The Irish standard., 1904-11-19
GEN. BRADDocK's DEFEAT.
Description of the Battle Taken from
DR.. Mitchell's Biography of
George Washington.

l have never seen man who could
describe what took place in the midst
of battle, nor can pretend to great
er accuracy. remember that after an
hour or more l became suddenly sure
that all was lost, says S. Weir
Mitchell's The Youth of Washing
ton," in Century. The whole disor-
dered mass now broke and ran as
sheep before hounds, leaving artillery.
provisions, baggage, and the wounded
and dying-in short, everything. When
finally dozen gallant officers threw
themselves in front they were knocked
down and trampled ON. We had as
little success as if we had attempted
to stop the wild bears of the noun
tains, or torrents, with our feet 1t
was quite useless.
At this time, Gen. Braddock was
under a great oak near to where we
left the wagons. l was beside him
and heard him cry out: They have
got me-" Capt. Stewart, of the Vir-
ginia light guard, caught him as he
reeled in tle saddle, shot through the
right arm and lung. The men ran
past us, refusing to help; but another
officer aiding us, he was somehow got
on to tumbrel and was carried along
in what was now mad flight to get
to the ford. l heard him cry out:
"Let me alone! Let me die here!'
The wagoners in our rear, near the
ford, cut loose the traces and mounted
their horses and fled. In spite OF the
immense courage shown by the Off
GERS, who in camp were drunken or
seemed to be effeminate or lazy, all
who were of mind to resist were swept
away by mere mob of panic-stricken
men. Men caught on to my stirrups,
and even the horses name, but some
how l got free and out again to one
side. Instantly my second horse stag
gered and went down. saw Dr. Crail1
near by, with the utmost devotion, al
though himself wounded, helping
disabled officer to walk away. l. was
now afoot, and, as | saw how complete
was the rout began to fear that our
brave Virginians would none OF them
escape. They held the fringe of the
woods with wonderful courage, using
their rifles, and keeping back the
French and Indians. Nothing else
saved the troops of his majesty from
complete massacre.
AS l stood Still a moment l heard
Croghan call loudly to ne to take
to cover. l took his advice, and God
alone knows how 1 escaped death. I
had four balls through my clothes.
The leaders Of the rangers now saw
how great was their peril. The reg
ulars were by this time near the ford,
in the river, or across it. A few brave
men in groups were retreating slowly,
firing useless shots. The enemy, yell
ing in triumph, were crawling or leap
ing nearer from time to time. Now
and then a painted savage ran out
from cover and fled back, shaking a
bloody scalp.
The rangers had lost heavily, but
those who We're left slipped from one
shelter to another, and at last when
there was little cover left, ran down
to the river, and l with them. Few
would have got away except for the
desire of the Indians to plumber the
dead and the baggage and to collect
scalps, and that the French were too
few in number to venture on pursuit.
l got over the ford in haste, and
standing still on the rise of ground
beyond the river, looked at my watch.
I could hardly believe it to be as
saw, five o'clock. Most of those who
were unhurt were now safe, and with
Capt. Croghan I began to gather the
wreck of our poor rangers One COM
pany was almost all gone; another lost
every officer and many men. AS to the
regulars, 700, nearly half of the force
were dead or wounded. A part of
what was left of this fine army was
soon scattered beyond the two fords.
and later was starved in the woods or
got at last into the camps.
About 100 men were gathered by the
officers quarter of a mile beyond our
first ford. There Lieut.. Col. Burton
rallied some hundreds of men, and
later about 80, under Col. Gage, Joined
them. To my relief and greatly to my
surprise, there was no pursuit.
That night the parties and sentinels
thrown out deserted in an hour. AL
though very weak, sat up beside the
general all night. DR.. Craik, who had
cared for his wound i'll the lung, as
sured me that he would certainly die
before dawn; but he lived longer than.
was expected. I never remember hay
ing been more disturbed in mind than
during that night.