The figures depicted in the historical painting are (l-r), Billy Lee, George Washington’s enslaved servant who often traveled with him; Colonel Charles Washington, General George Washington, Edward Snickers and General Daniel Morgan
In December we unveiled a historic painting depicting an important event that took place at Happy Retreat in 1784. On September 3, 1784, George Washington came to Happy Retret to meet with his brother Charles Washington and other prominent leaders of the community, including General Daniel Morgan, to discuss his idea of making the Potomac River a route of commerce between the Chesapeake Bay and the Ohio River Valley. It was an idea that eventually led to the building of the C & O Canal after Washington’s death. The painting re-creates that meeting at Happy Retreat.
The young United States had just won its independence from England and Washington was already concerned about keeping the new country united. The French still owned the territory west of the Mississippi River (which would later be acquired through the Louisiana Purchase). Washington worried that American settlers west of the Appalachian Mountains would develop an allegiance to France because all western commerce traveled down the Mississippi River, which the French controlled. He thought a trade route between the western settlers in the Ohio River Valley and businesses on the East Coast would strengthen their ties to their own country.
Washington decided to travel by horseback to the western frontier to explore the possibility of using the Potomac River as that trade route. The trip would also allow him to visit the many properties he owned in far-flung western Virginia counties. He set out from Mt. Vernon on September 1, 1784, arriving at Happy Retreat two days later for the meeting captured in the painting.
His trip was chronicled in the book The Grand Idea: George Washington’s Potomac and the Race to the West, by author Joel Achenbach, who gave a talk about the book at Happy Retreat in 2019.
Friends of Happy Retreat commissioned Shepherdstown artist Michael Davis to do the painting. We believe this meeting took place in the newly restored front room of the west wing, where the picture now hangs. We are indebted to board member Bill Jackson for funding the creation of this important painting.
We believe this meeting took place in the newly restored front room of the west wing, where the picture now hangs. We are indebted to board member Bill Jackson for funding the creation of this important painting.
The entry from George Washington’s diary on September 3, 1784.
Having business to transact with my Tenants in Berkeley; & others, who were directed to meet me at my Brother’s [Colo. Charles Washington’s], I left Doctr. Craik and the Baggage to follow slowly, and set out myself about Sun rise for that place–where after Breakfasting at Key’s ferry I arrived about 11 Oclock–distant abt. 17 miles.
Colo. Warner Washington, Mr. Wormeley, Genl. Morgan, Mr. Snickers and many other Gentlemen came here to see me & one object of my journey being to obtain information of the nearest and best communication between the Eastern & Western Waters; & to facilitate as much as in me lay the Inland Navigation of the Potomack; I conversed a good deal with Genel. Morgan on this subject, who said, a plan was in contemplation to extend a road from Winchester to the Western Waters, to avoid if possible an interference with any other State but I could not discover that Either himself, or others, were able to point it out with precision. He seemed to have no doubt but that the Counties of Frederk., Berkeley & Hampshire would contribute freely towards the extension of the Navigation of Potomack; as well as towards opening a Road from East to West.