The Bulletproof President
The Bulletproof President: George Washington’s Miraculous Survival in the French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a defining struggle in North America, part of the global Seven Years’ War between Britain and France. Sparked by rival claims to the Ohio River Valley, it set the stage for the American Revolution, as Britain’s postwar taxes on colonists fueled growing unrest. Amid this volatile backdrop, a remarkable story of survival emerged, cementing the legend of a young George Washington.
On July 9, 1755, the Battle of the Monongahela erupted along the wooded banks of the Monongahela River in western Pennsylvania, near present-day Braddock, just outside Pittsburgh. British forces, under General Edward Braddock, aimed to capture the French-held Fort Duquesne to secure the strategic Ohio Valley. Ill-prepared for the dense wilderness, they were ambushed by a smaller force of French soldiers and Native American allies using guerrilla tactics. The result was catastrophic: over 900 of the 1,300 British troops were killed or wounded, including Braddock, who fell mortally injured.
In the midst of this chaos, 23-year-old George Washington, a volunteer aide-de-camp to Braddock, rode as a courier, delivering orders under relentless gunfire. As officers around him—86 in total—were cut down, Washington remained unscathed. Four bullets tore through his coat, and two horses were shot out from under him, yet he rallied the surviving troops, organizing a retreat that prevented total disaster. In a letter to his brother, he credited his survival to “the all-powerful dispensations of Providence,” reflecting the faith that would guide him through his life.
Fifteen years later, in 1770, during a surveying trip to the Ohio Valley, Washington met an elderly Native American war chief who had fought against him at Monongahela. The chief shared an astonishing tale: as a skilled marksman, he had fired 17 shots directly at Washington, all to no avail. His warriors, too, had targeted the young officer, but their bullets seemed to miss by divine intervention. Convinced Washington was protected by a higher power, the chief ceased fire and later prophesied that he was destined for greatness.
This extraordinary episode not only showcased Washington’s courage and resilience but also elevated his reputation among colonists and Native Americans alike. It foreshadowed the leadership that would carry him through the American Revolution and into his role as the nation’s first president, earning him the enduring title of the “Bulletproof President.”
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