 Now, the Battle of the Monongahela was a milestone in George Washington's life story. That hot July day, however, would leave him with memories that would haunt him for the rest of his life. As he later wrote, and I quote, the dead, the dying, the groans, lamentation, and cries along the road of the wounded for help were enough to pierce a heart. For Washington, the sounds of war, of dying soldiers, were losing their charm.