The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-08-03

and Sparks following two days later
with eight hundred picked men. This
decision gave great offense to Colonel
Dunbar who with Chapman and others.
was iefl behind thus we had not
only sickness In the army but, also,
IN feeling and jealousy.
On the day Braddock left the
Meadows he announced he would reach
Fort Duquesne DOT later than June
twenty-eighth. But although 1t was
only seventeen miles to the Great
crossing, this portion of the march
was not covered until June twenty.
fourth. making fye more precious
days consumed. Truth of II was the
entire army was forced to mark time
at the heels OF st. Glars tree-ch0p-
pers.
II surprised me to learn that small
bands OF Indians we're already harass-
ing the army and that only strict po-
lice methods prevented q massacre.
At that point 10 the campaign. Cap
tain Jack. and his riflemen would have
been of inesiimuble service
II was obvious that the army was
sick and disrupted; and that the pro
vincials were filed with fUrebodings
~as they daily. looked for a fight In the
woods while being tied down and ham
pered by. absurd military restrictions.
This gloomy bearing on the part OF
men. supposed to know the ways Of
the Indian discouraged the regulars.
What was another inexplicable piece
Of folly was Braddock's failure TO utii
ize Cr0ghan's forty lrOquois warriors
on tile march. It seems that Colonel
James lnnes. governor at Fort Cum.
bertrand. did not wish to have any OF
The sixty Indian women and children
left under hIs-ctre during Brgdd0ck's
absence. He assured the commander
that eight lndians would suffice as
scouts and thai the rest should ne
directed to take their families away
from the creek.
Why General Briddock should have
listened to such ruinous advice Is he
/ yOnd any f0rest-runner's cOlnprehen
sion. Up TO. the time the Onondaga
and left Wits creek. II had been
the commanders great desire TO have
as large a body of indians accompany
him as possible. lie completely re-
versed his Judgment aud agreed with
Innes tina. eight would be enough.
II was to Captain llosg's camp of
rOad.buiIders. slightly In advance OF
the body under Sir John ST Clair. that
Crnnlii had4taken Beauvais. While In
The camp. he had been impressed By
tile great fear Of the men. They con
sidered It miraculous that my com.
panion should succeed In bringing a
French prisoner through the enemys
savages and into the camp.
Although he assured them that 90
Indians were then lurking about the
camp. they were very loath to sep.
arate from one another. or to pene-.
trafe more than q short distance into
tile woods False alarms were repeat
eddy. being given. allsof which slowed
up the wark of liewins out the road
for Bradtlock
Willie In the road-cainp. Cr0mit had
met Christopher Gist. veteran Of the
Ohio country. who was now acting as
scout for Braddock. On learning
that Cromit was to report back to me.
could he find me. Gist had supplied
him with many of the facts relating
to. the departure Of the army from the
creek ond Its faring as far as the
Great crossing.
"And that just about empties my
SKULL" said Cromit 10 finishing his
tong recital. ''.'ve walked soft and
easy SOS not to jolt anything out of
my poor head. And tween you and
me and the MonOngahela that Gineral
Braddock will lick himself before the
French have d chance to have wiring
with him If he ain't mighty careful
Ii he'd send six or eight hundred rife
men ahead and turn back oil his big
guns and wagons, we'd have Du-
quesne In two shakes Of dogs TAIL"
..No matter how slow the army is
In coming. II will reach the fort" |
told him. 1.-THE French are whipped
already"
He said nothing to this, and for
once found the grin missing from his
hOmely face. explained my plan
for him to wait In Allaquippa's VII
iage and to be ready night and day
to carry TO the army any news thar
the Onondaga might bring In. The
program did not please him. but his
visit to Hogg's camp had impressed
him with a fear that all was moi go
Ing well with our cause. and he was
much more amenable to reason than
formerly.
Round Paw was waiting for US at
the southern end Of the village. To
relieve Cr0mit from possible annoy.
ance should he be seen In the COM
pany of an avowed supporter OF the
French, we agreed 1t was better for
the indian and me TO enter the village
together, while he held back for an
hour. When lie next saw us. he was
uot to recognize US.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)