Gary^The^Procrastinator
Meet the 5th US President, James Monroe
James Monroe (1758 – 1831) was the 5th President of the United States, serving between 1817 and 1825. Not well-known today, here are some incredible facts about him:
- He was the last president who was a Founding Father of the US.
- He was a delegate in the Continental Congress.
- He served as a Senator of the First United States Congress and as a Governor of Virginia.
- He was a diplomat in France when he helped negotiate the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
- During the War of 1812, Monroe was both Secretary of State and Secretary of War under President James Madison.
- He won over 80% of the electoral vote in 1816 to become the last president of the First Party System era of American politics.
- He won near-unanimous reelection in 1820.
- As president, he bought Florida from Spain.
- The Capital of Liberia, Africa, is named after him (Monrovia).
- He arranged the Treaty of 1819 which secured the border of the United States with Canada along the 42nd Parallel all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
- His "Monroe Doctrine" opposed any European claim to any territory in the lands of the Americas.
But these accomplishments almost didn't happen because of what you see here....For before he did all these accomplishments, he almost lost his life right here during the Battle of Trenton.
A Lieutenant in the 3rd Virginia Regiment, Monroe was among General George Washington's army as it crossed over the Delaware river and marched through a Nor'easter snow storm north and then on to Trenton to attack the Hessians. Along the way, the soldiers were spotted by a young patriot doctor, John Riker. Riker volunteered to lend his medical skills to the army for the battle.
As the Americans approached, the Hessians put several of their artillery pieces in action to pour grapeshot into the Americans marching down towards the homes they had commandeered. Knowing that this would slow the assault (seen here), after a volley of artillery fire, Lieutenant Monroe and General Washington's cousin, Captain William Washington and their men rushed to seize the guns before they could fire.
This is the scene depicted here. The officer in royal blue coat in the center is Lieutenant James Monroe, and Captain Washington is to his left.
Both young officers were severely wounded in the action. Captain Washington was badly wounded in both hands, and young Lieutenant Monroe was carried from the field bleeding badly after he was struck in the left shoulder by a musket ball, which severed an artery. It would be the young volunteer doctor, John Riker who clamped the artery, keeping him from bleeding to death and saving the life of a man who would go on to achieve so much in politics both as a Virginian and on the national stage as a future President.
A scene from the collaborative build by HistoryLUG, as part of our larger America 1776 collab at Brickfair Virgina. Ryan K's outstanding colonial house is on the right. More pictures will be posted tomorrow morning!
Meet the 5th US President, James Monroe
James Monroe (1758 – 1831) was the 5th President of the United States, serving between 1817 and 1825. Not well-known today, here are some incredible facts about him:
- He was the last president who was a Founding Father of the US.
- He was a delegate in the Continental Congress.
- He served as a Senator of the First United States Congress and as a Governor of Virginia.
- He was a diplomat in France when he helped negotiate the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
- During the War of 1812, Monroe was both Secretary of State and Secretary of War under President James Madison.
- He won over 80% of the electoral vote in 1816 to become the last president of the First Party System era of American politics.
- He won near-unanimous reelection in 1820.
- As president, he bought Florida from Spain.
- The Capital of Liberia, Africa, is named after him (Monrovia).
- He arranged the Treaty of 1819 which secured the border of the United States with Canada along the 42nd Parallel all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
- His "Monroe Doctrine" opposed any European claim to any territory in the lands of the Americas.
But these accomplishments almost didn't happen because of what you see here....For before he did all these accomplishments, he almost lost his life right here during the Battle of Trenton.
A Lieutenant in the 3rd Virginia Regiment, Monroe was among General George Washington's army as it crossed over the Delaware river and marched through a Nor'easter snow storm north and then on to Trenton to attack the Hessians. Along the way, the soldiers were spotted by a young patriot doctor, John Riker. Riker volunteered to lend his medical skills to the army for the battle.
As the Americans approached, the Hessians put several of their artillery pieces in action to pour grapeshot into the Americans marching down towards the homes they had commandeered. Knowing that this would slow the assault (seen here), after a volley of artillery fire, Lieutenant Monroe and General Washington's cousin, Captain William Washington and their men rushed to seize the guns before they could fire.
This is the scene depicted here. The officer in royal blue coat in the center is Lieutenant James Monroe, and Captain Washington is to his left.
Both young officers were severely wounded in the action. Captain Washington was badly wounded in both hands, and young Lieutenant Monroe was carried from the field bleeding badly after he was struck in the left shoulder by a musket ball, which severed an artery. It would be the young volunteer doctor, John Riker who clamped the artery, keeping him from bleeding to death and saving the life of a man who would go on to achieve so much in politics both as a Virginian and on the national stage as a future President.
A scene from the collaborative build by HistoryLUG, as part of our larger America 1776 collab at Brickfair Virgina. Ryan K's outstanding colonial house is on the right. More pictures will be posted tomorrow morning!