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This poem by Consider Dickinson (1761-1854) of Deerfield, Massachusetts, expressed the admiration verging on reverence that Americans felt toward George Washington. Washington's military and political leadership transformed him into a living icon for the young nation. His decision to resign from the army and return to private life after the Revolutionary War rather than attempting to become an American Caesar earned Washington the love and respect of his countrymen. They universally mourned his death in 1799.