The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-10-12


hold 70 that opinion today: General
nrnddock was convinced that what
erer be won must be achieved by his
personal efforts. did talk with Mr.
Shirley, the commanders secretary
who said be would make q verbal re-
port OF what ! had learned while Ia
l Duquesne. Whether he ever did sub
4 nit the information I brought, ! can
not cay, but ! believe that he did be.
cause OF bis fear that the campaign
was being mismanaged. can easily
imagine Braddock listening to my I'm
porfant information and giving It only
q passing consideration, or else ignor-
ine q entirely. That night the army
ramped at Rush creek. where Scarou-
ady once had a village.
We were now within three easy
marches of Duquesne, even though the
army moved sluggishly: and | could
not perceive any reason why we should
not attain our objective. After all,
told Gisf and Cromit. sickness and
death was ever the price paid when a
large body Of men. more or less stran-
gers 20 their environment, pass through
a virgin country. took II for granted
that on every level battlefield of Eu-
rope sickness stalked every army.
cromit had not much to say be-
cause Of the bias furnished by his
dream. Gist spoke guardedly and said
that while some phases OF the cam
paign were not 10 his liking still we
ought TO take the fort now we we're
committed to the Turtle creek course.
While we were talking Sir John ST.
Clair and several officers came along
and 81. cialr called out to us:
"You men must know this country.
you will come along with Us to re-
e0nnoiter."
We fell ln behind them and were
soon descending the steep. bank that
Is . characteristic of The country's
str~nms. Nor was the opposite bank
any more inviting.
st. Clair studied the bank thought-
fully for q minute and then said to his
officers:
This is very bad. The army has
lost heart because Of rough travel. II
the country beyond Is as bad as this It
will about finish any spirit that's left"
at will be impossible to take the
artillery and wagons any farther than
this bank, Sir John, unless we spend
much time preparing both banks" said
one Of the engineers.
"That is very plain" muttered St
Clair. 'And that's the devil of it."
eff you can get your guns and
wagons across, l can soon take you to
a ridge that leads to Duquesne," spoke
up Gist "Once you are on the ridge,
you wont have much trouble; and
youth find the country open and not
fitted for ambuscades, or surprise at
Atacks."
AS he was serving as guide to Cen
eral Eraddock and was well known In
colonial affairs, his words were lis
tened to. st. Clair suggested he try
to find more favorable crossing. He
told them there was not much choice
as the banks continued much the same,
but he did lead them to where the ap
proach to the creek was less difficult,
and pointed out thlnIy timbered ele-
walton as being the ridge.
The chief engineering problem was TO
cross the creek and ascend the op-
p0site bank. One young lieutenant
said If he could have the use of a
hundred soldiers, he could ease the
wagons and guns down one slope and
haul them up the other by means Of
the long cables carried by the army.
Another, who had charge of the ak
men, guaranteed readily to make run
ways of logs and thereby greatly ex-
pedite the passage of the guns and
wagon-train.
Gist called on me to repeat what
already had told Mr.. Shirley. stated
If the army would cross the creek and
strike straight for Duquesne II could
not be attacked with any degree of
success even If the Indians could be
induced to, attack at all. lsquoted
Captain Beaujeu to that effect. As
they did not cut me short added, for
good measure, that there would be
great danger at both crossings of the
Monongahela and that 1t would be
practically impossible to avoid an am
.buscade, that Beaujeu already had
planned to plant an ambush along the
river road.
Sir John seemed to be strongly Inn
pressed by my statements. much more
so than he would have been had
made similar talk at Alexandria. or
Wills creek. When we returned 10
the camp. we fully believed the NOR
rows march would remove us from all
fear of a masked attack. The con-
versation among the officers all pointed
to this wise maneuver. and our spirits
greatly improved.
After Sir John had talked with
Braddock. Gist was sent for. Cromit
and l left Round Paw holding a pow
WOW with the few Delawares while we
went to find the Dlnwold girl.
Wagner Morgan was one Of the
Est teamsters to arrive, despite the
condition of his horses. he In