The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-07-21


Brigade Major Halkett.
Washington had been singled
out for special aim, but in vain.
"Some great Manitou protects
him." said disappointed chief,
who with his warriors had re-
peatedly covered him with their
rifles.
In the companies of the Vir-
ginia Rangers were to be found
the names of many who after
wards distinguished themselves
in the Indian war and in the
Revolutionary struggle. II er e.
fought General Lewis and his
five brothers; Colonel Matthews,
afterwards distinguished at Ger
mantown, together with four of
mis- brothers; Colonel John Field,
killed at Point Pleasant; Colonel
Grant, of Kentucky; John Me
/ DOwell, well known in the his
tory of Virginia and Kentucky;
General Daniel Morgan, the hero
of Saratoga; Pickeus and Stump
ter of South Carolina; Arthur
st. Clair, who in 1901, met with
as bloodya defeat as Braddock,
and General Gage, on the British
side, who in 1915, commanded at
Boston, and made himself par
ticularly obnoxious to the people
of that city. Among the others
on the British side were Sir John
Burgoyne, who was compelled to
surrender at Saratoga in l777.
Among the private soldiers on
the British side. was William
Browning, grandfather of Mes
bach Browning, the celebrated
Maryland hunter of what is now
Gar EFT County, aud whose de.
Scendants are now living in var
ious parts of the State.
TORTURING THE PRISONERS.
Only twelve of the English
were taken prisoners by the In
dams and their melancholy fate
cannot be better described than
in a narrative of Colonel James
Smith, an American who was
attached to Braddock's expedi-
ton, aud who had been captured
a short time before, and was held
prisoner at Fort DuQuesne
at the time of the defeat.
While walking on the battle
ments on the morning of the 9th
of July, he observed the detach-
ment leave the fort in its advance
against the English, whom he
learned were now within a few
miles of the fort, and he looked
forward joyfully to the arrival of
Braddock in the evening when he
would be delivered from the
clutches of his savage captors.
In the afternoon, however, an
Indian runner arrived with far
different intelligence, who an
nounced that the English had
been surrounded and shot down
in hundreds by an invisible
enemy, and that by shutdown
there would not be one of them
left alive.
This was terrible news for
poor Smith, but he still hoped for
the best, praying that the for
tunes of the day might be re-
versed. At about an hour before
sunset, however, the FIR nch and
Indians returning to the fort
halted within a mile distant and
announced their success by a
joyful uproar, discharging their
rifles and giving the scalp halo.
Instantly the great gus of the
fort responded. aud the hills
around reechoed thei roar. Push
ing hastily on, the majority of
the savageS appeared. blood
stained and laded with scalps.
and uncouthly arrayed in the
uniforms of the soldiers.
Tall grenadier caps surmounted
their painted faces, and the reg
mental colors trailed disgrace
fully at their heels.
With less discordant haste the
French succeeded, escorting a
long train of pack horses, laden
down with plumber. Last of all
while the parting light of day
fingered on the beautiful bosom
of the Ohio, appeared a small
party who had dallied behind
to make the needful preparations
for the GROWING scence of horror.
Before them, stripped perfectly
naked, their faces blackened.
and their hands bound behind
their backs, with reluctant steps
were driven twelve British reg
ulars on whom Gods sun had
shone for the last time.
The Indians appeared frantic
with JOY, and when Smith beheld
them entering the fort, dancing,
yelling, brandishing their toma-
hawks, and waving their bloody
scalps in the air, while the great
guns of the fort replied to the
iUceSSant DISCHARGE Of rifloS