A ragged squad, led by a lone fifer, made its noisy way through camp. The fife shrilled and squeaked, and the men raised their voices to follow the melody. The ditty had first been sung by the British to mock the rebels. But the colonists liked the lively tune, so they added new words and made it their own: There was Captain WashingtonsUpon a slapping stallion,A-giving orders to his men;I guess there were a million. Yankee Doodle keep it up,Yankee Doodle dandy,Mind the music and the step,And with the girls be handy! The squad, on its way to gather wood, marched past the camp headquarters. An officer working at his desk stopped to listen, and the song gave him a welcome lift. George Washington had been sitting and brooding. Like General Howe, his opponent aboard HMS Somerset, Washington was worried about the stalemate—but not for the same reasons. Months earlier, in June of 1775, the Continental Congress had chosen him to command the new Continental Army. The delegates in Philadelphia couldn’t have made a better choice.
What do You think about Guns For General Washington?
