Washington's Less-Known Quote

When George Washington was boarding the rowboat to cross the Delaware, he had to nudge 300-lb Colonel Henry Knox aside to make room, with these immortal words, “Shift that fat ass, Harry, but slowly or you’ll swamp the damn boat!” To me, these are much more inspiring fighting words than “full speed ahead” or “I regret that I have but one life to give.”

By the way, Washington was not the first President. John Hanson of Maryland was elected unanimously in 1781 by Congress after adopting the Articles of Confederation. He served one year, as did six others, before Washington became the eighth president, but the first under the new Constitution.