His Excellency Sparknotes

His Excellency is a novel written by Joseph Ellis detailing George Washington’s life between 1730 and 1800. In 1730, the thirteen colonies of British North America still existed and by 1800 America was independent from Britain and even had its own system of governance. Needless to say, several key changes occurred that allowed this dramatic shift in direction. At the epicenter of all these changes was Washington himself. So, this novel details Washington’s experiences as a participant in the French and Indian War, commander of the Continental Army, and the first president of the United States.

Throughout his novel, Ellis explores how Washington became the man that he was and how this affected his actions. After all, before Washington was the

leader of the Continental Army or even the president, he was an inexperienced soldier tasked with delivering the message that became the catalyst for the French and Indian War. The message was a letter for the French, who were encroaching on territory in Ohio that technically belonged to Britain, asking them to recognize Britain's claims on the lands. Although the French politely rebuked the message, Washington’s ally, Tanaghrisson, killed a French officer, causing a brief skirmish in which Washington’s party was defeated by the French (Henretta, et al. 135). This incident led to Britain declaring war in North America against the French in what would soon be called the French and Indian War by colonists and the Seven Years’ War by British residents. After the former skirmish, Washington plunged headfirst into war. However, his first attempt at war ⎯ Fort Duquesne⎯ failed utterly, resulting in the death of many of his comrades and his leading commander Braddock (The Editors of Encylclopædia Britannica, britannica. com). Despite this, he continued to participate in the war until its eventual conclusion. After which, he settled down in his home at Mount Vernon until he was called upon by the Continental Congress. At the congress, Washington became commander in chief of the Continental Army, his next greatest appointment.
As leader of the Continental Army, Washington was the only man for the job because he managed to keep his practically nonexistent army from falling apart at the seams.

He was a veteran of the French and Indian War so many soldiers joining the army looked to him as a source of inspiration. Militarily, he was not the most competent leader. For example, in the Battle of Long Island, Washington’s desires to be revered by future progeny led to him risking the whole Continental Army against the superior forces of the British (Henretta, et al. 184). In all fairness, after the disaster at Long Island, Washington devoted himself to Fabian military tactics in which he and his army would coerce the British into mild skirmishes but would avoid decisive battles (Ellis 101). Excluding the final battle, the war can be summed up in two instances: Washington’s crossing of the Delaware and victory at Saratoga. In the former, around 1,000 Hessian troops were captured even though Washington was eventually forced to retreat (Henretta, et al. 184). In the latter, 5,000 or so British troops were captured by General Horatio Gates and his troops of militiamen, ensuring French’s involvement in the War of Independence on the side of the colonies and restoring faith in the revolutionary cause (Henretta, et al. 187). Then, Washington and the French navy trapped British troops in the decisive Battle of Yorktown. This led to Britain’s capitulation to American

independence.
In the aftermath of War of Independence, American independence had been secured, but the colonies, now states, were in a tenuous position. As such, Washington, despite having retired from public life, was unanimously named the president of the United States because his status as a Revolutionary hero lent credence and weight to new government being instituted. While president, he delegated many of his duties to his trusted advisory cabinet, which included Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and several others. Despite this, Washington established several important precedents for the presidency: a policy of neutrality and a term limit. The former ensure the new nation wouldn’t involve itself in any debilitating wars, while the latter ensured the presidency didn’t become a monarchy. After two terms in office, Washington retired to his home in Mount Vernon that would eventually become his final resting place.
In the preface of his novel, he asserts that Washington was always too distant of a person, too romanticized by the media.

He writes that Washington now “sits squarely in front of us: vulnerable, exposed, even talkative at last” (Ellis xi). This draws the reader into his novel because it shows that Washington was human and made mistakes just as easily as anyone else. It also subverts the belief that Washington was either the greatest man in history or the worst that many people fall victim to. In a way, this compels the reader to continue reading on in order to discover the truth behind George Washington, a man deemed untouchable by most of American society. While describing Washington’s experiences, the author becomes a historian, dedicated to revealing the good and the bad in America’s first president. During the War for Independence, Ellis includes how Washington was so “[e]namored… with the prospects for a quick American victory” that he “presented Howe with the opportunity to destroy the Continental army” (Ellis 92, 95). By that same turn, Ellis also writes how Washington overcame his own desires for a quick decisive battle by adopting Fabian military strategies that ensured the army was preserved (Ellis 109). Throughout, Ellis fairly presents Washington as a multi-faceted person, including his greatest achievements and mistakes. This marks Ellis as a historian presenting history objectively so the audience can decide for themselves what kind of person Washington truly

was based on his actions. While chronicling Washington’s life in his novel, Ellis uses the rhetorical devices of hypophera and enumeration. In the former, after describing the countless advantages Britain possessed going into the War for Independence, he then raises the question of “[h]ow, then, did the improbable become inevitable?” (Ellis 111). This technique is very effective because this is a question most readers were likely wondering as well. So, by clearly raising questions most common among readers, the author is able to answer them in his subsequent paragraphs. This provides readers with the answer they wanted and helps the author keep his reader’s attention. The other technique employed by Ellis is enumeration. This technique usually manifests in the form of Ellis listing of several items pertinent to the novel. For instance, in chronicling Washington’s expedition across the Delaware during the War for Independence, he lists that “[f]irst… Washington could not possibly have been standing in the prow of the boat… Second, the legend that the Hessian soldiers were drunk… is a myth… Third, Washington’s plan for the attack on Trenton… was excessively intricate” (Ellis 97-98). By using this method, Ellis is able to simplify an event such as Washington crossing the Delaware into three essential parts. It also makes it easier for the reader to understand the topic at hand.
Overall, His Excellency gives a candid portrayal of Washington before, during, and after the American Revolution. It explores his personality more in depth and shows how his experiences made him the perfect leader for America at that time. Furthermore, from the novel one realizes that the Continental Army was not always triumphant and sometimes only inches away from failing utterly, and Washington’s presidency, while certainly not the most effective, was essential as a foundation for our nation’s government. In general, the years between 1730 and 1800 were a tumultuous era in which America was still being shaped.