In 1794, President George Washington used his state of the union address to explain in detail the rebellion over the "whiskey tax" and the actions he took. After explaining in detail the rebellion itself, he told congress that in October he raised 15,000 troops to quell the resistance. This was no small matter, so Washington took this opportunity to defend his decisions to both lead his men to the field of battle and to return to Philadelphia before the fighting began.
First Washington defended his decision to lead the militia to the battlefield to face his own countrymen. Washington stated that as commander in chief, he had traveled west to "the places of general rendezvou" to review the progress of the military expedition. Washington first met with western representatives in Bedford, Pennsylvania (headquarters for the troops during the Whiskey Rebellion) and then traveled to Fort Cumberland in Maryland to review the southern wing of the Army. Washington thus had first hand knowledge of both the insurrection and the strength of the federalized militia. It was clear to him, that there was no room "for a pursasion that the laws were secure from obstruction", or in other words, the local government was unable to enforce the federal laws and the perpetrators could not be brought to justice. Furthermore, there was a complete breakdown of the law. The intelligence Washington gathered, showed that it was not just a rebellion against a particular law, but rather a spirit destructive to all order and civility. Washington stated that "friends to peace and good government" were in need of assistance against the "vicious and turbulent" rebellion. If this were not the case, as commander in chief, Washington would have enthusiastically taken the opportunity to send the militia home to their families.
Secondly, Washington defended his decision to leave the battlefield and return to his duties at the seat of Government. According to historian Joseph Ellis, Washington was the first and only sitting American president to led troops into the field. Washington may have led the troops into the field, but having judged that the strength of the U.S. military was great enough to crush the rebellion, Washington "judged it proper" to leave the command of the troops in the hands of the governor of Virginia, and resume his duties at the seat of Government. Washington would not lead his troops into battle, nor would any president after him. Typically, presidents leave the military to the military, but there were two other instances where presidents led men on the battlefields, James Madison during the war of 1812 when the British attacked Washington D.C. and Abraham Lincoln in 1962 during General McClellans campaign to capture Virginia. All three were on American soil.
Here are the words of Commander in Chief George Washington from his 5th state of the union address:
"As commander in chief of the militia when called into the actual service of the United States, I have visited the places of general rendezvous to obtain more exact information and to direct a plan for ulterior movements. Had there been room for a persuasion that the laws were secure from obstruction; that the civil magistrate was able to bring to justice such of the most culpable as have not embraced the proffered terms of amnesty, and may be deemed fit objects of example; that the friends to peace and good government were not in need of that aid and countenance which they ought always to receive, and, I trust, ever will receive, against the vicious and turbulent, I should have caught with avidity the opportunity of restoring the militia to their families and homes. But succeeding intelligence has tended to manifest the necessity of what has been done, it being now confessed by those who were not inclined to exaggerate the ill conduct of the insurgents that their malevolence was not pointed merely to a particular law, but that a spirit inimical to all order has actuated many of the offenders. If the state of things had afforded reason for the continuance of my presence with the army, it would not have been withholden. But every appearance assuring such an issue as will redound to the reputation and strength of the United States, I have judged it most proper to resume my duties at the seat of Government, leaving the chief command with the governor of Virginia."http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29436
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskey_Rebellion
https://suite.io/william-l-wunder/62fm2d0
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/WhiskeyRebellion.jpg
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