I’m sure you’ve heard some of those strange stories that claim that my hero, George Washington got himself appointed Commander in Chief so that he could amass more wealth! Not at all true.

Instead of increasing his wealth, he actually lost much of it. As you will recall from your high school history class, he asked only that his actual out of pocket expenses be reimbursed. He wanted not pay, no salary.

It has been estimated that “Washington’s cumulative financial losses from the war—from neglect of his lands, noncollection from delinquent debtors and tenants, stoppage of exportation, and rapid depreciation of paper money—rose to some $120,000.00.” That’s more than $1 million in today’s money. Think about that.

To top it all off, since he also refused any salary as President of the United States, it is especially difficult to think for a moment that he did anything simply to accumulate more wealth.

Historians have inspected the multiple accusations of graft or of immorality that have been aimed at George Washington over the decades and have declared him totally and absolutely innocent. As George himself stated in the last year of his life, he had “always walked a straight line and endeavored, as far as his frailties . . . would enable [him] to discharge the relative duties to [his] maker and fellow man.”

And that’ why he should still be considered our first American Hero!