What comes next is an incredibly true story that I have spent the last few weeks researching. This practically isn’t a fake movie Friday because there are so many historical events retold how they happened. Granted the title was from Tigs but it is totally because I was sharing my research notes with him.
The Surgeon’s General
A young man wakes up to the sound of a rooster crowing and the sunlight coming through the window. He puts on his simple clothes and heads out of his simple home. The year is 1780 and the new country that is America is embattled in the war for independence. This is John Woodworth, a poor humble doctor.
He answers his door to find a farmer with his arm wrapped. The farmer and him are cordial and joke about the injury. John tells him he has to be more careful and invites him to stay for dinner and he obliges. The old man leaves as a rain starts to fall and night has come. Someone knocks again shortly after and he jokes about the old farmer. The door opens and instead a man in uniform rushes in with a wounded soldier. The man explains they were separated from the regiment and were told a surgeon lives here. John gets to work and a short time later realizes the older man is General George Washington.
Once he stabilizes the young soldier Washington talks to John about why he isn’t involved in the revolution. John talks about how he agrees but the town needs a doctor. The country will need to return to being farmers and workers so they should be helped now. Washington listens and they strike up a friendship. John tells him that if he really knew the town would be taken care of, he could leave. Washington and the soldier leave the next day and John goes about my business. Later that night Washington returns with an older man. Washington tells John to pack and starts showing the older man around. John questions this of course and Washington says this older doctor is perfectly qualified to take care of the town, but his leg injury makes being an army surgeon difficult. He again tells John to pack.
John arrives at an American Army camp and begins work as a surgeon. There are a lot of horrific injuries and scenes but he takes it well. Washington continues to visit him and chat with him. He learns that this is a bit strange because Washington is generally known to be a bit reclusive. He is nicknamed the General’s Surgeon and things are going well.
Winter is approaching and John and Washington are travelling together. Washington is shot and injured badly. John drags him and finds a cabin to hold up in. He begins to care for him. Washington tells John that he needs to get back to the army. John protests telling him that Washington isn’t healthy enough to be moved. John sets him up and tells him that he will go send a message to let people know where he is.
He heads off into the weather and luckily runs into a pack of friendly scouts. He sends the message along with them and returns to care for Washington. A scout comes with him, and they find a small group of red coats approaching the house. The scout makes John help him and they fight off the British, Washington hobbles to the door and kills the last of the enemies. John is angry at him for getting up and the scout laughs about how Washington has become the Surgeon’s General and not the other way around. Washington smiles at John and returns to bed to be cared for.
Years later John continues to come in and check in on Washington and be his personal doctor. He has a family and a lot of medical responsibilities in the government. Washington appoints him the first Surgeon General of the United States.