The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-09-26
THE BATTLE OF "BRADDOCK'S FIELDS


desperate battle with the Freneh-Indian
army at ''Braddock's Fields" near Pitts
burgh, are very meagre and unreliable.
A very full and spirited account of this
disastrous struggle we find in the new His
torical novel, "Old Fort Duquesne," just
issued by the Peoples Monthly, of Pitts
burgh The slight embroidery of fiction
thrown over it does not detract from its
faithfulness to fact. We have only room
for the gist Of it:
AS Braddock and his aide Washington
still weak and shattered from his fever,
and unable to sit his horse without pill
low-were standing on the rivers bluff,
trying to bring order out of confusion, and
to separate the noisy mob of soldiers,
wagoners, artillery and cattle, the clear
ring of the distant axe was suddenly ex-
changed for the rapid and continuous dis
charge of firearms. The crack of rifle,
followed by the roll of musketry, appeared
to be incessant.
''My God, Majorr' cried Braddock, as
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 flankers, and urge
Burton, as you pass, to hurry forward
with the vanguard, while l get the artil-
lery in motion. Here, you internal scoun-
drels 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 on! Quick step! Don't
dallyr'
Washington delayed not an instant, but
sprlnging upon his powerful roam, spurTed
along under the trees and by the side of
the road now choked up with artillery and
soldiers, all pressing forward with utmost
speed and excitement. 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 taken to the
trees on either side. The two brass pieces
had just been unlimbered, and the can
noneers were preparing to apply the match.
/ The attack had evidently been sudden and
unexpected, and Washington now saw
/ Cages advance doubled back upon St.
! Clair's working party, and for brief
/ space all was confusion.
| Nothing could be seen in front but the
flashes of the enemy's guns and the shad-
! owy forms here and there of French and
Indians as they glded from tree to tree;
nothing heard but the crack of rifles, the
noise of muskets, the piercing yells and
| whooPs of the savages, who seemed to fill
the woods and to be working around in a
semi-circle.
E'Ho! Sir John,'' exclaimed Washing
! ton, as st. John, foaming with rage and
excitement, approached to form and urge
on the men, "What's all this? The Gen
/ eral bids you halt where you are; throw
your flankers well out, and hold your own
| if hotly pressed-until Burton 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 hearing
a rushing noise ahead and looking through
! the trees. he saw a pack of French and
/ Indians on the run, gaily-dressed officer,
I with a silver gOrget on his bosom, leading
! the way with long kangaroo leaps. Soon
as they got within musket shot the cursed
| Frencher stopped short in his tracks, and
! waving his plumed 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,
until, by heavens, they had completely
/ vanished-not painted head or hide OF
one of them to be seen--the skulking COW.
ards! The first we knew a pitiless hail oi
bullets rained upon us, amid the most hor.
! rible screeches and yells and inferna
noises sure ever mortal heard. I'm
blessed, Major, if I'm used to this kind
| of fighting-don't know what to make OF
it. Our f1ankers have all run in, and the
died down the road like so many sheer
worried by wolves, and tho troops art
fairly appalled, by these screeching demons
For Gods sake, hurry old Braddock up
tell him we've got the whole French-In
dian army in our front, and will have tC
! fight our way to the fort step by step.'
Washington, after few more brief
rapid questions, took in the whole situa
tion and turned his horses head. He haC
gone but few steps when he saw Jacl
and the Half-King few yards on one side
of the road, each peering from behind hi.
tree and trying to catch sight of some
thing to shoot at.
''Halloo! Jack and ScarooyaGdy. Yoa
there, my braves? Where are the othe1
Indians? They must scatter in the woods
and try and find out where those devil!
are hiding and what's their force. III
have Braddock here in a flash" Jus
then crack was heard and bulle
whizzed by, going through and through