Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-09-25

death of the brave, but rash and despotic Gen.
Braddock, are extracted from new work on
Western Virginia, by Willis de Haas, jast pub
lshed at Wheeling.-ED.
" On that disastrous day the military genius
OF Washington shone forth with much of that
splendor which afterwards made him so ilustri-
Gus. Two aids of BraddOck had iilen, and
therefore upon Washington alone daOlved the
duty OF distributing orders. Men were falling
thick and fast, yet regardless Of danger he spur
red on his steed, galloping here and there
through the field Of blood. At lengs bis horse
SUM- dnder him; a second was 8ro.Mged, and
pressing amid the throng, sent higcala and res
olute voice among the frightened ranks, but
without avail. A second horse fell beneath him,
and he leaped to the saddle Of third while the
bullets rained like hailstones about him. -Four
passed through his coat, without infcting the
slightest wound, showing clearly that q stronger
hand than that of mans protected the body at
which they had been aimed. An eyewitness
says he expected every moment to see him fall,
as his duty exposed him to the most iulmnent
danger. An Indian warrior was often after
wards heard to say, that Washington was not
born to be shot, as he had fired seventeen times
at his person without success.
"The courage, energy, bravery. and skill dis
played by Washington oil this occasion marked
him as possessed of the highest order Of military
talents. Just from bed Of sickness, yet for
getting his infrmties, he pushed through the
panic stricken crowd, and his bright sword
could be seen pointing in every direction, as
he distributed the orders of his commander.
At last, when
"-Hapless Braddock met his destined fall,'
the noble Virginia aid, with his provincial troops
who had been held in so much contempt by the
naughty and presumptuous general, covered The
retreat, and saved the remnant of the army from
annlhilation.
"At the fall of Braddock, Washington, with
Capt Stuart of the Virginia Guards, hastened
TO his relief, and bore him from the field of his
inglorious defeat, in the sash which had decora-
ted his person."
This sash, thus alluded to- has another recent
and melancholy interest. 1t passed in militia
ry sequence, into the hands of General TayI
The curious history is thus preserved by Mr..
De Haas:
"The identical sash worn by Baddock at
the time Of his defeat, and in which he wa 10
borne from the field bleeding and dying, recent
ly passed into the hands of one of Americas
greatest and nlost successful generssAs
at appears that the sash referred to, some
years since became the property Of gentleman
at New Orleans.
"Afer the brilliant achievement on the Rio
Grande in 1916, the owner of the relic forward
ed it to Gen. Gaines, with request that il
might be presented to the officer whJmost dis
tinguished himself on that occasion The old
general promptly sent it by special messenger
to the Commander
"The person who bore it thus speaks OF the
presentation and interview. 'Genenl Taylor
took the sash and examined it attenively. j
was of unusual size, being quite as large, wher
extended, as common hammock, In the
meshes of the splendid red silk that composed
it, was the date of the manufacture l7O7,
and although it was one hundred andforty years
old, save where the dark spots, that we're stain
ed with the blood of the hero who wore it, il
glistened as brightly as if it had just come from
the loom.
"' Upon the unusual size of the sash beng
, noticed, Gen. Worth who had Joined the party
in the tent, mentioned that such was the old
d fashioned style; and that the soldiers sash was
t intended to carry, if necessary, the wearer from
e off the field of battle. It was mentioned inthe
E conversation, that after Gen. Ripley was wound
e ed at Lundy's Lane, his sash, similar In form
t was used as hammock to bear hin fromth'
field, and that in it he was carried seer miles
t, his body swaying to and fro betweeuthe horses
x to which the ends of the sash were socure
|. fastened. To woundedssOldier no convey
ance could be more grateful, or more appropri
/. ate.
"'Gen. Taylor broke the silent admiration
e by saying he would not receive the sash. Upo
:. our expressing surprise, he continued, that h
n did not think he should receive presents unit
e the campaign, so far as he was concerned, wa
@ finished. He elaborated on the izfsopriety
Q naming children after living men, fearing lei
IT the thus hoRored might disgrace their namesake
d We urged his acceptance of the present; an
h he said, finally, that he would put it careful
IS away In his military chest, and if he thought
e deserved so great a compliment, atthe end
"a the campaign, he would acknowledge the n
10 ceipt.'
v The stirring events that have transpire
\ since he made that remark, have added the la
g. rels of Monterey to those he then wore ; al
q the world, as well as the donors Of that sas
" will insist upon his acceptance Of it.
/ "Since writing the above, the old chiefta
n- himself has passed from the living to the dea
" He ded-a singular coincidence--on the ann
III versary Of that terrible event, the defeat of Bra
ia dock. But few weeks previous to his deaf
the author, then on visit to Washington, free
Of conversed with the distinguished chieftain up
le the very subject about which we have been w
f. ting. He said that the sash referred to was st
m in his possession, and at any time we desired
4. would have it shown. Knowing that matte
ed of state pressed heavily upon him, we did l
ask it at that time and thus, perhaps, the {
portunity has been lost forever; certainly
,rt prved of one of lis most interesting features
ge to be seen in the hands Of General Tayl
- During the interview referred to, he spo
much and frequently of General Washingto