Prologue
The snow was up to three inches now.
Washington awoke with a discomforting sore throat. Still, he got up and went to the Wood Handling area to select trees for removal. Throughout the day, people had observed that George’s voice was becoming more and more hoarse. After retiring for the night, he awoke at three in the morning feeling terribly unwell. His wife, Martha, worried over him and didn’t leave the comfort of their room. Caroline, the house slave, went to light the candle for daybreak. She sent for Tobias Lear, their dearest friend, because George was having difficulty breathing. As the morning progressed, George did not feel any relief. He told Tobias, “I find I am going. My breath cannot last long.”
At 10:27 PM, December 14, 1799, George Washington passed away.
