The DHS Presents: Trial by Wilderness by George Washington

The votes have been tallied. The ballots have been counted. And by the will of the Drunken Historians' Society, we march into the wilderness.

Details
In the autumn of 1753, a 21-year-old Virginia militia officer was handed an impossible assignment: trek deep into the frozen Ohio wilderness to deliver a message from the British Crown to the French Commandant, demanding that France abandon its encroachment on English territory. The journey would span 78 brutal days through uncharted frontier, bitter cold, deep snow, and hostile territory. He would negotiate with chiefs of the Indian nations, stand face-to-face with the French Commandant who flatly refused to yield, and nearly lose his life on a frozen river crossing.
The young officer's name was George Washington. And this is his journal.

Written in Washington's own hand, Trial by Wilderness captures the raw, unpolished voice of a future Founding Father before legend consumed him. This is not the marble statue on the National Mall. This is a young man freezing, negotiating, surviving, and recording it all by candlelight.

Book Information
Title: Trial by Wilderness: The Emergence of George Washington as Revealed in His Own Journal, 1753-1754
Author: George Washington (Edited by Earl Schenck Miers)
First Published: 1957 (Kingsport Press, limited to 1,500 copies)
A NOTE ON SOURCING: This one is a rare find. The book is out of print and copies are scarce. Here are the best leads we have:

• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Trial-wilderness-emergence-Washington-1753-1754/dp/B0006AUW7U
• Biblio.com: https://www.biblio.com/book/trial-wilderness-emergence-george-washington-revealed/d/1502096064
• Oak Knoll Books: https://www.oakknoll.com/pages/books/50588/trial-by-wilderness-the-emergence-of-george-washington-as-revealed-in-his-own-journal-1753-1754

If you have tips on finding a copy, please leave them in the comments for your fellow scribes. Also, it is not to be confused with the Journal of George Washington and other writings from him. If you are truly struggling, reach out to me directly. The good news: it is a short read at only 59 pages.

Venue Information
Details will be provided to attendees upon RSVP.
Please bring $5 cash as an extra tip for our servers.

Agenda
Introductions and Cheers: Meet fellow Drunken Scribes and raise a glass with a hearty Huzzah!
Book Discussion: Washington's wilderness mission. The diplomacy, the danger, the frozen river that nearly killed a future president before the republic even existed.

Drinks and Socializing

Huzzah!
Jasmine