Great observations that I wish more of our elected leaders would take to heart. Thanks for sharing.

I’m glad you enjoyed this piece. I’m afraid far too many of our youth only see President’s Day as just another day off from school. It’s encouraging to see that Harrison is a history buff. He’ll no doubt become a true Renaissance man like his Dad. Thanks again for stopping by Brian.

You’re correct that my post definitely worked off a broad contrast of the overall lives of these two presidents. That said, your points are also well taken. What Washington accomplished during the Revolutionary War was nothing short of remarkable. In fact when you study that conflict in great detail, Washington’s Army lost the overwhelming majority of the major battles they engaged in, yet still won the war.

You’re also correct that Washington and Lincoln weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. A mistake that people often made with Lincoln was to underestimate him in this regard. Lincoln spent less time in the White House than most presidents as he was always in the field observing things first hand. His willingness to interact with his General’s, take a personal interest in them, and fire them if they didn’t get the job done that had a huge positive impact on the Union Army during the Civil War.

Likewise, Washington was famous for leading from the front. Perhaps the most remarkable example of this came in a battle that saw him single handedly charge the British advance while his army was retreating in panic. The British troops were said to have actually have stopped their advance to applaud Washington’s bravery.

While these are just a few examples that support your insights, there were numerous others as well. Thanks for sharing Dove.

Your broader point is well taken – Washington did have a lot more going for him than Lincoln did.

But once the Revolutionary War began, Washington was daily faced with incomprehensible challenges. Almost no gun powder. No navy. No standing army. No clothing for the army. No shoes for the soldiers who walked through snow with their feet wrapped in rags. Thousands claimed as victims of small pocks.

And Washington’s handling of all this was remarkable.

There’s also a similarity between these two presidents that’s worth pointing out: Both had no qualms about getting their hands dirty with their followers.

As regal and dignified as Washington was, he would often work in the fields with his slaves. He oversaw and directed every detail of Mount Vernon management with a strong preference to go out and see for himself so he could understand what was really going on. Same during the War.

The campaign that finally got Lincoln the nomination and elected to the White House was a campaign where he took similar control over the planning, delegation and execution.

Too many leaders can’t be bothered to go to their own “front lines” and get their hands dirty. So they sit in the board room making decisions based on information far removed rather than firsthand knowledge.

Dov Gordon

Your broader point is well taken – Washington did have a lot more going for him than Lincoln did.

But once the Revolutionary War began, Washington was daily faced with incomprehensible challenges. Almost no gun powder. No navy. No standing army. No clothing for the army. No shoes for the soldiers who walked through snow with their feet wrapped in rags. Thousands claimed as victims of small pocks.

I can hardly comprehend the dedication of the soldiers who pushed on through all that.

There’s also a similarity between these two presidents that’s worth pointing out: Both had no qualms about getting their hands dirty with their followers.

As regal and dignified as Washington was, he would often work in the fields with his slaves. He oversaw and directed every detail of Mount Vernon management with a strong preference to go out and see for himself so he could understand what was really going on. Same during the War.

The campaign that finally got Lincoln the nomination and elected to the White House was a campaign where he took similar control over the planning, delegation and execution.

Too many leaders can’t be bothered to go to their own “front lines” and get their hands dirty. So they sit in the board room making decisions based on information far removed rather than firsthand knowledge.

Dov