The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-11-18
Sir Peter Halket and His Sons at Brad.
docks Defeat.

The only thing for Braddock to dc
when he found himself caughtin this hor.
rid slaughter-pen was manifeStly TO retire
his forces while he had them yet under
control, throw out scouting parties to beat
up the enemy's position, bring up his ar.
tillery to the ends of the ravines and thor.
oughly rake them with grape and canister
or to rout out the securely hidden foe with
the bayonet.. Indians have never vet
been found able to withstand a bayonet
charge. The cold steel at close quarters
demoralizes. They culver, break and fly.
This was what both Halkct and Washing
ton urged him to do, but to no purpose.
He ragged along the road like fury
drove back his men by the sword and
seemed determined to overcome by mere
force of drill and obstinacy. Indeed it is
ccuted the maneuver. No soldicrs-not
even Cumberland's veterans-could long
Withstand a deadly and concentrated fire
from front and both tlanks.
The fact that the fatal flashes and puffs
of smoke and volleys seemed to come
right out Of the ground and from unseen
foes, while the whole air and woods
around rang full of savage yclls and hor-
rible screenings, completed the democrat
ization. Many aftcrward declared that
during the whole three hours contest they
had never once seen foe; while others
would not assert that they had seen over
half dozen. 1t is only wonder that SOL
oilers so wretchedly posted and so badly
commanded could stand it as long as they
did. The provincials suffered as much as
the British soldiers. Whenever and
v1y1,n a.,
trees. 1t is even asserted, and we think it
by Braddock's explicit command at
tempted to beat back into the road the
men who had thus sought shelter behind
trees were shot by their own men.
In one of the pauses OF this onc-sided
conflict Washington, who had been kept
busy carrying the Generals ordcrs-the
other aids, Ormc and Morris, having been
wounded-saw Col. Halket, grim and
weary-looking, standing dismounted I'M
der huge oak and leaning heavily
and out little from the fire he anxiously
inquired:
II trust, Sir Peter, you are not very
badly hurt:"
INA, ma, Geordie; but Use gotten
~.
Wha Guild luke to go thro' siccan an aw-
some day wi'out scaur "r scalthy I haze
fear Ise tae' n strong grippit O. death.
am salr, sair fortousHten. but never fear,
mon, but wha' the auld Sir Peter will e'er
present heckle to his foes"
"Oh! tits not so bad as that, Colonel"
Of us, have received your baptism of fire.
| 10 fn11 ~
"D'ye mind, Major, the sccon-sight' l
tauld ye of ycstreen and the vision of
bluid: Said not recht? But haze We
seen jamie, laddie?''
have, Sir Peter; there he stands, and
unhurt''
Its strange, vera strange. IT'S the
BARN Francis, and not James, that's hurt
and ta'cn to the rear, alang wi Sir John
Sinclair, Col. Burton Gladwin, and money
ithers. Oh! but this Is sorra day! Brad
docks joost lost his fourth horse. The
fule earle thinks he's fightin' on the broad
plains O. Flanders. IT'S encuch amaist to
drive one distraught to see him trying to
wheel and maneuver whail army,
shoulther to shoulther, in a twal-foot
road. l haze begsit him to let his men
tax to the woods, but the dour dell wi
not. He's clean daft, Geortlic, clean
daft
"Well, Colonel" said Washington,
"no use to discuss the General now. You
need immediate attention. I'll send some
soldiers to take you to the rear
Washington had scarce gone hundred
PAGES before bullet, sped by an Indian
rifle from the ravine, struck Halket
straight through the heart. Just as he
was falling, his son James rushed forward
and caught him in his arms. He, too,
was at the same instant MORALLY struck,
and both fell together, locked in each
others embrace, and this was the last of
the old Scotch nobleman. The two bodies
lay, just where they fell, for years, through
summers heat and winters snow" mid
all the wreck of the spiteful elements. -
On Pennsylvania History, by Charles Me-
knight.