James Monroe: A Life from Beginning to End (Biographies of US Presidents)

by Hourly History

“Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable, procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.” —George Washington

Washington’s inspiration was to cross the Delaware River on the Christmas night to attack the Hessian soldiers who were feeling the effects of holiday celebrating. His surprise attack was a complete success. The victory was an enormous one for the Americans, and a morale boost as well and the troops felt the momentum swing in the rebels’ favor.

Monroe’s troops headed to Trenton in the midst of a snowstorm. They were cautious as they traveled, knowing that they had to avoid being detected by the Hessian mercenaries that the British had hired to help with their fighting. But, despite their stealth, Monroe and William Washington, a cousin of the general, were overheard by dogs who were awakened by the sound of soldiers in the vicinity. Fortunately for them, the owner of the dogs was a man with Patriot sympathies, and a doctor as well; upon learning that a battle was imminent, Dr. John Riker decided to join them, perceiving that his services would be greatly needed in the bloodshed to come.

Closer to the battle, Monroe and Washington hurried to capture the Hessian guns before they could fire on the Americans. Monroe was hit in the shoulder by a musket ball that severed an artery and the blood loss was severe. Monroe was lucky; the doctor who had serendipitously joined them quickly came to his aid and clamped the artery so that Monroe didn’t bleed to death, and the young soldier spent the following three mont...

Trenton would be the only battle in which Monroe would fight, yet his service was unquestioned, and he was the last of the Founding Fathers with Revolutionar...

In early September, the Americans and French had reached Yorktown. By late September, the British forces were surrounded. Cornwallis was out of options and on October 19, he surrendered; his second-in-command represented him at the surrender ceremony. As the surrender proceeded, the British band played the tune The World Turned Upside Down. Indeed it had. The men who had risked their lives fighting the British were no longer in danger of being executed for treason if they were caught; they were destined to rule the new country.

Vive La France! “My heart has always been truly convinced that in serving the cause of America, I am fighting for the interests of France.” —Marquis de Lafayette

A second daughter, Maria Hester, was born in 1804 and would add another first to her father’s record when, in 1820, she became the first president’s child to marry in the White House.

It’s an interesting puzzle to contemplate: what would Monroe have thought of the influence of the Electoral College in the American political process? He believed that the Constitution should allow voters to elect senators and the president directly. The pragmatism that Monroe displayed early in his political career would be a hallmark of his evolution as a leader.

Thomas Paine, whose pamphlet Common Sense had been a source of inspiration for the beleaguered patriots in the midst of their rebellion against the British, had been free with his opinions. However, the stakes were higher in revolutionary France, and when he spoke out against the execution of the French king, he landed in prison. Monroe came to Paine’s rescue, secured his release from prison, and let Paine move into his home in Paris. Monroe also made it possible for all the Americans who had been sentenced to serve terms in French prisons to be freed.

Paine, however, was less than appreciative of what had been done for him, and he criticized President Washington for letting him stay in prison for as long as he had.

Mrs. Monroe’s willingness to adopt French social customs, even when it meant not making a social call upon a fellow American who was visiting the French capital, her adoption of French fashions in her clothing style, and her own black-haired, blue-eyed beauty earned her the admiration of the French, who called her La Belle Américaine.

“Monroe was so honest that if you turned his soul inside out there would not be a spot on it.” —Thomas Jefferson

“If we look to the history of other nations, ancient or modern, we find no example of a growth so rapid, so gigantic, of a people so prosperous and happy.” —James Monroe

Because of the renovations being done at the White House, or as it was called then, the Executive Mansion, from its burning by the British in 1814, James Monroe decided to continue the tradition begun with George Washington’s presidential tour of the country he governed.

The Missouri Territory applied to be admitted as a state in 1819. Because most of the white settlers of Missouri either owned slaves or planned to own them, New York Congressman John Tallmadge Jr. proposed to add two amendments, one barring new slaves from going into the state, and the second freeing all of the slaves born after the state’s admission when they achieved their twenty-fifth birthday. The ultimate result was that Missouri would be admitted as a state only if it were a free state. The debate was ferocious and regional; Monroe thought it was unconstitutional to place restrictions on a state’s admission, but he feared that the nation would be split over the issue. Finally, Congress came to a compromise. Maine was admitted as a free state, and Missouri would be admitted as a slave state provided that the south did not object to the nation outlawing slavery in the western territories located above the 36°30′ north latitude. The Louisiana Territory, which would be divided into nine states, would have two slave states in Arkansas and Oklahoma, and free states in the rest. In 1820, the bill was signed.

The accords also established a joint U.S.-British occupation of Oregon for the next ten years.

“The American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European Power.” —James Monroe

In 1822, Monroe recognized the countries of Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru and Chile which had declared their independence from Spain. For Monroe and many other Americans, the movement to freedom and away from colonialism was a victory for everyone because it supported the growth of democracy.

His death date was an eternal reminder of his presidential heritage; like preceding Founding Fathers and Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, Monroe died on July 4.