New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-04-20

<.aufure OF Fort Du Quesne. In 175e.
PI1rsprRcH tPol Air 10Th, 1873
To the Editor Of The Tribune:
have the pcasur. Of transmitting YOU lev p'sS fDi
The forthcoming historical work mentioned IN ormsf let
,e, The s.tbor Dr.. W Patterson kindly furnished them
a, nv reques, for columns Of III Tribune Though out
an extract and commencing abruptly it Is Sufficiently full
ON the cap,nre by FORBES and imagine iaif specimen
ni the style &c. OF The book
CAPTURE OF FORT DU QUESNE IN l73o-
AFTER the defeat Of Grant, 1t appears, Coun-
Gil was held by the Indians, in which they were
much divided in opinion as to what should DC 'heir
fnturc movements Many. contended that 1t was
no longer necessary to rcmaln-lllat Forbes, Ike
Dunbar in the retreat Of Braddock's army, would
turn back. They numerous comprising
the warriors Of most OF the Western tribes idl,t-
cent to the lakes: especially OF the ot'o"aS'
fbewas, Poltowatomics and Wyando's ana on
their aid almost alone, did the French rest ther
chances Of success in the event OF an engage
ment with the approaching army. hey were
therefore importuned TO await the issue OF the
evening campaign. But the Indians were already
gcaricd with delay. They had marched hlthcr,
al the solicitation Of the French, carly IN July,
and had been lettering around the fort SINCE
The Indian Council breaking up without any
thing beng UNANIMOUSLY resolved upon--a great
or portion of them unwilling to remain any longer,
as tho hunting season had arrived lett for Their
homes
Soon afterwards ii seems, ..word reached the
fort that Forbes's army was! advancing The
French, of themselves weak n! numbers and now
deserted by most Of those on''Hiom they placed
their principal reliance, found themselves placed
at critical Iuncturc. They immediately how
ever, determined to place the event OF Their alarm
ing situation on the hazard OF due they con
cludcd as the only alternative from preciPitale
retreat, 10 go boldly out ana meet the approaching
forces and if happily by "a well timed attack Their
last effort should be attended with success, ti'e
cast of fortune, almost Unexpectedly, would be III
their favor.
Accordingly, joined by the Indians that re-
NAMED, they sailed out TO the attack. roroes
had not vet progressed far from the Loyal llama
when he was met by them, and beng on the alert,
his men were not to be taken by surprise
The attack was commenced on thlckly-
wooded PLAIN, aftording mutual advantages
The advanced companies of forbess army beng
principally provincial volunteers, and accustomed
to the Indian mode of fighting, 10y freeing IT.
as it was called, but little was 10 be gained by
an attack from II force inferior III numbers, as
that of their assallants.
The result was all hopes of rcpuslon were
after harrassng their enemies by several unsuc-
ccssful attacks, they returned in despair 10 the fort.
The army progressed slowly. The weather was
damp and chilly, and the route, though cutas they
proceeded, was extremely bad from the falling ram.
\ number of friendly Indians, accompanying
on pay. were constantly kept out as scouts. The
Importance of AIDS of tins k!nd had been fully
demonstrated III the campalgno Braddock, whose
unparalleled disaster has been attributed alone to
hls contemptuous refusal 80 employ, or even per
mt, service OF the KIND
When the army had arrived within about twelve
miles of the fort, they were met by some oil inc
Indians who had been accommodating IN advance
with report that the French had set hre TO the
fort. A dense cloud of smoke had been discovered
ascending from the place, and extending along
the Allegheny bottom. Shortly afterwards, inc
arrival of other scouts who had approached sut''
GENTLY near OH the hills the place, gave GER
tam intelligence that the fort was burnt and ahan
doncd.
A troop of light horse was lmmcdacly sent for
ward, with instructions TO the mcn to eNtnguSh
the burnings as far as practicable. The residue
of the army following as speedily a. possible, ar
rived the same evening, the 10Th OF November,
after hurried march of five days from the fort on
the Loyal Hanna.
The abandoned For, Du Qucsne, with the
cabins around II, was Principally destroyed, and
the blackened chllnneys, more anthr,y III num-
Der, stood in desolate rehoi from the smoulderlng
runs.
Considerable quantities of ammunition, scalpmg
knives, Indian goods, &c. was found IN one OF the
magazines that had been unreached by the fire.
The precptatc retreat OF the French had not per-
mittcd them to complete the entire destruction OF
the works; or fear of the explosion OF the maya,
zines had intimidatcd and kept them aloot.
Their cannon had been removed but whether
taken with them bclow--as many had de
seconded Iii batteauS--ot sunk IN the nrer is ul-
known. One piece alone remained a twenty
four FOUNDER. which was again mounted ON the
walls OF the fort, and long afterwards was heard
deep thunder, along the echoing shores
"They seem to have BEEN says Col. Bouquet
IN letter written from the fort shortly afterwards,
..about four hundred III number; part gone
down the Ohio; one hundred by land, supposed
10 PreSQ' Isle and two hundred with Gcv. NJ.
De Licnerv TO Nenango.
The night after their abandonment OF the fort,
those that descended the river lay cncanped al
the mouth OF Beaver, thirty miles below us was
afterwards reported by the Indians, where The In
dian path 10 Venango and Presq' Isle struck out
through the forests II is probable the whole force
NAV have descended TO this point before a separa-
,ion took place, or they had resolved on where
they should go.
4 few days before they left boy twelve years
old prisoner at the fort, who made has escape and
reached the approaching army. He gave INFORM
alton tina, lately quantity OF dry wood had been
brought into the fort, and five Of the prisoners
taken at Grants defeat had been burnt When,
There are some who sill remember at Of the history
Of the biz KUN nu lusis which :hs French wax pityeI
deep tatI, die echo rolled aons the shores ii l. pa
The Da Qoesie made ci saIvr!eF ,ysSI anu
similar 70 these made the present ers eat much i'as
IL. h,ll L