The Washington herald., 1913-01-13

Copyright lsb py harper brotnei'' All HshS
reseryed)
Copyright, l,i2 by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate,
NO. z.
On the Cd Of July they closed to an
encounter at Fort Necessity" Washing
toms rude intrenchments upon the Great
Meadows. There were $50 Englishmen
with him able to fight, spite Of sickness
and short rations; and as the enemy be-
gan to show themselves at the edges of
the neighboring woods through the damp
mists of that dreary morning. Washing
ton drew his little force up outside their
works upon the open meadow.
He thought the French would come
UP to him in open field" laughed willy
Indian, who gave him counsel freely,
but no aid in the fight; but Yilliers had
no mind TO meet the gallant young Nir-
ginian in that manly fashion. Once, in
deed, they rushed to his trenches, but
finding hot reception there, kept their
distance afterward. Villiers brought
them after that only "as near as
possible without uselessly exposing the
lives of the Kings subjects" and poured
his fire in from the cover Of the woods.
For nine hours the unequal fight
dragged on, the French and their In
dams hardly showing themselves outside
the shelter of the forest, the English
crouching knee-deep in water In their
rude trenches, while the rain poured in
cessantly, reducing their breastworks 10
a mass OF Shiny mud. and filling all the
air with a chill and pallid mist.
The French Ask n Farley.
Day insensibly darkened into night in
such an air, and II was o'clock when
the firing ceased and the French asked
parIey. Their men were tired of the
dreary fight. their Indian allies threaten
ed 10 leave them when morning should
come, and they were willing the English
should withdraw, il they would, without
further hurt or molestation-
The terms they offered seemed very &C
ceptable to washington's officers as the
interpreter read them out. standing there
In the drenchIng downpour and the black
night. 1t rained so hard We could hard
ly keep the candle lighted to read them
by" said an officer; but there was really
no choice what TO do. More than 30 men
lay dead or wounded in the flooded camp:
the ammunition was all but spent; the
French strength had hardly been touched
in the fight, and might at any moment
be increased. Capitulation was inevitable,
and Washington did not hesitate.
A Sorry Return Home.
The next morning saw his wretched
force making their way back again along
forests They had neither horses nor
wagons TO carry their baggage. What
they could they burned; and then set out.
sore stricken in heart and body. their
comrades and their scant store |
OF food slung upon their backs. and drag |
ged themselves very YEARLY all the fifty |
miles to the settlements at home. |
Two of the Kings independent COM |
panies from New York ought 10 have |
!,
farther than Alexandria when the fatal
day came at the Great Meadows. North |
Carolina had dispatched so of her mill |
under an experienced officer. to |
aid them. but they also came too late. |
II had been expected that Maryland |
would raise 80 men. and Pennsylvania |
had at last voted money, to be spent in |
stead of blood. for she would levy no
men: but no succor had come from any |
quarter when it should. The English were |
driven in. and all their plans were worse |
than undone.
Bitter Medicine for Washington.
It was a bitter trial for the young Viz
yianian commander 10 have his first cam |
paign end so disastrously-to be worsted |
in a petty fight. and driven back hope |
essly outdone.
No one he cared for in Virginia blamed |
aim. His ragged troops had borne them
selves like men in the fight; his own gall
sntry no man could doubt. The House |
II Burgesses thanked him and voted |
money to his men. But IL had been
-ough apprenticeship, and Washington /
'elt to the quick the lessons II had
.aught him.
The discouraging work of recruiting at |
the ragged idlers to be gov
srned there, the fruitless drilling OF list
ess and insolent men. the two months
work with ak and spade cutting a way
through the forests. the whole disheart-