The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-01-15


own expedition forward at once "After
taking Fort Duquesne,'' he said to
FRANKLIN. II am to proceed to Niagara;
ana after having taken that. to Fronte-
nae II the season will allow time and
l suppose 1t will. for Duquesne can hard
~ detain me above three or four days:
ana then ! can see nothing that can
oostruct my march to Niagara"
The saEacious franklin.
To be sure. SIR quietly replied the
ssgacious Franklip. IF you arrive well
before Duquesne with these fine troops,
so Wen provided with artillery, the fort
can probably make but a short
, resistance"
But there was the trouble 'TwouId
nave been better, no doubt. had a route
through Pennsylvania been chosen.
where cultivated farms already stretched
well into the West, with their own roads
and grain and cattle and wagons to
serve an army with; but the Virginia
route had been selected Cby intrigue of
gentlemen interested in the Ohio CONF
pany, 1t was hinted. and must needs be
made the best Of
There was there, at the least the
rough track Washington's men had cut
to the Great Meadows This must be
widened and leveled for an army with
It's OF aTIlllery and Its
endless procession OF wagons laden with
baggage and provisions. To take 200
men through the dense forests. with all
the military trappIngs and supplies Of a
European army. would be to put. 1t
might be. four miles of its rough trail
between van and rear Of the struggling
line, and 1t would be a clumsy enemy.
as fighting went in the woods who could
not cut such a force into pieces-'Iike
thread as Franklin said
The Advance Begins.
The thing was to be attempted. never
theless, with stubborn British resolution.
II was the 18th of May before all the
forces intended for the march were I'm
ally collected at Fort Cumberland, 2 100
men in all-l.t00 regulars. now the re-
cruits were in: nearly 500 Virginians.
horse and foot: two independent COM
panies from New York. and a small force
OF sailors from the transports to rig
tackle for the ordnance when there was
need on the rough way. And it was the
10th Of June when the advance began.
straight into that realm of forests an
cient as the world" that lay without
limit upon all the Western ways
Braddock a Mischief Breeder.
It was thing of infinite difficulty to
get that numbering train through tha
tangled wilderness and it kept the tenn
per Of the truculent Braddock very hot
to see how IL played havoc with every
principle and practice of campaigning hs
had ever heard of. He charged the colon
lists with an utter want alike of honor
and of honesty to have kept him so long
awaiting the transportation and supplies
they had promised, and to have done SO
little to end with. and so drew wash
ington into frequent disputes. main
tanned with warmth on both Sides" but
the difficulties OF the march presently
wrought a certain forest change upon
him. and disposed him TO take counsel of
his young virginian aid-the only man
in all his company who could speak out
Of knowledge in that wild country
On the 18th, at Washington's advice he
took 20 men and pressed forward with
a Hghtened train to a quicker advance.
leaving Col. Dunbar to bring up the rest
Of the troops with the baggage. Even
this lightened force halted ito level
every mole-hill. and to erect bridges over
every brook" as Washington chafted TO
see, and were four days in getting
twelve miles, but the pace was better
than before. and brought them at last
almost to their destination.
Surprised by the Enemy.
On the 9Th of July. at midday. they
waded the shallow Monongahela. but
eight miles from DuQuesne. making a
brave show as the sun struck upon their
serried ranks, their bright uniforms, their
huttering banners, and their glitterIng
arms. and went straight into the rough
and Swallowed forest path that led to the
French post.
Upon a sudden there came a man
bounding along the path to meet them.
wearing the gorget OF French officer.
and the forest behind him swarmed with
a great host of but half-discovered men.
Upon signal given, these spread them
selves to the right and left within the
shelter of the forest. and from their
covert poured a deadly fire upon Brad
docks advancing lines.
With good British pluck the steady
regulars formed their accustomed ranks.
crying God save the King" to give
grace TO the volleys they sent back into
the forest: the ordnance was brought up
and swung to its work: all the force
pressed forward to take what place IL
could in the fight. But where was the
use?
Brnddock VIII Not Listen.
Washington besought Gen. Braddock to
scatter his men, too, and meet the enemy
under cover as they came. but he would
not listen. They must stand In ranks.
as they were hidden, and take the fire
of their hidden foes like men. without
breach Of discipline. When they would
have broken in spite of him. in their
panic at being slaughtered there In the
open glade without sight of the enemy.
Braddock beat them back with his sword
and bitterly cursed them for towards.
He would have kept the virgihians.
too. back from the covert II he could
when he saw them seek to close with
the attacking party In true forest fash
ion. As II was. they were as often shot
down by the terror-stricken regulars be-
hind them as by their right foes in front.
They alone made any Roadway in the
fight But who could tell in such a place
how the battle Jared?
Redskins In Force.
No one could count the enemy where
they sprang from covertsto covert. They
were, in fact. near 1000 strong at the
first meeting In the way-more than go
Indians, a motley host gathered from far
and near at the summons of the French.
sevenscore Canadian rangers. seventy
odd regulars from the fort. and thirty or
forty French officers. come out of sheer
eagerness to have a hand In the daring
game. Contrecoeur could not spare more
from his little garrison. his
at the lakes being threatened,
and he sorely straitened for men an
stores. He was stalking everything. a.
IL was, upon this encounter. on the way.
II the English should shake the saw
ages OF. as he deemed they would. he
must no doubt withdraw as he could ere