Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-12-18

against his encr0achments upon the
territory of Virginia. This letter
of remonstrance was disregarded
by the Frenchman, and very soon
afterwards the war, commonly call
ed Braddock's war;" between the
British government and France,
commenced. In the year l75i, the
government of Virginia raised an
armed force with the intention OF
dislodging the French from their
fortified places within the limits Of
The colony. The command OF this
army was given to Col. Fry. and
George Washington was appointed
lieutenant cOlenel under him. Their
little army amounted TO three hun
dred men. "Washington advanced
at the head of two companies Of
this regiment, early in April, to the
Great Meadows, where he was in.
formed by some friendly Indians,
that the French were erecting for.
tifcatiOns in the fork between the
Allegany aud Monongahela rivers,
and also that detachment was on
its march from that place towards
the Great Meadows. War had not
been formally declared between
France and England, butas neither
we're disposed to recede from their
claim to the lands on the Ohio, 1t
was deemed inevitable, and on the
point of commencing. Several cir
cumstances we're supposed to indi-
cate hostile intention on the part
of the French detachment. Wash
ington, under the guidance of some
friendly Indians, on a dark rainy
night surprised their encampment,
and firing once, rushed in and sur
rounded them. The commander,
Dumonville, was killed, with eight
or nine others; one escaped, and
all the est Immediately surrender
ed. Soon after this affair, Col. Fry
died, and the command of the reg
iment devolved on Washington,
who speedily collected the whole at
the Great Meadows. Two indie
pendent companies of regulars, one
from South Carolina, soon after ar
rived at the same place. Col. Wash
ington was now at the head Of near
ly four hundred men. A stockade,
afterwards called Fort Necessity,
was erected at the Great Meadows,
in which small force was left, and
the main body advanced with a
view to dislodging the French from
Fort Duquesne, (a) which they had
recently erected at the confluence of
Allegany and Monongahela rivers.
They had not preceded more than
thirteen miles, when they we're in
formed by friendly Indians that the
French, as numerous as pigeons in
the woods, were advancing in an
hostile manner towards the English
settlements, and also that Fort Du-
ouesne had been strongly rein
forced. In this critical situation a
council of war unanimously recon-
mended retreat to the Great
Meadows, which was effected with.
out delay, and every eXertion made
to render Fort Necessity tenable,
before the works intended for that
purpose were completed. Mons.
de Viller, with a considerable
force, attacked the fort. The as
sallants we're covered by trees and
high grass (b). The Americans re
ceived them with great resolution,
and fought some within the stock
ade, and others in the surrounding
ditch. Washington continued the
whole day on the outside Of the
fort, and conducted the defence
with the greatest coolness and in
trepidity. The engagement lasted
from 10 o'clock in the morning till
night, when the French commander
demanded a parley, aud offered
terms of capitulatiOn. His first and
second proposals we're rejected, and
Washington would accept of none
but the following honorable ones,
which we're mutually agreed upon
in the course of the night; The
fort to be surrendered on condition
that the garrison should march out
with the honors of war, and be per
mitted to retain their arms and
baggage, and to march unmolested
into the inhabited parts of Vir-
ginia."(c)
In 1875 the British government
sent Gen. Braddock, at the head of
two regiments, to his country
Col. Washington had previously re-
signed the command Of the Vir'
ginia troops. Braddock invited
HIM to join the service as one fhis
volunteer aids, which invitation he
readily accepted, and Joined Brad
dock near Alexandria.(d) The
army moved on for the west, and IN
their march out erected Fort Cum
berland.(c) The circumstances at
tending the unfortunate defeat Of
Braddock, and the dreadful slaugh-
ter of his army near Plttsbnrg, are