Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-20
Miss Bellamy was one of the most gifted

| Miss Bellamy one of the most gifted
actresses in the British kingdom, a real genius
| in her way. and enjoyed the acquaintance of
the leading celebrities of her time. As the re-
puted wife of John Calcraft Up. she secured
\ FOR him the agencies or paymasterships of no
less than a dozen regimental commanders in
| the British army. among them that of Gen.
| Braddock, thus multiplying Calcraft's income
to princely figure. On page 1913 of volume two
| Miss Bellamy says:
Seen Braddock, to whom had been known
| from my infancy. and who particularly
fond of me, was about this period appointed to
go to America From our intimacy he gave me
his agency without my applying for it. While
/ he was making the necessary preparations for
hls voyage be was more frequently than usual
at our house. The evening before his departure
he suPPed with me, accompanied by his two
| aides-de-camp, Mai Burton (who had
just lost his much-loved wife and
my darling friend) and Capt. Orme.
Before parted the general told me he should
never see me more, for he was going with a
handful of men TO conquer whole nations, and
to DO this they must cut their way through
unknown woods. He produced q map of the
country, saying at the same time, We are sent
like sacrifices to the altar The events of the
expedition too fatally verified the generals ex-
pectations. On going away he put into my
hands paper, which proved to be his will"
BRADDoCK's WILL
This will was drawn up in favor Of John Cal
craft, TO whom it bequeathed property valued
at f7,OOo. One page IS of volume 8 the actress
uarrates further, after referring to the news of
Braddock's death:
"A demand was made from the treasury for
the government plate left us by the late I'M
fortunate Gen. Braddock. The demand WAS
rejected, upon which a suit was commenced.
But that failing we we're left in possession of
the royal donation, and the lions, uniforms and
hares made their appearance at our table"
Miss Bellamys evidence cannot but carry
aTarhf
statement of Braddocks conceited hopes and
extravagant expectations. as set down by Benja-
min Franklin in his autobiography, from which
the current opinion is evidently derived.
Franklin was then postmaster general of the
colonies, and CHANGED to meet and confer with
Braddock at Fredericktown, Nd, in May pre-
ceiling the battle. Commenting on what
be calls the blind confidence and
fatal prejudices by which Braddock
was deluded throughout the expedition, he
says: In conversation with him one day he
(Braddock), was giving me an account of his
intended progress After taking Fort Du-
quesne, said he, L am 10 proceed to Niagara,
and having taken that, to Frontenac, if the sea-
son Will allow time, and l suppose it will. for
Duquesne can hardly detain me above three or
four days and then can see nothing that can
obstruct my march to Niagara
WRITER'S WHO HAVE HANDLED HIM HARsHLY.
Here unquestionably is the source whence
the modern pictures of Braddock's character
were drawn by subsequent historians and
romancers, including Charles Mcknight in his
fascinating "Old Fort Duquesne' and Thack-
cray in his ''VirSinians, and including even
Washington Irving. who handles the unlucky
commander somewhat roughly in his Life of
Washington"
After all is said the truth of the matter seems
to be that Braddock. indisputably brave
soldier. was only too conscious of the difficulty
and doubtful result of his enterprise, but that
having once set out upon 1t ne determined
grimiy TO discharge his task to the end with
the most cheerful show possible. 1t is no
derogation to his generalship that he should
have been untitled by temperament and train
ing to cope with treacherous savages and
painted devils lurking in ambush. Instead of
having been boastful and vainglorious
cockney, as the schoolboy of today is taught to |
conceive him, he only appears to have been |
too proud TO show by look or sign his own con-
vietion of the hopelessness of his undertaking. |
Even irving admits that he was a stranger TO |
fear. Irving then adds beautifully:
'Reproach spared him not even in his grave |
The failure OF the expedition was attributed |
both in England and America to his obstinacy, |
his technical pedantry and his military system. |
But whatever may have been his faults and |
errors he In a manner expiated them by the
hardest lot that can befall brave soldier am
bilious of renown-an unhonored grave in a |
strange land memory clouded by misfortune
and name forever coupled with defeat"
wAsHINGToN's ENpEAvoR.
Washington himself endeavored unsuccess-
fully to disabuse the popular mind in his own
day of its prejudice against Braddock. In
Niles Register for May, 1918, we read an inter-
esting conversation held with Washington
while President by the aged William Findley of
Youngstown, in which Washington said
Braddock was unfortunate. but that his
character was very much too Sc
verely treated: that even in his
manner of fighting he was no more
to blame than others. 1t is also a
matter of record, illustrating Washing
tons regard for his old chief, that he favored
the erection OF a monument over Braddock's
grave. but had no opportunity of doing until
after the revolutionary war. and then the grave
could not be identified. When identified years
after, however, 1t was outrageously desecrated, |
AID the fallen hero's bones were ruthlessly |
scattered no one knows whittier. But perhaps
Braddock's greatest misfortune was that he was
doomed to suffer for more than a century I'M
Just misconception and Misrepresentation by
the very people for whom he labored in vain.