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| William Washington |
General
George Washington's cousin, Colonel William Washington, tricked some British
Loyalists into surrendering. Without the necessary
equipment he had been begging for, Colonel Washington had his men rig a pine log
on wagon axles to look like a cannon and point it toward the barn the Loyalists were cornered.
The 112 Loyalists surrendered to the 60 Continental troops with not one shot fired.
This "Quaker Gun Trick"
was so named because Quakers used it to intimidate enemies without violating
their pacifist vow of non-violence.
William and his brother Henry drew straws to see which would get to join the Continental Army and which would stay home and take care of the family farm. William won the draw and went to fight the British.
During the John Adams administration, William was offered a staff position and he served as a Brigadier General on the staff of (former President) George Washington, Adams' commander of the Army.
