The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-08-11
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY
YEARS AGO-.THE TRAGIC
EXPEDITION OF 1855.
Alarm in st. Thomas Par
ish-The Last Scene in the
Tragedy = Burial Of Brad
docks Men.
Written for the CITIZEN by CHAS. L..
SHIPLEY, Pikesville Md
ARTICLE FIFTH.

Inc terror was so great ana
widespread that even the settlers
OF St. Thomas Parish, Baltimore
County, about four miles north
of Pikesville, caught the infec
tion and a reign of terror pre-
vailed.
The women and children of the
plantations north and northwest
of the old Garrison Forest
Church, were afraid to venture
from their doors, and the male
members Of the families went
heavily aimed while following
their daily pursuits.
\ report having spread that
body OF French and Indians were
within a thirty mile march Of
Baltimore Town, the settlers of
Garrison Forest and Soldiers De
light quickly got under arms,
and a body OF country militia
was quickly Assem- bled n d
thrown into the old Garrison
Fort, under the command of
Sheriff John Risteau.
The parishionerS of st. Thomas
FURNISHED up their arms and pre-
pared their ammunition, carrying
their guns with them on Sunday,
and placing them in the corners
of the pews, not knowing at what
moment their devOtions would be
interrupted by the warwhoop OF
the red skinned foe. The entire
summer and autumn of the years
400 %, were a season of gloom
and uneaslnesS for the frontier
settlers of Baltimore County.
THE LAST SCENE IN THE TRAG.
EDY-THE BURIAL OF BRAD
DOCK 5 MEN.
History records the subsequent
fate of Fort DuQuesne, where in
November, 1853, it was aban-
doned and set on fire by the
French, upon the approach of a
strong English force under Gen.
eral Forbes. Col. Washington
was the frs to enter it with a
company of Virginia Rangers,
and raised the English flag over
its smoking ruins, and changed
its name to Fort Pitt, in honor of
the great Lord Pitt.
Before leaving the dismantled
fort for duty elsewhere, Gen.
Forbes took care to perform
melancholy, Yet sacred duty
that of burying the bleaching
bones of Braddock's men and
pay this last tribute to their mem
DRY. Himself a Scot, and Ma
tive of Sir Peter Halkett's own
shire. his affectionate zeal was
prompted by the presence of a
son and brother. The then Sir
Peter Halkett, a Major of the
Forty Second, had come to Amer
lea and accompanied Forbes for
no other eud than TO ascertain
what was the te of his father,
whether dead or a captive among
the savage foe. Accordingly
with other officers of the High
land Regiment Sir Peter set out
with company of the Penusyl
vania Rifles, under the command
of Captain West, an elderly
brother OF Benjamin West, the
famous painter. With them az
guides went a number of Indians
from the nelghborhood who had
fought with the French on that
bloody day.
Captain West with his com
pany proceeded through the
woods aud along the banks of
the river towards the scene of
battle. The Indians regarded
the expedition as a religious rite,
and guided the troops with awe
and in perfect silence. The sol
dierS were affected with senti-
ment not less serious. aud as they
explored the bewildering LADY
rinths of those vast forests, their
hearts often throbbed with sor-
row, for they frequently found
skeletons lying across the trunks
of fallen trees-a mOurntul proof
that the poor fellow who sat there
had persisted of hunger, in vainly
attempting to find his way to the
ntations. Some times their
IS were raised to the utmost
horror by the sight of
Fulls scattered on the
lin indication that
n devOured by
other places
d of ashes
II