Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-04-11

The ball passed through his right arm,
lodging deep in his lungs. The order
he was just giving was left unfinished
on his lips. Falling from his horse,
there the brave but unfortunate Cen
eral lay, with but n few friends around
him, and all his drilled veterans flying
off in headlong, disgraceiu flight.
They ran" wrote Washington in his
first letter after the battle, "as sheep
pursued by the dogs, aud it was i'm.
possible to rally them"
II is related by George Croghan, tho
famous Indian Interpreter, that Brad.
dock, unwilling to survive the Disgrace
OF his defeat disgustcd at his dcsertion
by the famous soldiers "who had served
with the Duke" and probably torment.
cd by the pains from his wound, refused
to bc carried from the field, insisting
upon being lett alone, and finally tried
TO possess himself Of Croghan's pistol,
whercwith TO make an end Of himself.
Be this as il may, Capt. Orme, wounded
as he was, offered sixty guineas to any
of the regulars who would carry him
off the field, but in vain. 1t was u
sauce qm put rout with the regulars
aud devil lake the bindmOst."
Captain Stewart, of Virginia, com.
mandcr of the body-guard Of light
horse, and Bruddock's i own aid, Captain
Orme, carried the dying General off the
field, put him in u tumbrcl, then upon
"a fresh horse, and thus the old veteran
was borne from the scenc Of his defeat.
1t was custom in those days Tor every
officer to carry sash OF scarlet, silkvn
network, with which to bear him, II
wounded, from the field. The sash IN
which Braddock was this day carried,
the date Of It's manufacture lI07) and
the initials "E. b." wrought in the
wool, and the blood.red stains upon its
netting still visible, is said to be yet
preserved in the family Of the late
President Taylor.
The fall Of the General destroyed all
semblancc Vi further opposition. Every
aid, but Washington, and every field
officer was struck down. About 900
of the 400 men, aud 63 out Of the So
officers were either killed or wounded,
and the rest scarcely waited for the
drums TO sound the retreat All, all
was abandoned Horses, cattle, way
ons, artillery, military chest, personal
baggage-evcry thing-and, what was
worse, almost every person who was
badly wounded.
This beadlong, disgraccful fight is an
unwelcomc theme, and not being di-
rcclly connected with our story, we
care not to dwell on ii, except 10 say
that abont u quarter Of mile on the
other side of the river 100 men were
prevailed upon to make u brief stand
at favorable point Braddock and
some wounded officers remained there
an hour vr 80, but soon all the soldiers
snraked off, and Washington, sick, cx'
hau-ted, aud ieverstricken us he was
and having so lately passed through q
most terrible ordeal, with two horses
shot under him, aud four bullets through
his coat, was despatched by Buddocl'
to Dunbar 10 forward wagons, provis'
ions, &C., to the wounded. lie rode,
sad aud oppressed, during the whole OF
that wet, long and dismal night
through dark, gloomy forests, frequent
" having to dismount togropc Tor th'
path, and reached Dunbar-wbos'
camp was in ali incredible state falarn
and confusion, from reports brought
by the frightened wagoners-by sun
! rise the next morning. His wretchec
} feelings during that truly doleiul rid,
can better be imagined than described
Thence, being still very feeble, he re
tired to Mount Vernon to recruit BIZ
shattered health.
, Ii is well attested fact thai in lT7(
fifteen years after this battle Wash
ington, when travelling on the Big ka
nawha, was visited by AN old lndlaI
chief, who stated that he had beei
, present at the battle Of Braddock'
. Fields, aud had not only often fired ol
Washington himself, but had instrucie'
his young warriors to fire; but finding
II In vain, had come to the conclusion
! that he was protected by the Grea
!. Spirit and was preserved for grea
} future. So, indeed, he was. We ma,
pause by tho way one moment 10 fol
J low Bradduck till death released him
lie remained under the care Of Cap
r tain Stewart was first carried on hors.
= back, and afterwards conveyed b.
soldiers, in his sash, fastened on pole
~ u "stretcher." At ~ p. NJ. on th
. 10Th, the day ahcr the battle, b
= reached Gist's plantation. Next morn
Q ing he arrived nj Dunbars camp, hig
up in the Laurel Hill, six miles from th
present city OF Uniontown, where tb
. halffamished fugitives from the battl,
. field were constantly coming in an
soldiers desertlng by the score withou
:, ceremony. Braddock's strength wa
now rapidly ebbing away. He mi
q abandoned NIL hope Of achieving any
!, thing and II is to be supposed thu
Z the sutferings Of his mind were ia
!, greater than those Of his body. ii
I still issued his commands, and cont
4 IDENTIFY expecting pursuit, and KNOWN
. that Dunbar's pnnic.strickcn force wa
y in most shameful and dangcror
o state Of decentralization, ordered th
Z destruction Of the immense stores
!, arms, wagons, powder, and provision
Il resuming his march towards cumbe
n land on the 18th. These orders wen
7 not Ill for British officer to give, NJ
n Tor ono to obey. Want Of horses AL
demonstration of his army were Du'
bars excuses.
:. On the 18th Braddock was evidcntl
II sinking fast. Ever rince the rctrci
. commenced he had preserved AN almo
unbroken silence. His dying hou
}. were very much embiticred, and
n would have been far better had he le
k his remains on the cnrnagc field. I'll
l. only illusions hc made 10 the fate
~ thc battle was TO softly repeat to hin
is self once or twice; .Who would ha'
u thoaghtit 2" Turning to 0rme I: "w
:, shall better know how 10 deal vii
d them another time !" and those. wc
, bis parting words. A few nonen