General George Washington Congressional Medal of Honor

General George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Continental Army should be posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

When the Second Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia in May 1775, Washington, one of the Virginia delegates, was elected Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. On July 3, 1775, at Cambridge, Massachusetts, he took command of his ill-trained troops and embarked upon a war that was to last six grueling years. Washington was to carry almost the whole burden of the American cause on his broad shoulders. Thirteen colonies not yet a nation, with a population of less than 3 million who were sharply divided among themselves, had defied the greatest military power in the world.

The new United States (it came into existence with the Declaration of Independence in 1776) had no regular army, no navy, no treasury, and no diplomatic service. Indeed, it had hardly anything with which to fight a war. Washington had to hold his small army together and rebuild it almost every year. He had to train it and discipline it and find food, clothing, and weapons for it. He had to win the support of the Continental Congress for his plans and enlist the governors of 13 states that often acted as if they were independent nations. Without Washington the army would have fallen apart; without him the nation itself would probably have fallen apart. He held it together with his courage, his resolution, and his faith.

Washington was not a great general compared to some of the great commanders of history, but he had the qualities needed for the success of the American cause. He knew when to attack and when to retreat. He could be patient in avoiding battle when necessary, as it often was in the darker days of the war. But he could also be daring, summoning all his resources and striking with marvelous speed when a military opportunity presented itself.

Washington insisted on strict military discipline but was always just, and he shared the hardships of his soldiers, who were devoted to him. Commenting on Washington's majestic stature and his naturally dignified bearing, John Adams, his future vice president, said that he made every crowned head in Europe look like a valet.

There were many occasions when General Washington showed incredible courage and disregard for his own personal safety. Perhaps most notable of these acts, and for which he should be honored with the MOH, was during the Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777. Accounts of this battle explain in detail how General Washington rallied troops by riding out in front of the American lines, positioning him self between his own troops and the British lines. While musket balls from both directions flew past Washington, the General held his ground inspiring the American troops to advance on the British positions, ultimately pushing the British back and winning the Battle of Princeton.

Due to his actions during the Battle of Princeton, General George Washington established him self as an American Hero and a leader who inspired his men by example. General Washingtons willingness to lead his troops from the front, while shots from British sharp shooters and from his own men flew across the battle field around him, is an act of incredible bravery in the face of advancing British forces. This single act of courage earned the respect of his men, and inspired an army that defeated the British and secured the right of existence for Americans to live free of tyrannical rule.

No American has ever been asked to perform a task so important, against incredible odds, with almost no resources or funding and without the benefit of an outfitted and trained army. To defeat the most powerful government with the most powerful military force the world has ever known and to birth a nation based on principals never before described in the history of the world. There may not have ever been an American so deserving of this honor, to this day, as General George Washington. It is my opinion that no other American past or present, has been or ever will be as responsible for the existence of The United States of America, more than General George Washington.

For personal sacrifices, and for service to his country both above and beyond the call of duty, I ask the U.S. Congress to consider General George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, June 15, 1775 till December 23, 1783 to be posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

No American has done so much or served their country in such a way to be more deserving of this honor.