The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-15
The French and Indian War.
From FIaynond,s History Of Harrison County.

me British loss was very heavy.
Out of eIghty-six officers, twenty-six
had been killed and thirty-stx wound
ed. and the loss of the troops IN
killed ana wounded was upward OF
seven hundred. It was'the most dis
astrous defeat ever sustained by an
army on the American frontier.
The victorious force was composed
of about 355 French and indians
sent out from the fort by De Con
trecoeur. the commander. to check
the British at the ford. They were
by Captain De Beau
ieau. who was killed early In the ac-
ton.
Braddock's army was not pursued
on account of the smalIness OF the
opposinG force and tho usual de-
sire Of the Indians to plunder and
gather the spoils of the battlefield
The site of the battle was for
more thapsa hundred years known as
Braddock' field, but now is the seat
of a Furnishing community and Is
known as Bdaddock.
Washington was actively engaged
throughout this disastrous day in
carrying the orders OF the general
and encoura ging the soldiers.
He had two horses killed under
him and bore himself through the
turmoil of battle and defeat with dis
tingulshed gallantry.
The other expeditions in this year
against the French in Canada on
the New York border failed of their
purpose and thus the closing of the
year ITS beheld the French thor
ouRhly in possession of the disputed
territory
General Forbes,s Expedition.
The disastrous defeat, and route of
Braddock's army spread terror and
CONSERVATION along the frontiers of
Pennsylvania and Virginia and left
them open to the forays of bands OF
savages who spared neither sex or
age.
Many inhabitants desefted their
homes and retired east of the Blue
RRdge. which for time, became
the line of the frontier.
The general assembly of Virginia
appropriated 10000 pounds for the
public defense and directing the re-
cruiting Of q regiment of a 1000
men.
Washington was comm issioned a
chief for all the forces raised for the
defense OF the colony.
His headquarters were established
at Fort Loudon at Winchester, and a
chain OF smaller forts were con-
structed along the Shenandoah and
upper waters OF the Potomac for the
protection of the settlements.
England had been Indifferent as to
the protection of her colonies and
her policy indicated that they should
protect themselves, consequently the
and no formal declaration of war
was proclaimed against France I'M
til 1855. But change OF the Brit
ish ministry and the assumption of
power on June 30. 1857, by William
Pitt, the great earl of Chatham as
prime minister, wrought a mighty
change In the conduct OF public aft
fairs. He was endowed with high
order OF intellect, was patriotic. a
warm friend of the colonies had the
entire confidence of his countrymen.
and his mighty hand was felt in the
remotest parts of the kingdom. and
his bold policy changed the destiny
of the North American continent. and
advanced England to the position of
the greatest nation in the world.
The military expeditions in the
North against Canada in the years
1855 and 1857 were barren of prac-I
teal results, and in 1853, an army
of nearly 5000 men. composed of
E6ku1dIS anu DIONiuGl614S hsss''']
the neighboring colonies, Virginia
furnishing quota of about 1900
men commanded by Washington, was
formed.
The army rendezvouzed at Rays
town, now Bedford. Pa. and under
Of General John Forbes in
September commenced Its slow and
toilsome march through the wilder
ness to Fort Duquesne.
Major Grant. in command of an
advance column of 500 men. when
upon a hill almost in sight of the
fort, was led into an ambuscade and
met with most disastrous defeat.
and was himself captured with a
greater part Of his command.
This hill was for many years
known as Grants hill, now included
in the limits of Pittsburg; and the
street running along it still bears
his name. e fs
AS the army approached the fort!
the French commander blew up his
magazine. set fire to the buildings
and embarked his force in boats and
retreated down the river to their
forts in the west, and up the Ale
gheny river.
On November IS, 1858. Washing
ton in command of the advance