Goodbye to War, Pleasures at Home and Canals and Conventions Summary and Analysis

In April of 1783 the war with Great Britain is over, yet Washington remains with a small troop stationed in New York until the final armistice is signed. Washington bids his officers a tearful goodbye and departs for Mount Vernon where he arrives on Christmas Eve of 1783.

Although Washington had dreamed for many years of the peace and tranquility of Mount Vernon, the actuality of the stillness is disconcerting for the General whose enemy these days is a nagging melancholy. Washington throws himself into farming and managing the estate as well as creative endeavors such as interior design, landscape architecture, and social host. During this time, Mount Vernon receives a steady stream of visitors as a result of invitations extended by the accommodating Washington...