Why Washington is Amazing

So, I was reading 1776-- the Costco version that comes with all of those cool add-ins-- and came across a story that really impressed me. It was about George Washington before the siege of New York in late November. Imagine this: hundreds of men or dying, from disease, want of food, and the cold; the British are just off the coast with hundreds of ships, waiting to attack; you don't want to give up New York because it's one of the biggest cities in America at the time, and losing it to British control might be too discouraging for the army and the American people. Washington did not know what to do: should he retreat and let New York fall into British hands? or make a stand?

Washington wrote to General Lee, who was up in Burlington, to ask him to send some of his men down into New York. Along with Washington's letter, Washington's private secretary and a very trusted friend, Joseph Reed, slipped in a note of his own to Lee-- it was two pages long, lambasting Washington for not being a good leader, calling him incapable, and generally suggesting that Lee should take Washington's place. Six days later, an express came from General Lee-- thinking it was about the recruitments, Washington tore open the letter. The letter was really to Reed, and with the first few sentences, thanked Reed for finding himself (Lee) capable of leading the army and agreed that Washington's lack of decisiveness was more deadly in war than "stupidity or even want of personal courage." What is truly remarkable about this situation is that after reading the first two sentences, Washington resealed the letter, sent it to Reed with a note of his own enclosed. The note written by Washington explained the miscommunication that led him to open the letter, apologized for his own intrusiveness, thanked him for his tireless service, and signed it "your most obliging servant." Can you imagine? You're going through one of the toughest times in your life, two people who are your friends, and on whom you rely greatly on, betray and commit treason against you-- and all you can do is thank them? That is why Washington is pretty much the best. I wish there were more men like him.