CHAPTER III.

Military Preparations. Washington appointed Lieutenant-Colonel. Marches to the Allegany Mountains. Joined by Parties of Indians. Skirmish with a French Detachment under Jumonville. The Chief Command devolves on Colonel Washington. His generous Sentiments respecting the Terms of Service. - Fort Necessity. Battle of the Great Meadows. - Resigns his Commission. Engages in the Expedition under General Braddock. - Difficulties encountered by the Army in its March. - Battle of the Monongahela. - Its disastrous Results. Bravery and good Conduct of Colonel Washington in that Action. His prudent Advice to General Braddock.

WITH the means now provided by the legislature, the military establishment was increased to six companies, under the command of Colonel Joshua Fry. He was an Englishman by birth, educated at Oxford, skilled in the mathematical sciences, and much esteemed for his amiable qualities and gentlemanly character. Major Washington was made second in command, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Subordinate officers were commissioned, and, to quicken the military zeal of the people, and give alacrity to the recruiting service, Governor Dinwiddie issued a proclamation granting two hundred thousand acres of land on the Ohio River, to be divided among the troops, who should engage in the proposed expedition, and releasing the same from quitrents for fifteen years. One thousand acres were ordered to be laid off, contiguous to the fort at the Fork of the Ohio, for the use of the soldiers doing duty there, to be called the garrison lands

The reasons assigned by the governor to the ministers for making this grant were, that he hoped the soldiers would become permanent settlers, and that it was better to secure the lands by such a bounty,

than to allow the French to take quiet possession of as many millions of acres as he had granted thousands. His proclamation was sanctioned by the King, but it was not well received in another quarter. The Assembly of Pennsylvania took alarm at the freedom, with which lands, situate as they said in that province, were given away. Governor Hamilton wrote an expostulatory letter. It was a perplexing case; but Governor Dinwiddie escaped from the difficulty by replying, that the claims of Pennsylvania were at least doubtful, the boundary line not having been run, that the object in view equally concerned both provinces, that his grant did not necessarily imply future jurisdiction, and that, if the Pennsylvania claim should be established, the quitrents might eventually be paid to the proprietary instead of the crown.

Fresh encouragement was inspired by a letter from the Earl of Holdernesse, authorizing Governor Dinwiddie to call to his aid two independent companies from New York, and one from South Carolina. These were colonial troops, raised and supported at the King's charge, and commanded by officers with royal commissions. They could be marched to any part of the continent. None of these companies had ever been stationed in Virginia. Expresses were immediately despatched to the governors of the above colonies, requesting them to order forward the companies without delay.

News came from North Carolina, also, that the Assembly had voted twelve thousand pounds for defence, and that a respectable force would soon be in the field to join their neighbours in the common cause. Thus far the prospect was flattering. The sympathy of the other colonies, however, did not manifest itself in any direct efforts. The Assembly of Maryland brought in

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a money bill, which was rejected by the governor, under pretence, that the mode proposed for levying the taxes was an encroachment upon the prerogative. Indeed, the apparition of the prerogative never failed to stare the colonial governors in the face, whenever any measure salutary to the people was to be approved by them. It may be, that the bold experiments and aspiring demands of the assemblies sometimes required this cautionary check.

The spirit of liberty, even at that day, was restless under the burden of charters and usages, and was everywhere struggling to throw it off, or at least to diminish its weight. The prerogative was the potent charm, by which the governors endeavoured to allay this spirit, when they found arguments and personal influence unavailing. In Pennsylvania, more exposed to the invasion than Virginia, the legislature were so busy in carrying on the quarrel, which continued for years between themselves and the governor, that they had little leisure for other business. Here again was a prerogative, but not enforced in the name of the King, and hence perhaps the more odious to the people.

The descendants of William Penn, called the proprietaries, owned large tracts of land in the province. The Assembly insisted, and very justly, that these lands, being equally benefited, ought to bear an equal portion of the tax for defence. They reported money bills upon that principle; the governor refused his signature, maintaining the proprietary prerogative. The bills fell to the ground, and nothing was done. In his letter of explanation, Governor Hamilton regretted the failure of the bills, but laid the blame at the door of the Quakers, who, he said, had scruples about arming.

Although thus feebly sustained by their neighbours, the Virginians did not abate their exertions. The

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enlistments went on with considerable success. nel Washington continued his head-quarters at Alexandria till the beginning of April. Two companies had been collected at that place, with which he marched to Will's Creek, where he arrived on the 20th, having been joined on the way by another company under Captain Stephen. The march was slow and fatiguing, on account of the roughness of the roads, and the difficulty of procuring wagons to convey the baggage. It was necessary to put the militia law in execution, which authorized impressments; but measures of this sort are always disliked by the people, and orders are tardily obeyed or evaded. The artillery and some of the heavier articles went by water up the Potomac.

A party of Captain Trent's men had already gone to the Ohio, and begun to build a fort. Just before Colonel Washington reached Will's Creek, a rumor came from the interior, that these men were taken by the French; and two days afterwards the alarming intelligence was confirmed by the ensign of Captain Trent's company. He reported, that, while they were at work, forty-one in number, a body of French troops descended the river from Venango, consisting of one thousand men, with eighteen pieces of cannon, sixty batteaux, and three hundred canoes, under the command of Captain Contrecœur, and summoned them to surrender, threatening to take forcible possession of the fort if this summons were not immediately obeyed. No alternative remained, and, the captain and lieutenant being absent, Ensign Ward acceded to articles of capitulation, and gave up the fort, but was permitted to retire with his men. He came to Will's Creek, and brought the news of the disaster. His statement, however, as to the numbers of the French, their can

non and boats, turned out to be very much exaggerated. This was the first open act of hostility in the memorable war of seven years that followed. The French enlarged and completed the fort, which they called Fort Duquesne, in compliment to the governor of Canada.

To the little army under Colonel Washington, as yet amounting to no more than three small companies, this was a critical moment. They occupied an outpost, beyond which there was no barrier to oppose the formidable French force on the Ohio. Even a detachment, well armed and disciplined, might surround and cut them off. Colonel Fry had not joined them, and the whole responsibility rested on the Lieutenant-Colonel. He instantly sent expresses to the governors of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, setting forth his weak and exposed condition, and calling for reinforcements. He then held a council of war. Notwithstanding the dangers that threatened on every side, it was resolved to push boldly into the wilderness, to clear and prepare the road as they advanced, and, if possible, to penetrate to the Monongahela at the mouth of Red-stone Creek, and erect there a fortification. The soldiers would thus be employed, their apprehensions quieted, the bane of idleness avoided, and a way opened for the more expeditious march of the troops in the rear.

So many obstacles intervened, that the progress was slow. Trees were to be felled, bridges made, marshes filled up, and rocks removed. In the midst of these difficulties the provisions failed, the commissaries having neglected to fulfil their engagements, and there was great distress for want of bread.

At the Youghiogany, where they were detained in constructing a bridge, Colonel Washington was told by the traders and Indians, that, except at one place,