Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-12-18

cd MANY of the officers fell at the nrs' ohse''
but Braddock himself had advanced some o'",
| lance up the hill when he received ne "o' 20
wound of which he died day or TWO aver "s.u:
The stump Of the tree against which ne 'eaneu az.
ter being struck, is still pointed out IN "es'
| field above the highway he was carrier on'
as you recollect, BY the flying troops' ana ss,"s
with many others on the march was our'ea oe'
n.ath the road over which his men were fe"ear
ing. ,y.,,,,o rsccntlv nub.
Iisbed. have thrown light upon Braddock's cha-
racter that should put an end at once 10 all 'ne
forbearance that has hitherto been exercised IN
commenting upon his share in this bloody trans
action, The misfortunes of the hot and m'sgu'd'
ed. but high-bred aud gallant soldier. were u De
touched upon with lenity. The selfish rashness
and utter restitution Of military capacity oil the
broken down gambler should be stlgmalized us
thew deserve. Yet it is not from WaIpole alone
that we learn what presumptuous bloekhead
ENGLAND sent hither to mend his ruined fortunes
at the risaue of the best blood in the country
For. though history has dealt SO leniently win
his character, the records Of those times paint the
man in his true colors. aud SO gross was MS 'gho'
rance, and so offensive his pride, that be seems
10 have been hated and despsed from the mo
ment he assumed the command OF the FORCES ue'
tined hither. The interest with when ''e"eu
the battle ground, has kept me all the morning
looking over a mass OF documents relating 10 ''"'I
fines. and. as they are still before me, tempted
to make more than one extract. we "s's
GENERAL" writes the brave and accomplished oir
William Shirley, from the camp at Cumberland
70 his. friend. Governor Morris, at Philadelphia
=. we have a general most judiciously chosen Tor
heins DISQUALIFIED for the service he IS emp'oyeu
in. m almost every respect. am greatly dis,
pusted at seeing an expedition. as 1t IS called
SO III concerted originally in England. so III aP
pointed, aud so improperly conducted since IN
America. shall be very happy to have to re-
tract hereafter what have said, anu submit 10
be censur.d as moody and apprehensiVe hone,
nv dear Morris, to spend tolerable winter win
YOU at Philadelphia :" Poor Shirley, he never
saw that winter. He was shot through the BRAIN
at the very commeno ement Of the battle
There is lively comment on this letter IN the
well known reply OF Braddock to the prudent
suggestions of Washington previous to the pat
tle:S"By Cd. Sir, these are high times, when
a British General is TO take counsel IRON 'ir-
ginia Buckskin"
But the speech of an Indian Chief before the
council Of Pennsy lvana, preserved among the re-
cords a. Harrlsburgh, Offers an Illustration sun
more striking. Brothers" said the sagac'ous
ally of the colonists, sit is well known To you
how unhappily we have been defeated oy he
French on MonoOsahela. Wemust let you Know
that It was of the pride and ignorance OF that great
General that came from England. He is now
dead: but he was bad man when he was alive
He looked upon US as dogs. and would never hear
ANYTHING that uas said to him We often endea-
yored to advise him, and to tell him o! the dan
Ger he was in with his soldiers. But he never
spneared pleased with US, and that was the rea-
son that great many OF our warriors ieit h'n'
and would not be uuder his command Brothers,
we advise you not to give up the point, though
we have in a measure been chastised from ABOVE.
But let US unite our strength. You are very nu
merous, and all the Governors along yodr east
ern shores can raise men enough. Drntiet nose
that come over the great seas be concerned any
more. Tine are unfit To fight in the woods. Let
US 90 by orrse,es-we that come om Of fMs
ground WE may be assured to conquer the
Freuch."
The military counsel and support 0! this IN
trepid aud highsOuled Chieftain would nave oeeh
heard at least. even if it did not prevail, IN the
camp Of Napoleon. Does it not make you IN.
dignant to think how it was tramP'ed upon ana
insuired by such creature as braduocks one
would have thought that the insolent spirit OF the
7 .ondon deSauchee would have felt, rebaked in
10 nOtDtUSueSS UtiV'e SS"hus W '"S ""'''
| or of the woods. But let the man rest; he had
that one virtue to which all weak minds bow
courage. And he had the Hessians. that in
subsequent war were bought to fight against US
I for eighteen pence dav. May we rather meet,
again and again, such brave mercenaries IN bat
tie. than be marshalied once to the fight by a
leader, whom even valOr cannot shelter from de-
served contempt.
| The field of this celebrated action presents
Of course very different appearance from what
it did when Braddock's followers were hunted
through the forest. 1t is however but lew
wears since the wood was cut trom the sde-hlll,
and traces Of the conflict are still occasionally
discovered in the grove along the margin oil me
river below. Twas told, too, that bones and bul.
lets, with rusted knives, hatchets, and bayonets,
were sometimes even yet turned up by the plough
in the spot where the fight was hottest. This
central field was cleared about II years since
twas heavily timbered at the time, and they
tell in the neighboIhood that the teeth OF the
saws in the mills adjacent were continually bro
ken upon the balls imbedded IN the ancient trees