War, Washington Whiskey
Riannon Walsh uncovers the work of archaeologists rebuilding an important piece of American, and whiskey, history- the distillery owned by George Washington, celebrated General and the first President
George Washington to James Anderson, Plantation Manager, Mount Vernon Virginia, 1797: "I consent to your commencing a distillery and approve of your purchasing the stills and entering of it..."
In the early autumn of 1777, George Washington led 11,000 troops, recently battered and defeated at Brandywine Creek, across Chester County Pennsylvania toward Philadelphia. Planning another confrontation of General Wm. Howe and an attempt to reverse the recent humiliation at Chadd’s Ford, the Continentals went bravely forward. Fortunately for Washington’s weary soldiers, Howe had psychologically retired from the military and hadn’t the motivation required to muster his men. The future first President took the opportunity to turn west for the short march toward Valley Forge and spent the winter of 1777-8 training and preparing for needed victories over the British.
Exactly 20 years after that historic winter, George Washington found himself well settled as owner of the Mount Vernon estate in Virginia. Far from war and the politics of the country he helped found, Washington lived the life of the day’s landed gentry. Drawing on his considerable resources and business savvy, the ageing statesman had restored the bulk of the beautiful property hed inherited and now found himself unexpectedly re-engaged in tactical negotiations.
At this point late in life, Washington was the target of a campaign staged by his passionate Scottish plantation manager. Hailing from Edinburgh wit.....
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By Riannon Walsh
Section : Whisky History
Page number : 38
