Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-08-03
Annals Of decentralization Series.
BY WM. +. CARRIE.
Chapter X11I.-Days of Glory.

1855 daWned, a formidable army Of British
veterans was upoo the ocean, destined to march
from the little town 90 the bill and drive the
French beyond the Ohio, Ghe Mississippi they
often called it) if not beyond the lakes. Nor
was expectation disappointed. Intelligence Of
tho arrival of General Sir Edward Braddock,
Commander in Chief Of all the military forces
in America came before the SHOWS had melted.
Ia few days it was known that be Was in Will
lismsburg 10 consultation with Governor Din
widdle, and shortly afterwards came the news,
and this delighted Alexandra, that Gen. Brad.
dock had written to Col. Washington inviting
him to place upon his staff. It was now pos.
slble Tor him to serve again with honor bis king
and country in the field. Very soon came the
news that Sir John St. Clair, who had passed
hurrldly through the town sometime before,
after consultation with some Of the citizens as
to the navigation of the river, had been at the
Great Falls With Governor Sharpe, of Mary.
land and that "he was 10 hopes of blowing
them up so as to make the river pavigable tor
fat bottomed vessels in order to afford water
transportation to the foot Of the mountains for
the troops ard supplies. 1t was said, but not
with entire correctness, that His Msjesty's
frgates Sea Horse, Centurion, Port Mahoo,
Norwich, Baltimore. jam lca ard Nightingale
We're on the way to the Potomac. March was
full OF the hustle of preparation. There We're
runors and orders, and officers and then, at
last the ships came.
On the afternoon Of April 81 the fact began
to pass the mouth of Hunting Greek, and very
soon two men of.war, the Sea HORSE and the
Nightingale, dropped anchor off the port With
toe following transports Of their convoy:
Anna, Capt. ks7in. Fame Capt. Judd.
Terrible, Capt. Wright. London. Capt. Bfo8D.
O:good, Capt. Crook Prince Frederick, Capt.
sharks Burton.
Concord, Capt. Bogn Isabel and Mary, Capt
ton. Hall.
Industry, Capt Miller Molly, Capt. Curliog.
FishburD, Capt. Tpple Severn, Captain Raw
Halifax, Capt. Terry iiuga
The orduarco store chip WhltiDg, Captain
Johnson Newatl, Captain Montgomery, and
the Nelly, we're at oGce draEa up 70 the whalt
at Point West. ~.
Soon the bill echoed the brsz:n claoeor of
the Royal drums. aud the plain highways
of the town were burnished with the pomp OF
British arms The troops which landed were
the 44th Regiment, Sir Peter ualket, seven
hundred strong, and the Ash Regiment, COL
Duobar, with az equal number. TIE 4+:h
wore Uniform, ofred faced with yellow, while
the uDitorm OF the 18th Was OF red, faced with
buff. The men were armed with muskets; the
sargean,s carried halbcrds, kind Of combined
pike AID batto axe, aud the mi1or officers
sponoors, such as were carried by the to@u
wstchmea until twenty years ago. Both regi.
mepts were Of veterans They had served uoder
the Royal Duke, aud had turned their arms
agsinsts Prince Of the blood far more kug!y
The muskets destined to drop from their baods
ia the Virginia woods bad seen service 10 the
low counties of the continent and 10 the High.
lands Of Scotland, aud bore vague associations
Of Gaeldres and Fonleuoy, of Preston Pars aud
Cuodep. Safety and power seemed 10 hover
around their standards, and the town glotied 10
them. They soon pitched :her tents on the
bill north OF the toW1.
Gen. Braddock arrived o. The 9Th Of April,
and accepting the invitation CT Maj. Carlyle,
made headquarters at lis house on Faitfaz
street, opposite the court house, lie was &C
comparied by Commodore keppel commander
have been 10 Alexandria to greet him and an.
his staff, but i'll health ADD crowd of guests at
Mount Vernon, including his mother, who
came 10 beg him to remain at home, compelled
him to ask Capt. 07me 10 make his conpIl
nen:s and excuses to the General Bfaddock
ia reply gave him liberty to join the staff when
ever his convenience permitted.
Ga the It'll of April Gen. Braddock establish
cd bis camp. appointed Provost "Mareschsi'
aud issued the general orders FIR the govern
ment Of me army during its stay 10 Alexandra.
These orders. omitticg some minor details, were
as follows
GENERAL ORDERS
Gas the two regiments now employed have
served under His Royal Highness. the Duke
they are consequently very well acquainted
with military discipline. The General therefore
expects their behavior should be so copform-
able to good order as to set the most soldier
like example to the new leVies of this country.
Each regiment is to have Divine service per.
formed at the head of their respective colors
every Sunday. All guards are to be relieved
ia the morning at eight Of the clock.
TN case of any alarum the Virginia troops
are to parade before the church.
''Sir Peter Halket is to regulate all affaifs
relative to the provisions. ....l
Each regiment is to send to the artillery
for $4,000 HlntS, out of which they are to
choose 5. 600, aud send the remainder back.
The soldiers are to leave in store their should.
or belts, waist belts and swords, the sargeants
their halberts aud these officers that can pro.
vide themselves With fusls, their espontoous. i
The work Of sembarking the ordnance
stores and provisions, Of arranging and assign
ing the Colonial troops of providing for trans
portatioD, kept the Subordinates active. The
leaders were busy in maturing plans and pre-
pariog orders likely to promote the expedition.
Then focked to Alexandria the leading men of
the colonies, soldiers and statesmen, and for a
while the half built town became the Metropo'
liz Of the British Empire in America. Expresses
came and went several times day. Ten or
twelve independent Colonial companies came iD.
Most CT the Virginia companies were com.
manded by Washington's subordnaes Of the
year previous. Capt. Perouney's company,
and Capt. Wagner's company, as we'll as Capt.
Adam Stevens company, each Virginia Rang
er5 were made up of material that had served
at Fort Necessity. Capt PouIson had gathered
a company of carpenters or Ratchet men yearly
ell of whom had seen service ln Scotland uoder
Royal Charley" against tho regiments of
Halket and Dunbar, beside which they we're
now to march. Capt Horatio Gates, who after.