The Ordway new era., 1913-06-20

petty works he should have stayed to
finish were well begun.
Compelled to Surrender
When, therefore. on the 18th OF
April. the river suddenly filled with
canoes bearing an army of more than
500 Frenchmen, who put cannon
ashore. and summoned the 40 men
who held the place to surrender. or
be blown into the water. there was no
choice but to comply. The young en-.
sign who commanded the little gar
rison urged truce till he could COM
municate with his superiors. but the
French commander would brook no
delay. The boy might either take his
men of free and unhurt. or else fight
and face sheer destruction: and the
nearest succor was a little force of $50
men under Colonel Washington, who
had not yet topped the Alleghanies In
their painful work of cutting way
through the forests for their field
pieces and wagons.
Second In Command.
The governors plans had been al
tered by the assembly's vote of money
and the additional levy Of men which
1t made possible. Col. John Fry.
whom Dinwiddie deemed "a man OF
good sense, and one of our best nath-
ematicians." had been given the COM
mand in chief, and Washington had
been named his second in command.
with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Dear George" wrote Mr.. Corbin OF
the Governors council. 81 enclose you
your commission. God prosper you
with it," and the brunt Of the work
in fact fell upon the younger man.
But 800 volunteers could be got
ten together; and, all too late. half
Of the raw levy were sent forward
under Washington to find or make a
way for wagons and ordnance to the
Ohio. Tho last days of May were
almost at hand before they had cross
ed the main ridge of the Alleghenies.
SO inexperienced were they in the
rough labor Of cutting q road through
the close-set growth and over the
sharp slopes Of the mountains. and 80
Ill equipped: and by that time 1t was
already too late by full month and
more to forestall the French. who
had only to follow the open highway
Of the Allegheny to bring what force
they would to the key of the west
at the forks of the Ohio.
Build Fort puquesns.
As the spring advanced. the French
force upon the river grew from 500
to 1.40O men. and work was pushed
rapidly forward upon Notifications
such as the little band of Englishmen
they had ousted had not thought OF
attempting veritable fort. albeit OF
rude frontier pattern, which its
builders called Duquesne. in honor Of
their governor.
Washington could hit upon no wa.
ter course that would afford him
quick transport: 'twould have been
folly. besides. to take his handful OF
ragged provincials into the presence
Of an intrenched army. He was fam
to 70. into camp at Grand Meadows.
Just across the ridge Of the mountains
and there await his colonel with sup
plies and an additional handful oi
men.
Becomes cemander-In-chIef.
It was "a charming field for an en-.
counter" the young commander
thought. but 1t was to be hoped the
enemy would not lind their way tc
It in too great numbers. An In
dependent Company" of provincials in
the kings pay Joined him out of South
Carolina, whence they had been sen,
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-without
good Colonel Fly. the doughty mathe
matician, who had sickened and died
on the way-so that there were pres
entity more than 900 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 waa
worse, their men would not work;
but there was no doubt they would
fight with proper dignity and spirit fol
his majesty. their royal master. The
first blood had already been drawn. on
| the 2Sth OF May. before reinforce
ments had arrived. when Washington
had but Just come to camp.
CTo BE coNTINUED3
|
aside Pockets" for Autos.