Washington = Bulletproof

 

The Bulletproof George Washington: A Miracle on the Battlefield

In July 1755, a young 23-year-old George Washington found himself in the middle of a deadly ambush that would later be remembered as one of the most miraculous moments of his life. Serving as a colonel in the Virginia militia during the French and Indian War, Washington joined British General Edward Braddock’s campaign to drive the French from Fort Duquesne — near present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

As the 1,300-man force marched through a wooded ravine, French troops and their Native allies launched a surprise attack from all sides. The disciplined British soldiers, trained for open-field combat, lined up as they would in Europe — and were decimated. In just two hours, over 700 British and colonial soldiers were killed or wounded, while the French and Indians lost only about 30 men.

Amid the chaos, Washington rode fearlessly across the battlefield, carrying orders and rallying troops. Bullets tore through his coat and struck the horses beneath him, yet he remained completely unharmed. Of the 86 officers present, 63 were killed or wounded — Washington was the only one left on horseback. He later wrote to his family that “by the all-powerful dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation.”

Fifteen years later, in 1770, Washington returned to the same area with his friend Dr. James Craik. There, an elderly Native American chief traveled far to meet him. The chief revealed that he had commanded warriors in that same battle and had personally fired at Washington seventeen times without success. Convinced that “the Great Spirit protects him,” the chief declared Washington to be “the man who can never die in battle.”

This extraordinary story — part legend, part documented history — became known as “The Bulletproof George Washington.” It remains a powerful tale of courage, providence, and the sense of destiny that would follow Washington for the rest of his life.