White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-05-18
CHAPTER CONTINUED

liam johnson in compromising In
dian nature and influence over them
If any man can bring in the Della
wares, the Shawnees, Wyandots,
Twightwees, tMiami)), and the Plan
kashaws, 1t is Croghan."
"When last talked with Mr.. Wash
ington he informed me there were
three hundred Iroquois, who left the
Ohio last winter, and who are now
ready to march with u.s." said Brad
dock, his face losing some of its dour
expression.
I glanced at Governor Morris and
fancied / detected symptoms OF un
easiness. He knew what was think
ing, and, while he much disliked at
that time to dash any of Braddock's
hopes, be announced:
II regret, sir, that the IrOquois you
mention are no longer under our con-
troll. Pennsylvania fed them from the
latter part of last year until this
spring. My last advice from Phila.
delphia is that the assembly has voted
to go to no further expense in their
behalf and that the Indians have re-
turned to the French
1t was disheartening news for the
leader to hear. do not know that ]
would have impaired it had Governor
Morris kept silent. And yet it would
have been deadly wrong to have
blinded the general to the truth OF
the situation. l could have told him
late ha
lake tribes; but as that was my be-
lief and not an established fact my
conscience permitted me to keep my
mouth shut.
after all, sir" soothed Mr.. Frank
lin, "Fort Duquesne will fall to Gen.
eral Braddock's veterans and not be-
cause of the wavering allegiance of
the natives. The tribes are with US
today and accept presents from
France tomorrow. And on another
day they will come back to US. The
truth of the matter is, sir, the Indians
favor neither English nor French, and
would heartily rejoice If the two races
would cut each others Threats until
not q white man was left In North
America"
This speech made an impression,
and Braddock agreed:
AYE. There's sound sense In that
We must depend upon the army,
Thank God, the Guards have never
failed England and his majestyl"
| will say now that there were but
two men In all the colonies of whom
General Braddock unqualifiedly ap-
proved-young Mr.. Washington whom
had known in happier days. and Mr.
Franklin. Mr.. Washington, despite
his youth-twenty-th years of age
had been requested to serve or
Braddock's staff. He was very bold
in opposing the generals plans whe1
he perceived they were based or
strategy learned on the battleflelds OF
Europe, but not at all suited to oul
wild forests and mountains Mr.
Franklin was magician at eXpedi
ents, and without any show of bIus
ter could blaze trail around what
appeared to be impossible obstacles
General Braddock remembered
was still in the room and said some
thing to Governor De Lancey. His
excellency asked me:
do you believe you could visit Du
quesne again and pass yourself off a:
Canadian"
| believe that | could and said so
Then his eXcellency proceeded t
question me closely as to the physica
conditions of the fort Stepping t.
the table and using my finger and {
pool of spilled wine | indicated thu
structures and was marking out tn,
twelve foot stockade on the riversid,
when the general CURLY interrupted:
1--WE understand enough of that
We shall learn all the details afte
we have taken over the fort. 70,
will proceed to the fort and learn l
the French have received any rein
forcements. AS you will travel mucl
faster than the army. you are to sc
cure enlistments among the prOvin
Gals while travelling to and from tn
fort"
He dismissed me With q flirt of hi
thick hand.
Governor Morris mOtioned for IN
10 IOlIOW HlID UOWu lHe ldil, anu tx
planned | was to wait while he wrot
letter for me to give to George Gre
CHAN. He smiled YEARLY and mul
mered:
"None of us will rest easy until tn
army is under way. Its too ba
young Mr.. Washington isn't here t
make things clear to the general"
"But you have Evans map?"
"Aye. We have the map" grumble
his excellency.
There are men of high station wit
whom | feel free to talk, but ther
was something chilling and repelltn
about General Braddock. almos
believed he would blame the beare
of bad news. 1t was his firm cOnvit
ton that the best of our rifiemen wer
much inferior to his drill-sergeant!
He did not seem to comprehend tn
difference between fighting in GU
gloomy forests and on q level ope
field In Flanders.
His contempt for our. rit1emen wa
complete. Tell him they could viii
tire French and outwit the Indian
and he would sneer at them beeaus
they were unable to go through thei
drill Hyde Park deyferity In TN
manual of arms weighed more witt