The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-01-25

to admit of a retreat upon them, and their
only chance to escape lay in cutting down
Lewis and Grants men, and pass out at the
head of the ravine. A dreadful slaughter
was the consequence. Opposed in close
| fight, and with no prospect Of security, bit
| by joining the main army at the foot OF the
ravine, the Virginia companies cut their way
through. Many OF Lewis men were killed
and wounded, and not more than half OF
Grants lived to reach the river bank. AL
| most the only loss the enemy sustained was
in this close and desperate conflict: Such
was the sad fate of The brave men from ALL
gusta, Rockbridge, Rockingham and Gull
pepper. Washington in his report said =
'sThe Virginia troops showed a good deal OF
bravery, and were nearly all killed; for be-
lieve, out Of three companies, scarcely thir-
ty men are left alive"
| Gen. BradGock fastened forward to re-
| lieve the advanced parties, but before he
could reach the spot which they occupied,
they gave way and fell back upon the artil-
lery and the main column of the army, caus-
| ing extreme confusion and striking the
whole mass with such panic that no order
could afterwards be restored. The General
and his officers behaved with the utmost
courage, and used ever effort to rally the
men and bring them to order, but in vain.
In this state they continued nearly three
hours, huddled together in confused bodies,
firing irregularly, shooting down their own
officers and men, and doing no perceptible
harm to the enemy. The general himself
received mortal wound, and many OF his
best officers fell by his side. In short, the
| dastardly behavior of the regulars exposed
| all others inclined to do their duty to almost
certain death; and, at last, in despite of all
efforts of the officers to the contrary, the re-
gulars ran as sheep pursued by dogs, and it
was impossible to rally them. sit is con-
jectured," said Washington, ''that two
thirds of our killed and wounded received
their shot from our own cowardly regulars.
who gathered themselves into body, con-
tlary to orders, ten and twelve deep
would then fire, and shoot down the men be-
| fore them" There is tradition that Brad
dock was killed by one of his own men.
During the whole of the action, Col.
Washington behaved with the greatest cour-
age and resolution. Capts. Orme and Nor
| ris, the two aids-de camp, were wounded
and disabled, and the duty of distributing
the generals orders devolved on him alone.
| He rode in every direction and was con-
| spicuous mark for the enemy's sharp-shoot-
ers. Said he, in a letter to his brother, SPY
the all-powerful dispensation of Providence
Ihave been protected beyond all human
probability or expectation, for | had four
bullets through my coat, and two horses
shot under me-" Twenty-Five years after
ward, Q770,) when Washington went to the
Ohio to explore wild lands near the mouth
of the Kanawha, he met an aged Indian
chief, who told him, through an Interpreter,
that during the battle of Braddock's field,
he singled him out as conspicuous object,
| fired his rifle at him many times, and direct
Led his young warriors to do the same; but
none Of his balls took effect. He was then
persuaded that the young hero was under
the special guardianship of the Great Spirit,
| and ceased firing at him. lie had now come
long way to pay homage to the man who
! was the particular favorite of heaven, and
who could never die in battle.
So terminated Major General Edward Brad
docks efforts to drive the French from Fort
du Quesne. So bloody a contest has rarely
been witnessed. The number of officers in
the engagement was sc, of whom 26 were
killed, and 81 wounded. The killed and
wounded of the prlvates were TIA. The
enemy's loss was small, estimated at 40.
Their force amounted to about $50, of whom
GOO were Indians.
The unfortunate Braddock, dying of his
wounds, was transported first in a trimbril,
then on a horse, and at. last carried by the
soldiers. lie expired on the fourth day, and
was buried ON the road near Fort Necessity.
ITO be continued.)