Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-10-16

That will harm your streamlet dear;
Pour out, 0 thrush, your glorious strain
love thee. and I'll come again
The spring to see-thy song to hear!
From the Aidine for October
The Battle of I" Braddock' s
Fields" t5
The historic account of Gen. Brad
docks desperate battle with the French
Indian army at "Braddock's Fields
near Pittsburgh, are very meager and
unreliable. A very full and spirited ae-
count of this disastrous struggle we
find in the new Historical novel, "Old
Fort Duquesne," just issued by the
Peoples Monthly, of Pittsburgh. The
slight embroidery of fiction thrown
over it does not detract from its truth
fulness to fact. We have only room
for the g1st of it:
As Braddock and his aide Washing
ton--still weak and shattered from his
fever and unable to sit his horse with
out pillow-were standing on the riv-
er's bluff, trying to bring order out of
confusion, and to separate the noisy
mob of soldiers, wagoners, artillery
and cattle, clear ring of the distant axe
was suddenly exchanged for the rapid
and continuous discharge OF firearms.
The crack of rifle followed the roll of
musketry, appeared to be incessant.
any God, Major!" cried Braddock, as
he leaped to his horse, whose bride
his servant Bishop was holding near
him "the advance is attacked, and
sharply too! What can it mean?
Mount ON the instant, and bring me
back report of what's going On. Tell
st. Clair and Gage to throw well out
their fiankers and urge Burton, as you
pass, to hurry forward with the van
guard, while / get the artillery in mo-
ton. Here! you internal scoundrels of
wagoners and cattle-drivers, get you
out of the road with your rubbish into
the woods ON either side, and let the
troops and guns press onl Quick step,
Don't daily
Washington delayed not an instant,
but springing upon his powerful roam,
spurred along under the trees and by
the side of the road now choked up with
artillery and soldiers, all pressing for
ward with utmost speed and excite
ment. He soon reached the first slope;
few strides and his horse was over its
brow and on the plain beyond. The
firing was now straight ahead of him.
Officers and men stood huddled in
groups in the road; some few had ta-
ken to the trees on either side. The two
brass pieces had just been unlimbered,
and the eannoneers were preparing to
apply the match. The attack had evil
IDENTIFY been sudden and unexpected,
and Washington now saw Cages adj
vance doubled back upon St. Clair's'
working party, and for brief space all
was confusion
Nothing could be seen in front bu:
the flashes Of the enemy's guns and
the shadowy forms here and there of
French and Indians as they glided from
tree to tree; nothing heard but the crack
Of r;Aa. fha po;ra Of x,,ucl-.tc tha ,x;or
cling yells and whoops of the savages,
who seemed to fill the woods and to be
working around in semicircle.
"Ho! Sir John," exclaimed Washing
ton, as st. Clair foaming with rage and
excitement approached to form and urge
OH the men. "What's all this? The
General bids you halt where you are;
throw your flankers we'll out, and hold
your own-if hotly pressed-until Bur-
ton comes up. What's the nature of
the attack?''
"Fierce as furnace fire and hot as
d." answered the fiery st. John.
"Harry Gordon was in the very front
marking out the road when upon hear
ing rustling noise ahead and looking
through the trees, he saw pack of
French and Indians on the run, gaiIy
dressed officer, with a silver gorget on
his bosom, leading the way with long
kangaroo leaps. Soon as they got with
in musket shot, the cursed Frencher
stopped short in his tracks, and waving
his plumcd hat above his head and then
stretching his arms to either side, his
pack of red devils scattered to the right
and left, crouched down and skunk away
behind trees, trunks and what not, un-
til by heavens, they had completely
vanishel-not painted head or hide of
one of them to be seen-the skulking
towards! The first we knew, pitiless
hail or bullets rained upon us, amid the
most horrible screeches and yells and in
fernal noises sure never mortal heard.
Pm blessed, Major, if Pm used to this
kind of fighting--don't know what to
make OF 1t. Our Aankers have all run
in, and the carpenters, or what's left of
them, are huddled down the road like
so many sheep worried by wolves, and
the troops are fairly appalled, by these
scrccching demons. For Gods sake,
hurry old Braddock up! tell him we've
got the whole French-Indian army in
our front, and will have to fight our
way to the fort step by STEP"
Washington, after few more brief
rapid questions, took in the whole sit
uation and turned his horses head. lie
had gone but few steps when he saw
Jack and the HalfKing few yards on
one side of the road, each peering from
behind his tree and trying to catch
sight of something to shoot ut.
"Ialloo! Jack and Scarooyadda. You