Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-04-30
BRADDOCK'S ROUTE,

cumberland valley, the ulstance
being thirty seven miles, but on ac-
count OF the haste to get the main
| road through to Turkey Foot 1t was
abandoned for the time being. On
the fifth OF Jnly the road had reached
the Allegheny mountains, sixty-five
miles from Anthony Thompson's, or
eighty five miles from Shippens-
burg. From Raystown to the Great
Crossings the direction is due west,
and the direction would be preserved
by following the Raystown Branch
ofthe Juniata to the Somerset coun-
ty line, thence passing through the
towns of Mt. Healthy and Dividing
Ridge postoffice, and crossing the
Alleghenies short distance south
west Of that place.
The road was now much iD.crfered
with by the Indians.
John Smith, the history of whose
captivity has been several times
written, was captured that day near
Bedford and taken to Fort Duquesne,
where he was during the battle. His
account of the departure and return
of the French and Indians is quoted
by Parkman in his description OF
that event at some length. He had
been sent back by the woodcutters
to hurry up tie wagons and cattle,
only provisions for three days being
on hand. On account of this inter-
ference by the Indians Governor
Morris was obliged to send mes
senger to Braddock on the four
teenth, around by Winchester to avoid
capture. On the seventeenth Of July
James Burd writes Governor Morris
from the top Of the Alleghenies that
he had explored fifteen miles ahead
of camp and had not then heard of
the battle. On the twenty fifth,
however, he writes from Shippens-
burg that on the seventeenth (prob-
ably after his letter had been sent):
eWe received an express from Gov.
ernor James Innes, from Fort Cum
berland, giving US an account that
General Braddock had been attacked
and had met with very con-
siderable loss. And that the army
was upon a retreat and desired that
we might Immediately retreat. We
began our retreat on Wednesday,
the eighteenth, and marched that
day eighteen miles to house !
formerly mentioned to you, we had
kept our stores in for short time.
On Thursday morning | begged of
the people to assist me with their
horses to carry our provisions to
Fort Cumberland which they abso-
lutely declined, upon which en-
ployed seventeen ofour carry horses
and loaded them with flour and
marched with them and Captain
Hogg's company to Fort Cumber-
land. Sunday, the twenty second
at noon, l arrived at Fort Cumber-
land. As l had your, honor's par
'iculAr commands TO endeavor to
please and follow the instructions of
General Braddock and Sir John st.
Clair upon my arrival at the fort, I
waited on Sir John st. Clair and let
him know what I had done. He
told me l had done my duty and did
not doubt l would continue to do so,
but as the General was dead, /
must await the arrival of Colonel
Dunbar, who was the commanding
officer, which | agreed to do. And
accordingly Immediately upon the
arrival of Colonel Dunbar / was sent
for. The Colonel told me he in.
tended to march the troops immedi-
ately to Philadelphia. I told the
Colonel that if it was thought nee
essary that I could open the road
from our road at Raystown to Fort
Cumberland in fortnight or three
weeks at farthest (imagining that a
fort would be Immediately erected
at that place to shut up the other
road to save our back inhabitants).
The Colonel told me that as there
was some sort OF road from Fort
| Cumberland to the mouth of the
Conccocheague, that it would be
better to make use of that for the
march of the troops than to await
the opening of the road proposed,
and that he would send his wagons
round by Winchester and thence to
Philadelphia.
On the thirtieth of July Governor
Morris wrote General Shirley to
order that such part of tie troops
as were not wanted for the garrison
at Fort Cumberland be posted at
Shippensburg and Carlisle and at or
near place called McDowell's Mill,
where the new road to the Allegheny
mountains begins, at which place
there are numbers of houses for the
soldiers, and stating that Colonel
Dunbar proposes to be at The mouth
of the Conococheague by the seventh
of August.
The army marched from Fort
Cumberland on the second of August
and on the third the seamen left,
marching down through Virginia.
The journals here stop and make no
further mention of the route, but
the Colonial Records give letter
L.. L M N