White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-10-19
CHAPTER IX-Continued

"SS
hold to that opinion today: General
Braddock was convinced that what
ever he won must be achieved by his
personal efforts. did talk with Mr..
Shirley, the, commanders secretary,
who said he would make a verbal re.
port of what | had learned while 10
Duquesne. Whether he ever did sub
NIT the information l brought, | can.
not say, but ! believe that he did be-
cause of his fear that the campaign
was being mismanaged. | can easily
imagine Braddock listening to my i'm
portant information and giving 1t only
a passing consideration, or else fgnor-
ing it entirely. That night the army
camped 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 l could
not perceive any reason why we should
not attain our objective. After all, |
told Gist and Cromit, sickness and
death was ever the price paid when a
large body of men, more or less stran.
gers to their environment, pass through
a virgin country. l took 1t 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 to his liking still we
ought to take the fort now we were
committed to the Turtle creek course.
While we were talking Sir John st.
Clair and several officers came along
and st. Clair called out to us:
"You men must know this country.
You will come along with US to re-
connoiter."
We fell in behind them and we're
soon descending the steep bank that
is q characteristic of the country's
streams. Nor was the opposite bank
sly 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 II
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"
"If you can get your guns and
wagons across, | can soon take you to
a ridge that leads to Duquesne," spoke
up Gist. "Once you are on the ridge,
you won't have much trouble; and
you'll find the country open and not
fitted for ambuscades. or surprise at
tacks."
Asshe was serving as guide to Gen.
eral Braddock and was we'll known in
colonial affairs, his words were lis
tened to. St. Clair suggested he try
to find a 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 a thinly timbered ele-
walton as being the ridge.
The chief engineering problem was 10
cross the creek and ascend the op.
p0site bank. One young lieutenant
said If be 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 mad charge of the ak.
men, guaranteed readily to make III
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. stuffed
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 quoted
Captain Beaujeu to thai 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 It would be
practically impossible TO avoid an am.
buscade, that Beauieu already had
planned to plant an ambush along the
river road.
Sir John seemed to be strongly i'm
pressed by my statements. much more
so than he would have been had |
made a similar talk at Alexandria, or
yVi11sc nroOE SNhnn er,o rnf,,.nn1 -
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 | left Round Paw holding a pow
WOW with the few Delawares while we
went to find the Dinwold girl.
Wagner Morgan was one OF the
first teamsters to arrive. despite the
sad condition of his horses. He in
formed us that our little friend was
sharing a kettle with two soldiers
wives. We soon located her. She had
made her sex known to the women hut
still wore her masculine garb. which
was very sensible of her. . her
aside for a little talk and at once oh
served she was In a sober mood. In
fact. she seemed to be more downcast
than when we were fighting for our
lives In the Frazier cabin. | endeav.
ored to cheer her up. and pointed out
now thankful we should he for our
deliverance from POntinc's savages.
"That was the frying-pnn." she