The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-08-15
.(continued from last sunday.9
BraddOcIe's Expedition.

,Gcontinued from last Sunday
BraddOcE's Expedition.
~ The British ministry had devised
70 plan of campaign for ITS against
the French IN America having for Its
objec$gto eject them from Nova SEQ
tia and to capture the military posts
at Crown Point on Lake Champlain:
4 Niagara between Lakes Ontario and
Erie and, Duquesne on the Ohio
The Virginia assembly In May IT'S
authorized the assembling OF 15V
mem,
Major General Edward Braddock
was detailed to command all the
troops IN the colonies and to direct
the prosecution of the plan Of cam
Ipaign. He was to personally com
iject the reduction of Fort Duquesne.
Braddock was a soldier of many
years experience. strict disciplin-
arian. familiar with military science.
the details of the service and the rou-
tine of camp life as then understood
in Europe. He had great confidence
In his own troops and looked with
contempt Epon the awkward levies
Of the Colonies that were to take
part In fine expedition.
He had no experience in the diff
icuLfies, and delays In campaigning
In. q, wilderness, and was impressed
with the idea that the savages could
mot with their M ode of warfare make
any impression upon his regulars.
Genera1 Braddock arrived in Ches-
apeake bay February 20. 1852. ana
tdisembarked at Hampton and pro-
,ceeded to williamsburg to consult
with Governor Dinwiddtes,
Shortly after, a fleet of transports
conveyed by two ships of war, the
Nightingale and the Seahorse. COM
manded by Commodore Keppe1 ar
frived and proceeded to Alexanorla.
where the troops disembarked and
were soon Joined by the general. on
board these transports were two reg
iments of British regulars, the For
ty-foupth and Forty eighth COM
imanded by Sir Peter Halkett and
Colonel Thomas Dunbar.
At the camp at Alexandria the
i general was Joined by the colonial
troops destined for the expedition:
land George Washington was invited
to accept position as volunteer aide
ION the commanding generals staff,
land his acceptance was announced IN
general orders.
The troubles of Braddock soon
commenced, and he fretted. fumed
and chafed the contractors at their
failure to furnish supplies and trans
portation and in this he was ably as
sisted by his quarter master, Sir
John st. Clair, who swore roundly
at the agents of the colonies. for
their. negligence and told them that
they were delaying the expedition
and that the French might soon be
upon them and lay waste the settle
ments and Initiated that they de-
served such a fate for their incom-
potency.
This energetic officer is still re-
membered in this country by trtb-
utary of the Potomac. Sir Johns
run. being named after him.
General Bradd ock set out from
-Alexandria April 20 and by May 10
the forces were assembled at Fort
Cumberland on June 10 he entered
the "Great, Woods" and commenced
the advance on Fort Duquesne, which
was so fatal to him and disastrous
to the British arms.
The march was slow as roads hac
to be cut through the forests,
streams bridged, wagons and artlll-
cry hauled up the hills by hand, that
it was not until July 9 that the gen
eral with 1900 of his men, having
left the baggage behind in command
of Colonel Dunbar. reached the FORD
of the Monongahela ten miles from
the fort and crossed over the same
the fort was situated.
The command while marching up
from the river through small val
ley was attacked, by the French and
Indians, from behind rocks. trees and
logs. and met with a crushing defeat.
Braddock displayed the greatest
bravery and after having five horses
killed under him. received mortal
wound and was taken from the field
In tumbril
Upon the tan Of Braddock the rout
became general. Baggage stores and
artillery were abandoned. The team
sters and artillerymen took horses
from their teams and guns and fed
panic stricken from the field. The
officers were swept away by the fugi-
tlves in their wild. flight to the rear.
Braddock died on the night of the
thirteenth and his body was buried
In the road SO the grave could not
be discovered blythe savages.
The remnants of the army reach
ed Fort Cumberland on the seven
teenth of July and thus the campaign
ended in the most extraordinary
victory ever obtained and the furth-
est fight ever made"