Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-02-13
General Washington's Account of
Braddock's Fight.

tains a large amount of matter con-
corning Washington, included in
which is the following letter, which it
is said has never before been printed:
To tie Hon. Robert Dinwiddie, Esq,
Williamsburg
FoRT CUMBERLAND, July Is, 1855.
HONORABLE SIR As / am favored
with an opportunity, | should think
myself inexcusable was | to omit
giving you some account of our late
engagement with the French on the
Monongahela, the 9th inst.
We continued our march from
Fort Cumberland to Frazer's (which
is within seven miles of Du Quesne)
without meeting any extraordinary
event, having only a straggler or two
picked up by the French Indians
When we came to this place we were
attacked VERY unexpectedly by
about three hundred French and
Indians. Our numbers consisted of
about thirteen hundred well-armed
men, chiefly regulars, who were
Immediately struck with such an
inConceivable panic, that nothing
but confusion and disobedience of
orders prevailed among them. The
officers in general behaved with
Incompatible bravery, for which
they greatly suffered there being
nearly sixty killed and wounded, Il
large proportion out of the number
we had.
The Virginia companies behaved
like men and died like soldiers for,
believe, out of the three companies
that were on the ground that day,
scarce thirty were left alive. Capt.
Peyroune and all his officers down TO
corporal were killed. Capt. Poison
had almost as hard fate, for only
one of his escaped.
In short, the dastardly behavior of
the regular troops $50 called exposed
those who were inclined to do their
duty to almost certain death and at
length, in spite of every effort to the
contrary, (they) broke and ran as
sheep before hounds, leaving the
artillery, ammunition, provisions,
baggage, a nd in short, verything, a
prey to the enemy and when we
endeavored TO rally them in hopes of
regaining the ground aud what we
had left upon it, it was with as little
success as il we had attempted to
have stopped tho wild bears of the
mountains or rivulets with our feet !;
for they would break by in spite of
every effort that could be made to
prevent it.
The General was wounded in the
shoulder and breast, of which he
died three days after; his two aides
de-camp were both wounded, but are
in fair way of recovering Colonel
Barton and Sir John St. Clair are
also wounded, and / hope will get
over it. Sir Peter Halket, with
many other brave officers, were
killed in the field. 1t is supposed
that we had three hundred or more
killed about that number we
brought off wounded and it is con
jectured { believe with much truth)
that two-thrds Of both received
their shot from our OWN cowardly
regulars : who gathered themselves
into . body, contrary to orders, ten
or twelve deep; would then fire and
shoot down the men before them.
tremble at the consequence that
this defeat may have upon our back
settlers. who suppose will all leave
their habitations, unless there are
proper measures taken tor their
security.
Col. Dunbar, who commands at
present, intends, as soon as his men
are reunited at this place, to continue
his march to Philadelphia for winter
quarters (: consequently there will DO
no men left here, unless it is the
shattered remains of the Virginia
troops, who are totally inadequate
to the protection Of the frontiers.
As Capt Orme is Writing to you,
however, | doubt not but that he
will give you a circumstantial ac-
count Of all things which will make
it needless for me TO add more than
that | am, honorable sir, your most
obedient and most humble servant,
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
1t supposed that Gen. Brsddock Was shot by
one Of his own men.
PREVENTING THE TERMINATION OF
PoTATOEs IN CELLARs.-Much trouble
is experienced by farmers and others
who have occasion to store potatoes
for considerable length Of time, in
preventing their termination, and
consequent depreciation in value as
food and our readers may be inter-
ested to know that experiments,