Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-27

we were reminded of an exclamation made
at this point, long ago, by dear little girl
now at rest among the delectable mountains
of Immortality As she stood up in the
wagonette to view the glorious landscape
she said: "Oh, see the pike 1t looks like
big white cable stretched over the tops OF
the trees, with the other end pushed into the
sky" We can fnd now no more apt de-
scription of the famous road as 1t stretches
away toward Cumberland and is lost In the
blue of the horizon.
Major Washington was but % years old
when he won his first victory by the capture
of Jumonville's party, and it is rather sad
dening to follow him, flushed as he was
with his triumph. to the little stockade fort,
hastily built bv his jaded and harrassed
soldiers, and named Fort Necessity, from
the pinching hunger the men endured
while at work upon it. As we wandered
about it this beautiful October day, trying
to define the exact line of earthworks and
went stumbling through the tall swamp
grass that covers the ground, we came upon
q rod or more of the embankment, which
was all we could be certain was a part
of the original earthwork, though Mr..
Facenbaker, ON whose farm it is located,
SAYS the entire diamond-shaped inclosure,
about 100 feet long, is still plainly visible
when the grass is short, except the eastern
end, which is crossed by the lane and run.
A thorn bush, full of red berries, is growing
in the western angle, and near that the
trunk of dead tree stands white and ghost
like.
Some years ago a society of gentlemen
from Uniontown laid the foundation stone
for monument in the center of the plot
with appropriate ceremonies, but the super
structure has never been erected, and treas
ure seekers have pried the stone from its
bed. and it now lies on the surface, a melan-
choly reminder of the society's inhrmity Of
purpose.
APICTURE OF THE PAST.
With the sky so blue above us, it was
hard to picture the devoted band fighting
here all day long in the sullen rain, till
with both strength and ammunition ex.
hausted they were compelled to surrender to
a superior force. 1t was hard to picture the
unlucky Van Braun bungling the transla-
ton of the'twice modified articles OF capitu-
latiou, by the light of Pickering candle, in
the midst of a pelting storm. And hard
also, to picture the little garrison marching
out of the fort in the early morning, with
drums beating and colors flying, though
their hearts were heavy and their faces wan.
1t may be that the wave of adversity
which here passed over the youthful COM
mander, chastened bis elated spirit and
helped to prepare. him for mis- high career.
A mile and a half west of Fort Necessity,
on the National pike, is the supposed site of
Braddock's grave A neat white fence sur
rounds it and the inclosure is filled with a
clump of fine young evergreens and de-
ciduous trees. To the late Josiah King, of
Pittsburg, belongs the honor of having
beautifed and rescued it from oblivion.
General Braddock wished not to survive
his defeat. and against his will was carried
from the field. When the little cavalcade
which bore his litter reached the point at
the meadows where he is supposed to have
been buried, he became too feeble to proceed
further. Washington and the faithful
Stewart, who remained constantly at his
side, saw that the end was near, but General
Braddock seemed not vet to realize it, and
turning to them exclaimed: "Who would
have thought it I' Only few hours before
he expired he said hopefully: "We shall
better know how to deal with them another
time"
Retracing our way westward, we turn once
more into the Washington Spring road and
keep on till we reach Dunbar's Knob. Here
the incompetent and tardy Colonel Dunbar
fingered till too late to support Braddock,
and, when news of the shameful defeat
reached him, destroyed all the artillery, am
munition and valuable military stores that
had been collected at his camp with so much
difficulty, and fed toward Ft. Cumberland,
without even attempting to cover the retreat
of Braddock's shattered army.
From the knob that still bears the name
of Dunbar's Camp there is a magnificent
prospect, some so miles in exteng-a peace
ful, pastoral landscape. Turning our backs
upon the miles of plain, dotted over with
grazing meadow, stately grove and farm and
town and hamlet, the Cumberland Mount
aims rise, range beyond range, before us till
we can scarcely tell which is mountain and
which is sky.
THE SHADES OF DEATH.
While We are idling up here and filling
our lungs with the health-giving ozone, a
rumor comes from New York that Wall
street syndicate contemplate the building of