George Washington and swearing?

by lots_of_jasm

Very odd and...specific question here. When I was in 8th grade learning about colonial history my history teacher once told a story that George Washington swore so beautifully that he made grown men cry. I didn't ask him what his source was at the time, but now I've been trying to figure out what this could be possibly be referencing to...haven't found anything thus far. Does anyone know what my teacher was referencing, or was he just making it up?

Thanks.

1859

"[T]he foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing ... is a vice so mean and low, without any temptation, that every man of sense and character detests and despises it."

  • Extract from the Orderly Book of the army under command of Washington, dated at Head Quarters, in the city of New York (3 August 1770); reported in American Masonic Register and Literary Companion, Volume 1 (1829), p. 163.

It's not clear in the above quote as to whether this is a personal view of Washington, or only applied to the soldiers under his command. But it does suggest that he didn't hold swearing in high regard.