RE: "he [Washington] never lost the feeling that the moment of battle was the truest test of a man, and the sound of bullets never lost its charm for him," it reminds me of a line from the movie _Patton_:
"When compared to war, all other human endeavors shrink into insignificance. War - I love it! God forgive me, I love it so much." Now whether Patton actually said those words, we don't know. But Patton easily could have said it - or Washington.
...and eventually, he would command an entire nation as the first President of the United States, in a fashion not far removed from his military bearing. With the same level of respect given in return.
I’ve long considered Washington the most boring of our great presidents, but it was precisely that modest mundaneness that saved US democracy. Had he fashioned himself a Napoleon or (God forbid) a Santa Anna, we wouldve been screwed. Which brings us to our current boring president, who is utterly unflamboyant, but very good at just getting the job done...
RE: "he [Washington] never lost the feeling that the moment of battle was the truest test of a man, and the sound of bullets never lost its charm for him," it reminds me of a line from the movie _Patton_:
"When compared to war, all other human endeavors shrink into insignificance. War - I love it! God forgive me, I love it so much." Now whether Patton actually said those words, we don't know. But Patton easily could have said it - or Washington.
...and eventually, he would command an entire nation as the first President of the United States, in a fashion not far removed from his military bearing. With the same level of respect given in return.
I’ve long considered Washington the most boring of our great presidents, but it was precisely that modest mundaneness that saved US democracy. Had he fashioned himself a Napoleon or (God forbid) a Santa Anna, we wouldve been screwed. Which brings us to our current boring president, who is utterly unflamboyant, but very good at just getting the job done...
Like Grant in the Mexican-American war (as you noted in his bio) and Teddy Roosevelt during the Spanish-American war!