Washington Day! – Transcript – General George Washington with Kurt Baker

 Our host, Kurtis Baker is joined by General George Washington! Find out about the values of his historical life!

Washington Day!

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00:09 Kurt Baker: You’re listening to a podcast of Master Your Finances with me, Kurt Baker, a certified financial planner professional, Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM on 1077thebronc.com.

00:19 Announcer: You’re listening to an encore presentation of Master Your Finances with Kurtis Baker, originally aired December 17th, 2017. Tune in next week, June 17th, for an all-new episode of Master Your Finances with Kurtis Baker, exclusively on 107.7 The Bronc and masteryourfinances.us.

00:37 Announcer: The financial views and opinions expressed by the host and guest on this program, do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of 107.7 The Bronc, Rider University, or Certified Wealth Management and Investment. The material discussed is not designed to provide listeners with individualized financial, legal, or tax advice.

00:53 Announcer: Planning your financial future does not have to be overwhelming. 107.7 The Bronc presents Master Your Finances with Kurt Baker, a certified financial planner professional, with Certified Wealth Management and Investment. For the next 60 minutes, Kurt and his expert team of financial guests, will help to decipher financial terms, navigate market trends, interpret federal and state regulations and more, so you can make smart decisions with your money to increase your personal wealth. Missed an episode? Go to 1077thebronc.com and Apple iTunes to download and listen to previous shows. Just look up Master Your Finances. Master Your Finances is underwritten by Certified Wealth Management and Investment, focusing on personal, financial, and small business planning. For more information about all of Certified Wealth Management and Investment services online, it’s cwmi.us. Now, here’s Kurt Baker with this week’s edition of Master your Finances.

01:48 Kurt Baker: Good morning, and welcome back to another edition of Master Your Finances, presented by Certified Wealth Management and Investment. I am Kurt Baker, a certified financial planner professional hosting your show today. And my office is located here in Princeton, New Jersey. I could be reached through our website which is www.cwmi.us, or you can call me directly at 609-716-4700. And last time we had on Maggie Van Dagens, the owner and creative director of J&M Marketing Communications, and we talked a lot about the value of doing a customized website specifically to your needs. So if you missed that show or any of our shows, you can subscribe to our podcast by going to www.masteryourfinances.us. That’s masteryourfinances.us.

02:38 Kurt Baker: This week we have a very special guest on for this time. We’re very pleased to have with us General George Washington. The father of our country. His father died when he was 11 years old. He was very good at mathematics as a child. Never went to college. He had four brothers and sisters, and his mother was a harsh disciplinarian when her husband passed. Actually, he was born on February 11th, 1731, but also we know it is February 22nd, 1732. And more recently, he was a science teacher at Trenton High School for 36 years, a strength coach for 29 years, and a councilman at Chesterfield, New Jersey. And has been really trying to bring back his memory for the last 10 years, and really getting out there and talking about the values of George Washington and how things were back then.

03:31 Kurt Baker: I guess we could start off by George… General Washington, why do you have two birthdays? Can you kind of explain why? How old are you exactly? [chuckle] Now I come up with either 285 or 286, so depending on which date. So why do you have two birthdays? Why don’t we start there.

03:45 George Washington: Well, 285 years old, [chuckle] and this coming February, I’ll be 286. The reason why I have two birth dates is because when back in the day they changed the calendar from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, and they added 11 days to my birthday, which now it is February 22nd. But right up until I was in my 50s, I would still celebrate my birthday on February 11th, because it’s somewhat bothered me when they changed the calendar.

04:19 Kurt Baker: I can imagine that. [chuckle]

04:19 George Washington: Yeah, I know you could.

[laughter]

04:25 Kurt Baker: What were some things like back then? Can you give us a little background on some interesting things that were going on back then? I know there was a lot happening in the colonial days. So just give us a little synopsis of what it was like to really found the country and developed and help us all to where we are today.

04:40 George Washington: Well, it was slow going back then, as you well know. [chuckle] We didn’t have the technology that you have today, unfortunately. If we did, things would have been much faster. But back then it was slow, things were slow going, but we enjoyed every second. We worked hard and we knew the value of a family, which was very important. We gather around the dinner table and talk and have great and wonderful conversations. There was much respect that we had in our family between the children and the parents. Children always respected the parents, and they also respected their teachers. Teachers were very important. The children respected authority and that’s what made the country solid at that time. But then French and Indian War came later on in my life, and I was a part of that, and I actually was the reason the French and Indian War started, but…

05:54 Kurt Baker: You’re the reason?

[laughter]

05:56 George Washington: Unfortunately, I was. I let something happen that I could have prevented, but I wasn’t quick enough. So I was somewhat green as an officer at the time. So the French and Indian War started, and from bad comes good. Good things came out of the French and Indian War, I learned how to be an officer. I learned military tactics and I became a solid man. But the things at that time weren’t easy, the French and Indian War took a lot of effort. And even in today’s world, there’s still a fort, a barracks in Trenton. The old barracks in Trenton, New Jersey, is an original fort from the French and Indian War, where the British would have their barracks there, but it was also used during the revolution also.

07:09 Kurt Baker: Oh, fascinating. So were some of these your core values? I know back then the unit was much smaller, right? So the family was smaller, your neighbors were very close to you, you kinda knew everybody a little bit more than we might these days. So did some of that have an influence on when you started really thinking about, well, setting the ground work of how you’re gonna create… You are the father of our country, were some of those basic values, integral in creating what we have today, the governmental structure that we’re working with today? Did any of that kind of play into your thought process as far as when you’re working with everybody to kinda help us put this together?

07:46 George Washington: Well, in a way it did. Because with a close knit family, a close knit environment that I grew up, we learned respect. And my mother, she introduced a book called; The 110 Rules of Civility, that I read constantly, I memorized it. And that gave me the good morals and decency that I carried throughout my life. And then, when I was older, I entered into the Masonic Temple. And that’s also gave me direction in life, and morals and character and decency that I had right up until the day I died.

08:28 Kurt Baker: So character is very important in guiding you in the decision making process I’m assuming. So if you have a strong moral character, it makes it maybe easier to make some decisions, because you’re less likely to go outside of that moral box, so to speak, or that moral lane that you’re trying to stay in, right?

08:43 George Washington: Yeah, this is true. This is one reason why they chose me as the Commander in Chief of The Revolutionary War. Because they knew I could not be… What would be the word… My behavior would not be altered, because of my thinking pattern, and my thoughts, and my beliefs, so I could not be bought. I could not do anything but have the most highest virtue in everything that I ever accomplished, or tried to accomplish in my life. And that was one of the reasons why I was chosen by the Continental Congress, to be the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.

09:23 Kurt Baker: So having a high moral character in some ways maybe makes things easier, but in other ways it might make it harder. It makes it easier ’cause you say, “Well I can’t make a decision which is morally not correct.” But in other cases where maybe that was hard to resist, some of these other outside forces maybe, trying to change your position, so to speak, when you knew that morally that was not the way to go.

09:46 George Washington: But everyone knew me. So they knew they couldn’t make me budge [chuckle] from my decisions. During The Revolutionary War, I would have counsels of war to get advice. But when it came to morals and the correct behavior, that would not defer me, nothing would budge me, whatsoever.

10:11 Kurt Baker: So that’s key. You had a very strong family unit, and your mother was obviously very evident trying to create this book of civility, right?

[chuckle]

10:21 Kurt Baker: And you follow it very closely. So it sounds like that was very much ingrained in you at a young age, which of course it makes it much easier to make decisions, when you really kinda have that as your true core value system. And then when we come back, we’ll talk a little bit more about General Washington and his experiences in the beginning of the country. We’ll come back in a few minutes.

10:39 Announcer: You’re listening to an encore presentation of Master Your Finances with Kurtis Baker. Originally aired, December 17th, 2017. Tune in next week, June 17th, for an all-new episode of Master Your Finances with Kurtis Baker, exclusively on 107.7 The Bronc and masteryourfinances.us.

10:58 Announcer: We are talking finances, so you can make informed choices for a better financial future. Missed an episode? Go to 1077thebronc.com and Apple iTunes to download and listen to previous shows. Just look up Master Your Finances. Now back to Master Your Finances with Kurt Baker, a certified financial planner professional with Certified Wealth Management and Investment, exclusively on 107.7 The Bronc and 1077thebronc.com.

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11:24 Kurt Baker: Welcome back, you’re listening to Master Your Finances. I’m Kurt Baker, a certified financial planner professional, I’m here with General George Washington. And we’re talking about some of the experiences General Washington had early on in his career. The French and Indian War was a time where you gained some valuable experience and learned a lot of lessons back then. And also we talked a little bit about how your mother had written this book about the rules of civility and good behavior. And you really took that to heart. You memorized it, you got it down, and so that really guided you in a lot of your decision making process throughout your life. So now you got your leadership growing there as well, but you have your moral compass was kind of set by your mother in being a disciplinarian and really guiding you as far as from a moral perspective. So what happened next as far as preparing you to become essentially the leader of our country, when it was first born, so to speak?

12:14 George Washington: Well, after the French Indian War was getting near the end, in, on January 6, 1759, I married Martha. And she gave me the ability to rise in the social networking in Virginia. But she also gave me the strength and the fortitude to be knowledgeable of everything during that time. She was my best friend in the world, and that enabled me to become prepared for a mature and interesting life. But then in 1765, the British started to place taxes on us with the Stamp Act. And they started to put a stranglehold upon us. And we were already here in the colonies for 150 years. So we were somewhat self-governed at the time, and we didn’t want to have anyone put a stranglehold on us with all these taxes that were coming upon us.

13:40 George Washington: So we had a problem. And myself being a planter, it bothered me too. I always said that I didn’t mind the taxes, but I didn’t like the way the British were forcing it upon us. So all these things start to happen. The Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre. It started to stir the hornet’s nest. And the second Continental Congress, they gathered in Philadelphia and I was part of that, and they had an idea who to select as the Commander in Chief. Well, they didn’t know exactly who, but they had to pick someone. And I would say nothing when I was there, but I was there in my uniform. And sitting in the back not saying a word, but John Adams, finally came to the conclusion with everyone else that I was to be the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. But there was a problem. John Adams also had in his mind that he would choose John Hancock. But since I had the… There were a few reasons why I was chosen as the commander; was because I came from Virginia, and they thought that if I would be able to draw the south and the north, combined together as a whole as one, and that was one of the reasons.

15:36 George Washington: And the other one reason was, I could not be corrupted, because I already had money. When I married Martha, she was the wealthiest widow in the colony, so I already had money. And then the next reason, is because I had the most, the most warfare experience from the French and Indian War. So that was the reason why I became the Commander in Chief of The Revolutionary War. But overall, it was very interesting during those times, because some of the colonists did not want to fight. They ended up being loyalist or some were Quakers, and they were against fighting. And the loyalists who remained very dedicated to the king, they were against the Americans who who were fighting for our freedom of liberty and justice. But it was a very interesting time. It was not easy, and it was very demanding on all of us, because at that time, most of us thought of ourselves as British. And when we were fighting against our own brothers, that created a major problem in our bones, but we had to do something.

17:09 Kurt Baker: This was not taken lightly, and a lot of people forget that. We was a British colony, so you were British.

17:13 George Washington: This is true. Yes.

17:15 Kurt Baker: Primarily British, and to turn and say, “Hey we’re gonna fight.” So you really didn’t mind… It sounds like you didn’t mind the fact they had an idea of taxing you, but you didn’t like the fact they were forcing that. You had no say in it, right?

17:26 George Washington: This is true.

17:27 Kurt Baker: Taxation without representation type

17:30 George Washington: Exactly. We had no representation in parliament whatsoever, so that was a problem. And you’re right, Patrick Henry.

[laughter]

17:39 George Washington: With all the things that he said, and with his fiery speeches. Yes, exactly. And that’s what started the whole ball of wax in the fight for our freedom and liberty. Yes.

[laughter]

18:00 Kurt Baker: So once the decision was made, and of course, they picked you as the leader, how did that… You must have had some experiences during The Revolutionary War, you learned some things there, and then we eventually started forming the country, right? How did that process change of course, my recollection is we don’t want that one. [chuckle]

18:18 George Washington: Well, when I first arrived in Boston, my men were undisciplined, filthy, and they were not soldiers. So when I arrived, there were no government whatsoever. There was no government. Congress would be… They would have no backbone and they didn’t know… Even some of the congressmen weren’t 100% dedicated for the cause. So you talk about government at the time, there was no strong government. There was no strong… We had no army that was strong, because they were not soldiers. They were bakers, carpenters, farmers and teachers. And some never held a musket in their hand and if they did, they did not know how to shoot.

19:12 George Washington: So, was there a strong government? No. But during the revolution, Congress started to have confidence in us, because after we crossed to Delaware for the first time and the Pennsylvania, I met a man named Thomas Barclay, and he invited myself and my officers to have dinner with his family. Now, because he offered me his home, that home is where I made my headquarters. And I also decided to attack the Hessians at Trenton at that house. And that that house was called Summerseat, and it’s the home, it was the home of Robert Morris and George Clymer, both signers of the Declaration of Independence, and it’s still there today.

20:06 George Washington: But that is the turning point. During the Battle of Trenton, we were victorious, but my men were horrible, [chuckle] in horrible condition. They were practically shoeless, and during the battles of New York, their clothes were torn almost to pieces, and they were freezing, because the weather conditions were just outrageous. But we were successful in winning the battles of Trenton, the Second Battle of Trenton or the Battle of the Assunpink, and the Battle of Princeton. Now, during those times, it was called The Ten Crucial Days. Trevelyan in his book stated that it might be doubted whether so small a number of men, ever employs so short a space of time with greater and more lasting results upon the history of the world, and it is the truth. Those ten crucial days from December 25th to January 3rd were called The Ten Crucial Days, and that changed everything. That also changed the minds of Congress.

21:23 George Washington: And Congress started to believe us. 893 Hessians were captured at the Battle of Trenton, and we paraded them through Philadelphia, to show and to prove that we could finally win, because up to that point, we were winless. We have not, we did not win one altercation. And you might ask, what did I do [chuckle] with those 893 Hessians? Well, some Generals would might want to harm them, but we had no jails. So where were we to put them? Well, some of my men wanted to hurt them, to kill them, but I, being a man of goodness, I could not let that happen. So I made them promise that I would let them go if they would never raise their arms against me in battle ever again.

22:24 George Washington: Now, many of those ancestors are still there in Lancaster County in Pennsylvania. So, they never raised… They were true to their word, they were honorable. And they never raised any arms against us ever again. But some did go back to their own country and I respect that, but it was good of me to do that, and it showed my men how to be decent.

22:57 Kurt Baker: Well, that’s where the moral character comes into play in there.

23:00 George Washington: Yes.

23:01 Kurt Baker: So up until then, I guess Congress was really kind of a weak… We had a weak federal government mainly, I guess, the states and the local militias were really kinda where the power was, and now, you finally showed you could win, right? So now we move there through The 10 Crucial Days, and we’ll talk a little bit more about what happened after that, when we come back through the break here in just a few minutes.

23:17 Announcer: You’re listening to an encore presentation of Master Your Finances with Kurtis Baker, originally aired December 17th, 2017. Tune in next week, June 17th, for an all-new episode of Master Your Finances with Kurtis Baker, exclusively on 107.7 The Bronc and masteryourfinances.us.

23:36 Announcer: We are talking finances, so you can make informed choices for a better financial future. Missed an episode? Go to 1077thebronc.com and Apple iTunes to download and listen to previous shows, just look up Master Your Finances. Now, back to Master Your Finances with Kurt Baker, a certified financial planner professional with Certified Wealth Management and Investment, exclusively on 107.7 The Bronc and 1077thebronc.com.

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24:03 Kurt Baker: Welcome back. You’re listening to Master Your Finances. I’m Kurt Baker, here with General George Washington, and we’re talking about when we left, The 10 Crucial Days, the two battles of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton, which really turned things around and gave Congress some confidence in you. Was that all positive? ‘Cause now you’ve got the General; they’re very happy that you’re winning. Everybody’s all thrilled, right?

24:25 George Washington: No.

24:25 Kurt Baker: No? [chuckle]

24:26 George Washington: No. No. Unfortunately, unfortunately Congress had other ideas. They were a bit concerned that because now we have shown that we could win and…

24:42 Kurt Baker: Isn’t winning good? [laughter]

24:43 George Washington: It is.

24:44 Kurt Baker: Okay.

24:45 George Washington: But the problem was they thought that I would, or I might have the idea of taking over the government. Because my men and I were now proven as warriors. And so I sent the letter to them, and I wrote this specifically to Congress, “That as the sword was the last resort for the preservation of our liberties, so it ought to be the first thing laid aside when those liberties are firmly established.” I let them know that I had no lust for power. All I want and wanted was to be a patriot. So I let them to just relax, to rest assure that I had no ambitions to ever overthrow the government. All I wanted was to win this war from Britain, and win our liberty and freedom, so I could go back to the plowshare at Mount Vernon.

25:54 Kurt Baker: Did that help with the attitude of Congress, at that point?

25:56 George Washington: Yes, it did.

25:56 Kurt Baker: Good.

25:57 George Washington: But the problem was… Well, what they did was, they gave me full civil authority to obtain food and clothing and to recruit more men, and they gave me more power. But they still held the tight rein on me. Many of Congress didn’t believe me totally, and didn’t have that total trust in me that I should have had. Because that’s why they hired me from the beginning, because they had trust in me and they knew me. They knew that I was the incorruptible person, so why would they change now? Well, they flip-flopped and that disturbed me, but even though they gave me full civil authority, I still never received all the food and clothing that I needed, and that was a problem. That was a major problem.

27:08 George Washington: And then it was on to winter quarters at Morristown. And we stayed there for the winter and then it was on down south. So yes, it was not an easy time for us, because my men were, they were practically starving, but there was a very positive note here though. During those times, right after the Battle of Princeton, while we were up in Morristown, the British were foraging for food and everything that they needed in New Jersey. And they were called the Forage Wars. Philemon Dickinson, was a General with a militia that showed that the militia was wonderful. Because before that, I always said that the militia was, they were not worth the bread that they ate, because they were here and gone tomorrow. As soon as they received training that they would be able to go back home. I always wanted a standing army that would stay with me for the duration of the war, but the militia were here today and gone tomorrow up to that time.

28:36 George Washington: But during, right after the battles of Trenton and Princeton, they proved worthy, and they were remarkable. Because they beat off and they held back the British. They won the Battle of Bound Brook, and they secured the area from the foraging of the British, and they finally proved to me that they were worth the bread that they ate. I looked at them with different eyes and with respect and love, because they proved that they were just fantastic. That was very powerful for me, because then I know I could count on them, then they proved to be beneficial to the cause. Before that, I had no faith, but then things turned around and I will always keep Philemon Dickinson, that General in high esteem always.

29:44 Kurt Baker: Do you think they might have a little to do with your leadership capabilities, and the fact that you were a great leader? Then maybe by leading them and helping them and being reliable and having… Do you think that had anything to do with it?

29:56 George Washington: I don’t think so.

29:57 Kurt Baker: Oh, okay.

30:00 George Washington: I look at The Revolutionary War as a time of providence and divine intervention. I believe that God had a lot to do with The Revolutionary War, and there were times that it was clear to me that providence was very influential in making things happen. Talking about the French and Indian War, The Battle of the Monongahela, at the Braddock campaign, where General Braddock was injured and I had to take charge. And there was an Indian chief, who was fighting against us with the French. And he told his praise to level their muskets at me, and they were sharp shooters that never missed, and they missed. The closest that they came to me was shooting two holes in my coat, and shooting the hat off my head, and shooting two horses from underneath me, but they did not touch me.

31:14 George Washington: And after the French and Indian War was over, I came back to the Ohio country, to see the land that the British promised me. Well this Indian chief heard that I was coming, and he asked for a dinner with me. So I said, “Yes,” I agreed. I went to this dinner with this great chief of great spirits and he was very proud that I came. And these are the words that he said to me during that dinner, he said, “That the great spirits protect this man and guide his destinies, he will become a chief of nations, and a people yet unborn will hail him as the founder of a mighty empire.” He also said, “That I could never be killed in battle,” and that was the truth. That was his prophecy to me. Not that I took advantage of that prophecy during The Revolutionary War, but I felt it. I felt his strength, and I felt his words tremendously. But providence and divine intervention guided me throughout my life, especially throughout The Revolutionary War, because without the Lord, I would be in trouble.

32:44 Kurt Baker: I agree with that. [chuckle]

32:46 George Washington: So it was the truth, yes.

32:48 Kurt Baker: So we got through The Revolutionary War, we ended up winning, correct. So after that was done, how did that transition into the government we see today. You wanna kinda take us through, once the war… Once it was over, what happened at that point?

33:04 George Washington: Well, I was surrounded by great men. Alexander Hamilton became the first Treasurer of the United States. General Knox, became the Treasurer of War. Thomas Jefferson, all of the men were around me, to write out the Constitution, I remember I was the President of the Constitution. And we had divine intervention at that time because it guided us, it gave us all those good thoughts and good feelings. Freemasons were with me at the time, and as you know, 33 of my Generals were Freemasons. We had the ability, the God-given ability to create a government that was suitable for all, even though it was… It had flaws as we know, we did our best for those times. And we were successful, and it has guided us into today’s world, which we still follow the Constitution of all the rights and liberties of America, and all Americans to follow and will never stop following them.

34:28 Kurt Baker: I agree, I agree. We appreciate very much. We’ll talk a little bit more about the formation of the country and what General Washington is doing these days, when we come back from the break in just a few minutes.

34:37 Announcer: You’re listening to an encore presentation of Master Your Finances, with Kurtis Baker originally aired, December 17th, 2017. Tune in next week, June 17th, for an all-new episode of Master Your Finances with Kurtis Baker, exclusively on 107.7 The Bronc and masteryourfinances.us.

34:56 Announcer: We are talking finances, so you can make informed choices for a better financial future. Missed an episode, go to 107.7theBronc.com and Apple iTunes to download and listen to previous shows. Just look up Master Your Finances. Now back to Master Your Finances with Kurt Baker, a certified financial planner professional with Certified Wealth Management and Investment, exclusively on 107.7 The Bronc, and 107.7thebronc.com.

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35:22 Kurt Baker: Welcome back, you’re listening to Master Your Finances. I’m Kurt Baker, a certified financial planner professional, here with General George Washington. And we’ve been talking about some of the many things that he did during his early years, including The Revolutionary War. But I did have one question. What were some of the primary factors, ’cause you’re at the time, people forget you were fighting by far the most powerful army in the world. And somehow these little colonies, you had your turning point during The 10 Crucial Days, but still they were the most powerful military force on earth at that time. So what do you think are some of the factors that helped you really take your farmers and your bakers, and they got together and they train and they started winning some battles. What do you think were some of the factors other than that that helped to win that war do you think?

36:11 George Washington: Well, everyone needed to pitch in. And I always have said that I believe, I truly believe that the women were the backbone of the American Revolution. They would be spies, they would knit, they would help the sick. They would fight even themselves. Deborah Simpson, was a woman who cut her hair, who put on a uniform and volunteered in the army. And no one knew, because she looked like a man, because many of the men were young. So she looked like just like a man and she fought. And one time she was injured and she said, “No, I’ll take care of it myself.” And then another battle she was injured and it was not life-threatening, so she took care of it herself. She didn’t have a doctor look at her. So then she was in another battle and she was shot. And she was very bad. She was bleeding and so they took her to the hospital. And when the doctor [chuckle] took off her clothes to attend to the wound, he found out that she was a woman, or he was a woman.

37:39 Kurt Baker: Right.

37:41 George Washington: But there were many situations just like that. I always said that Martha, my wife, won and was responsible for winning The Revolutionary War. And I’ll tell you why. During the eight years, and right in the beginning I said to my beautiful wife, Martha, who I would nickname her Patsy. I told her that I would see her at Christmas time. But that was Christmas eight years later at home. But what she did was, I needed her with me during those winter quarters, because I knew if I ever left my men during the winter when I came back to camp the men wouldn’t be there. So she came to every winter quarters during the revolution, all the way from Mount Vernon to wherever I was, in New York, North Jersey. Everywhere during the winter quarter she came to me.

38:43 George Washington: And during those winter quarters, the winters were harsh back then. And she traveled all that way. And not only the traveling was a hardship, but it was also a hardship for me concerned. I was always concerned about her being killed, captured and held as a hostage by the British. Indians were all around, and she could have been captured or hurt or even killed. So that was a torment to me. I was tortured for eight years during the revolution. And that was one of the most torturous times, just worrying about her travelling to come and just to be with me. Because I will tell you, if I ever left my men, that would have been the end.

39:35 George Washington: Enduring the harsh time at Valley Forge, she was with me. Kitty Green was with me. Lucy Knox was with me, and many other of the women who would attend to the soldiers that were in pain and suffering. And they did everything. They knitted clothing if we had clothing. They put clothing together. And during the encampment at Valley Forge, Martha was responsible for having my birthday. And I had a party. And she also knew that my favorite play was Cato, and she had it performed, for not only even for me, but for my men at Valley Forge. Now, she was my rock. She was my strength. And I counted on her, because without her, if she did not come, then I would have went to see her at Mount Vernon, that would have ruined everything. And I always said, that if God wasn’t with me, the game would have been over. It would have been up. But not only the people that we know of as my wife and Ms. Knox and Ms. Green, but there were many, many women during the American Revolution who were the backbone, who was part of the espionage. Who gave everything that they had. Who did tremendous feats of strength, and created an environment for the men that made it suitable for them to keep on fighting.

41:25 Kurt Baker: Well, that’s important, right? A lot of people forget about those parts of history which really allow the things we read about mostly to actually happen. There’s a lot of back support that had to occur, right?

41:37 George Washington: Exactly. Everyone stuck together. It was a whole team effort, because without any part of that team it would have been unsuccessful.

41:50 Kurt Baker: Right. And your great leadership helped to put, keep that team together, and you recognized you couldn’t leave your men. So, your wife was brave enough to come and fight. And I guess back then, that’s really a real threat. You have all types of… Traveling was not easy.

42:07 George Washington: No, no it wasn’t.

42:08 Kurt Baker: So travelling was very dangerous. And now you had all these other factors of people who might like to capture or kill her at the same time, but she still managed to do just the basic traveling, plus avoid being captured or killed as well. So that must have involved a lot of skill on her part as well, to make sure that didn’t happen. Of course, you were worried about her [chuckle] like any man, any husband would be worried about his wife, and she was doing all that for you, so that was fantastic. General Washington, we very much appreciate you coming on today, it has been very interesting.

42:34 George Washington: Thank you.

42:34 Kurt Baker: And I know we’re gonna be re-enacting your crossing here in a few days, this coming Sunday, I believe it is.

42:41 George Washington: 25th.

42:41 Kurt Baker: 25th. Yup. Every time. [laughter]

42:42 George Washington: Christmas day.

42:43 Kurt Baker: Exactly. Which is always interesting.

42:47 George Washington: Yes.

42:47 Kurt Baker: So yeah, you kinda walked us through the early years of your life. And how your mother played a critical role in really building your moral compass. And then you learned early on your military skills, and of course you’re very strong believer in divine intervention and providence, and how that guided you and helped to really help put everything together. And how your leadership really helped us to win The Revolutionary War. And really bring the country about to what it is now, and how it really was a huge team effort. And one thing that’s often forgotten is that women played an enormous role in winning The Revolutionary War. And we appreciate you making sure that they’re getting the proper credit that history deserves to give them. And that’s obviously, very thankful for you to do that.

43:34 Kurt Baker: Again, you’re listening to Master Your Finances. I’m Kurt Baker, and I could be reached at 609-716-4700, or the website, which is www.cwmi.us. The Facebook page is facebook.com/masteryourfinances. And again, you can listen to this podcast as well as all of our podcasts at masteryourfinances.us. Together we can re-Master Your Finances so you can reach financial peace of mind.

44:01 Announcer: The financial views and opinions expressed by the host and guest on this program do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of 1077 The Bronc, Rider University, or Certified Wealth Management and Investment. The material discussed is not designed to provide listeners with individualized financial, legal, or tax advice.

44:17 Announcer: You’ve been listening to Master Your Finances with Kurt Baker, a certified financial planner professional with Certified Wealth Management and Investment, exclusively on 1077 The Bronc and 1077thebronc.com.

44:31 Announcer: You are listening to an encore presentation of Master Your Finances, with Kurtis Baker. Originally aired December 17th, 2017. Tune in next week, June 17th, for an all-new episode of Master Your finances with Kurtis Baker, exclusively on 1077 The Bronc and masteryourfinances.us.