The Shasta courier., 1863-11-28
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of General 81 addock
ment ne narrowly escapeo ~1.r. -s,e--.s
ing two horses shot under him, and three
balls passing through his coat. The New
York Illustrated Magazine gives the follow
ing account of the battle, as connected with
the fortunes Of Beaujeu:
When placed temporarily in Fort Du-
quesne he saw that it could not stand a siege.
Extravaganza and corruption, such as we
know too we'll, bad made the fort costly
affair to the French king, without rendering
it formidable work to an English force. 70
await Efa6deek' approach was therefore
Madness but Beaujeu, full of the pride Of
French officer, resolved to attack the Eng
lish general on the way, and if possible am
buscade the line of his march. From the in.
iuence which, during long service on the
frontiers, he had acquired over the Indian
tribes, he had little doubt of his ability to
gather considerable number around him for
the attempt. On the 5th of June they had
learned of Braddock' s departure from Willis
Greek, and as the month advanced small
parties brought tidings of his approach. On
the Sth of June the two brothers de Norman
vile came in with the tidings that the enemy
were only eighteen miles of.
While Rraddock thus. almost at the end of
his march, meeting no opposition, was doubt.
less congratulating himself on bloodless
victory and a successful campaign, Beaujeu
was forming his last plan for an attack on
the invader resolved to die on the field ra-
ther than surrender the fort. He called
the war chiefs to council. Despite the in
fuence which he had acquired by long years
spent in service with them, he found them
reluctant. The notes of English preparation,
the reports of scouts and runners, the expert
ence of party sent out under La Perade, all
had impressed the savage mind. "What,
Father,n they cried, would you kill and
sacrifice us? The English are over four
thousand strong, and we only eight hundred.
and you talk of attacking them. You see
we'll that you are mad. We must have till
to morrow TO decide
Thus deserted by his dusky allies, Beaujeu
doubtless passed gloomy night, prepared
to die as became Chevalier of St. Louis and
French officer commanding an advanced
post At an early hour in the morning he,
with probably all his command, assembled in
the little chapel Of the fort. where the gray
rohed friar said mass for the warriors, and
in the funeral entry of his register he noted
the fact that Beaujeu then approached the
tribunal of penance and received the Holy
Eucharist, preparing for the death which
seemed so certain to be his portion before the
close of the day. After lingering a short
time before the altar Beaujeu formed his
command, and the small squad of one hum
dred and forty-six Canadians and seventy two
regulars filed from the fort, Beaujeu at their
head, arrayed in his hunting shirt, the silver
gorget suspended from his neck alone show
ing his rank. As he passed the Indian camp
he asked the result of their council. 8. We
cannot march," was the reply. g am de
termined to NEE: the enemy. retorted Beau
jeu, g. will you let your father 60 alone ?'-
His cool. almost contemptuous manner,
seems to have decided the matter The In
dams encamped under the Bourbon lilies by
the waters of the Allegheny, were Hurons,
Iroquois. Shawnees. Pontiac, Anastase.
Cornplanter were among them; men insensi-
BILE to fear, warriors who had achieved re-
nown in many foray. To sit by and see
two hundred Frenchmen go to meet the Eng.
lish host of twice as many thousands would
be perpetual disgrace. They silently took
up their arms and followed the French line.