صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

CHAPTER posed by these staunch and obstinate defenders of the prerogative and of prescriptive abuses.*

[ocr errors]

1755.

goes to Williamsburg. May 30.

While these preparations were in progress, Colonel Washington Washington was sent on a mission to Williamsburg to procure money for the military chest. The trust was executed with despatch and success. On returning to camp he found that a detachment of five hundred men had marched in advance; and all the troops were immediately put in motion, except a small party left as a guard at Fort Cumberland. The scene was new to the general and his officers, and obstacles presented themselves at every step, which they had not anticipated. The roughness of the road made it impossible for the usual number of horses to drag the wagons, loaded as they were, not only with the supplies and munitions, but with superfluous baggage, and the camp equipage of the officers; and they were obliged to double the teams, thus detaining the whole train of wagons, till those in front were forced along by this tedious process.

His opinion in a council of war.

It was soon apparent, that, with these hindrances, the season might be consumed in crossing the mountains. A council of war was resorted to; but before it met, the general privately asked the opinion of Colonel Washington. "I urged him," said he, "in the warmest terms I was able, to push forward, if he even did it with a small but chosen band, with such artillery and light stores as were necessary, leaving the heavy artillery and baggage with the rear division to follow by slow and easy marches, which they might do safely while we were advancing in front." His reason for pressing this measure was, that, from the best advices, an accession of force was shortly expected at Fort Duquesne, and that it was of the utmost moment to make the attack before such an event should

The merit of procuring the wagons and horses, here mentioned, was wholly due to the personal exertions of Franklin, and not to any agency or previous intention of the Pennsylvania Assembly. When he returned to Philadelphia, however, the Assembly being in session, they passed a vote of thanks for his services.

III.

1755.

occur. It was moreover important to divide the army, CHAPTER because the narrowness of the road, and the difficulty of getting the wagons along, caused it to be stretched into a line four miles in length, by which the soldiers were so much scattered, that they might be attacked and routed at any point, even by small parties, before a proper force could be brought to their support.

prevails.

These suggestions prevailed in the council, and were His advice approved by the general. The army was separated into two divisions. Braddock led the advanced division of twelve hundred men lightly equipped, taking only such carriages and articles as were absolutely essential. Colonel Dunbar, with the residue of the army, about six hundred, remained in the rear.

Con

a violent

detains him

June 14.

At this time Colonel Washington was seized with a Seized with raging fever, which was so violent as to alarm the physi- fever which cian; and, as an act of humanity, the general ordered him several days. with a to proceed no further, till the danger was over; solemn pledge, that he should be brought up to the front of the army before it should reach the French fort. signed to a wagon, and to the physician's care, he continued with the rear division nearly two weeks, when he was enabled to be moved forward by slow stages, but not without much pain from weakness and the jolting of the vehicle. He overtook the general at the mouth of the Youghiogany River, fifteen miles from Fort Duquesne, the evening before the battle of the Monongahela.

July 8.

troops.

The officers and soldiers were now in the highest spir- March of the its, and firm in the conviction, that they should within a few hours victoriously enter the walls of Fort Duquesne. The steep and rugged grounds, on the north side of the Monongahela, prevented the army from marching in that direction, and it was necessary in approaching the fort, now about fifteen miles distant, to ford the river twice, and march a part of the way on the south side. Early on the morning of the 9th, all things were in readiness, and the whole train passed through the river a little below the mouth of the Youghiogany, and proceeded in perfect

G

III.

1755.

CHAPTER order along the southern margin of the Monongahela. Washington was often heard to say during his lifetime, that the most beautiful spectacle he had ever beheld was the display of the British troops on this eventful morning. Every man was neatly dressed in full uniform, the soldiers were arranged in columns and marched in exact order, the sun gleamed from their burnished arms, the river flowed tranquilly on their right, and the deep forest overshadowed them with solemn grandeur on their left. Officers and men were equally inspirited with cheering hopes and confident anticipations.

Battle of the Monongahela

July 9.

In this manner they marched forward till about noon, when they arrived at the second crossing-place, ten miles from Fort Duquesne. They halted but a little time, and then began to ford the river and regain its northern bank. As soon as they had crossed, they came upon a level plain, elevated only a few feet above the surface of the river, and extending northward nearly half a mile from its margin. Then commenced a gradual ascent at an angle of about three degrees, which terminated in hills of a considerable height at no great distance beyond. The road from the fording-place to Fort Duquesne led across the plain and up this ascent, and thence proceeded through an uneven country, at that time covered with wood.

By the order of march, a body of three hundred men, under Colonel Gage, made the advanced party, which was immediately followed by another of two hundred. Next came the general with the columns of artillery, the main body of the army, and the baggage. At one o'clock, the whole had crossed the river, and almost at this moment a sharp firing was heard upon the advanced parties, who were now ascending the hill, and had proceeded about a hundred yards from the termination of the plain. A heavy discharge of musketry was poured in upon their front, which was the first intelligence they had of the proximity of an enemy, and this was suddenly followed by another on the right flank. They were filled with the greater consternation, as no enemy was in sight,

III.

and the firing seemed to proceed from an invisible foe. CHAPTER They fired in their turn, however, but quite at random and obviously without effect.

The general hastened forward to the relief of the advanced parties; but, before he could reach the spot which they occupied, they gave way and fell back upon the artillery and the other columns of the army, causing extreme confusion, and striking the whole mass with such a panic, that no order could afterwards be restored. The general and the officers behaved with the utmost courage, and used every effort to rally the men, and bring them to order, but all in vain. In this state they continued nearly three hours, huddling together in confused bodies, firing irregularly, shooting down their own officers and men, and doing no perceptible harm to the enemy. The Virginia provincials were the only troops, who seemed to retain their senses, and they behaved with a bravery and resolution worthy of a better fate. They adopted the Indian mode, and fought each man for himself behind a tree. This was prohibited by the general, who endeavored to form his men into platoons and columns, as if they had been manœuvring on the plains of Flanders. Meantime the French and Indians, concealed in the ravines and behind trees, kept up a deadly and unceasing discharge of musketry, singling out their objects, taking deliberate aim, and producing a carnage almost unparalleled in the annals of modern warfare. More than half of the whole army, which had crossed the river in so proud an array only three hours before, were killed or wounded. The general himself received a mortal wound, and many of his best officers fell by his side.

1755.

Washington

During the whole of the action, as reported by an offi- Conduct of cer who witnessed his conduct, Colonel Washington be- in the battle. haved with "the greatest courage and resolution." Captains Orme and Morris, the two other aids-de-camp, were wounded and disabled, and the duty of distributing the general's orders devolved on him alone. He rode in every direction, and was a conspicuous mark for the enemy's

CHAPTER sharp-shooters.

III.

1755.

Numbers killed and wounded.

The remrant of the

army retreats.

Death of
General
Braddock.

July 13.

"By the all powerful dispensations of Providence," said he, in a letter to his brother, “I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet I escaped unhurt, although death was levelling my companions on every side of me." So bloody a The contest has rarely been witnessed. number of officers in the engagement was eighty-six, of whom twenty-six were killed, and thirty-seven wounded. The killed and wounded of the privates amounted to seven hundred and fourteen. On the other hand, the enemy's loss was small. Their force amounted at least to eight hundred and fifty men, of whom six hundred were Indians. According to the returns, not more than forty were killed. They fought in deep ravines, concealed by the bushes, and the balls of the English passed over their heads.

The remnant of Braddock's army being put to flight, and having recrossed the river, Colonel Washington hastened to meet Colonel Dunbar, and order up horses and wagons for the wounded. Three days were occupied in retreating to Gist's plantation. The enemy did not pursue them. Satiated with carnage and plunder, the Indians could not be tempted from the battle-field, and the French were too few to act without their aid. The unfortunate general, dying of his wounds, was transported first in a tumbril, then on a horse, and at last was carried by the soldiers. He expired the fourth day after the battle, and was buried in the road near Fort Necessity. A new panic seized the troops; disorder and confusion reigned; the artillery was destroyed; the public stores and heavy baggage were burnt, no one could tell by whose orders; nor were discipline and tranquillity restored, till the straggling and bewildered companies arrived at Fort Cumberland. Colonel Washington, no longer connected with the service, and debilitated by his late illness, stayed there a few days to regain strength, and then returned to Mount Vernon.

« السابقةمتابعة »