The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-04-29

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North Carolina too late to be of as
sistance at the Meadows, and who hat
had the chagrfn Of seeing them tax,
themselves on home again because
there was no money forthcoming Il
pay them what had been promised
remained at Wills Creek, amidst the
back settlements. to command the
kings provincials from South Caro-
lima who had been with Washington
at the Meadows. and the two indepen
dent companies from New York, who
had fingered so long on the way; and
to build there a rough fertilization
to be named Fort Cumberland, IN
honor Of the far-away Duke who was
commanderin-chief In England.
Dinwiddie, having such hot Scots
blood in him as could brook no de
lays, and having been bred no soldier
or frontiersman, but merchant and
a man of business, would have had
Washington's recruiting despatched
at once, like a bill of goods. and a
new force sent hot-foot to the Ohio
again to catch the French while they
were at ease over their victory and
slackly upon their guard at Duquesne.
Dlnwlddie BIunders Again.
When he was fatty told 1t was i'm.
possible, he turned to other plans,
equally i'll considered, though no
/ doubt equally we'll meant BY Octo-
Der he had obtained of the assembly
twenty thousand pounds, and from
the government at home ten thousand
more in good specie, such as was
scarce in the colony-for the sharp
stir of actual fighting had had its eff
feet alike upon king and burgesses-
! and had ordered the formation and
equipment Of ten full companies for
the frontier.
But the new orders contained a sad
civilian blunder. The ten companies
should all be Independent companies:
there should be no officer higher than
captain amongst them This, the
good Scotsman thought, would accom-
modate all disputes about rank and
precedence, such as had come near
to making trouble between Washing
ton and Captain Mackay, of the indie
pendent company from South Caro-
lima, while they waited for the French
at Great Meadows.
Washington at once resigned in
dignant to be so dealt with. Not
only would he be reduced to a
captaincy under such an arrangement.
but every petty officer would outrank
him who could show the kings COM
mission.
It was no tradition of his class to
submit to degradation of rank thus
by indirection and without fault com
mitted, and his pride and sense of per-
sonal dignity, for all he was so young.
were as high-strung as any mans in
Virginia.
He had shown his quality in such
matters already, six months ago.
while he lay in camp in the wilder
ness on his way towards the Ohio.
The burgesses had appointed a COM
mittee of their own to spend the
money they had voted to put his ex.
petition afoot in the spring, lest Din.
widdie should think, were they to give
him the spending Of it, that they had
relented in the natter of the fees:
and these gentlemen, in their careful
parsimony, had cut the officers of the
already straitened little force down to
such pay and food as Washington
deemed unworthy of gentleman's &C.
cept1nce.
A Volunteer Without Pay.
He would not resign his commits
sion there at the head of his men
upon the march, but he asked to be
considered volunteer without pay,
that he might be quit OF the humilia-
ton of being stfnted like beggar.
Now that it was autumn, however,
and wars stood still, he could resign
without reproach, and he did so very
rromnflv in srite of protests and
earnest solicitations from many quar-
tiers. Il am concerned to find Colonel |
Washington's conduct so imprudent,"
wrote Thomas Penn. But the high |
spirited young officer deemed it no
to insist upon Just con-
sideration of his rank and services, |
and quietly withdrew to Mount Yer |
non, to go thence to his mother at |
the FERRY farm" upon the Rappahan- |
mock, and see again all the fields and |
friends he loved so we'll
A Brief Respite.
It was very brief respite.
He had been scarcely five months
out of harness when he found himself
again in camp, his plans and hopes
0nce more turned towards the far
where the French lay.
He had set a great war ablaze
hat day he led his forty men
INTO the thicket and babe them
ire upon M. Jumonville and his
scouts lurking there; and he
could not, loving the deep business
rs he did, keep himself aloof from it
when he saw how it was to be fin
shed.
Horace Walpole might laugh lightly
IT the affair, but French and English
statesmen alike-even Newcastle,
Gngland's prime minister, as busy
about nothing as an old woman, and
IS thoroughly ignorant of affairs as