The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-17
GEN. BRADDoCk's DEFEAT.
Description Taken from pr. Miteheir
 Biography of Wash hintSrOn.

Description Taken from Dr. Mitehe;rs Biography of Washington. | Century.
 I have never seen a man who could describe what took place in the EIds t
 of a battle, nor can preteni to great : CT accuracy. I remember that after an hour or more I became suddenly sure l that all was lost. The whole disor- dered mass now broke and ran us sheep | before hounds. leaving artillery, pro- visions, baggage and the wounded and dying--in short, everything. When finally a dozen gallant officers threw
 themselves in front they were kn"ck- ed down and trampled on. We had a little success as If we hal a.tnuiott u
 to stop the wild bears of the noun
 tains. or torrents with cur feet. It was quite useless.
 At this time G-..er4, .3faJGock Was
 under a great oak near to where we left the wagons. I was beside him heard him cry out: They have got
 me-" Captain Stewart of the Virginia light guard caught him as he reeled in
 the 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 a
 tumbrel and was carried along in what
 oc hO" o OdO bO BeI LO 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 officers 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 mane, but somehow l got free and out again to one side. Instantly my second horse staggered and went down. I saw Dr. Craig near by. with the utmost devotion. although himself wounded. helping a disabled officer to walk away. was now afoot and as l saw how complete was the rout, I began to fear that our brave Virginians would none of them escape. They held the fringe on 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 mas sacre.
 As stood still a moment heard CSoghan call loudly to me to take to cover I took his advice and God alone knows how l escaped death. had four balls through my clothes.
 The leaders of the rangers now saw how great was their peril The resu- lars were by this time near the ford in the river. or across 1t. 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 ranger had lost heavy, but those who were left slipped from one shelter to another and at last when there was little cover left, ran down to the river. and I with them. Few would have got away except for the desire of the In- dians to plunder the dead and the bag gage and to collect scalps, and that the ture on pursuit.
 I got over the ford in haste, and standing still on the rise of ground be- yond the river, looked at my watch l could hardly believe 1t to be as I saw o'clock Most of those who were un- hurt were now safe, and with Captain Croghan I began to gather the wreck of our poor rangers. One company was almost all gone; another lost every officer and many men. As to the reg ulars, 700 nearly half of the force were Ntttu UT WOunQeu. A part Ol what was left of this fine army was soon scat tered beyond the two lords and later was starved in the woods or got at last into the camps.
 About hundred men were gathered by the officers a quarter of a mile be- yond our first ford. There Lieutenant Colonel Burton rallied some hundreds of men and later about eighty. under | Colonel Gage. joined them, to my relief l and greatly to my surprise, there was no pursuit.
 That night the parties and sentinels l thrown out deserted in an hour. AL though very weak, I sat up beside the | general all night. Dr. Craik. who had l cared for his wound in the lung. as- sured me that he would certainly die | before dawn; but he lived longer than | was expected. never remember hay ing been more disturbed in mind thab ! during that night. VI