The National tribune., 1907-11-14


You are orderedAky his Excellency, Gen
Braddock, to forward with all expedi-
Rock Greek to Mr.. cfesaps Conogogee
taking care to send the ammunition
train, stores. etc, first. then the hos
pital stores and salt fish
You are not to wait for the beeves.
but as soon as the aforementioned
things are gone up you will move with
your party and join the regiment nj
Wills Creek agreeable to the following
march route AS You will find provisions
very scarce on the road, you must take
with you as many days of salt provi-
sions as the men can, carry.
From Rock Greek to Owens ordy,
Is miles: to Dowdens, Is miles: to
Frederick, Is niles: on the road to
Conogogee, II miles; to Conogogee, is
miles: to John Evans, 16 miles; to
Widow Baringer's, Is miles; to George
Polls's, nine miles; to Henry Enock's,
Is miles; to Mr.. Cox's, IL miles; to
Col Cresap's. eight miles; to Wills
Creek, 16 miles; total, ia miles.
You must if you should find 1t nee
essary take with you guides from place
to place, and make such halts rs you
shall find absolutely necessary, being
careful not to lose any time"
The Line of March.
The line of march therefore was
from Rock Creek to Owens Ordinary. a
place elsewhere referred to as the house
of ''one Lawrence Owens, Is miles from
Rock Creek and eight miles from the
upper falls of Potomack." This Owens
house has been accepted as being at
Rockville, and the route therefore from
Rock Creek to Rockville was along the
road directly in front of our memorial
I have been somewhat particular in
vNatv> x,f0 0A1~.x Il
properly so, for the reason that no
map is known to exist giving the exact
route followed by Braddock between
Alexandria and Frederick. Elsewhere
have presented the claims of the So
called Braddock'S Rock. near the site
of the present Naval Museum of Hy-
giene and Medical School, as the land
ing place of the troops who came by
water from Alexandria, but the line of
march from Rock Creek to Frederick
could have been over no other road
than that now known as the Rockville
pike. 1t is of more than passing inter-
est to add in this connection that the
worthy historian Of our Society, Mr..
Gilbert Thompson, has had in course
of preparation for some years map
showing the line Of Braddock's march,
compiled from original data collected
by him.
1t is not pertinent to the present oc-
casion to follow these brave soldiers
further. They reached Frederick in
safety, and there Col. Washington, "the
rising hope of Virginia." who had been
invited to serve as Volunteer Aid on
Braddock's staff, Joined the command.
Permit me, however, a final word for
Braddock. The unfortunate termina-
ton of the expedition calls for our sin
cere sympathy. The bravery of it's lead
er under adverse and trying conditions
is conceded. Benjamin Franklin well
says of him that "he had too high an
idea of the validity of European troops
and too low a one of Americans and
Indians His life was the forfeit of
his rashness. o. fti
After life's fitfm fever he sleeps well.
wnshingtOn's Rising Star.
History very CLEARLY shows us that
the successful soldiers jof one campaign
became the leaders in succeeding one
And surely such was, the case in the
expedition against Fort Duquesne, for
out of rout camer order under the skill
full direction of the youthful Washing
ton. for whom It is said "Braddock had
formed a strong attachment" The
'rising hope of Virginia" became the
rising star of the Colonies
1t is far from my desire to follow
the homecoming Of Washington, but