GEORGE WASHINGTON {PART 2 OF 3} (TV)

Summary

The second of this three-part miniseries about the life of first President of the United States George Washington, focusing on his life before and during the Revolutionary War.

Washington grows concerned about his mother’s health, although she tells him not to worry. In 1765 he goes up to Annapolis, Maryland to see Will and a riot breaks out in the streets; Will attempts to stop the rioters from burning down the home of a sympathizer to the British, but he is unsuccessful. Washington arrives in time to save Will from the mob. This act, among others, convinces the British to repeal the stamp act, albeit begrudgingly. Washington believes that their motives for repealing the stamp act were out of fear and begins to resent British ruling practices in the colonies. He and Will attend a party with Sally and Martha, and Sally takes the opportunity to catch up with Washington. They indicate that they still harbor feelings for each other, but believe it would be inappropriate to pursue them any further. George Mason speaks to Washington about the stamp act and says there is talk of boycotting goods from Britain if they continue to impose taxes on the colonies. Washington notices his daughter Patsy experience a momentary dizziness, but she assures him that nothing is wrong.

In response to various protests, the House of Burgesses is dissolved by the local British representative. The various members instead hold an informal meeting in a tavern in order to further discuss the matter. Washington puts forward a plea co-authored by George Mason imploring colonists not to purchase British goods so as to protest further taxation. Will walks in on the meeting and is outraged by Washington’s proposal, believing that it represents traitorous ideas. He warns them that their desire to escape British rule could have disastrous consequences, and he departs. Later, in private, Will discusses the proposal with Washington and criticizes his association with Mason. They argue about the wisdom of the boycott, but are interrupted when Patsy suffers from a sudden seizure. She quickly recovers, although she, Washington, and Martha are distressed by her condition. Doctors are seemingly unable to help her, and Washington believes that water from a certain spring may be the answer.

Washington seeks to avoid armed conflict with the British, and Mason and Will argue over his apparently uncertain loyalties. Washington visits the residence of General Gage in New York; General Gage expresses concern over riots erupting from a recent tax on tea, and promises to respond with harsh measures if the situation gets out of hand. He returns home and finds that Patsy has apparently recovered, but she soon suffers another fit and collapses. This time the fit causes her to stop breathing, and she dies. A funeral is held for Patsy at Mount Vernon, and Washington is particularly emotionally affected by her death. Following Patsy’s death, Washington and Will try to put aside their political differences and rekindle their friendship. Mason informs Washington about the Boston Tea Party, but he does not approve, believing that it will serve only to incite British anger. The British parliament orders Boston Harbor to be shut down in response, and General Gage is to be made the military governor of Massachusetts, essentially instituting martial law. Patrick Henry incites members of the House of Burgesses to stand in support of Massachusetts, including Washington. He tells Martha that he feels the colonists have no choice but stand against British tyranny, and that Virginians and colonists in New England are forming a Continental Congress to formalize their burgeoning movement. Martha informs him that Will and Sally are considering returning to England, ostensibly to work through legal difficulties concerning Will’s inheritance but in actuality due to Will’s disgust with the rebellion. Washington and Martha help them pack, and Will leaves a few of his possessions to Washington. He and Sally bid each other an emotional farewell in private.

Washington prevents a slave auctioneer from selling off members of his slaves’ families despite the financial burden it imposes on him. Washington meets with other Virginia landowners, hoping to present a unified Virginian resolution to the Continental Congress and impose a total boycott of all British goods. However, his proposal to halt slave trading proves to be too extreme for the other landowners. In 1774, the first Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia. A proposal is brought up by Joseph Galloway to form a joint British-American legislative body to govern policies affecting more than one colony. This proposal meets with a great deal of initial support, but John Adams opposes it, calling it a “Trojan horse.” Adams and his cousin Sam Adams plan to court Washington’s support, believing that it could be essential to any organized resistance to British rule. The Adamses discuss the matter with Washington and Patrick Henry, stressing the importance of presenting a unified front against the British, including all thirteen colonies. Later, Washington attends an auction of various possessions from Belvoir and purchases Sally’s old pillows.

Mason informs Washington that an armed skirmish has occurred between British troops and local militia in the small towns of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. Washington realizes that war against the British is now unavoidable and prepares to lead Virginia troops against the British if necessary. He leaves Mount Vernon and in 1775 attends the second Continental Congress at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. John Adams recommends that Washington be placed in charge of a unified colonial army, although there is resistance to the idea due to Washington’s lack of experience in fighting against large-scale European battle tactics and some political intricacies. Adams wishes to avoid a war fought by individual disorganized colony militias and advocates for a “strong leader” like Washington. Washington accepts the post, although he states that he does not consider himself worthy of the command. Despite this reluctant acceptance, Washington’s appointment is met with applause by the other members of the Continental Congress.

The newly-formed Continental Army sets up a headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Washington goes there to assume his post and receives a report about the Battle of Bunker Hill. He meets his command staff and General Artemus Ward, commander of the troops at Bunker Hill. His second-in-command, General Stark, expresses his outrage that the Congress has not properly reinforced the army and his resentment at being put under the command of a Virginian rather than a New Englander. The next morning, Washington conducts a personal survey of the troops and finds them to be rowdy and disorganized. Washington asserts his authority and institutes military discipline, getting the soldiers to obey his commands. Soon he meets Benedict Arnold of Connecticut, who claims he was denied promotion by Massachusetts and believes Washington can afford him the rank he is entitled to. He explains his plan to launch an assault on the city of Quebec as part of a strategy to disrupt British control over the north. He asks for Arnold’s assistance and offers him the rank of colonel, and Arnold accepts. Washington institutes orders to allow freed slaves to be recruited into the army, despite some protest from his generals. He also proposes a plan to drive the British forces from Boston, but there is resistance due to a lack of available forces and supplies, compounded by a number of soldiers going home due to the expiration of their terms of service.

Washington is informed that the British have hired Prussian mercenaries to aid in the war against the colonies. He is outraged and formally raises a flag representing the colonial opposition, his resolve against the British renewed. The attack on Quebec is unsuccessful, but Colonel Knox manages to recover the cannons from Fort Ticonderoga and brings them to Cambridge. The cannons are set up on Dorchester Heights near Boston Harbor and used against the British in Boston in a surprise attack. This leads into an assault on Boston itself, which Washington directs himself. He believes that the British will launch an attack on New York City, and in 1776 he travels there to make his plea to Adams and other members of the Congress; they believe that New York is indefensible and he should abandon it, but Washington fears that doing so might encourage undecided colonists to side with the British. He asks for a permanent regular army, but John Adams believes that this could be dangerous and could have far-reaching consequences. As he sets up defensive fortifications in New York, Washington receives word that the Congress has drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence, formally proclaiming the colonies as a nation separate from Great Britain, the United States of America.

British forces land on Long Island and Washington musters his forces to intercept them. Both sides move into position and a battle ensues, with the British sending in Prussian mercenaries ahead of their main troops as they launch a two-pronged attack. This forces the American soldiers into retreat, resulting in heavy casualties. Washington orders his forces to quietly move across the East River into Manhattan, hoping to confound the British advance. The British, believing they have Washington cornered, wait until morning to continue their march, unwilling to risk undue casualties. Washington and his troops make their retreat at night without alerting the enemy. Commercials deleted.

Details

NETWORK: CBS
DATE: April 10, 1984 9:00 PM
RUNNING TIME: 1:36:56
COLOR/B&W: Color
CATALOG ID: B:60513
GENRE: Drama, historical
SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical; History - American; Presidents - United States
SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1984
COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

David Gerber … Executive Producer
Buzz Kulik … Supervising Producer, Director
Richard Fielder … Producer, Writer
David Silver … Associate Producer
James Thomas Flexner … Based on the books on George Washington by
Laurence Rosenthal … Music by
Barry Bostwick … Cast, George Washington
Patty Duke Astin (See also: Patty Duke) … Cast, Martha Washington
David Dukes … Cast, Will Fairfax
Jaclyn Smith … Cast, Sally Fairfax
Lloyd Bridges … Cast, Caleb Quinn
Jose Ferrer … Cast, Governor Dinwiddie
Hal Holbrook … Cast, John Adams
Trevor Howard … Cast, Lord Fairfax
Jeremy Kemp … Cast, General Gates
Richard Kiley … Cast, George Mason
Stephen Macht … Cast, General Benedict Arnold
James Mason … Cast, General Braddock
Rosemary Murphy … Cast, Mary Ball Washington
Clive Revill … Cast, Lord Loudoun
Robert Stack … Cast, General Stark
Anthony Zerbe … Cast, General St. Pierre
Robert Schenkkan … Cast, Alexander Hamilton
Leo Burmeister … Cast, Eban Krutch
Patrick James Clarke … Cast, Joseph Mooney
Kevin Conroy … Cast, John Laurens
John Glover … Cast, Charles Lee
Philip Casnoff … Cast, Lafayette
Harry Groener … Cast, Patrick Henry
Josh Clark … Cast, Tench Tilghman
William Prince … Cast, William Fairfax
Ann McDonough … Cast, Anne
William Lyman … Cast, Lawrence
Patrick Horgan … Cast, General Howe
Jace Alexander … Cast, Dan
Barrie Ingham … Cast, General Clinton
Scott Hylands … Cast, General Greene
Ned Romero … Cast, Tanachriston
J. Kenneth Campbell … Cast, Richard Henry Lee
John Horton … Cast, General Cornwallis
Jon Matthews … Cast, Jacky Custis
Peter Evans … Cast, Colonel Mifflin
Tom Mason … Cast, Colonel Reed
Megan Gallagher … Cast, Peggy Shippen
Leon B. Stevens … Cast, Joseph Galloway
Nicolas Surovy … Cast, Colonel Conway
Farnham Scott … Cast, General Knox
Louis Turenne … Cast, General Rochambeau
Kelsey Grammer … Cast, Lieutenant Stevens
Elva Leff (See also: Elva Josephson) … Cast, Patsy Custis
John Ridge … Cast, Van Braam
Brad Sullivan … Cast, General Artemus Ward
Vigo Mortenson (See also: Viggo Mortenson) … Cast, Lieutenant at LeBoeuf
John Means (See also: John Meanes) … Cast, General O'Hara
Christine Estabrook … Cast, Abigail Adams
Louisa Flaningham … Cast, Milly
Robert Elston … Cast, Peyton Randolph
Richard Fancy … Cast, Sam Adams
Justin Freiman … Cast, Jacky Custis as Teenager
Kurt Knudson … Cast, Baron Von Steuben
David McGinley … Cast, Colonel Wilkinson
Robert O'Neill … Cast, Lee's Aide
Jerry Gatlin … Cast, Bob
Randy Anderson … Cast, Major Andre
Matt Calahan (See also: Matt Callahan) … Cast, Lieutenant Tarleton
Doug Wing … Cast, James Delancey
Patrick F. McDade … Cast, Isaac Low
John Klaus Becker … Cast, Colonel Roll
Tom McCarthy … Cast, Dockworker Spy
Robert Noble … Cast, Enos Tarbell
Bonnie Patrick … Cast, Patience
Tim Moyer … Cast, John Jay
Sally Mercer … Cast, Prudence Mooney
Gavin Pearce … Cast, George Washington (as a child)
Jennifer Johnson … Cast, Betty Washington (as a child)
James C. Scopeletis (See also: Jim Scopelitis) … Cast, Captain Mercer
B.J. Morrison … Cast, Jacky Custis (as a child)
John A. Washington V … Cast, John Augustine Washington
Tom Assalone … Cast, Augustine Washington
Teresa Ann Payne … Cast, Betty Washington (as a child)
Kristi Alford … Cast, Patsy as Child
Rex Ellis … Cast, Benjamin
Bill Grimmett … Cast, Martha's Butler
Mike Hodge … Cast, Breechy
David Lively … Cast, John Alton
Greg Ashburn … Cast, Execution Officer
June Thorne … Cast, Nanny Jane
Richard Rhodes … Cast, Lieutenant Colonel Verick
Terrence Currier … Cast, Captain Mackay
Ron Canada … Cast, Billy Lee
Octavia Arnold … Cast, Mrs. Blair
Wally Doyle … Cast, Major Campbell
Michael Allinson … Cast, General Gage
Ralph Cosham … Cast, Braddock's Captain
Doug Roberts … Cast, Auctioneer
Richard Learman … Cast, Daniel Custis
Carroll James … Cast, Reverend Massey
Donald Neal … Cast, Genn
Richard Nephew … Cast, Running Elk
Timothy Rice … Cast, Lawyer Turnbull
Bentley Anderson … Cast, John Blair
Norman Maxwell … Cast, Trelawny
Ian Goodwin … Cast, Speaker of the House
Dennis Telfer … Cast, Surgeon
Michael Fealy … Cast, Hobart
Kelly Kathleen Learman … Cast, Betsy Potts
Robert Albertia … Cast
Eddie Allen … Cast
Josh Ashland … Cast
T.G. Cody … Cast
Pennell Colodny … Cast
Brian Corrigan … Cast
Hugh B. D'Alessandro … Cast
Janis Dardaris … Cast
Ed Dolan … Cast
Malcolm Edwards … Cast
Douglas T. Estadt … Cast
Elizabeth Fielder … Cast
John Fielder … Cast
Richard Fielder Jr. … Cast
Tom Finn … Cast
Willie Fitts … Cast
Eric Forsythe … Cast
Sandra Freck … Cast
Josiah James Hill … Cast
Sean Kelly … Cast
Greg Learman … Cast
Gretchen Learman … Cast
David Long … Cast
Thomas Jeffries Madigan … Cast
Matt McCreavy … Cast
Dave Moordigian … Cast
J. Craig Nannos … Cast
Michael Ostrowski … Cast
Frank Reifsnyder … Cast
Jerry Rowe … Cast
Terry Smith … Cast
Brett Smrz … Cast
Henry Strozier … Cast
John Tatum … Cast
Glenn Taylor … Cast
Mitchell Thomas … Cast
Richard Timberlake … Cast
Guillame Tostain … Cast
Christopher Whelan … Cast
Doug Wild … Cast
John D. Williams III … Cast
Al Wright … Cast

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