moderator for this spotlighted read - I am living in the Metro New York City area. I have become even more interested in reading this book because of the current primary season and it would be great to discuss the leadership and character qualities of a George Washington and first president of the United States after the constitution was ratified.

The chaotic state of affairs when we were a fledgling country doesn't seem initially to be vastly different than the current state of affairs (even though we are established and a super power).

I am very interested in learning about George Washington's style and what he held dear and what his qualities of character were that made him the choice of the founding fathers. This book is supposed to be a stellar document of what made George Washington the great leader he was and the book has had amazing reviews. I look forward to discussing this with all of you.

All, we do not have to do citations regarding the book or the author being discussed during the book discussion on these discussion threads - nor do we have to cite any personage in the book being discussed while on the discussion threads related to this book.

However if we discuss folks outside the scope of the book or another book is cited which is not the book and author discussed then we do have to do that citation according to our citation rules. That makes it easier to not disrupt the discussion. Thought that I would add that.

We are ready to begin. Let the comments and introductions come.

Welcome to the discussion of what should be a great book.

So am I - we have had different facets or segments of his life discussed but not the entire timeline.

Just finished Prelude. Already 2 comments.
1. GW comment about himself: "With me it has always been a maxim rather to let my designs appear from my works than by my expressions." A refreshing change from all of the spin management that is part of our current political process. Based on my other readings, I would keep GW's self assessment in mind going forward.
2. Chernow describes GW as a Vulcan--an unexpected Star Trek reference. Vulcans--Spock--had raging passions and emotions and spent their lives consciously controlling them. I promise not to reference Star Trek again.

I did not introduce myself on the introduction thread, so here goes. I am Laurie, and I am a native Texan living in my hometown of Lubbock. I cultivated an interest in Lincoln when I was young and have read a few other presidential biographies, but I don't know about any of the presidents in great depth.

I am interested in reading about Washinton in this book because the books I have read about him so far have dealt with him primarily as a military commander. Hopefully we will learn more about him as a personality, as a relatable human being. I am halfway through chapter four, and so far I am enjoying the style of writing. And I like that Washington is a young man who is trying to make his way in the world and not the confident general in charge.

I have finished the first five and a half chapters. I am seeing at the young age of 20-21 some of the characteristics we see in an older Washington. David McCullough once said in an interview that George Washington was our greatest president, so I was very glad to see HBC reading this book.

David McCullough

Bill wrote: "Just finished Prelude. Already 2 comments.
1. GW comment about himself: "With me it has always been a maxim rather to let my designs appear from my works than by my expressions." A refreshing chang..."

Bill thank you - it is OK - I liked Star Trek as well (smile). So you think that Chernow is commenting upon Washington's inner turmoil and challenging personality or are you referring to inner turmoil or inner emotions.

Laurie wrote: "I did not introduce myself on the introduction thread, so here goes. I am Laurie, and I am a native Texan living in my hometown of Lubbock. I cultivated an interest in Lincoln when I was young and ..."

Welcome Laurie and you are right - this really is the first book that we have discussed about Washington that addresses his life as a timeline to be discussed and studied.

Karen wrote: "I have finished the first five and a half chapters. I am seeing at the young age of 20-21 some of the characteristics we see in an older Washington. David McCullough once said in an interview that ..."

Karen I am delighted that we finally got to this as well - it is an exceptional study of the man.

Bentley wrote: "Bill wrote: "Just finished Prelude. Already 2 comments.
1. GW comment about himself: "With me it has always been a maxim rather to let my designs appear from my works than by my expressions." A ref..."
Don't want to read too much into prelude or shoot from hip--which I often do. I will look out for "turmoil" between GW internal feelings and external presentation.

Hi everyone. I have already introduced myself some time ago on the Introduction's section, so won't do so again.
I have read the book and written a review for it.
P. 1-62. Chernow writes of Washington that " his body was oddly shaped with a small head in proportion to his general frame." I was surprised at that, as the statues and pictures of him that I have seen do not seem to show this.
p.17. I am never quite sure of Chernow's depictions of Washington's mother. She disagrees with his going to sea to be a midshipman, after her half-brother in England, Joseph Ball, advised against it, saying that colonials were often discriminated against. Chernow writes that " whether she was persuaded by reasonable arguments, or simply didn't want to part with her eldest son around the farm, is impossible to know." "She would always be strangely indifferent towards his ambitions, making decisions about him purely from a self-interested viewpoint."
I feel Chernow is often somewhat harsh towards Mary, and I think that if I had been in her position I would not have wanted him to go off to be a midshipman either. Luckily for America he was not allowed to!
It also seems very strange that his uncle wanted him to train to be a tinker. Why not a farmer? He had inherited Ferry Farm, a half share in Deep Run and various plots in Fredericksburg, although he could only claim these when he reached adulthood. He also owned 10 slaves. I wondered if somehow the wrong meaning has been given to his uncle's words.
(Hopefully I have followed your guidelines. If not, I will try and do better next time!)

I wanted to read this book to learn more about the first US president and the time he lived in and what life was like in those days. As a European (Dutch), I don't know much about George Washington, except that he was a great general in the Revolutionary War and chosen as first president for his unifying personality.

I have read the chapters for this week. What struck me most was the influence of 'fortuitous' events on his life. That, and his hard and determined work, made almost every bad and sad event in his life eventually turn his chances for the good. Washington comes to life as a very ambitious young man who was determined to climb to the very top of the colonial society. As it was said at the end of chapter 5 people back then felt that he was destined for something great. Reading the first 5 chapters makes you believe that too.

The other thing that made an impression on me was his relationship with his mother. They both had a strong character, so that meant that neither of them wanted to give in. It was not a loving relationship and I wonder if that influenced him in the rest of his life.

Hi, my name is Savannah Jordan. Although, I am a retired organic chemist, history and philosophy have also been my life-long passions. I live in the northeastern tip of Tennessee.

I have read the chapters for this week and learned to my surprise that George had a very strained relationship with his mother. Additionally, his father died while he was quite young leaving him without the financial resources to be educated like his older half-siblings.

Many today would be devastated by this fate, yet early deaths of parents seemed to be quite common during that era and yet many were still able to have productive lives. Hardship was considered an inescapable part of life and something that must be dealt with rather than something that was insurmountable. Today we seem to feel only those having almost perfect childhoods have the resources to be productive.

Hi
I am Steve from Illinois. I love reading history, and am looking forward to discussing this book. I know a little about George Washington Presidency. However, I learned a lot about George Washington's Childhood from the first 5 chapters. I was also struck by his ambition and desire to move to the top. I was impressed by his ability to self educate himself through reading great works of literature and life experiences.

As I mentioned earlier, I read this book a few years ago. Reading it again and having fun doing it!. I had forgotten where Washington's beginnings were as a surveyor. I am wondering what his life would have been like if after his older brother died Washington had not decided, wanting to follow in his older brother's footsteps, to swap his life as a surveyor for that of a soldier. (pg 26)

Interesting isn't it Glynn - how different events shape a person's life.

Welcome Steve - we are glad to have you.

He sounded as if he had a plan for himself even early in life

Savannah - welcome - life was perilous in those early times - parents had many many children because so many children died as infants or from some other ailment or disease which we would take for granted nowadays. And many children became orphans because their parents might have suffered the same fate.

Harmke - I often wonder when a parent and a child share too many of the same personality characteristics if that sort of alienation doesn't develop.

Welcome to the discussion

It is sort of odd that the portrait artists do not render Washington such as Chernow described.

Carol you pointed out some very interesting anomalies and oddities that I wonder about myself. Although I have known members of families who all want the children to follow in their footsteps or others versus an avocation that would actually suit them. Everybody always has their own ideas on what others should do with their lives (smile)

Let us know Bill - what you come up with on that examination - I think it is fair to say that a man like George Washington was more complex than historians have ascertained. I am sure that he had his own demons.

Have enjoyed reading all the above comments. Washington's ambitious nature was mentioned twice and that is clearly one of his dominant traits. Another characteristic of both he and his family is that they had strong, powerful bodies, always an advantage at such an era, I would think; and, of course, it also meant Washington could dominate other people physically, as well as being able to survey inhospitable countryside and fight in the army.

Laura welcome - for any long read - we always have folks introduce themselves - it makes everybody more comfortable in posting and responding.

I bet living in Virginia put you very close to Mount Vernon. Yes, this book should give us many insights into Washington as a man and leader

Yes, Carol very true - you can be very ambitious but if your health does not cooperate - that can be a problem

One other thing I am noticing is that even in Washington's very early career as a soldier there is resentment building in his relationship with the British Empire. In the Bloodbath chapter, pages 45-46, the author writes about Captain MacCay's "high handed behavior" and about "Washington fighting to protect a British Empire that insisted on consigning him to inferior status." Shades of things to come.

Very true Glynn. Historically there has always been that sort of thing through history - I am not sure if you read Rick Atkinson's Liberation Trilogy but there has always been jockeying for position among different countries and their military and who knows best. It happened a lot between the British and the French and allied forces in World War II. And I guess we can now assume that this sort of resentment has a long history in the military. I do think though that this is foreshadowing of how the colonists did feel and how the British king at that time treated them - pretty much exploitation of their natural resources and toil (and taxation ultimately) and not feeling that they had a voice in their destiny or life. Isn't there a saying that goes something like this - "People do not remember what you said - but they do remember how you made them feel."

by Rick Atkinson

Thanks Bentley. I haven't read that trilogy. I added it to my TBR list. Also, good saying. You may have just coined it! :)

I think it was Maya Angelou



Maya Angelou

Welcome to the discussion - at any time please post your introduction and respond to the Discussion questions.

Please interact with each other and feel free to act questions of each other and respond to your fellow member's posts. Always be civil and respectful.

Epigram:

Simple truth is his best, his greatest eulogy.
- Abigail Adams, speaking of George Washington, after his death

John Adams was vice president to George Washington and Abigail Adams was his very influential spouse.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your impressions of what Abigail Adams wrote about George Washington? Was this a fitting eulogy - why or why not?

2. What do you think is Washington's - "truth". What are some of your first thoughts about the first president in terms of "temperament" and "character".

3. Do you think that this country has changed in terms of what is important in terms of the "character" of its leaders and in terms of "telling the truth'? Why was George Washington eulogized in this way?

4. Why do you think this was the choice of epigram for the author?

Review of A Washington, A Life - Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/bo...

Regarding Abigail Adams

http://www.mountvernon.org/digital-en...



Source: Mount Vernon site

http://thefederalist.com/2016/03/07/m...

Source: The Federalist

http://www.firstladies.org/biographie...

Source: National First Ladies Library

Note: Please feel free to comment on any of the supporting source articles.

Portrait of George Washington:

This portrait by Charles Peale Polk - I saw this weekend a copy at Morven in Princeton. The original is at the Met in New York.


George Washington at Princeton by Charles Peale Polk (American, 1767-1822), c. 1788, oil on canvas, M-4853, Mount Vernon Ladies' Association.

Charles Peale Polk was just ten years old during the Battle of Princeton. His canvas possesses a gravity and monumentality befitting a retrospective image of a landmark event.

Polk used his uncle Charles Willson Peale's so-called Convention portrait as the basis for this image; Peale painted the original portrait from life at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. Polk portrayed Washington numerous times from various sources but never from life. In 1790 Polk wrote to Washington requesting a sitting and stating that he had executed fifty portraits of him during the previous year.

Source: http://www.mountvernon.org/digital-en...

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your thoughts about this portrait of George Washington? Do you think that this portrait reminds you of him?
Did it resemble his other portraits? Why or why not. What did you like about it?

And we begin: - Prelude - The Portrait Artist

In March 1793 Gilbert Stuart crossed the North Atlantic for the express purpose of painting President George Washington, the supreme prize of the age for any ambitious artist. Though born in Rhode Island and reared in Newport, Stuart had escaped to the cosmopolitan charms of London during the war and spent eighteen years producing portraits of British and Irish grandees. Overly fond of liquor, prodigal in his spending habits, and with a giant brood of children to support, Stuart had landed in the Marshals Prison in Dublin, most likely for debt, just as Washington was being sworn in as first president of the United States in 1789.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your initial thoughts about Gilbert Stuart? Were you surprised how the author described him? Why or why not?

2. How were George Washington and Gilbert Stuart different?

3. What were your impressions of Washington? Do you agree with Stuart that Washington was not the placid and composed figure he presented to the world. Gilbert Stuart thought that Washington was a "sensitive, complex figure, full of pent-up passion".

4. What did you think of the assessment by the author that Washington wanted to make himself "unknowable"? In what ways? Chernow stated the Washington's strategy was the opposite (he did not want to display his intellect) - he felt that the "less people knew about him, the more he thought he could accomplish".

5. What other surprises did the reader discover about these two men in the Prelude?

6. How did George Washington exude "leadership"?

About Gilbert Stuart:


Self-Portrait, painted in 1778

Gilbert Stuart site: http://www.gilbertstuartmuseum.org/gi...

Source: Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert...

The Met - A Timeline - http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/stua...

Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanitie...

Source: Khan Academy

Always make sure to check out the glossary for ancillary and supportive information - throughout the entire discussion:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Chapter One - A Short-Lived Family

And so this chapter begins -

The author wrote - "The crowded career of George Washington afforded him little leisure to indulge his vanity or gratify his curiosity by conducting genealogical research into his family. As he admitted sheepishly when president, "This is a subject to which I confess I have paid very little attention. My time has been so occupied in the busy and active scenes of life from an early period of it that but a small portion of it could have been devoted to researches of this nature".

About Lawrence Washington - Great- Great Grandfather of George Washington:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrenc...

More:
http://nyctimetraveler.blogspot.com/2...


Rev. Lawrence Washington, who once
terrorized Puritan dons and Oxford
students. Under Cromwell, he lost his parish

About John Washington - George Washington's great grandfather

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wa...

More:
http://millercenter.org/president/bio...

Source: Wikipedia

About Lawrence Washington - George Washington's Grandfather

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrenc...

About George Washington and his family:

http://web.mst.edu/~rogersda/american...

Source: Missouri University of Science and Technology
University

About Augustine Washington - George Washington's Father


Posthumous 1867 lithograph by John C. McRae after a painting by G. G. White.

About George's father:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusti...

https://presidentgeorgewashington.wor...

Bentley wrote: "Portrait of George Washington:

This portrait by Charles Peale Polk - I saw this weekend a copy at Morven in Princeton. The original is at the Met in New York.

George Washington at Princeton by C..."
A few immediate thoughts on this: The eyes are the wrong color. They were not brown, but a pale gray-blue. The eyebrows also look odd for a mature man. I would have thought they would be more bushy; these appear as though shaved off and a pencil line marking their place. The cheeks also look rouged, instead of perhaps weather beaten. I gather Washington's nose flared red in the wind and that his skin was fair and prone to sunburn. This painting obviously resembles him, but for me it does not suggest the strength of both Washington's body and his personality.

Bentley wrote: "Epigram:

Simple truth is his best, his greatest eulogy.
- Abigail Adams, speaking of George Washington, after his death

John Adams was vice president to George Washington and Abigail Adams was hi..."
I presume that what Abigail Adams means is that you do not need to embellish any account of Washington or his life. His actions speak for themselves.
I do not really think that it is a fitting eulogy. It is partly correct, but needs to mention what he did- that he was the dominant figure both in the war and its aftermath.
My thoughts on Washington's temperament and character are formed by reading both Chernow's book and others, and as we have only read so far to p.62, I hesitate to elaborate at this stage on my perception of him.

Bentley wrote: "And we begin: - Prelude - The Portrait Artist

In March 1793 Gilbert Stuart crossed the North Atlantic for the express purpose of painting President George Washington, the supreme prize of the age ..."

To me, this prelude seems a statement of the author. He wants to paint - like Stuart wanted - a complete portrait of Washington in this book. To both Stuart and Chernow, on the existing paintings and in existing portraits and textbooks Washington is distant, emotionless and calm. But in reality, Washington was a man of fierce and soft emotions. Chernow wants to complete our view of Washington in this biography.

Very interesting Carol - I found this article in the Chicago Tribune from 1988 which discusses the eye color of our presidents - the article is titled - "The Eyes Have It"

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/19...

Carol wrote: "Bentley wrote: "Epigram:

Simple truth is his best, his greatest eulogy.
- Abigail Adams, speaking of George Washington, after his death

John Adams was vice president to George Washington and Abig..."

Yes, I think though the beauty of Abigail Adams' quote was its simplicity - that at the core of Washington was a common core of decency and truth and possibly simplicity of style. We will read on and maybe come back to these assessments to reassess the complexity that Stuart hinted at.

Harmke wrote: "Bentley wrote: "And we begin: - Prelude - The Portrait Artist

In March 1793 Gilbert Stuart crossed the North Atlantic for the express purpose of painting President George Washington, the supreme p..."

Yes Harmke - possibly Chernow wants to "paint" a more fully dimensional picture of what George Washington - the man - was really about.

Just a heads up for those who want to also start on next week's reading tonight - here is the assignment and what we will be discussing on the Week Two thread:

October 3rd - October 9th - Chapters SIX through Chapters TWELVE - 63 - 135

On the week two thread we can discuss any topic or anything discussed in the book through page 135.

Additionally we have a glossary thread and a bibliography thread and introduction thread - which are all "spoiler" but the weekly threads are "non spoiler".

Bentley wrote: "Very interesting Carol - I found this article in the Chicago Tribune from 1988 which discusses the eye color of our presidents - the article is titled - "The Eyes Have It"

http://articles.chicagot..."
The reason for so many blue or gray eyes is, I presume, that many of the early immigrants were English (Anglo-Saxon) and it is from their ranks that the Presidents (or at least the early ones) came. The Welsh or the Scots would mainly have brown eyes, as would the French and Spanish.

The early ones of course - but the preference seems to continue - many Welsh have light eyes. It is interesting - maybe blue or light eyes give the appearance of a warmer personality or more engaging - it was an interesting article.

Yes, I did too - it was a copy but the original is at the Met I believe - I had never seen it before either.

Yes I liked it too - I am not sure if I was viewing a copy or not (at Morven) - there are different versions of this painting - I have been told and Mount Vernon may have one of them (according to their site they have an original - purchased in 2009) - I was told that the Met had another but I have not seen it there. I liked Polk's rendition. There seems to be an Oil on canvas at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

http://www.mountvernon.org/george-was...

I guess Peale was his uncle