First in the Hearts of His Countrymen The Death & Legacy of George Washington

The dramatic story of George Washingtons last days, his visionary death-bed act, and Americas first national tragedy

For more than thirty hours, his larynx slowly closed. Three doctors tried valiantly to save his life, but succeeded only in draining half his bodys blood. At 10:00 p.m. on December 14, 1799, George Washington felt his own pulse and spoke his last words: “Tis well.” Minutes later he died. On his death, his will freed all his slaves, and Washington thereby took sides in the embroilment that slavery would create in America in the coming decades. Surrounding him at Mount Vernon were Martha, his wife of forty years; Tobias Lear, his personal secretary, who held the generals hand as he died; and three doctors, who were following the standard medical procedures of the day. As word spread, the fledgling nation plunged into grief. Mock funerals took place in every major city and town, and thousands donned mourning clothes for months.

First in the Hearts of His Countrymen takes the death of the nations first president as a finely polished lens through which to view the stories of key figures in Washingtons life and then examines the social and political issues and events of this critical period in Americas history.

The dramatic story of George Washingtons last days, his visionary death-bed act, and Americas first national tragedy. Rothstein takes the death of our nations first president and uses it as a finely polished lens through which to tell the stories of key figures in Washingtons life and to examine the social and political issues and events of this critical period in history.

Larry Rothstein has developed, edited, ghost-written, and coauthored more than twenty books, including several national best sellers—most recently Borrowing Brilliance (by David Murray), a Wall Street Journal and Amazon.com best seller. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts.