Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-01-27
} 23 ALEXANDRIA, VA. THURSDAY EVENING, JANU

Williamsburg 1t continued to New
Kent Courthouse in New Kent county.
Thence it conlinued TO Bowling Green
iu Caroline county, thence TO Fred
ericksourg in Spottsylvania county,
thence 10 Stafford Courthouse in tne
county of Ste ford, thence to Dumfries
in the county of Prince William, thence
across the Occo quan river 10 Colchester
in the county OF Fairfax, and thence on
by way OF Washington's mill of Mount
Vernon, at the fjrding of Epsewasson
creek. and by Gnm Spring at the ford
ing of Little Hunting Creek, and on
over the fordipg of Great Hunting
Creek to Alexandria.
From Alexandria there were two
separate trails, varying from l to -
miles apart in their courses to the
mountains. One of them, the most
easterly and nearest the Potomac, now
known as the Middleburg turnpike,
continuing still through Fairfax county
by Falls Church and Dranesville, and
through Loudoun county by Leesturg
and CLARK 3 Gap in the Catocton mount
aims and by Hillsboro to Keys or Yes
tabs Gap in the Blue Ridge mountains,
total Of seventy -four miles from Alex
andria. and from the waters Of Chesa-
peake Bay to the mountains, two hund
red and thirty miles.
1t was over this branch that General
Sir Peter Halket's Forty. fourth
regiment of British regulars, to-
gethtr with several companies
of provincial troops, part of Gen. Ed
ward Braddock's army, marched, in
April, 1855, on their expedition against
the French and Iadians, which ended
so disastrously TO the English troops
and so fatally to botn Braddock and
Halket himself. The diary of the
march is as follows:
ZAP. H. To ye cid court house Is
miles. To Mr.. Coeman's on Suearland
run II miles. To Mr. Miners Is miles.
To Mr.. Thon pson's (QuakeL ~ miles.
To Mr.. Keys ferry OF the Shenandoah
II miles"
The road, from the circumstance of
this march, has ever since been remem-
pered as Braddock's load.
The other hranch of the highway,
aud Of about the same extent. generally
known as the LiF;le River turnpike,
passed from Alexandra through Fail
fax county aboul two miles west of the
present court house aid on through
Louioun county. by Aldie, il. the Bull
Run hills, to Snicker's Gap, in the Blue
Ridge mountains, and there's over the
Sheraodoah aud across the valley be-
yond. This brapch, or B considerable
extent of it, is also remembered as
Braddock's road, from the circumstance
OF part OF his wagon train wi h stores
and ammunition having passed over it.
It was over this road that the young
surveyors, George Washington aud
George William Fairfax, journeyed in
the spring of 1747 on their expedition
to the Shenandoah valley to survey the
lands of Lord Thomas Fairfax. In Oc-
tober OF 1853 Washington, at the age of
81, with colonel's commission, again
traversed it as messenger dispatched
by Gov. Dinwiddie to the French CON-
maudant of fort on branch of French
creek, Is miles below Lake Erie, to re-
monstrate against the entertainments
of the French upon the Virginia frontiers
The fort was distant six hundred miles by a
way over ragged mountains and through a
bowling wilderness, with many intervening
streams and other forbidding impediments,
and for the most part OF the distance no roads
but the narrow paths Of the led men. His
companions we:e Lieutenant Jacob Van
Braun, soldier and swordsman; Christopher
tiist, noted pioneer and Indian trader, and
sever,l guiGes
Again he passed over IL in 1854 the year
previous to the memorable Braddock war, on
the expedition which resulted so unfavorably
at Fort Necessity or Great Meadows. as 81.
pears from the following extract from his
diary:
ALEX ANDRIA, April 2, 1854
Everything being ready, We began our
march according to our orders, with two con-
panies of foot, commanded by Capt. Peter Hog
and Lieut. Jacob Van Gram, five subalte1ns,
two sergeants, six corporals, one drummer,
one surgeon swedish gentleman-two
wagons guarded by one Lieutenant, Ser.
geaaf, corporal and twenty five soldiers
We left Alex,ndria Tuesday morning and
pitched our tents four miles beyond Cameron,
having marched six miles. On The twentieth
had got to Col Cressps" This was near the
junction of the north and south branches of
the Potomac rivsr. W. d. s.
Conclusion of this paper next week.
Robbed the Grave.