Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-07-14
EARLY VIRGINIA HISTORY.
'IRsT DAYS OF MILITARY GLORY IN
ALEXANDRIA 1855.

ALEXANDRIA 1855.
No. 20.
On the l4th day of April, 1855, wa
held in Alexaudria the first session &
council of provincial governors to con-
slider and provide for the emergencies
of the projected military campaign.
This council is known in our national
history as the Second American Con
gress, the one at Albany during the
year preceding having beer the first
The place of meeting was the Carlyle,
now the Braddock, House. There were
present Governor Shirley, of Massachu-
5etts, now next 10 Braddock in military
rank; Governor Dolancey, Of New
YORK; Governor Sharpe, of Mary land
Governor Morris, of Pennsylvania;
Governor Dobbs, of North Carolina,
and Governor Dinwiddie, of Virginia,
aud General Braddock and Commodore
keppel, also Benjamin Franklin, Post
master General of the colonies. To this
Lol gress Braddock presented his con =
mission and the following royal instruc
tons from the home government:
"We having taken under our royal
aud serious consideration the repre3en-
tations of our subjects in North Ameri-
"a aud the present state of our colonies
N order to vlndicate our just rights and
possessions from all eucroachments,
and to secure the commerce Of our sub
cts, we have given direction that two
our regiments of foot now in Ireland
and commanded bySir Peter Halket and
Col. Dunbar, and likewise suitable
rain Of artillery, transports and store
SHIPS, together with certain number
of our ships of war to convey the same,
shall forthwith repair to America.
I'D, You shall Immediately, on re-
ceipt of these, our instructions, en-
bark on board OF one of our
ships of war, and you shall
proceed to North America where you
will take our said force under your
command. And we having appointed
Augustus Keppel, esqr., TO command
he squadron of our ships OF war on the
American station, we do hereby re-
quire and eujoin you to cultivate IA
coed understanding and correspond
euce with the said commander of our
squadron during your continuance III
tne service with which you are now in
trusted, we having given directions OF
the like nature to the said commander
with regard to his conduct and CORE
spordence to you" Breddock was
given the chief command in America
upon the recommendation of the Duke
of Cum berland, the British commander
in chief, from whom he received fur
cher instructions, erioining him among
other things to constantly maintain
strict discipline among the troops, "and
to he particularly careful that they be
not hrown into panic by the In
ans"
TIE congress adjourned after few
DAYS Of hurried deliberations, but not
unill they had emphatically signifrd
their disapproval OF measure propos-
ed by the King through the command
lus general, looking to the establish
ment of common fund by the several
colonies towards defraying the ex-
penses of the campaign, which was the
first significant foreruuner of that pa
triotlc protest of the colonies against
taxation without representation twenty
wears after, and which formed their
battle lines at Lexington and Bunker
Hill and made possible their independ-
euce as q nation and 3 republic.
On the Goth OF April Braddock bav-
ing made sure of the exit Of every
strapgler of his motley army prepared
to depart himself. He had purchased
of Governor Sharpe chariot and six.
In it he took his seat and escorted by
his company of Virginia Light Horse
and a detachment of foot he rolled out
of the town on his "triumphal march, y
The little drums ratified at his depart
ure and the townsfolk fred salvo and
wished him good speed. Doubtless the
naughty veteran was in good spirits.
He certainly had no misgiyings of the
expedition. His thoughts were only
of the chastisement OF the gay Gaul
and of the laurels he would win on the
distant Ohio. He followed in the
tracks of Halket aud his men
up the Kings highway. Little
better LDGn HdS thIS why yuan
bride path worn through the great
forests, only an old Indian trail ct
the long gone centuries widened some
what and smoothed little for the
needs of the pioneers and tobacco plant
ers. Scant room there must have been
for the coach and six and outrlders of
the elegant g~neralissimo. IL was a
wide contrast to the broad and Level
turnpikes he had wheeled over In old
Engiand. However. there was nov
city about the journey in which o 70.
mantle and poetic temperament mign'
have found compensation. Tbe pro
gress was tedious, but it afforded op-
portuuity to evolve military stTategie:
and fight imaginary battles. AND the
camp chest which accompanied had
been we'll supplied by the good friends
of Bellehaven with ample store OF eat
ables and drinks spurious. Wei foi
the general and his suite as they rode
along gaily under the overhnnelns
bougns OF the almost iniermln"h'e i"f'
es,s that h y did not forsee the dive
tn