Blooding at Great Meadows: Young George Washington and the Battle that Shaped the Man

by Alan Axelrod

We all know George Washington as the Father of the American Nation; few know him as a 22-year-old Virginia lieutenant colonel who led three-hundred of his soldiers to fight a far-more-experienced French army-and paid a high price. Historian Alan Axelrod brings this little-known story to life in his riveting account of the key battle that launched the French and Indian War-and Washington's role in the loss of that pivotal fight. Published in hardcover in 2007, Blooding at Great Meadows is sure to find a new audience in paperback.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Audiobook, American History

272 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2007

About the author

Alan Axelrod, Ph.D., is a prolific author of history, business and management books. As of October 2018, he had written more than 150 books, as noted in an online introduction by Lynn Ware Peek before an interview with Axelrod on the National Public Radio station KPCW. Axelrod resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

Reviews

[Steve Donoghue]

A good-natured but entirely favorably disposed account of some of the earliest military disasters in Washington's long career of military disasters. The author is a good-natured narrator, so the book makes very enjoyable reading. But the author is also a Washington FAN, and that distorts his reading of the evidence - so proceed with caution! Here's my longish review, from back when the book came out: https://www.stevedonoghue.com/review-...

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's amazing that Washington had such a disastrous beginning of his career! I watched a 3 night special on the History Channel about him, and had to read some non-fiction about this part of his
life to see if the program was correct. It turns out that it was! So Washington fought the battle that basically set off the French and Indian War! It would have happened without him, because grievances
were brewing, but it still shocked me. And it seems he was protected by providence, because he never even was wounded in these episodes, despite being very tall and sticking out like a sore thumb! Very interesting audio book.

[Jerome Otte · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, insightful history of Washington’s early military career, from his childhood interest in the profession and his relationship with his brother Lawrence to his service during the French and Indian War. The latter (his mission to the Forks and events at Fort Necessity and the Monongahela) takes up most of the book, and Axelrod chronicles what lessons Washington took from the experience.

Too often, however, Axelrod tries too hard to find anything redemptive about Washington in an affair and part of his life where there is little redemptive. Much of Washington’s actions during this period come off as petty, venal, or incompetent (building a fort in a gully), but its seems that Axelrod always wants to spin these in the best possible light. At one point Axelrod brings up Washington’s complaints about his and his men’s pay (in the middle of a campaign, and despite Washington’s knowing what the pay was when he signed up). “If we think it through,” Axelrod claims, “what emerges is not selfish or petulant George Washington disputing shillings and pence when absolute patriotism is called for. Instead, we see an officer so thoroughly principled that he was unwilling to allow even a crisis of the greatest urgency and danger to trump what is right and honorable.” Are you kidding me?

Elsewhere Axelrod attributes Washington’s many and well-known foibles to his youth, even though Washington’s own blunders later in the Revolutionary War were many: poor tactics, overly complicated plans, etc., as well as Washington’s often lucky escapes. At other times, Axelrod writes of Washington’s “genius” for “turning defeat into victory” and his “faith” in the “future,” even though Washington was often prone to despair during the Revolutionary War. Axelrod also writes that Braddock treated the Indians with “utmost contempt,” even though even though the king had instructed him to cultivate the Indians, and even though the Indians were arguably kept away by inter-tribal rivalries. The title is also a bit misleading; there is little on how events at Fort Necessity “shaped” Washington,and the narrative is so brief that it seems better suited for a magazine article.

A well-written, well-researched work. But, of course, the hagiography is a huge drawback.

[Hotspur · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to the audio book. All about the very early exploits of George Washington. Much of the book centers around his origins and the VA planter society that spawned him. I found it to be a decent read on the subject-- Washington's early life is pretty much a mystery to historians. Very few legitimate artifacts from the period exist, so a window into his character development and early history is particularly welcome. The author does a very workmanlike job of presenting the subject and commenting on Washington's world.

[Lissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found a copy of this book at a local(ish) bookstore, and I had to buy it. A book about the French and Indian War (or at least its beginnings) that I haven't read yet? Of course it had to be added to the collection.

The book might be titled "Blooding at Great Meadows," but the battle played just a small role. Most of the book is dedicated to Washington's early years, from his childhood to his closet relationship with his half-brother to how he came to be in Great Meadows in the first place.

Although the author has an engaging writing style, I really found that he is an unapologetic George Washington fanboy. As such, I feel like Washington is given a very preferential treatment in the book, sometimes at the expense of other historical players. The Half-King's role in what happened to Jumonville is rather dismissive. At one point the author states, rather cryptically, about what Washington "allowed" the Half-King to do and it was better than dying of a lingering infection.

Maybe. According to John Shaw's report (though he wasn't present at the "Battle of the Bower," he reported what other soldiers who had been said about Jumonville's death), the Half-King beat in Jumonville's skull, washed his hands with his brains, and then scalped him. And none of this account makes its way into the book. It felt like the author sanitized what (likely) happened to make Washington look better, especially since he tried to make it appear as if Washington was in control the entire time.

The author also tends to favor Washinton's accounts of events and is more dismissive of other accounts that contradict him, especially French ones, which I found odd.

That isn't to say that the author isn't critical of Washington's mistakes, because he is. He does take into account Washington's age (he was 22) and inexperience (he hadn't really done much of anything when it came to war at this time), but I feel like that is fair. But I kept feeling like Washington was being handled with kid gloves for most of the book.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wonder if a person can ever know too much about George Washington. This story behind the battle that Washington lost at the commencement of the French & Indian Wars tells us much about the young colonial officer. The author makes the point that this battle may have gone quite a ways in shaping, through so-called failure, the young man who two decades later would overcome similar circumstance in leading to the positive outcome of the American Revolution.

Speeding through the same countryside today on modern highways makes me shake my head almost in disbelief at traversing that countryside with cannon and wagon on foot no matter what time of year. And the author does come close to making one feel the cold and the wet that Washington and his hungry, poorly paid band would have put up with, contemplating battle ahead against the enemy with muskets.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting history of Washington, not so much about the Battle at Great Meadows, since that does not enter the story until the last half of the novel, it is really a biography of young Washington that stops at the battle, considering what effect the battle had on the later Washington. Like many unskilled historians, Axelrod is tempted to speculate about Washington's feelings even when he knows nothing of them. "One is tempted to say" and other elucutions fill the pages early on, though as Axelrod leaves the young boy behind and moves on to the young man, he does this less often. It is tempting to say that Axelrod does this because he has more biographical evidence on the slightly older Washington, but it would be wrong to speculate.

Still, this history is worth a read.

[~tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little known history of the first president when he was just 22 years old! Enjoyable, and educational.

[Doug · Rating 2 out of 5]

A rather mundane, simplistic history of George Washington’s early life and first military campaign that destructs under its own self-importance.

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Blooding at Great Meadows" by Alan Axelrod describes George Washington's family and early life through "Braddock's Disaster". (And yes, I understand that the battle at Great Meadows preceded Braddock's Disaster by a year.)

Axelrod successfully and honestly threads the various takes on George Washington; From the "can-do no wrong" of the Cherry Tree story through the revisionist arguments that he could do no right. I found particularly interesting the discussion on how the Washington family climbed into the second tier of the Virginia upper class, and how several members of the Washington clan, including George, were able to climb into the top tier. George's participation in the beginning of the Seven Years War is also very well handled.

The audio book is well written and narrated. The author shows a sympathetic eye towards Washington and his times, but also does not hide his blemishes. Often the author will note disagreements between historians and the historical records. The author notes when there is a lack of historical record or information regarding some period. Finally, the author also notes when there is historical disagreement over an incident, and when George Washington may be conflict with most other witnesses, or had changed or modified his account over time.

I found the subject and book interesting, and well handled. I would recommend it to anyone interested in George Washington, and/or his early life and times.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most comprehensive book on George Washington's early military career I have ever come across. Although the book is nonfiction, the story flowed well with real drama and details that made me feel as though I could actually see what was going on. In the era of a book and movie about Lincoln being a vampire hunter, this true story about Washington would be a block-buster of a different magnitude. I highly encourage any Washington fans to read "Blooding at Great Meadows."

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished the audiobook edition of Blooding at Great Meadows by Alan Axelrod. Interesting book about George Washington's Diplomatic and Military adventures which started the French and Indian War. The book tied the lessons Washington learned in these generally unsuccessful campaigns with the way he handled his future experiences. I was surprised at how well connected he was at such a young age and how well known these campaigns made him amongst his contemporaries.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good historical documentation, but somewhat tedious story of Washington’s first command, which was characterized by errors and ended in surrender. This is advanced-intermediate history--not a good first read on Washington.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written biography of George Washington's military years prior to the French and Indian War. I enjoyed this biography slightly more than David Clary's George Washington's First War.

[Daniel Duval · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit obscure but a good read.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned some new things about Washington from this book that went into quite a bit of detail.