The Washington herald., 1912-04-14

lCSn anu TOsy As neW-DOftl inlaHt.,
"'E Gadp' he uttered. What's this
| hear of things at Winchester
The man in coonskin rose to his feet,
and said, There's goin' to be fight
thar before many hours with tn Indians.
an we want every able-bodied man
whom you kin spare"
The nobleman's eyes twinkled. "a
fight, you say, my Jolly buck? Why.
there's nothing will give me greater
pleasure than to join in such venture.
Surely we will come, and that right
willingly. Quick, Adam, give me of the
coffee and the cheese, and you, Jack, get
down my rifle and powderhorn, for |
feel IN good trim this morn and all
ready for fight with fifty men, IL neces-
sary."
So saying. the rotund Engiishman be-
gan to eat Of what was on tile oaken
table, while Jack hastily oiled his gun
trigger and wiped il with bit OF rag.
And now called Fairfax, when he
had finished, there are fifteen here who
will. join you in defense of the town, in
Guiding the two boys, Jack Loughboro
and Tommy Wallace Six / leave be-
hind to keep the Court against surprise
from skulking foes, but the rest will
march Immediately. Come, Flintlock,
blow your horn to summon my plow-
men from the fields and we will be on
ward to the march"
1t took but few moments to collect
the followers and henchmen OF the
woodland estate. With short address
from Lord Fairfax, on the front por-
tico, the men were appraised OF what was
in store for them. and moment later
they were armed, prepared, and march,
ing up the rutted trail to Winchester.
pray, what is this Fort Loudoun to
which we are goingS asked Jack of
Adam Poe, as they trudged along be-
tween the high trees which over
Swallowed the narrow by-way.
Whatl Know you not2 asked
Adam; This is a fort which was built
by George Washington Immediately,
after the defeat OF Cen Braddock by
the French in I7Ss. This pig-headed
British soldier was sent by the English
government by way Of Fort Cumber-
land, to defeat the French and Indians
at Fort Duquesne, upon the Allegheny
River, where is now Fort Pitt, but he
himself was badly whipped, was killed,
and his army well-nigh annihilated.,
paddock had invited young Washing
ton, who was surveyor then for our
good Lord Fairfax, TO join the service
as one of his volunteer aids, which in
vitation was speedily accepted, and the
young Virginian joined his army near
Alexandria. After the rout and fall Of
Braddock, Col. Dunbar, the next in
command of the British army, retreated
to Philadelphia, and the defense of this
country fell upon Washington, with the
few troops which the colonies were able
to raise. The people forthwith erected
CfnrLodfa Enrtc in. - a..
ley and took shelter in them. Many
families were driven off, some east OF
the Blue Ridge and others into Mary
land and Pennsylvania. Thus Col.
Washington. as his title is at present,
erected the fort TO which we journey.
II IS a high structure in Loudoun Street
and perfectly impenetrable. IL these In
dams think for one moment that they
can there effect capture, know that
they are grievously mistaken. The great
highway from Winchester to the north
passes through the fort precisely where
Washington's quarters were erected II
covers an area of about half an acre,
within which a well 1903 feet deep, chiefly
through a solid limestone rock, is sunk
for the convenience of the garrison. II
mounts six eighteen-pounders, six
twelve-pounders, six six-pounders, four
swiyels, and two howitzers."
And how came we then TO take Fort
Duquesne!" asked Jack, as the tutor
paused for breath. Il know that Il was
stronger fort than this one 10 which
we are hurrying"
"Ahl' replied Adam, wiping his force
head with handkerchief OF red ma
terial. For three years after the de-
feat of Braddock the French. and In
dams combined. carried on a most de-
structiye and cruel warfare against the
western people The French, however,
about thf<e years after Braddock's de-
feat, abandoned Fort Duquesne, and it
was Immediately taken possession Of by
the British and colonial troops under
Gen. Forbes. Washington soon after
ward resigned his commission and COM
mand OF the Virginia forces and retired
to his home far below us here upon
the broad Potomac. And, in spite Of
the. drubbing which we gave the French
at Ticonderoga, Grown Point, and Que
bee, the Indian tribes are still hostile
and continue a warfare on our borders7