The Forrest City times., 1906-06-29

He TOW fell back upon Fort Neces- sity His situation was a critical one. His men had but little ammunition. and no bread of any kind. having lived for several days on fresh meat alone, and even this was not plentiful.
 Washington spent his single day of respite in strengthening his rampant with logs. On the morning of the Sd of July his scouts brought intelli- gence of the advance of the French.
 Meanwhile the French and Indians, under the command of Coulon de Vil- Hers, had been holding a grand pow wow at Fort Duquesne. The French father had supplied his children lib- erally with firearms and the where withal to eat and drink.
 The braves after consuming several oxen and drinking two barrels of wine had expressed their willingness to march against the English and drive them across the Alleghenies
 De Nilliers set out on this expedi- tion. The way through the forest was difficult one, and before they reached Fort Necessity rain began to fall heay- fly. But the French pressed on, and before noon of the Sd of July they were firing upon Washingtons de- lenses.
 Their position was such, being upon higher ground, on two slight eleva- tions, and well sheltered by trees and bushes, that they could cross their fire upon the fort and enfilade a DOT tion of it, without themselves being exposed to much injury rom the Eng fish.
 At little after nine o'clock in the evening the French commander called out for a barley. Washington's fear of treachery led him to ignore the pro- posal at first, but his position was so desperate that he compiled the second time
 Capt. Vanbraam, a Dutehman. the only person in his troop who could talk French, was sent to De Villier's camp.
 After a long preliminary talk the trenchman wrote his terms of sur- render by the fiaring light of a pine knot, the rain drops spattering upon the paper and rendering the writing almost illegible.
 The terms permitted Washington and his men to march out with the honors of war, retaining their arms stores and baggage
 
 Washington signed the paper be- tween midnight and one o'clock and the rest of the night passed quietly. though the men remained under arms
 At dawn of the Fourth of July the Nreat Meadows presented an animated scene. The morning was fair. and tbe sun shone brightly over the damn green forests and the lofty ridge of Laurel Hin
 The horses and cattle beloneinq tn the garrison had all been killed. and. burdened by the sick and wounded whom they carried on their backs. the English were obliged to leave most of their baggage and cannons behind
 Slowly they filed out of the fort ana began their slow and wearisome march Tor Wills Creek, the nearest English station, 52 miles over the Allegbeniee
 Sad must have been the heart of Washington as he surveyed the scena All his hopes of military glory seemed olshted in the bud, but Whatever p,a,, have been his feelings. no word of complaint or anger escaped his fins
 Without any doubt, however. if was the darkest and most miserable morn ing in his life. '''9'
 He could not foresee the future but on that other day, when the heil on the state house at Philadelphia waq proclaiming the Declaration of rnao- pendence far and wide, and tubIlan+ crowds Were shouting and throwing up their hats at the glad tidings there or Washington must have thought n, the time when he left the walls Inf fort Necessity, defeated man and . tlgitiye.-Golden Days.