The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-04-05
~
- &i

van and rear OF the struggling line,
and It would be clumsy enemy, as
fighting went in the woods, who could
not cut such force into pieces-''like
thread" as Franklin said.
The Advance Begins.
The thing was to be attempted,
nevertheless, with stubborn British
resolution. It was the 10th of May
before all the forces intended for the
march were finally collected at Fort
Cumberland, twenty-five hundred men
In all-fourteen hundred regulars,
now the recruits were in; nearly five
hundred Virginians, horse and foot;
two Independent companies 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 thel10th.
Of June when the advance began,
straight into that "realm Of forests
ancient as the world" that lay with
out limit upon all the western ways"
eraddock Mischief Breeder
1t was q thing Of infinite difficulty
to get that numbering train through
the tangled wilderness, and it kept
the temper of the truculent Braddock
very hot to see how it played havoc
with every principle and practice of
campaigning he had ever heard of.
He charged the colonists with an ut
ter want alike Of honor and OF hon.
esty to have kept him so long await
Ing the transportation and supplies
they had promised, and to have done
30 little to end with, and SO drew
Washington into frequent disputes,
maintained 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 Vir-
gilman aide-the only man In all his
company who could speak out of
knowledge in that wild country.
On the 18th. at Washington's ad-
vice, he took twelve hundred men
and pressed forward with lightened
train to a quicker advance, leaving
Colonel 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
chafed 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 destina-
ton.
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 uni
forms, their futtering banners, and
their glittering arms, and went
straight into the rorgh and Swallowed
forest path that led to the French
post.
Upon q sudden there came a man
bounding along the path to meet them,
wearing the gorget Of French OIL
Ger, and the forest behind him
swarmed with 4 great host of but
half-discovered men. Upon signal
given, these spread themselves to the
right and left within the shelter Of
the forest, and from their covert
poured deadly fire upon Braddock's
advancing lines.
With good, British pluck the steady
regulars formed their accustomed
ranks, crying, God save the king!"
to give grace to the vol1eys 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 it could in the
fight; but where was the use?
6raddock Will Not Listen.
Washington besought General Brad.
dock 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 Virginians,
too, back from the covert If he could
when he saw them seek to close with
the attacking party in true forest fash.
ion. AS it was, they were as often
shot down by the terror-stricken reGu.
lars behind them as by their right
foes In front. They alone made any
head in the fight; but who could tell
In such 4 place how the battle Jared
Redskins In Force.
No one could count the enemy
where they sprang from covert ia
covert. They were, In fact, near q
thousand strong at the first meeting
In the way-more than six hundred
Indians, a motley host gathered from
tar 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 eayerness to have
hand In the daring game. Con,
trecoeur could not spare more French.
Nnan fysoyn h{o N%%1n ~>~~S.>-