George Washington -- the best likeness? When the Marquis de Lafayette visited Boston's Old North Church in 1824 and spied this bust of the general under whom he had served, he remarked, "Yes, that is the man I knew and more like him than any other portrait."

Historian James Thomas Flexner called George Washington the "indispensable man" among the Founders. Without Washington, the new republic would not have survived the armed rebellion against the mother country, the tumultuous years under the Articles of Confederation, and the first decade of nationhood under the new Constitution. His leadership made the difference at critical points in the two decades between 1775 and 1796.

Washington must have possessed the most powerful presence of his generation because he was unanimously elected to every high office in which he served. In 1775, the Continental Congress selected him to be the commander in chief of the Continental Army. In 1787, the delegates selected him to lead the Constitutional Convention. In 1789 and again in 1793, electors unanimously voted for him to be president of the United States. He was without peer.

The above bust of Washington was presented to the Old North Church (which is actually called Christ Church) by Shubael Bell, in 1815.

Under Washington's command were some 8,000 soldiers along with 500 women and children (camp followers). The British had almost double that number of troops several days' march to the south in New York City -- their main army in the rebellious colonies. Hostilities had not entirely ceased with Yorktown, nor had the peace treaty been signed, so Washington and the Continental Army had to remain vigilent. They had to be ready to campaign if peace negotiations in Paris broke down. So they made plans to retake New York City in the spring. They took up positions around West Point, with the main body of troops encamped a few miles farther north in the vicinity of Newburgh and New Windsor. There they waited.

Washington had seen mutinous uprisings before, so he knew that he had to keep the men busy through the winter. He kept them battle ready with daily military formations and drills. He also kept them busy building things. In December 1782, at the suggestion of a chaplain, Washington had a large log cabin constructed -- the so-called Temple of Virtue. At 110 by 30 feet, the Temple was to serve a variety of functions: chapel, commissary, courtmarshall hearings, and meeting hall among them.

Under Washington's command were some 8,000 soldiers along with 500 women and children (camp followers). The British had almost double that number of troops several days' march to the south in New York City -- their main army in the rebellious colonies. Hostilities had not entirely ceased with Yorktown, nor had the peace treaty been signed, so Washington and the Continental Army had to remain vigilent. They had to be ready to campaign if peace negotiations in Paris broke down. So they made plans to retake New York City in the spring. They took up positions around West Point, with the main body of troops encamped a few miles farther north in the vicinity of Newburgh and New Windsor. There they waited.

Washington had seen mutinous uprisings before, so he knew that he had to keep the men busy through the winter. He kept them battle ready with daily military formations and drills. He also kept them busy building things. In December 1782, at the suggestion of a chaplain, Washington had a large log cabin constructed -- the so-called Temple of Virtue. At 110 by 30 feet, the Temple was to serve a variety of functions: chapel, commissary, courtmarshall hearings, and meeting hall among them.

Understandably, the soldiers and officers were restless. The war had been under way for seven hard years. Under the Articles of the Confederation, the Congress was too weak to fulfill its obligations. The men had left their farms and shops to risk their lives for independence. Not only had their farms and shops suffered neglect, but they were owed considerable back pay, land, and pensions. Many officers were on furlough for the winter, but a number of those who remained were seething with discontent. During that cold, cloudy March of 1783, several began to circulate a letter that called on the army to march on Congress. Wasn't that the remedy since time immemorial?

Washington caught wind of the officers' scheme and forcefully intervened. He told them to assemble in the Temple of Virtue on March 15, the Ides of March. There he confronted his officers. In a speech that moved them deeply, he said that he would not tolerate any more talk of his army marching on Congress. The life of the young republic was at stake; their honor as Americans and as men was at stake. They had sacrificed too much to throw it all away now.