The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-03-29
Becomes Comander-In-Chlef.

Becomes Comander-In-ChIef.
It was "a charming field for an en-,
counter" the young commander
thought, but it was to be hoped the
enemy would not find their way to
1t In too great numbers. An I'm.
dependent Company" Of provincials in
the kings pay joined him out of South
Carolina, whence they had been sent
forward by express orders from Eng.
land and the rest of the Virginia vol.
unteers at last came up to join their
comrades at the Meadows-withou
good Colonel Fry, the doughty mathe-
Imatician, who had sickened and died
on the way-so that there were pres
emily more than 300 men at the camp,
and Washington was now their com.
mander
The officers of the Independent com.
pany from South Carolina, holding
their commissions from the king,
would not, indeed, take their orders
from Washington, with his colonial
commission merely; and, what was
worse, their men would not work;
but there was no doubt they would
tight with proper dignity and spirit for
his majesty, their royal master. The
drst blood had already been drawn, on
the 2Sth Of May, before reinforce.
ments had arrived, when Washington
had but just come to camp.
Washington's First Fight.
Upon the morning Of that day Wash.
langton, with 40 men, guided by friend.
1y Indians, had come upon party OF
some 30 Frenchmen where they lurk.
ed deep within the thickets Of the
dripping forest, and with thrust OF
bayonet when the wet guns failed, had
brought them to surrender within
is minutes of the first surprise.
No one in the Virginia camp doubt.
ed that there was war already, or
dreamed of awaiting the action OF
diplomats and cabinets over the sea
The French had driven an English
garrison from the forks Of the Ohio
with threats of force, which would
certainly have been executed had
there been need. These men hidden in
the th1ckets at Great Meadows would
have 1t, when the fight was over,
that they had come as messengers,
merely to bear a peaceful summons;
but did It need 30 odd armed men to
bear q message?
Why had they lurked for five days
30 stealth1ly in the forest; and why
had they sent runners back post haste
to Fort Duquesne to obtain support
for their diplomacy? Washington
might regret that young M. Jumon-
Vile, their commander, had lost his
life in the encounter, but he had
no doubt he had done right to order
his men to fire when he saw the
French spring for their arms at the
first surprise.
Now, at any rate, war was unQues-
tionably begun. That sudden volley
fred In the wet woods at the heart of
the lonely Alleghanies had set the
dnal struggle ablaze. It was now eth
or French or English in America; it
could no longer be both. Jumonville.
with his 30 Frenchmen, was followed
ere many weeks were out by Coulon
de Villiers with 700-some Of them
came all the way from Montreal at
news of what had happened to
Frances lurking ambassadors in the
&ar-away mountains Of Virginia.
On the Sd of July they closed to
an encounter at Fort Necessity"
'Washington's rude intrenchments un-
der the Great Meadows. There were
three hundred and fifty English.
men with him able to fight, spite
OF sickness and short rations; and
as the enemy began to show
themselves at the edges Of the
neighboring woods through the damp
mists Of that dreary morning, Wash
ington drew his little force up outside
their works upon the open meadow.
He thought tho French would
come up to him in open field" laugh
ed willy Indian, who gave him coun'
sci freely, but no aid In the fight; but
Villiers had no mind to meet the gal
liant young Virginian in that manly
fashion. Once, indeed, they rushed to
his trenches, but, finding hot recep
ton there, kept their distance after
wards. Villiers brought them after
that only "as near as possible without
uselessly exposing the lives Of the
kings subjects" and poured his FRI
in from the cover of the woods.
For nine hours the unequal fight
dragged on, the French and their In.
dams hardly showing themselves out
side the shelter Of the forest, thu
English crouching knee-deep in wa
ter in their rude trenches, while thu
rain poured necessarily, reducing their
breastworks to q mass of Shiny mud
and filling all the air with a chill and
pallid mist.
The French Ask a Farley.
Day insensibly darkened into nigh
in such an air, and it was eigh
o'clock when the firing ceased and tn
French asked parley. Their mel
were tired Of the dreary fight, thei
indian allies threatened to leave then
when morning should come, and the!
were willing the English should with
draw, If they would, without furthe
hurt mr. rno1oofofiop