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diff --git a/old/65513-0.txt b/old/65513-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 10e88cf..0000000 --- a/old/65513-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5968 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Youth of Washington, by S. Weir -Mitchell - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Youth of Washington - Told in the Form of an Autobiography - -Author: S. Weir Mitchell - -Release Date: [eBook #65513] -Last Updated: June 5, 2021 - -Language: English - -Produced by: Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from - images generously made available by The Internet - Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUTH OF WASHINGTON *** - - - - - - THE - YOUTH OF WASHINGTON - - - - -[Illustration: “MY BROTHER COMFORTED ME IN MY DISAPPOINTMENT.”] - - - - - Author’s Definitive Edition - - - THE - YOUTH OF WASHINGTON - - TOLD IN THE FORM OF - AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY - - - BY - S. WEIR MITCHELL, M.D. - - - [Illustration] - - - NEW YORK - THE CENTURY CO. - 1910 - - - - - Copyright, 1904, by - THE CENTURY CO. - - _Published October, 1904_ - - - The Knickerbocker Press, New York - - - - - TO - JOHN S. BILLINGS - IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF - FORTY YEARS OF - FRIENDSHIP - - - - - THE - YOUTH OF WASHINGTON - - - - -“And if I have done well, and as is fitting the story, it is that which -I desired: but if slenderly and meanly, it is that which I could attain -unto.”――_2 Maccabees xv. 38._ - - - - -THE YOUTH OF WASHINGTON - - - - -DIARY――NOVEMBER, 1797 - -I - - -My retirement from official duties as President has enabled me to -restore order on my plantations, and in some degree to repair the -neglected buildings which are fallen to decay. The constant coming of -guests――moved, I fear, more by curiosity than by other reasons――is -diminished owing to snows, unusual at this period of the year. - -Owing to these favouring conditions, I have now some small leisure to -reflect on a life which has been too much one of action and of public -interests to admit, hitherto, of that kind of retrospection which is -natural, and, as it seems to me, fitting in a man of my years, who has -little to look forward to and much to look back upon. - -My recent uneasiness lest I should be called upon to conduct a war -against our old allies, the French, is much abated, and I feel more -free to consider my private affairs. I am too far advanced in the -vale of life to bear much buffeting, and I have satisfaction in the -belief we have escaped a new war for which the nation has not yet the -strength. For sure I am, if this country is preserved in tranquillity -twenty years longer, it may bid defiance in a just cause to any powers -whatever, such in that time will be its power, wealth, and resources. - -Increasing infirmity and too frequent aches and ailments remind me -that I am nearing the awful moment when I must bid adieu to sublunary -things, and appear before that Divine Being to whom alone my country -owes the success with which we have been blessed. But the great -Disposer of events is also the Being who has formed the instruments of -his will and left them responsible to the arbitration of conscience. -Therefore I have of late spent much time in considering my past -life, and how it might have been better or more successful, and in -thankfulness that it has escaped many pitfalls. - -My reflections have brought back to mind a remark which seems to -me just, made by my aide, Colonel Tilghman, a man more given to -philosophic reflection than I have been. He asked me if I did not think -there was something providential in the way each period of my life had -been an education for that which followed it. I said that this idea had -at times presented itself to my mind, and when I betrayed curiosity, -he went on to say that my very early education in self-reliance and -my training as a surveyor of wild lands had fitted me for frontier -warfare, that this in turn had prepared me for action on a larger -stage, and that all through the greater war my necessities called for -constant dealing with political questions, and with men who were not -soldiers. He thought that this had in turn educated me for the position -to which my countrymen summoned me at a later time. - -As I was silent for a little, this gentleman, who became my aide-de-camp -in June, 1780, and for whom I conceived a warm and lasting affection, -thinking his remark might have been considered a liberty, said as much, -excusing himself. - -I replied that, so far from annoying me, I found what he had to say -interesting. - -When, recently, these remarks of Colonel Tilghman recurred to me, I -felt that they were correct, and dwelling upon them at this remote -time, my interest in the sequence of the events of my youthful life -assumed an importance which has led me of late to endeavour, with the -aid of my diaries, to refresh my memories of a past which had long -ceased to engage my attention. - -I remember writing once that any recollections of my later life, -distinct from the general history of the war, would rather hurt my -feelings than tickle my pride while I lived. I do not think vanity is -a trait of my character. I would rather leave posterity to think and -say what they please of me. Those who served with me in war and peace -will be judged as we become subjects of history, and time may unfold -more than prudence ought to disclose. Concerning this matter I wrote to -Colonel Humphreys that if I had talent for what he desired me to do, I -had not leisure to turn my thoughts to commentaries. Consciousness of -a defective education, and want of leisure, I thought, unfitted me for -such an undertaking. I did, however, answer certain questions put to -me by Colonel Humphreys concerning the Indian wars, but he has, so far, -made no use of these notes. - -One of these considerations does not so much apply at present, for I -possess the leisure, and in recording my early reminiscences I shall -do so for myself alone, and assuredly shall find no satisfaction in -comments on the conduct of other officers who, like myself, were -honestly engaged in learning, and at the same time practising, a -business in which none of us had a large experience. I shall confine my -attention to recalling the events of my youth, and as I hate deception -even where the imagination only is concerned, I shall try, for my -own satisfaction, to deal merely with facts. General Hamilton, whose -remarks I have often just reason to remember, once wrote me that no man -had ever written a true biography of himself, that he was apt to blame -himself excessively or to be too much prone to self-defence. He went -on to state that an autobiography was written either from vanity and -to present the man favourably to posterity, or because he desired for -his own pleasure in the study of himself to recall the events of his -career. In the latter case there is no need of publication. - -It is only in order to such self-examination as that to which he refers -that I am induced to set down the remembrances of my earlier days, and -because writing of them will, I feel, enable me more surely to bring -them back to mind. I have no other motive. - -Whatever just ambitions I have had have been fully gratified; indeed, -far beyond my wishes. The great Searcher of hearts is my witness that -I have now no wish which aspires beyond the humble and happy lot of -living and dying a private citizen on my own farm. In my estimation, -more permanent and genuine happiness is to be found in the sequestered -walks of connubial life, so long denied me in the war, than in the -more tumultuous and imposing scenes of successful ambition. Nor can -I complain. I am retiring here within myself. Envious of none, I am -determined to be pleased with all; and with heartfelt satisfaction, -feeling that my life has been on the whole happy, I will move gently -down the stream until I sleep with my fathers. - -There are indeed not many circumstances in my life before the war -which it now gives me pain to recall. I could not truthfully say this -of that great contest, nor of the political struggles of my service as -President. Mr. Adams, or perhaps Mr. Jefferson, once said of me that I -was a man too sensitive to condemnation. This I believe to be correct, -but I have not discovered that my ability to decide was ever largely -affected by either unreasonable blame or the bribes of flattery. - -The treachery of men who professed for me friendship, and the intrigues -of those who, like Conway, Lee, Gates, and Rush, used ignoble means -to weaken my authority when it was of the utmost importance to our -common cause that it should be strengthened, were calculated to give -pain chiefly because they lessened my usefulness. Nor am I ever willing -to dwell upon the treason of Arnold, which cost me the most painful -duty of the war, and lost to the country a great soldier, who had not -the virtue to wait until, in the course of events, his services would -obtain their reward. It is, however, somewhat to be wondered at that in -so long a war, where hope did at times seem to disappear, the catalogue -of traitors was so small. It is strange that there were not more, for -few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder. As to ill-natured -and unjust reflections on my conduct, I feel, and have felt, everything -that hurts the sensibility of a gentleman, but to persevere in one’s -duty and be silent is the best answer to calumny. - -Dr. Franklin has wisely said that no examples are so useful to a man -as those which his own conduct affords, and that he was right in his -opinion I have reason to believe. This I have observed to be true of -anger, to which I am, or was, subject. I flatter myself that I have now -learned to command my temper, although it is still on rare occasions -likely to become mutinous. I do not observe that mere abuse ever -troubles me long, but in the presence of cowardice or ingratitude I am -subject to fits of rage. - -Arnold’s treason distressed me, but the treachery of one of my cabinet, -Edmund Randolph, the nephew and adopted son of my dear friend Peyton -Randolph, disturbed my temper as nothing had done since the misconduct -of Lee at Monmouth. If in any instance I was swayed by personal and -private feelings in the exercise of official patronage and power, it -was in the case of Mr. Randolph; and this fact added to the anger -which his conduct excited. - -I willingly turn from the remembrance of ingratitude, a sin that -my soul abhors. It is a severe tax which all must occasionally pay -who are called to eminent stations of trust, not only to be held -up as conspicuous marks to the enmity of the public adversaries of -their country, but to the malice of secret traitors, and the envious -intrigues of false friends and factions. But all this is over. I -willingly leave time and my country to pronounce the verdict of history. - -As I wrote what just now I have set down, a remark of Mr. John Adams -came into my mind. He said it was difficult for a man to write about -himself without feeling that he was all the time in the presence of an -audience. This may be true of Mr. Adams, but I am not aware that it is -true of me. - -The statement I shall now record of myself and for myself might be made -very full as to events by the use of the details of my diaries, but -this I desire to avoid. My intention is to deal chiefly with my own -youthful life and the influences which affected it for good or for ill. - - - - -II - - -Being without children to transmit my name, I have taken no great -interest in learning much about my ancestors. I have, indeed, been too -much concerned with larger matters. It is, however, far from my design -to believe that heraldry, coat-armour, etc., might not be rendered -conducive to public and private uses with us, or that they can have any -tendency unfriendly to the purest spirit of republicanism; nor does -it seem to me that pride in being come of gentry and of dutiful and -upright men is without its value, if we draw from an honourable past -nourishment to sustain us in continuing to be what our forefathers -were. This also should make men who have children the more careful as -to their own manner of life, and as for myself, although denied this -great blessing, I may perhaps wisely have been destined to feel that -all my countrymen were to me something more than my fellow-citizens. - -I have heard my half-brother Lawrence say that he had learned from his -elders that my English ancestors were violent Loyalists, especially -one Sir Henry Washington, when the great struggle arose between the -Parliament and the King in the time of the Commonwealth. - -I recall that, when a young man, I was riding with my friend George -Mason, and when this matter arose, and he asked me whether if I had -lived in those days I should have been for the crown or the commons, -I replied that if I had lived in that time I could have answered him, -but that I was not enough informed concerning that period to be able to -state on which side I should have been. Certainly I should have found -it hard to make war on the King. - -I profess myself to be ignorant as to much that concerns my ancestry. -When too young to have the smallest interest in the matter, I heard -my two half-brothers and William Fairfax conversing on the subject -of the origin of my family. The brothers were not very clear as to -our descent, but were of opinion that we came of the Washingtons of -Sulgrave, originally of Lancashire. In 1791 the Garter king-at-arms, -Sir Isaac Heard, wrote to me, sending a pedigree of my family; but -I had to confess it was a subject to which I had given very little -attention; in fact, except as to our later history, I could only say -that we came from Lancashire, Yorkshire, or some still more northerly -county. - -Most of the early colonists of all classes were too busy in fighting -Indians and raising the means of living to concern themselves with the -relatives left in England. This indifference was not uncommon among -us, and was in those early days to be expected. It explains why we and -other descendants of settlers knew, and indeed cared, too little about -our ancestors. - -I do not know what exactly was the station of the father of the -brothers who first came over――John, my ancestor, and Lawrence, his -brother. It is of more moment to me to know that my forefathers in this -country have been gentlemen, and have in many positions of trust, both -in civil employ and in the military line, served the colonies and, -later, their country with faithfulness and honour. - -As concerns the question of ancestry and a man’s judging of himself by -that alone, I am much of Colonel Tilghman’s opinion, who once said to -me, speaking of Mr. B――――, that when a man had to look back upon his -ancestors to make himself sure he was a gentleman, he was but a poor -sort of man, which I conceive to be true. - -My great-grandfather, John Washington, the first emigrant of our name, -was the son of Lawrence and Amphilis, his wife. He went first to the -Barbados, but, not being pleased, came later to Virginia; that is, in -1657. - -It is certain that my great-grandfather in some respects possessed -qualities which resembled those which I myself possess. He was a man -of great personal strength, inclined to war, very resolute, and of -a masterful and very violent temper. He was accused in 1675 of too -severe treatment of the Indians in the frontier wars against the -Susquehannocks, for which he was reprimanded by Sir William Berkeley, -but, it is said, unjustly. He was a man had in esteem and most -respectable, and held a seat in the Assembly in 1670. He was also of -a nature greatly moved by injustice, for on his voyage to Virginia a -poor woman on board the ship was hanged for a witch, and he made great -efforts, on being come ashore, to have the master and crew punished. I -find in myself the same anger at injustice. - -It is proper to add that there was current in the colony a story -that, on account of his rigour with the Indians, he was called by -them Conocatorius, which, Englished, means a Destroyer of Villages. -The Half-King, an Indian chief so called, hearing my name when first -we met, addressed me by this title. There must have been among these -tribes a remembrance or tradition as to the name, for certainly I -never deserved it, and that after so long a time it should have been -remembered appears to me strange. - -My great-grandfather’s brother Lawrence was engaged for a time in the -mercantile way, and at one time signed himself as of Luton, County -Bradford, merchant. He made some voyages to Virginia and home again -before he settled in the colony, and may have acquired land in England, -for, as I shall state later, he devised real estate in the home country. - -As I speak of the home country, I am reminded that even after the War -of Independency the habit of speaking of England as home prevailed -with many, so strong was the attachment to the mother country; and, -indeed, nothing but the folly of Great Britain could have broken the -bonds which united us. - -My great-grandfather, John Washington, brought with him a wife from -England. Her maiden name I do not know. She and her two children -died within a few years of his landing. The brothers mention in -their wills property in England, but where or exactly what it was -they do not say. It would seem, therefore, that it was not poverty -which drove my ancestor to emigrate. That this property was not mere -money, the proceeds of tobacco, appears to be shown by the will of -my great-grandfather’s brother Lawrence, who devised to Mary, his -daughter, his whole estate in England, real as well as personal. - -My great-grandfather married secondly the widow of Walter Broadhurst, -daughter of Nathaniel Pope of Appomattocks, gentleman. My grandfather -Lawrence was the first born of this marriage. My great-grandfather died -in 1677. He was of that importance as to have named for him the parish -in which he resided. The brothers were not the only ones of the name -who came to Virginia. There was also a cousin, Martha Washington. She -emigrated to Virginia and married Nicholas Hayward of Westmoreland. How -it was that, being a spinster, she came over alone, I am not informed. -She left her property to her cousins John and Lawrence, and a gold -twenty-shilling piece to each, and to their sons each a feather bed and -furniture, and to their heirs forever――which does appear to me long for -a bed to last. - -There were also others, but if related I have not felt concerned to -inquire. They spelled the name Vysington in certain deeds, which I have -heard was the ancient manner of spelling it. Of them I know nothing -further. My great-grandfather left a legacy to the rector of the lower -church of Washington parish, and ordered that a funeral sermon be -preached, which appears to me, as Lord Fairfax said, to be a certain -way to secure being well spoken of, at least once, after death. He also -provided in his will for a tablet of the Ten Commandments, and also the -king’s arms, to be set up in the church of his parish. - -He may have been led to come to Virginia by the fact that it had become -for men loyal to the crown and to the Church of England a refuge such -as the Puritans sought in Massachusetts. We have ever since been -connected with that Church, nor have I found reason to depart from it. -At times I have been a vestryman, but this was in those days also a -civil office, having judicial duties, such as charge of the schools and -of the poor of the parish. - -My connection with the Church of my fathers has varied in interest from -time to time, for, although I have at times partaken of the sacrament -and even fasted, I have not always felt so inclined, although I have -with reasonable punctuality attended upon the services. I have had all -my life a disinclination to converse on this subject, and confess, as -Dr. Franklin once remarked to me, that “silence is sometimes wisdom as -concerns a man’s creed.” - -In considering so much of my family history as is known to me, I -perceive that men married at an early age and remained no long time -widowers. Also I observe that many children died young, as was like -enough to happen on plantations remote from physicians, and indeed -these were few in number and not as good as in the northern colonies. - -I know less of my grandfather Lawrence than of his father. He did not -increase the importance of the family, neither was he inclined to -public business. He was, as I have understood, a quiet, thrifty man, -and no seeker of adventure by land or water. He married Mildred Warner, -by whom he had children, and died leaving a competent estate, but none -to be compared with the great lands accumulated by the Byrds or Carters. - -I conceive him to have been a person of moderate opinions concerning -the Church of England, and as one who may have considered the -dissenting sects as ill used. This I gather from a book given to me -three years ago by a gentleman of Philadelphia, of the Society of -Friends, who would have had me to believe that my grandfather was of -that sect. This book is the life of one John Fothergill, a Quaker -preacher, who says that in 1720 he “held a meeting at Mattocks, at -Justice Washington’s, a friendly man, where the Love of God opened my -heart toward the people, much to my comfort and their satisfaction.” I -do not suppose it to have meant more than that, as the church could not -be used by a dissenter, Justice Washington willingly gave the good man -the use of his own house. - - - - -III - - -My father, Augustine, was born in 1694, on the plantation known as -Wakefield, granted, in 1667, to his grandfather, and lying between -Bridges’ and Pope’s creeks, in Westmoreland, on the north neck between -the Potomac and the Rappahannock. My father, in his will, says: -“Forasmuch as my several children in this my will mentioned, being by -several Ventures, cannot inherit from one another,” etc. - -What he speaks of as his “Ventures” were his two marriages. A venture -does appear to me to be an appropriate name for the uncertain state -of matrimony. The first “venture” was Jane Butler, who lies buried at -Wakefield. Of her four children two survived――that is, my half-brothers -Lawrence and Augustine, whom we called Austin. I was the first child -of my father’s second “venture,” and my mother was Mary Ball. I was -born at Wakefield,[1] on February 11 [O. S.], 1732, about ten in -the morning. I was baptized in the Pope’s Creek church, and had two -godfathers and one godmother, Mildred Gregory. Mr. Beverly Whiting and -Mr. Christopher Brooks were my godfathers. I do not recall ever seeing -Mr. Whiting, although his son, of the same name, I met in after years. -Of Mr. Brooks I know nothing, nor do I know which one of the two gave -me the silver cups which it was then the custom for the godfather to -give to the godson. I still have them. I was told by a silversmith in -Philadelphia that the cups are of Irish make, and of about 1720. There -were six of these mugs, in order to be used for punch when the child -grew up. - - [1] This estate was bought by my father from his brother John. - -The Balls were respectable, and came out first as merchants. My -maternal grandmother we know to have been Mary Johnson, of English -birth, but of her family nothing more. At a later time the older -planter families, both with us and in the West Indies, paid more -attention to their ancestry, sometimes, it is to be feared, with -pretensions which had no just foundation. - -Many assumed arms to which they were not entitled, or, like Mr. J――――n, -commissioned an agent in London to purchase some heraldic device, -having Mr. Sterne’s word for it that “a coat of arms may be purchased -as cheap as any other coat.” - -I have had some reason to believe that our friends did not regard my -mother’s family, being in the mercantile line, as on the same social -level as our own. But, in fact, we ourselves were not until a later -day considered as of the highest class of Virginia gentry. Why this -was I do not fully know. It is certain, however, that nowhere were -aristocratic pretensions and the distinctions of social rank more -marked than in Virginia. For a long time families like the Lees, Byrds, -Carys, Masons, etc., regarded themselves as superior to other planter -families, of as good or better blood. - -The lines of social rank among us I judge to have been made early -to depend on extent of landed property, so that the owners of these -vast estates were like great nabobs, and by having seats and control -in the governor’s council and the House of Burgesses obtained large -influence. They were at pains to defend their pretensions by a law of -primogeniture, which made entails so strict that they could not be -broken, as in England, by agreement of father and son, but required to -break them, in each case, an act of the Assembly. Families like our -own were regarded rather as minor gentry, and were, for a time, owing -in a measure to their having but moderate estates, looked down upon by -certain of the great proprietors of enormous plantations and numberless -slaves. - -Whatever may have been the reason, or the reasons, I was more than once -made to feel the fact that I was not looked upon as an equal by certain -of these gentlemen, and this at an age when men are sensitive to such -considerations. - -My father, Augustine, has been described as a good planter and a man of -energy. I apprehend that he was of a serious tendency, for Lawrence, -my brother, once gave me to understand that most of the few books at -Wakefield were religious; but whether this was so or not I do not know. -Like some of the rest of us, my father had a high and quick temper, -which, as he used to say, he had to keep muzzled. I remember being -terrified at seeing him in a storm of anger because the clergyman who -was to have baptized my sister Mildred was too much in liquor to -perform the ceremony. - -About the year 1724 he became interested in the mining of iron ore with -the Principio Company, in which the venturers were chiefly English. A -furnace was opened on his estate in Stafford County. It was confiscated -in 1780 as rebel property. He had a contract for hauling the ore -from the mines, and later commanded a ship for the taking of iron to -England and the fetching back of convict labourers. On this account, -I apprehend, he was known as Captain Washington. He was, I have -understood, a man of enterprising nature and better informed than most -planters of his time. - -He was educated at Appleby in England, near Whitehaven. I have often -regretted that I never had his opportunities, or those of my brothers, -in the way of education. The fact of my being a younger son and my -father’s death, and also my mother’s overfondness, may have stood in -the way, and on this and other occasions interfered with my own plans -or with those of others for me. - -I did not take after my mother in appearance, and I had the large frame -and strength of my father. In other respects also I was somewhat like -him in my mind and character. - -When in later years I returned to visit Wakefield I used to fancy I -remembered it. This I could not have done, as I was only three years -old when, because of the unhealthfulness of the place, my father moved -away. The house was burned down on Christmas eve, 1779. It was of -wood, with brick foundations, and had eight bedrooms. There was an -underground dairy, a great garden with fig-trees and other fruit, and -along the shores were wild flowering grapes and laurel and honeysuckle -and sweetbrier roses, very fragrant in the spring season. Here in the -middle of a great field lie my ancestors and some of the children of my -father’s first marriage. - -In the year 1735 we moved, as I have said, fifty miles higher up the -Potomac to the estate then known as Epsewasson or Hunting Creek. This -was given, with other land, by the colony to my great-grandfather and -Colonel Spencer for importing an hundred labourers, and was bought by -my father in 1726 from my aunt Mildred Gregory, later my godmother. -It came afterwards to be called Mount Vernon. It was at that time in -Prince William County, which my father represented in the House of -Burgesses, as my brother did later. There we remained until 1739. - -In this year our house took fire, as was supposed, by the act of one -of our slaves, but never surely ascertained. We were then obliged to -remove, and this time settled in Stafford, formerly St. George, on the -east bank of the Rappahannock, opposite to Fredericksburg. - -This residence was a two-story house on a rise of ground, with a -fertile meadow sloping gently to the river. It was built of wood and -painted red. There, as people well-to-do, we lived until my father’s -death, when the division of his estate did somewhat lessen the easiness -of our lives; and of these latter years I can recall some more or less -distinct remembrances, for here my education began. - - - - -IV - - -While I was a child, my father, as I have said, made many voyages to -England and fetched back with him convicts, and perhaps also indentured -servants. Often in those days some of the unfortunate people thus sent -to the colonies were under sentence for political offences, but many, -of course, for crimes. One of these, a convict I was told, was my first -schoolmaster. We called him Hobby, which was, I believe, a nickname; -but he was named Grove, and was sexton of the Falmouth church, two -miles away. Of what our sexton schoolmaster had been convicted I never -heard, but of this I am assured, that my father would not have used -as a schoolmaster a common thief. I used to ride the two miles to the -“field-school,” as they called it, in front of a slave named Peter, and -later was allowed a pony, to my mother’s alarm when he would tumble me -off, as happened now and then. Hobby was a short man, with one eye, -and too good-humoured or too timid to be a good teacher, even of the -a-b-c’s and the little else we learned. - -My father was kind to this man, and perhaps knew his history. He would -even have allowed him the use of the rod, with the aid of which I might -have profited more largely, for I am of his opinion that children -should be strictly brought up. Hobby, being of a humourous turn, seems -to me, as I remember him, to have resembled the grave-digger in the -play of “Hamlet.” He sometimes amused and at other times terrified us -by tales of London or of his recent life as a sexton. He believed many -of the negro superstitions――as that if a snake’s head was cut off the -tail would live until it thundered――and was much afraid of having what -he called black magic put upon him by the negroes. - -I did not learn much from Hobby and preferred to be out of doors. My -father considered, I believe, that, as I was a younger son and must -in some way support myself, I should be well trained in both mind -and body, and had he lived the chance of the former might have been -bettered. The latter was often made difficult by my mother, who was -unhappy when I was subject to the risks to which all lads of spirit -are exposed. I remember that, when later my father was teaching me -to leap my pony, the pony refused over and over, and this being near -to the house, my mother ran out, and at last had a kind of hysterick -turn. My father sat still on a big stallion and took no notice of her -entreaties. At last I got the pony over, and he fell with me. I jumped -up and was in the saddle in a moment. My father said that was ill -ridden, I must try it again; and upon this my mother ran back to the -house, crying out I would be murdered. But my father was this manner of -man; he hated defeat, while my mother was ever desirous of keeping me -out of danger, because it made her uncomfortable; and this was strange, -for I have never been able to see that she was greatly pleased when I -was successful, or was much moved by what the great Master allowed me -to attain in later years. - -My elder brothers, Lawrence and Augustine, were both at different times -sent to England for education at Appleby School, near Whitehaven, when -I was a child. Lawrence had the family liking for enterprises and -martial employment. I was eight years old, and he of age, when Lawrence -served with Admiral Vernon and General Wentworth in the disastrous -attack on Cartagena. I remember as a boy the interest this expedition -caused in our neighbourhood. It was said that Harry Beverley and other -Virginians captured by the Spaniards had been made to work as slaves, -and this stirred up much feeling among us. The ex-Governor Spottiswood, -although an aged man, would have gone as a major-general, but died -suddenly at Temple Farm, near Yorktown, where forty-two years later -Lord Cornwallis met me to sign the capitulations. - -Lawrence was away two years. The letters wrote by him to my father were -full of interest, and, as I remember, were the means of arousing in me, -who was but a little lad, the liking for warfare, of which we all had a -share. - -I can remember how, as we sat about the hearth at evening, my father -read aloud to us these letters, and explained to me the military terms -used, and why, for want of foresight, the gallantry of soldiers and -sailors served only to give opportunity for loss of life. This was -especially in connection with the last letter we received, after the -dismal failure of the attack on Cartagena. He wrote: - - HONOURED AND DEAR FATHER: What with dissensions between the - General Wentworth and Admiral Vernon, who was, as we think, not - to blame, we have come away, leaving the Spaniards to crow, and - our Colonel Gooch ill at Jamaica. When I am to have another - dose of glory I pray to have better doctors. - - We were to storm Fort _Lazaro_――which must mean Lazarus――at - night. But we were too long getting there, or the guides - treacherous, and the ladders too short and no sufficient - breach. This _Lazarus_ fort was too much alive, but we were - actually on the rampart when Colonel Grant was killed, and - we were driven back in sad confusion, and half of us, a good - thousand, killed or wounded for want of forethought. I came off - with no more hurt than to be so spent that I had no breath to - curse the folly for which so many brave men died. The climate - was worse than the dons, and we took ship with our tails - between our legs and some two thousand shaking with agues and - racked with fever. - -When I heard this I jumped up and said I wished I could have been -there, upon which my father laughed and said I was better off where I -was, and my mother that I had better go to bed. - -I was at that age when lads of spirit are apt to ask questions, and -concerning these my father was always patient, and encouraged a -reasonable curiosity; but, on the other hand, my mother disliked this -habit of curiosity, and when my father talked of Indian wars and of my -brother’s fine conduct at Cartagena she was sure to say I should never -go to war. My father would reply that it was sometimes the business and -also the duty of a gentleman, and then there was no greater pleasure -than to hear over and over how Sir Henry Washington, said to be of our -family, defended Worcester in the civil war in England. - -In those days all the world was at war, and with us there was always -the dread of Indian outbreaks. It was no wonder that I and other -little fellows at Hobby’s school played at soldiering. A lad named -William Bustle, a fat, sturdy boy, was commander of the Indians, and -in the woods we imitated the red men and the frontier farmers, and -passed from tree to tree throwing stones, or, in winter, snowballs, -with mock scalping and much pulling of hair, which was worn long. -This was interfered with one winter because Bustle hit me in the eye -with a snowball in which was a stone, a thing not considered fair. -My mother wished Bustle punished. My father said I must take care of -my own quarrels, and this I did, for, being then ten years old, and -very strong, as soon as I went back to school I gave Bustle a good -beating. In fact, I was of unusual strength, and because of my violence -of temper felt no hurt, and would not listen when Bustle called, -“Enough.” My mother’s uncertain discipline and her too affectionate -weakness did me great harm. For if my father punished me on account of -disobedience or outbursts of temper, my mother was sure to interfere, -or to coddle and pity me, a thing I greatly disliked. I never learned -much self-control until a later day, which, in its place, I shall call -to mind. - -My sister Betty, who afterwards married Fielding Lewis, was, next to -my half-brother Lawrence and my brother Jack, most dear to me. Samuel -had some of the weaknesses of my mother, and Charles, in later days, -some worse ones of his own. In after life Samuel was often in debt, -and was married five times, being extravagant in this as in all other -ways. Mildred was sadly affected from birth and died young. It was -unfortunate for me that while I was a child my half-brothers were sent -from home and put in charge of the plantations of Wakefield and of -Mount Vernon, which had been rebuilt and given the name of the admiral -whom Lawrence much admired. - - - - -V - - -In 1742 Lawrence came from Cartagena, and meant to continue in the -service, but, after our sudden way, he fell in love with Anne, the -daughter of William Fairfax of Belvoir, our neighbour, the cousin and -agent of my lord of that name, and this, luckily for my own character, -ended his desire for a military life. I too well recall the event which -delayed his marriage. I was at this time, April 17, 1743, being eleven -years old, on a visit to my cousins at Choptank, some thirty miles -away. We were very merry at supper, when Peter, who was supposed to -look after me, arrived with the news of my father’s sudden illness. It -was the first of my too many experiences of the ravage time brings to -all men. I heard the news with a kind of awe, but without realizing how -serious in many ways was this summons. I rode home behind Peter, and -found my mother in a state of distraction. She led me to the bedside -of my father, crying out, “He is dying.” The children were around him, -and he was groaning in great pain; but he kissed us in turn, and said -to me, “Be good to your mother.” I may say that throughout her life I -have kept the promise I made him as I knelt, crying, at his bedside. He -died that night, and I lost my best friend. - -My mother for a month talked of him incessantly, and after that very -little, except to say, “If your father were alive I should be more -considered.” I do not know why I, too, was averse to speaking of him, -and yet I loved him above all people. But concerning such matters -children are puzzled, and unable to express themselves, nor have I ever -been other than shy in saying what I feel in the way of affection, -whereas on paper I do not suffer this shyness, nor feel the reserve -which occasioned Colonel Trumbull to say to me once that I was often -unjustly regarded as cold because of my difficulty of being outspoken -concerning my regard for those dear to me. I am little better of it -to-day. - -My father had much land and little money. As was usual in Virginia, -he left to his elder sons the larger share. To Lawrence he gave his -interest in the iron-works, with Mount Vernon and two thousand five -hundred acres, also the resident slaves and the mill, and, in case of -his failure to leave a child lawfully begotten or such child dying -under age, this property was “to go to and remain” to me. To Augustine -he left Wakefield; to me his farm on the Rappahannock and one moiety of -his land on Deep Run, with ten negro slaves. Samuel, John, and Charles -were also given land and slaves, and Betty four hundred pounds. - -My mother was to have my estate for her use until I was of age, and -with whatever else was left her, and her own sixteen hundred acres, -might have sufficed with economy; but that virtue she found difficult -to practise, and was never a prudent or managing woman. She soon -felt her children to be a heavy burden upon an estate which was -none too large, and complained, as was common for her to do all her -life, that she was poor, and this even when I was assured that she -was comfortably cared for. I never knew a more affectionate mother. -She was said to have been foolishly fond of her children, and I was -more than once brought to feel that her love of us did interfere with -good judgment. Certainly whatever were her opinions,――and we did not -often agree,――these differences never lessened my love for her, as -differences often do. As she grew old her peculiarities were more and -more notable. With very many good qualities, she was hard to satisfy, -and this did not cease until the end of her life, for she could not be -restrained from borrowing money and accepting gifts from those who were -not her relations. Indeed, I once had to write her that while I had a -shilling left she should never want, but that I must not be viewed as -a delinquent, or be considered by the world as unjust and an undutiful -son. But so was she made, and even her doctor, Thornton, wrote to me in -her last illness, in which his cousin, Dr. Rush, was also consulted, -that he “had every day a small battle with her.” - - - - -VI - - -My father died in April, 1743, and Lawrence was married to Miss Fairfax -in June of that year. It was fortunate for me that my brother’s wife, -Anne Fairfax, soon shared the constant affection felt for me by her -husband Lawrence. - -Austin, as we usually called Augustine, also embarked into the -matrimonial state as the husband of Anne Aylett of Westmoreland, who -brought him a large property. - -The next three years of my young life were important. I learned very -soon from my mother that, when of age, I would have a moderate estate -and insufficient. It is a happy thing that children have no power to -realize what money means to their elders, else I might have been set -against Lawrence and thought my father unjust. As I did not understand -my mother’s complaints of poverty, they had no effect upon me. After -my father’s death, and in the absence of my elder brothers, the house -and farm soon showed the want of a man’s care, and we lads enjoyed at -this time almost unlimited freedom. My older brothers saw it, and felt -that I, at least, might suffer, being of an age and nature to need -discipline and to be guided. In fact, I delighted to skip away from my -man Peter, and find indulgence in roasting ears of Indian corn in the -forbidden cabins of the field-slaves, or in coon-hunts at night, when -all the house was asleep. When my pranks were discovered my mother was -sometimes too severe in her punishments, or else only laughed. - -Nothing was assured or certain in the house, now that the hand of wise -and strong government was gone. - -We were taught the catechism as a preparation for Sundays, and -my mother read the Bishop of Exeter’s sermons or Matthew Hale’s -“Commentaries, Moral and Divine.” I still have this book. It belonged -originally to my father’s first wife, Jane Butler, and below her name -my mother wrote her own, “Mary Ball.” At this time she was much given -to Puritanical views, which were beginning to be felt in Virginia, -owing largely to the want of better clergymen in the Established -Church. She would have the servants up late on Saturday to cook, that -there might be no labour on Sunday. In consequence, the blacks fell -asleep in church. My mother would then get up in mid-service, and go -where they sat, and poke them awake with her fan. - -At this period my great personal strength and endurance were constant -temptations to forbidden enterprises on land or water, and it was at -this time of my life that I discovered a certain pleasure in danger. -I find it difficult, not having the philosophical turn of mind, to -describe what I mean; but of this I became aware as time went on, -that, in battle or other risks, I was suddenly the master of larger -competence of mind and body than I possessed at other times. - -When, on one occasion, the learned Dr. Franklin desired to be excused -if he asked whether in battle I had ever felt fear, I had to confess -that in contemplating danger I was like most men, but that immediate -peril had upon me the influence which liquor has upon some, making -them feel able for anything. He said yes, but as to the influence of -drink, that was a mere delusion; whereas he understood, and here he -begged to apologize, that, in great danger in battle and when the ranks -were breaking, I had seemed to possess powers of decision and swift -judgment beyond those I could ordinarily command. I said it was true, -that danger seemed to lift me in mind and body above my common level, -and that it was the satisfaction this gave which made danger agreeable; -not, be it said, the peril, but the results. - -I apprehend him to have been correct, for in battle I have often felt -this, as at Monmouth, at Princeton, and elsewhere. In general, my -mind acts slowly, and I have been often painfully aware of it when in -council with General Hamilton, Mr. Jefferson, or General Knox. General -Wayne was fortunate in this quickening of the mind in danger. He once -said to Colonel Humphreys of my staff that he disliked danger, but -liked its effects upon himself when it came. - -Certainly I had my share of risks at the time I now speak of. No one -controlled my actions, and old Peter, in whom my father had greatly -trusted, now allowed me, in general, to do as pleased me. The river -and the forests afforded game, but the riding of half-broken horses -was what most I liked. My joy in the horse and his ways was the mere -satisfaction in conquest and in the training of a strong brute; but -it made me a good horseman, and helped, though I knew it not then, to -prepare me for the years when I was to be so much in the saddle. - -We had at this time a slave named Sampson, who possessed great control -over animals. He was old in our service, and very black. He was said to -be a Mandingo negro, and to do very well if kindly treated. The blacks -of this tribe incline to take their own lives if what they feel to be -disgrace falls upon them, and this man, for whom my father had a great -liking, never had been whipped. He had charge, under the overseer, of -the stables, the brood-mares, and the training of horses for saddle or -harness. - -I was at this time more about the stables than was allowed under my -father’s rule, and did, in fact, much as I liked out of school hours. -It so happened that once, on a Saturday, there being no school, I was -very early at the stables, and, as there was no one to hinder, made -the groom saddle a hunter we had. On this I made my appearance at a -meet for fox-hunting, four miles from home, to the great amusement of -the gentry. They asked me if I could stay on, and if the horse knew he -had any one on his back. However, the big sorrel carried me well, and -knew his business better than I did. I saw two foxes killed, and this -was my first hunt; but as I rode home my horse went lame, and, to save -him, I dismounted and led him. Towards noon, when we were come to the -farm stable, I found the overseer, with a whip in his hand, swearing -at Sampson, and making as if about to beat him. I ran up behind them -and snatched away the whip. The overseer turned and, seeing me, said -he meant to punish Sampson for letting me take a horse which was sold -to go to Williamsburg. When he knew the horse was lame, he was still -more angry; but I declared I was to blame, and no one else, and said he -should first whip me. He said no more, except that my mother would say -what was to be done. I think he made no report of me, and certainly my -mother said nothing. When the overseer had walked away, the old servant -thanked me, and said no one had ever struck him, and that it would -be his death. This seemed strange to me, a boy, for the slaves were -whipped like children, and thought as little of it. Sampson said to me -that I was like my father, that when I was angry I became red and then -pale, and that I must never get angry with a horse. - -After this interference Sampson took great pains with me and taught me -many useful things about horses. Although I became a good horseman, I -never had his strange gift of managing dogs or other creatures. Indeed, -he was the only black man I ever saw who could handle bees, for these -industrious little insects have a great enmity to negroes. - -All this happened in October, 1743, and was the means of making a -useful change in my life and ways. At about this time my two brothers -came together to visit us, in order to satisfy my mother’s complaints -that she was never so poor and, since my father died, was not ever -considered. It seems that at this time she was, as she remained -until death, a dissatisfied woman, although never without sufficient -income. She was, I fear, born discontented, and could not help it; for -happiness depends more on the internal frame of a person’s mind than on -the externals in this world. - - - - -VII - - -While matters concerning the estate were being discussed, Lawrence soon -discovered so much of my too great freedom that he and my half-brother -Augustine insisted that I go to live for a time with the latter, near -to whose abode was a good school. My mother wept and protested, but at -last agreed, with impatience, that I might go if I wished to do so. Of -this Lawrence felt secure, for he had promised me a horse for myself -and clothes to come from London, especially a red coat. I have always -had a fancy for being well clothed; and as I was less well dressed than -other gentlemen’s sons, the idea of a scarlet coat, and the promise of -spurs when I had learned to ride better, settled my mind. I liked very -well the great liberty I had, and to part with this and my playfellows -I was not inclined; but I felt, as a boy does, that I was being made -of importance, which pleases mankind at all times of life. I may -say, also, that I was become more grave than most of my years, and -was curious to see Williamsburg, where lived the king’s governor, and -something beyond our plantation. - -I remember that George Fairfax insisted once that no action ever grew -out of only one motive, and, as I see, there were several made me -willing to leave my home. Thus when Lawrence talked to me of his wars, -and of his friends the Fairfaxes, and of how I must also soon visit him -at Mount Vernon, I readily agreed to his wishes. It was hard to part -with Betty, who looked like me until I had the smallpox, and with my -dear brother Jack; but I was eager, as the day came, to see the outside -world, and I rode away very content, on a gray mare with one black fore -foot, beside Augustine, and my man Peter after us. - -It was a long ride across the neck and down to Pope’s Creek on the -Potomac, and I was a tired lad when we rode at evening up to the door -of the house of Wakefield, where I was born eleven years before. - -Here began a new life for me. Anne Aylett, Mrs. Augustine Washington, -was a kind woman, very orderly in her ways, and handsome. After two -days Peter was sent home, and I was allowed to ride alone to a Mr. -Williams’s school at Oak Grove, four miles away. - -I took very easily to arithmetic, and, later, to mathematic studies. I -remember with what pleasure and pride I accompanied Mr. Williams when -he went to survey some meadows on Bridges’ Creek. To discover that -what could be learned at school might be turned to use in setting out -the bounds of land, gave me the utmost satisfaction. I have always had -this predilection for such knowledge as can be put to practical uses, -and was never weary of tramping after my teacher, which much surprised -my sister-in-law. I took less readily to geography and history. Some -effort was made (but this was later) to instruct me in the rudiments of -Latin, but it was not kept up, and a phrase or two I found wrote later -in a copybook is all that remains to me of that tongue. - -I much regret that I never learned to spell very well or to write -English with elegance. As the years went by, I improved as to both -defects, through incessant care on my part and copying my letters over -and over. Great skill in the use of language I have never possessed, -but I have always been able to make my meaning so plain in what I wrote -that no one could fail to understand what I desired to make known. - -I have always been willing to confess my lack of early education, but -notwithstanding have been better able to present my reasons on paper -than by word of mouth. I am aware, as I have said, that, except in the -chase or in battle, my mind moves slowly, but I am further satisfied -that under peaceful circumstances my final capacity to judge and act -is quite as good as that of men who, like General Hamilton, were my -superiours in power to express themselves. I may add that I learned -early to write a clear and very legible hand. As to spelling, my -mother’s was the worst I ever saw, and I believe King George was no -better at it than I, his namesake. This just now reminds me that I may -have been named after his grandfather, King George II, for George was -not a family name, and, as we were very loyal people, it may have been -so. - -It was usual in those days to give to children names long in use in a -family. John, Augustine, and Lawrence, for males, were repeated among -us, and Mildred and Harriott; but I never heard of a George Washington -before me, nor of any George in our descent, except my grandmother’s -grandfather, the Hon. George Reade of his Majesty’s council in 1657. -General Hamilton at one time interested himself in this matter, but I -could make no satisfactory answer. I suppose my mother knew. I never -thought to ask her. General Hamilton made merry over the idea of how -much it would have gratified his present Majesty to have known of his -grandfather being thus honoured. - -Indeed, it pleased Mr. Duane, when maligning me, to call me Georgius -Rex, but of this I apprehend that I have said enough. It is of no -importance. - -Outside of my school, the life at Wakefield was well suited to a lad of -spirit. There were thirty horses in the stables, and some of them well -bred and had won races at Williamsburg. - -The waters of Pope’s Creek, where the Potomac tides rush in at flood -and out at ebb through a narrow outlet of the creek, were full of -crabs, oysters, clams, and fish. One of the slaves, named Appleby -after August’s school, was engaged in the supply of fish, which the -many negroes and the family needed. I think there were, at the least, -seventy blacks. Being permitted to go on the water with Appleby, I -found much satisfaction in sailing and rowing and the search for -shell-fish. My brother August once surprised me by saying that some day -the bottom of the Bay of Chesapeake would be a richer mine, on account -of the oysters, than my brother Lawrence’s iron-mines, by which we all -set great store. This may some day come to pass. The quantities of shad -took in April and May were enough to feed an army, and what we did not -eat went to feed the land. - -In the autumn I was sometimes allowed to sit with August in a wattled -blind, behind brush, while at dawning of day he shot the ducks, geese, -and swans which flew over the little islands of Pope’s Creek in great -flocks. - -I prospered in this hardy life and grew strong and able to endure, -nor was it less good for me in other ways; for, although I cared very -little for August’s fiddling, nor to hear Anne sing, nor for the books, -of which there was a fair supply, I admired August so much that I -began, as some lads will do, to imitate his ways of doing things. And -this was of use to me, for August was very courteous and mild-spoken to -people of all classes, and much beloved by his slaves, to whom he was a -gentle and considerate master. - -The country along the Potomac was well settled with families of -gentry, and visits were made by rowboats, so that I found very soon -boy companions, although Belvoir, where the Fairfaxes lived, and Mount -Vernon, rebuilt in 1742, being remote, were less frequently visited. - -The church at Oak Grove was the better attended, and few persons were -presented or admonished for non-attendance, because on Sunday, as many -drove long distances, provisions were brought, and in the oak grove -near by, between services, there was a kind of picnic, very pleasant to -the younger people. - - - - -VIII - - -Soon after going to live for a season at Wakefield with Augustine, I -began to take myself more seriously than is common in boys of my age. -I believe I have all my life been regarded as grave and reserved, -although, in fact, a part of this was due to a certain shyness, which -I never entirely overcame, and of which I have already written. My -new schoolmaster, Mr. Williams, gave me a book which I still have, -and which here, and later at Mount Vernon, was of use to me. It was -called the “Youth’s Companion.” It contained receipts, directions for -conduct and manners, how to write letters, and, what most pleased me, -methods of surveying land by Gunter’s rule, and all manner of problems -in arithmetic and mathematics, as well as methods of writing deeds and -conveyances. Young as I was, it suited well the practical side of my -nature; for how to do things, and the doing of them so as to reach -practical results, have never ceased to please me. - -My mother’s natural desire for my presence wore out the patience of -Augustine, and I was at last, after some months (but I do not remember -exactly how long), sent back to her and to a school kept by the Rev. -James Marye, a gentleman of Huguenot descent, at Fredericksburg, and -from whom I might have learned French. My father had been desirous, -I know not why, that I should learn that language; but this I never -did, to my regret. I should have been saved some calumny, as I shall -mention, and later also inconvenience, when I had to deal with French -officers during the great war. I had then to make use of Mr. Duponceau -and of Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Wynne of my staff, but had been better -served by G. W. had I known the French tongue. - -I was at this time about fourteen, and was, as I said, a rather grave -lad. I was industrious as to what I liked, but fond of horses and the -chase, and was big of my years, masterful, and of more than common -bodily strength. - -I was not more unfortunate than most other young Virginians in regard -to education. Governor Spottiswood, as I have heard, found no members -of the majority in the House who could spell correctly or write so as -to state clearly their grievances. There were persons, like the late -Colonel Byrd, who were exceptions, but these were usually such as had -been abroad. Patrick Henry, long after this time, observed to my sister -that, even if we Virginians had little education, Mother Wit was better -than Mother Country, for the gentlemen who came back brought home more -vices than virtues. In fact, this may have been my father’s opinion; -for, although he sent Lawrence and Augustine to the Appleby School in -England, he would not allow of any long residence in London, where, he -said, “men’s manners are finished, but so, too, are their virtues.” - -For a few months in the next year I spent about half of the time with -my mother. While there I studied, as before, at the school kept by -the Rev. Mr. Marye. The rest of the time was spent in the company of -Lawrence and his lady at Mount Vernon. - -Lawrence was a tall man, narrow-chested, and less vigorous than -Augustine. He was, however, fond of the chase and fox-hunting, and had -books in larger number than was usual among planters. I remember him -as very pleasing in his ways, and possessed of a certain reserve and -gravity of demeanour, which, as my sister Betty Lewis remarked, made -his rare expressions of affection more valuable. - -He seemed to me the finest gentleman I ever knew, and I took to -imitating him as my model, as I had done Augustine, which was at times -matter for mirth to Anne, his wife. No doubt it seemed ridiculous, but -it was, I do believe, of use to me. - -As I write, I recall with unceasing gratitude the great debt I owe to -my brother’s care of me at this period of my life. I was encouraged -when I was at Mount Vernon――as I was then for a time away from -school――to keep up my studies, and I remember that I fell again with -satisfaction upon the manual I just now spoke of. It is still in my -possession, and my wife’s children once made themselves uncommon merry -over the ill-made pictures I drew on the blank pages; but it was of use -to me as no other book ever was. - -I was early made to understand that I must do something to support -myself. The few acres on the river Rappahannock were not to be mine -until I became of age, and until then were my mother’s; indeed, I never -took them from her. My brother disapproved of the easy, loose life -of the younger sons of planters, and, of course, trade was not to be -considered, nor to work as a clerk; and yet, without care, accuracy, -and such business capacity as is needed by merchants, no man can hope -to be successful, either as a planter or even in warfare. - -Ever since I had been at Mr. Williams’s school, I had a liking for the -surveying of land, and had later been allowed to further inform myself -by attending upon Mr. Genn, the official surveyor of Westmoreland, a -man very honest and most accurate. Indeed, I had so well learned this -business that I became, to my great joy, of use to Lawrence and some of -his neighbours, especially to William Fairfax, who had at first much -doubt as to how far my skill might be trusted. - -Meanwhile various occupations for me were considered and discussed by -my elders. The sea was less favoured in Virginia than at the North; but -many captains of merchant ships were in those days, like my father, -of the better class, and my brothers, who saw in me no great promise, -believed that if I went to sea as a sailor I might be helped in time to -a ship, and have my share in the prosperous London trade. - -Like many boys, I inclined to this life. I remind myself of it here -because it has been said that I was intended at this time to serve the -king as a midshipman, which was never the case. Meanwhile,――for this -was an affair long talked about,――my mother’s brother, Joseph Ball, -wrote to her from London, May 19, 1746, that the sea was a dog’s life, -and, unless a lad had great influence, was a poor affair, and the -navy no better. Upon this my mother wrote, offering various trifling -objections, and at last hurried to Mount Vernon, and so prevailed by -her tears that my small chest was brought back to land from a ship in -the river. - -My brother Lawrence comforted me in my disappointment, saying there -were many roads in life, and that only one had been barred. I remember -that I burst into tears, when once I was alone, and rushed off to -the stables and got a horse, and rode away at a great pace. This -has always done me good, and, somehow, settled my mind; for I have -never felt, as I believe a Latin writer said, that care sits behind a -horseman. I jolted mine off, but for days would not have any one talk -to me of the matter. Even as a lad, I had unwillingness to recur to a -thing when once it was concluded, and that is so to this day. - - - - -IX - - -The summer passed away in sport and in visits to William Fairfax, -who lived below us on the river. Here I saw much good society, among -others the Masons, Carys, and Lees, and formed an attachment to -William Fairfax, the master of Belvoir, and his son George, which was -never broken, although we came long after to differ in regard to our -political views. But of this, and of his cousin, Lord Fairfax, more -hereafter. In the fall of this year I returned to my mother, or rather, -as before, I went to board across the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg, -in the house of a widow of the name of Stevenson, which she pronounced -Stinson. She had, by her two marriages, six sons, two of them Crawfords -and four Stevensons. They were all well-grown fellows, and of great -strength and bigness. - -I am reminded, as I set down in a random way what interests me, that, -as I expected, this act of attention brings to mind some things which -I seemed to have altogether forgotten. Among them is this, that, just -before returning to my school, I went with Lawrence to pay my respects -to Lord Fairfax, who was come for a visit to his cousin at Belvoir. -We found the family, however, in sudden distress at the news, just -arrived, of the death in battle of Thomas, the second son, who was -killed in the Indies, in an engagement on board his Majesty’s ship -_Harwich_. We made, on this account, but a short stay. I remember that, -as we rode away, Lawrence said to me: “A great preacher called Jeremy -Taylor wrote a sermon about death, and gave a long list of the many -ways of dying. Which way, George, would you wish to die?” I said I did -not wish to die at all. - -Lawrence said: “But you will die some day. What way would you choose?” -I said I thought to die in battle would be best, and I said this -because I remembered with horror watching how my father died and how -greatly he suffered. - -Lawrence said: “The good preacher did not speak of that way to die.” -Now, as I write, being in years, it seems that not in that way shall I -die, nor does it matter. - -After this I went back to my mother, or rather to the town of -Fredericksburg. I liked it the more because Colonel Harry Willis lived -there. He married first my aunt Mildred, and second my cousin Mildred, -so that I had about me many cousins, with also Warners and Thorntons of -my kindred. - -I was here fortunate in my teacher, of whom I have spoken before. This -gentleman, the Rev. James Marye, was very different in his ways from -some of the clergy put upon us by the Bishop of London, hard-drinking, -ill-mannered men. Mr. Marye was got for St. George’s parish, on a -petition of the vestry to Governor Gooch. He was rector thirty years, -and was succeeded by his son. - -On Sunday, as was quite common in Virginia, the girls and boys were -heard the catechism by the rector, and those who did well were rewarded -from time to time――the girls with pincushions and the boys with -trap-balls. - -The sons of the widow in whose house I lodged during the week were, -as I have said, rough, big fellows who damaged a great deal the -pride I had in my strength, because among them, for the first time -as concerned lads of near my years, I met my match in wrestling and -jumping, and what we called the Indian hug. Almost all of them served -under me in the war, and one, William Crawford, rose to be a colonel -and perished miserably, being burned at Sandusky in the war with the -Indians, after their cruel way. - -The Rev. Mr. Marye concerned himself more than the ordinary schoolmaster -with the manners of his scholars. I may have been inclined beyond most -lads to value his rules of courtesy and decent behaviour, for I kept the -book in which I was made to copy the one hundred and eighteen precepts -he taught us. I conceive them to have been of service to me and to -others. I find the mice have gnawed and eaten a part of these rules. -When, of late, I showed them to my sister Betty, she said she hoped -eating of them would make the mice polite, for she was dreadfully afraid -of those little vermin. - -In this manner my next two years passed by. During this time I -became still further attracted by the exactness and interest of the -surveying of land, which I carried on without present thought of gain. -I used to ride into the woods, and, leaving my horse tied, make -use of Peter as a chain-bearer. Sometimes my cousins went with me, -especially Lewis Willis, my schoolmate. But they soon grew tired and -went to bird-nesting, or digging up of woodchucks, or to making the -“praying-mantis” bugs fight one another. I never had much inclination -towards games which had no distinct or lasting result. At any time I -preferred for my play to fish or shoot, when allowed, or to measure -lands and plot them. - -Any work demanding strict method is good for a lad, and I found in -surveys an education of value and one suited to my tastes, which never -very much inclined to discover happiness in constant intercourse with -my fellow-men, nor in much reading of books. - - - - -X - - -At the age of fifteen, in the fall of 1747, I went once more, for a -time, to reside with Lawrence at Mount Vernon, where it was to be -finally determined what I should do for a livelihood. As I look back -on this period of my life, I perceive that it was the occasion of many -changes. I saw much more of George William Fairfax and George Mason, -ever since my friends, and was often with George’s father, the master -of Belvoir, only four miles from Mount Vernon. - -There came often, for long visits, William’s cousin, Lord Fairfax, over -whose great estates in the valley William was the agent. I learned -later that when first his lordship saw me he pronounced me to be a too -sober little prig――and this, no doubt, I was; but after a time, when -he came to overcome my shyness, he began to show such interest in me -as flattered my pride and pleased my brother Lawrence. At this period -Lord Fairfax was a tall man and gaunt, very ruddy and near-sighted. - -It was natural that as a lad I should be pleased by the notice this -gentleman, the only nobleman I had ever seen, began to take of me. -My fondness for surveying he took more seriously than did my own -people, and told me once it was a noble business, because it had to be -truthful, and because it kept a man away from men and, especially, from -women. I did not then understand what he meant, and did not think it -proper to inquire. - -I owed to this gentleman opportunities which led on to others, and to -no one else have I been more indebted. I trust and believe that I let -go no chance in after life to serve this admirable family. - -True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and -withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the -appellation. In fact, much disaster has befallen these friends, from -whom politics and distance have separated me without weakening my -gratitude or affection. - -It has often happened to me to learn that I am thought to be a cold -man, but this I believe to be untrue; for though I am, as concerns -social intercourse and freedom of speech, a man reserved by nature, I -discover in myself a great freedom to express myself affectionately on -paper――nor do I conceive that I am unlike others in feeling the loss of -the many friends whom distance or death has separated from me. But I -will not repine; I have had my day. - -As my brother was aware of the advantage it might be to me to secure -the good will of the Fairfaxes, I was encouraged to visit Belvoir -often, and thus was given me the chance to be, when he chose, in the -company of his lordship, who was at this time a frequent guest at -Belvoir with his cousins, and now and then at Mount Vernon. - -The company of these gentlemen was of much value to me, and in all -ways useful. William Fairfax was a man of honour and great probity; -also very courteous. He had seen service in both Indies, and had -divers adventures in clearing the pirates out of New Providence, all -of which I was delighted to hear of, and he to relate. He had lived -as a collector of customs in the New England colonies, having taken -a wife at Salem, and had a greater respect for them than was common -in Virginia. Indeed, in those days our planters despised the men of -the North as mere traders and Puritans, while they, in their turn, -considered us godless, drunken, fox-hunting squires, out of which -prejudices arose, during the great war, many jealousies and troubles, -of which, God knows, there were enough without these. - -At this time I was old enough to take an interest in what my elders -said of the politics of the colonies. I was more and more surprised -to hear how lightly they regarded the governor. I listened also to -their complaints of the too frequent interference in affairs of which -we knew much, and the advisers of the crown in England very little. -They complained that enterprise was crippled on sea and land, and -considered smuggling a just way to escape some of the grievous duties -laid between the colonies. They felt it unjust that we must use none -but British ships on the ocean, and be cut off from the natural -channels of commerce, etc. I listened eagerly and wondered, as a boy -would, why these great gentlemen, who seemed to me so powerful, should -submit to such wrongs. They spoke also with anger of the way in which -the colonies were being loaded with thieves and women of the worst -class, sent out as convicts. Of the political convicts they spoke with -pity, as indeed they might, for some of these were gentlemen of good -families, and in later times, being freed, prospered in honourable -conditions of life. - -There were some singular matters combined with the condition of -indentured servitude. Especially was I one day astonished to learn -that at one time, but earlier than this, if the white master of an -indentured man was fined and could not pay, the debt might be satisfied -by the whipping of one of these bad or unfortunate servants. - -Both Fairfaxes spoke with more freedom of the king than did my -brothers. Perhaps they inherited some of the liberty of thought which -made the famous earl of their name a rebel to the crown in the time of -the Commonwealth; and yet, when, at a later day, we had even greater -cause to rebel, they were, to my sorrow, loyal Tories. - -I was not without younger friends, for to Belvoir came the Carlyles, -cousins of the Fairfaxes from Alexandria, my own cousin Lawrence, -with my dear cousin Robin Washington of Choptank, and many more, -such as the Carys, Mrs. Fairfax’s kindred, the Masons, and my sister -Betty, a great favourite. But of all these people, the Lord Fairfax -most affected my life, and indirectly prepared me for the career of a -frontier officer. At this time he was fifty-nine years old. Although -a heavy man, he was a fine horseman; and as I never was tired of -the saddle, we were much engaged in the hunting of wild foxes, or, -lacking these, of foxes bagged by the negroes and let loose for the -sport. He was a man who disliked women, and avoided society, or was -inclined to be silent in company; but with me he was a most lively -companion, and would tell me of Oxford, and of having written papers in -the “Spectator,” which I had then begun to read. My sister Betty was -inclined to be merry over his lordship’s fancy to have me ride and hunt -with him, saying that as I never talked except to answer questions, and -his lordship talked only once a week, we were well matched. My brother -Lawrence considered her wanting in respect, and that his lordship might -be of much service to me. I could talk when occasion served, but I had -been taught that it was for my elders to choose whether I should talk -or not. There were times when his lordship was pleased to encourage me -in the asking of questions, and at other times liked to puzzle me with -matters beyond my years. - - - - -XI - - -In this pleasant company of William Fairfax and his wife, and my friend -George William, his son, I saw with profit something of the ways and -manners of persons of consideration, and, being by nature observant, -profited accordingly. Indeed, the Lord Fairfax more than once commended -the matter to my attention, saying that good and fitting manners to men -of all classes would often obtain what could not be otherwise as easily -had. I do not now recall the phrase he used, but, if I recollect, it -was out of a letter written to Sir Philip Sidney by his father. - -I find it curious to recall how at this time I appeared to others, and, -concerning this, I have found a letter addressed by Lord Fairfax to -my mother. In one of her sudden and often brief ambitions for me, she -desired to know of his lordship whether it would not be well for me, -like Mr. C―――― and Colonel H――――, to go to Oxford. When riding with the -old gentleman the next day, he told me of her wish. I was surprised, -but even then I knew she would, at the last minute, change her mind, -and I said as much, with due respect. For a time he rode on in silence, -and at last said: “Young man, this is your country; stay here. What do -you want to do?” I said boldly I should like to be a surveyor and help -in the settling and surveying of his lordship’s lands in the valley. He -said I was young to contend among hostile squatters, but he would talk -with Lawrence of it. I heard no more of Oxford, and this is the answer -he made my mother. It seems to me as I read this letter, after the -lapse of forty-nine years, that what his lordship wrote was very near -to the truth; nevertheless, it greatly displeased my mother. But she -was always displeased with any one who did not agree with her, which, -indeed, was hard to do, as sister Betty Lewis once said, because, -whenever for peace you were on her side, you found that she had changed -to the opposite opinion. - -He wrote: - - _Belvoir._ - - HONOURED MADAM: You are so good as to ask what I think of a - temporary residence for your son George in England. It is - a country for which I myself have no inclination, and the - gentlemen you mention are certainly renowned gamblers and - rakes, which I should be sorry your son were exposed to, even - if his means easily admitted of a residence in England. He is - strong and hardy, and as good a master of a horse as any could - desire. His education might have been bettered, but what he has - is accurate and inclines him to much life out of doors. He is - very grave for one of his age, and reserved in his intercourse; - not a great talker at any time. His mind appears to me to act - slowly, but, on the whole, to reach just conclusions, and - he has an ardent wish to see the right of questions――what - my friend Mr. Addison was pleased to call “the intellectual - conscience.” Method and exactness seem to be natural to George. - He is, I suspect, beginning to feel the sap rising, being in - the spring of life, and is getting ready to be the prey of your - sex, wherefore may the Lord help him, and deliver him from the - nets those spiders, called women, will cast for his ruin. I - presume him to be truthful because he is exact. I wish I could - say that he governs his temper. He is subject to attacks of - anger on provocation, and sometimes without just cause; but as - he is a reasonable person, time will cure him of this vice of - nature, and in fact he is, in my judgment, a man who will go to - school all his life and profit thereby. - - I hope, madam, that you will find pleasure in what I have - written, and will rest assured that I shall continue to - interest myself in his fortunes. - - Much honoured by your appeal to my judgment, I am, my dear - madam, your obedient humble servant, - - _Fairfax._ - - To Mrs. Mary Washington. - -My nephew Bushrod Washington, in arranging my papers, placed all my -Fairfax letters in one packet, and thus it chances that lying next -to this one is a letter from Bryan Fairfax, the brother of my older -friend, written in 1778 from New York. I am pleased to find it here, -and thus to be reminded of the vast changes through which time gives -us opportunities. I had been able to stop the Whigs in New York from -offensive attacks upon this gentleman, and on this he wrote: - - There are times when favours conferred make a greater - impression than at others; for, though I have received many, - I hope I have not been unmindful of them; yet that, at a time - your popularity was at the highest and mine at the lowest, and - when it is so common for men’s political resentments to run - up so high against those who differ from them in opinion, you - should act with your wonted kindness toward me, has affected me - more than any favour I have received; and such conduct could - not be believed by some in New York, it being above the run of - common minds. - -When Lord Fairfax died in his ninety-second year, my old comrade, -this Bryan Fairfax, became the heir to his title, but I believe never -allowed himself the use of it, and, becoming a clergyman of our church, -is still thus engaged. - -The finding of these two letters moved me more than common. Two matters -are alluded to in his lordship’s letter to my mother which, otherwise, -I might not have reminded myself of, and yet one of them had an -important influence on my life. - -I had been told, of a Sunday morning, of a great flock of ducks, of the -kind called canvasback, and much esteemed. It was against our habits -to shoot on this day, but towards evening, the temptation being great, -I went to the shore and was about to push off, when Peter, using the -liberty of an old family servant, said I would make Mr. Fairfax and my -brother, then like myself at Belvoir, angry if I went. When he held -on to the prow to stay me, I suddenly lost my temper and struck him -with an oar on the head. He fell down and lay in a sort of a shake. I -thought he was killed, and had he been white I must surely have put an -end to him; but the blacks have thick skulls, and presently he got up -and staggered away, his head bleeding. I was both sorry and scared, for -he would not wait when I called, but walked off to the quarters of the -slaves. - -I stood still a minute, and then went to the house and told Lawrence, -and asked him to have the man looked after. Lawrence, being very angry, -said: “This comes of your hot temper. Once our father nearly killed a -man for a small matter, and that cured him; I hope this may cure you.” -I said nothing, and went to see if the man was badly hurt. Peter only -laughed and said: “Master George, you hit mighty hard.” I liked the -man, and, although no one else spoke of the matter again, it had more -effect on me than the many good resolutions I had written or made as to -keeping my temper. I have rarely lost it completely since that time: -once at Monmouth, once after Edmund Randolph’s treachery, and once when -General Knox, then of my cabinet, showed me a vile caricature of myself -being guillotined. - - - - -XII - - -Like other men, I have had my times of being irritable, but open anger -is with me like to a tornado, and if I give way I am as is a ship in a -storm when no anchors hold. General Hamilton, on one occasion, observed -to me that there were some talents which it was good that men should -know you to be possessed of, because once they were aware of this, you -were not so apt to be called upon to use them, and this may be true of -that rage of anger I now speak of. But I cannot think it a thing of -value, nor of any real use; for if it follow another’s actions, it can -do no good, and there are better ways of showing disapprobation. - -The other matter to which his lordship alludes is that I was, at this -time, the victim of one of those attachments to a lady older than -myself from which lads are apt to suffer. It was not the last, for in -the composition of the human frame there is a good deal of inflammable -matter. My fancy lasted for some months, but was cured at last by hard -work and life in the saddle. It was full time that I got away from the -easy hospitality of Belvoir and Mount Vernon. A masterful nature amid -slaves is not so well situated as among scenes where he has to contend -with those who can resist. Since I became a man I never approved of -human slavery, and surely the worst thing ever done to the colonies -was the act of England in forcing upon us an endurance of the trade in -slaves. The evil results of this tyranny I do not propose to discuss -fully, but sure I am that the continuance of this form of servitude -will some day give rise to troubles. I find myself, however, inclined -to believe that the habit of mastery, also the aristocratic turn which -society acquired in Virginia, had a certain value in our war with the -mother country. In Virginia the minor officers, such as captains, -were of a higher class than their privates, and for this reason, and -on account of being from youth upward accustomed to command obedience -and exact discipline, were in this respect well fitted for warfare. -In New England, especially, under more democratic circumstances, and -also because there were few slaves, the officers, such as captains -and lieutenants, were unused to control men who, being of their own -class, acknowledged of late years no such differences of position as in -Virginia, and were very insubordinate. I found in this state of things -a serious obstacle to discipline when I first took command at Cambridge. - -On the other hand, it is worthy of remark that no general officers -of great distinction were of Southern birth. All of those on whom I -learned to depend most largely were born in the North, or had lived -long in the colonies north of Maryland. Of these were the generals -Knox, Morgan, Wayne, Hamilton, Montgomery, Schuyler, Greene, and, alas! -Arnold; and generally these were men who were not of the upper classes. -This is a matter which I once had occasion to mention to Mr. Edmund -Pendleton, who was of opinion that, as the first open warfare was at -the North, and the first army there collected, it was natural that the -early opportunities and high commissions should have fallen to men -of the North. I was unable to deny this, but upon reflection it does -not present to me a satisfactory explanation, since the actual war -lasted seven years and afforded many chances to men of all sections. -I find myself naturally drawn into these reflections by the events of -my early life, but such interruptions are of no moment, because I am -endeavouring, for my own satisfaction and with no thought of others, to -consider rather how certain steps in life prepared me for larger tasks, -than with a view to any connected narration. - -There lived near Mount Vernon at this time a man named Van Braam, a -Dutchman, who, having served under my brother Lawrence at Cartagena, -was used at times as a clerk. He was a slight, wiry little man, and -dependent in those days on my brother’s aid. He spoke French, but -whether well or ill I was too ignorant to know; yet, because of his -supposed knowledge, he came later to be the innocent means of getting -himself and me into unpleasant difficulties. Like Lawrence, he was an -accomplished swordsman; and I received from him lessons in the small -sword, and became myself expert in this, as I have usually been in all -exercise involving strength and accuracy, being more quick of body than -of mind. - -This talent of the sword was an accomplishment which I never had to use -personally, nor have I ever been so unfortunate as to have needed it in -the duel. Experience has proved that chance is often as much concerned -in these encounters as bravery, and always more than the justice of the -cause. I felt regret that my friend, General Cadwalader, should have -exposed a valuable life to the pistol of a man like General Conway, -especially since the real cause of the quarrel was, I am assured, -language used by the latter which my friend knew I could not resent. - -Indeed, in an affair like that of these two generals, it would have -been reasonable to have decided by lot which was wrong; for a farthing -was tossed as to who should be first to fire, and both were good shots. -Happily, my friend was fortunate, and the other, who had considered his -honour wounded, was now in addition wounded in his tongue――the organ -which made all the mischief. - -This lamentable manner of settling disputes was the occasion, while we -lay at the Valley Forge, of our losing valuable officers. I have always -discouraged it. Many of the duels in the war might have been avoided -by the help of judicious friends. When Captain Paul Jones desired -to call out Mr. Arthur Lee, I dissuaded him from asking my friends, -the two C――――s, to be his advisers, on account of the too pugnacious -tendencies of these gentlemen of Welsh blood. - - - - -XIII - - -The question of whether I should become a surveyor by profession was -much debated among us. My youth was against it, but I was in strength -and seriousness older than my years. My mother opposed it, as she did -every change, being of those who are defeated beforehand by obstacles. -Without any better plan of life to offer, she insisted that it was -not an occupation for a gentleman. This was, in a measure, true in -Virginia. The bounds of estates were often vague or contested, and -there was a strong prejudice against the persons employed to settle -these disputes, or who were engaged in laying out new plantations -beyond the Alleghanies, and who took daily wages, like mechanics. - -The planters settled on the tide-water coast or on the rich river -lands were long since uneasy because they feared the settlements made -inland might interfere with their control of the trade in tobacco, in -the culture of which they were exhausting the soil. At one time the -king endeavoured to prevent settlements beyond the mountains, under -the pretence that they would be too little under government. It was -believed, however, that the jealousy of the long-settled planters was -the real means of bringing about this decree, which no one obeyed. -The more enterprising families, who were disposed to engage in the -acquisition of such lands, were looked upon with suspicion. Nor were -their active agents regarded with favour. Indeed, long afterwards I was -subject to reproach because of having been engaged in the occupation -of a surveyor of lands. The prejudice entertained by the gentry of -Virginia was not without foundation in the character of many of those -who were thus employed, for they were not all of a decent class, -and were subject to be influenced by bribes, so that out of their -misconduct arose many tedious disputes as to boundaries. - -Although among my elders there was much discussion as to my choice of a -means of livelihood, I cannot remember that it in any way affected my -own resolutions or, in the end, those of my brothers. It was finally -concluded that I was to serve under Mr. Genn, my former instructor in -surveying, and was to be accompanied by Mr. George William Fairfax on a -visit to the estate of Lord Fairfax. - -The prospect of being able to earn my own living, and of a life in the -wilderness, filled me with pleasure, and I set about preparing flints, -powder, and shot for the new fowling-piece his lordship was so kind -as to give me. I had the foresight, also, to take some lessons in the -shoeing of horses, and, after a visit to my mother, was fully prepared -for my journey. - -I hold it most fortunate that my own inclinations and the good sense of -my brothers set me to work at a time of life when temptations are most -dangerous because of their novelty. Many of the young men I knew became -brutal from contact with slaves, and spent their lives, like some of -their elders, in fighting cocks and dogs and in running quarter-races. -A few men were brought up to professions; but as estates were entailed -on elder sons, or they, at least, received the larger portions, and -there was no army or navy, the younger sons were generally without -occupation and apt to fall into evil ways. I little knew, when I rode -away, how fortunate was my choice. - -We set out on March 11, 1747, George William Fairfax and I, with two -servants and a led horse, loaded with a pack and such baggage as could -not be carried in saddle-bags. I was at this time ill, not having -recovered from an attack of the ague; but the action of the horse and -the feeling of adventure helped me, so that in a day or two I left off -taking of Jesuits’ bark, and was none the worse. - -I have now before me the diary I kept as a lad of near sixteen years. -It was not so well kept as it was later, but already in it I discover -with interest that it turns to practical matters, like the value of the -land and what could be produced on it. - -As we were soon joined by my old master in surveying, James Genn, I -learned a great deal more of his useful art, and usually earned a -doubloon a day, but sometimes six pistoles. Although the idea of daily -wages was unpleasant to Virginians of my class, I remember that it made -me feel independent, and set a sort of value upon me which reasonably -fed my esteem of myself, which was, I do believe, never too great. - -Our journey was without risks, except the rattlesnakes, and the many -smaller vermin which inhabited the blankets in the cabins of the -squatters. - -I remember with pleasure the evening when I first saw the great fertile -valley after we came through Ashby’s Gap in the Blue Ridge. The snows -were still melting, and on this account the streams were high and -the roads the worst that could ever be seen, even in Virginia. The -greatness of the trees I remember, and my surprise that the Indians -should have so much good invention in their names, as when they called -the river of the valley the Shen-an-do-ah――that is, the Daughter of the -Stars; but why so named I never knew. - -In this great vale were the best of Lord Fairfax’s lands. Near to where -this stream joins the Potomac were many clearings, of which we had -to make surveys and insist on his lordship’s ownership. Here were no -hardships, and much pleasure in the pursuit of game, especially wild -turkeys. I learned to cook, and how to make a bivouac comfortable, and -many things which are part of the education of the woods. Only four -nights did I sleep in a bed, and then had more small company than I -liked to entertain. - -I copy here as it was wrote by me, a lad of sixteen, what we saw on a -Wednesday. It might have been better spelled. - - At evening we were agreeably surprised by ye sight of thirty - odd Indians coming from war with only one scalp. We gave them - some liquor, which, elevating their spirits, put them in ye - humour of dancing. They seat themselves around a great fire, - and one leaps up as if out of a sleep, and runs and jumps about - ye ring in a most comicle manner; afterward others. Then begins - there musicians to play and to beat a pot half full of water, - with a deer-skin tied tight over it, and a gourd with some - shott in it to rattle, and piece of a horse tail tied to it to - make it look fine. - -The Dutch, then of late come in from Pennsylvania, I found an uncouth -people, who, having squatted, as we say, on lands not their own, hoped -to acquire cheap titles. They were merry and full of antic tricks. I -talked with some by an interpreter and heard them say they cared not -who were the masters, French or English, if only they were let to farm -their lands. This amazed me, who was brought up to despise the French -as frog-eating folk, and, indeed, this indifference of the Dutch became -a matter of concern when we had a war with the French. - -After one night in a Dutch cabin I liked better a bearskin and the open -air, for it was not to my taste to lie down on straw――very populous――or -on a skin with a man, wife, and squalling babies, like dogs and cats, -and to cast lots who should be nearest the fire. - -I did not like these people, and the Indians interested me more. Genn -understood their tongue well enough to talk with them, and the way they -had of sign-language pleased Lord Fairfax, because, he said, you could -not talk too much in signs or easily abuse your neighbour; but I found -they had a sign for cutting a man’s throat, and it seemed to me that -was quite enough, and worse than abuse. Mr. Genn warned me that one of -their great jokes was, when shaking hands with white men, to squeeze so -as to give pain. Being warned, I gave the chief who was called Big Bear -such a grip that, in his surprise, he cried out, and thus much amused -the other warriors. This incident is not in my diary, and I find it -remarkable that now, after so many years, it should come to mind, when -even some more serious affairs are quite forgot. - - - - -XIV - - -Early in April, having completed our work, I crossed the mountains -afoot to the Great Cacapehon, and, passing over the Blue Ridge, on -April 12 found myself again at Mount Vernon. But before that I first -rode on to Belvoir, that I might be prompt to answer his lordship’s -questions. All he would talk about was how to get horse and man over -rivers, and of a way I learned of an Indian to wade across a strong -swift stream safely, even breast-high, by carrying a heavy stone to -keep me on my feet. He advised me to learn the sign-language of the -savages. - -He was soon to set out for the valley, where he meant to lay out the -manor of Greenway Court and there reside. He desired me to come and -help to survey his great domain. - -There must be some natural taste in man for the life in the woods, and, -for my part, I longed ever to return to them, of which, sooner or -later, I had many opportunities. Nor did the free life make me less, -but rather more, practical, and I learned to observe the trees, and how -the land lay, and the meadows, whether liable to flood or not, all of -which enabled me not only to serve my employers well, but was of use to -me when I became able to purchase land myself. - -About this time the influence of Lord Fairfax and my brothers obtained -for me the place of surveyor of the county of Culpeper. I saw, a few -years ago, in the records of Culpeper Court House, under date of July -20, 1749, that George Washington, gentleman, produced a commission -from the president and masters of William and Mary College appointing -him to be a surveyor of the county, whereupon he took the oath to his -Majesty’s person and government, and subscribed the abjuration oath, -the test, etc. - -I recall now the pleasure this formal appointment gave me. Although -I was then but seventeen years old, I was much trusted and was soon -busily employed, because of my exactness, and because it was known -that I could not be bribed; and thus for over two years I pursued this -occupation. His lordship had long since this time left his cousin’s -house of Belvoir and gone to live in the valley, in his steward’s -house, which now he bettered and enlarged for his own use, meaning soon -to build a great mansion-house, which he never did. - -His home was a long, low stone dwelling, with a sloped roof, and many -coops where swallows came, and bird-cotes under the eaves, and around -it on all sides a wide porch, with, in every direction, the great -forest of gum and hickory and oaks, and the tulip-trees. I found the -roads much improved on my first visit, and many outbuildings for slaves -and others, with kennels for the hounds his lordship loved to follow. -My own room was ever after kept for me. It had a wide dormer-window, -and next to it a room with more books than I had ever seen before, -except at Westover, Colonel Byrd’s great mansion. - -I never passed the time more agreeably. When not absent laying out -land, we hunted and shot game, especially wild turkeys, which abounded; -and when the weather served us ill I read the history of England, and -tried to please his lordship by reading Shakspere and other books of -verse. But although I had by hard labor managed to lay out and plot -verses to certain young women, I never found much pleasure in the use -of the imagination, nor in what others made of it. It seemed to me -tedious and without practical value, nor did it amuse me except when it -was in a play. - -For days at a time I sometimes saw nothing of this kind but eccentric -nobleman. A woman in England was said to have wounded his life, and it -was rare that we had any female guests at Greenway Court, except Anne -Cary, the sister of George William Fairfax’s wife. I found it not good -for me to be in her company, for in some way she brought to my mind a -boy love, which I had resolved no more to entertain, but which I found -it difficult to master. - -Miss Cary stayed no long time, and others came and went, but for the -most part I had his lordship to myself. There were days when he was -absent in the woods with a servant, or alone. At others he would remain -all day shut up in a small log house, not over fifteen feet square, -where he slept, and, as he said, very ill. It was his custom, however, -to join me at supper, and then to remain smoking, which I never -learned, and taking his punch. He was either full of talk or so silent -that we would not exchange a word while he sat staring into the fire. -Sometimes, when tired, I fell asleep, and, on waking, found him gone to -bed. When disposed for conversation, he was apt to be bitter about his -native land, and once said that the best part of it had come away. - -My brother Lawrence and he were the only persons of our own class -I ever knew in those days who, to my surprise, foresaw serious -trouble from the selfish policy of the crown and the greed of English -merchants, who desired to keep us shut out of the natural way of sea -trade. I should have been most ungrateful, which I never was, had I not -felt my obligations to Lord Fairfax. His great wealth and high position -kept even my mother satisfied that what pleased my patron could never -be complained of, and so, for a season, I was let to go my own way. - -He led me to feel sure that, soon or late, we must be at war with both -France and the Indians, or else submit to be shut out of the fertile -lands to the westward. He was almost the only Englishman of high rank -whom we saw in Virginia. There were governors with their secretaries, -and officers of the army, but, except my lord, all of them regarded -the gentlemen of the colonies as inferior persons. This feeling was, I -apprehend, due to the fact that we looked to England for everything, -and were in many ways kept as dependent as children. He once said to -me that we were like slow bullocks that did not know their power to -resist. This was all strange to a young Virginian in those days. I have -lived to see its wisdom, and now, as I think of it, am reminded that -Mr. Hamilton once wrote to me, “a colony was always a colony, and never -could be a country until it had altogether to stand on its own legs.” - -This was spoken of Canada, which unwisely refused to make common cause -with us, and will now be for us at least a troublesome, if not a -dangerous neighbour. - -But to see her in the hands of France was not, as the matter presented -itself, to be desired, for which reason I did not at a later time -encourage Marquis Lafayette in his design upon Canada, knowing that -if we succeeded in the war, and with French troops were able to take -Canada, France would claim it as her share of the spoils, and thus hem -us in from Louisiana to the Great Lakes. Indeed, this was very early -a constant fear throughout all the colonies, and especially in New -England, where the notion of being shut in by a popish nation added to -their uneasiness. - -When considering this matter, I recall the effect of the capitulations -of 1759, for at that time, in order to quiet the French after England -had taken Canada, and to get the Canadians to accept willingly English -rule, vast and unwise privileges were granted to the Church of Rome. -Still later the Quebec Act of 1774 decreed that Quebec should be held -to extend over all the country west of the Ohio and up to the lakes, -and thus that the privileges enjoyed by the Romish Church should -prevail over all this great dominion. - -While the Stamp Act and the laws restrictive of trade did variously -annoy the separate colonies, the Quebec Act produced a still more -general dissatisfaction. - - - - -XV - - -While at Greenway Court I had other teachers besides his lordship, for -many Indians, frontier traders, and trappers came to claim food and -shelter, which were never denied them. Often the woods were lighted up -by their fires, and I found it of use, and interesting, to hear what -was said and to learn something of the uncertain ways of the savages. - -I heard how the Delawares, Shawnees, and Iroquois had wandered from -the north and taken to the lands about the Ohio, and how the French -protected them and claimed all the country up to the Alleghanies. - -To these camps came the rude, lawless traders from Pennsylvania, who -had stories to tell of the Indians and of the French beyond the Ohio. -These men foresaw a war on the frontier when scarce any others did, -and, by their accounts of the fertility of the wide savannas beyond the -Ohio, filled me with desire to explore this rich wilderness. I learned -that already the French had warned the fur-traders to leave and had -driven away their hunters, and when I mentioned this to Lawrence he -said we were not easy folk to drive, and, least of all, Pennsylvania -Quakers, and that there would be trouble, which there was soon enough. -We were on the edge of a struggle in which all the world was to share. -Meanwhile, time went on, and what Lord Fairfax called the “frontier -pot” was boiling. - -I was often back at home, sometimes with my mother, or at Belvoir, or -at Mount Vernon, riding to hounds, surveying, and making more than I -needed in the way of money, and enough to keep me in horseflesh and -to give me better clothes, for which I have always had a fancy. Only -in the woods I liked best such dress as our rangers wear, and good -moccasins are the best of foot-gear. But as to clothing, when not in -the woods, I found in myself a liking for a plain genteel dress of -the best, without lace or embroidery. Fine clothes do not make fine -men, and the man must be foolish who has a better opinion of himself -because his clothes are such as the truly judicious and sensible do not -advise. - -Until I had money of my own I did not venture much at cards; but now I -played a little, although I was never fond of it, and lost more than I -made. I was more inclined to the game of billiards. - -If at times I was in danger of leaning towards the rough ways of the -wilderness, I had the advantage of seeing at Mount Vernon, or at the -homes of the Carters and Lees, or among the Lewises of Warner Hall, -and elsewhere, the older gentry, who were orderly and ceremonious, and -who reminded me anew of his lordship’s lesson as to the value of good -manners. - -Sometimes on these great plantations I was employed in surveys, but -at others, as at Shirley and the Corbins’, I was only a guest. I was, -I conceive, unlike the idle young men of some of these houses, for I -was over-grave and cared less for card-playing and hard drinking than -suited them. - -I found myself at this time preferring the society of women, who are -always amiably disposed to overlook the shyness of men like myself, -and with whom it is possible to be agreeable without either punch or -tobacco; but racing of horses I always liked, and dancing. - -In those days cock-fighting was also to my liking. I remember well, -because it was at Yorktown, a great main of cocks in 1752 between -Gloucester and York for five pistoles each battle, and one hundred the -odd. I was disappointed to leave before it was decided. I saw there a -greater cock-fight in after days. - -I recall now that my brother Lawrence once wrote home from Appleby -School that each boy must pay to the master on Easter Tuesday a penny -to provide the school with a cock-fight. - -As to the hard drinking of rum and bumbo, Madeira and sangaree, I -never had a head for it, or any liking, nor for the English way of -locking doors until the half were under the table. These things were -not encouraged in the better houses, but sometimes they were not to be -avoided without giving offence. The great war helped to better these -foolish customs, and now they are more rare. - -I remember, about this time, to have seen such an occasion on a hot -day in July at L―――― Hall, where I was come to survey a plot of -meadow-land. I arrived about 7 P.M., and I must needs go at once to -sup with a gay company of men, very fine in London clothes. I would -have excused myself to be of the party, but no one would listen to -me, and, although dusty and tired, I was pulled in whether I would -or not. We had a great supper, and Madeira wine, and much rum punch, -with wine-glasses which had no stands or bottoms and must, therefore, -be kept in the hand until emptied. When it became very warm, negroes -were sent for to fan us and to keep off the flies. At last there was -a dispute as to gamecocks, and two were fetched in, very sleepy, and -set on the table to fight, which they were little of a mind to, but -were urged until feathers and blood were all over the table. When songs -were sung, and most very drunk, and the King toasted, I slipped away, -and would have got out the door, but found it locked. Being unable -to escape, I was forced to return to the table. At last a lighted -candle having been set before each guest, our host called on us to -rise, and when he cried out his toast, “The Ladies, God bless them!” -each gentleman, having drained his glass, used it to extinguish the -candle-light set before him. It seemed to me a strange custom. I took -advantage of the darkness to get out of an open window, and was pursued -by two or three, who fell on the way, so that I got back to the house -and to bed, liking none of it. But now all this is much amended, and -there is more moderation in drinking, but still too much of this evil -custom. - -I am led here to remark that in the War of Independency many officers -who were otherwise competent failed because of drunkenness, and, -indeed, at Germantown this was one cause of our losing the battle. -When it became needful after St. Clair’s defeat in 1791 to appoint -general officers, I furnished my cabinet with a statement of the names -and characters of such officers as, having served under me, I knew -should be considered. As concerned most of them, I found it well to -state whether or not they were addicted to spirits, so common was this -practice. - -It seems very remarkable that so few gentlemen should have foreseen -what was plain to the trappers and dealers in furs. All of the Ohio -country was claimed by both French and English. The Indians, although -cheated and made drunk, were still in possession of the woods they -considered to be their own. Virginia claimed what Pennsylvania, and -even Connecticut, said was theirs; Pennsylvania was reaping the only -harvest of the wilderness, of the value of some fifty thousand pounds -a year, the trade in furs; last of all, in 1749, some enterprising -gentlemen in England and Virginia planned the Ohio Company, meaning to -colonize even north of the Ohio. - -When Mr. Thomas Lee, president of the council, died, my brother -Lawrence became the head of the Ohio Company, and all of this, as I -now see, had much to do with the next change in my life. I find it -pleasant again to dwell here on the good sense and liberal spirit of my -brother, who, had his life been spared, would surely have been chosen -to do that which has fallen to me. His character is well seen in his -desire that the Dutch from Pennsylvania, whom he invited as settlers, -being dissenters and having come into the jurisdiction of Virginia, -should not be forced to pay parish rates and support clergymen of the -Church of England, as all dissenters were obliged to do. He urged -that restraints of conscience were cruel, and injurious to the country -imposing them, and he wrote: - - I may quote as example England, Holland, and Prussia, and, much - more, Pennsylvania, which has flourished under that delightful - liberty, so as to become the admiration of every man who - considers the short time it has been settled, whereas Virginia - has increased by slow degrees, although much older. - -There, on our borders, as Lord Fairfax said, was much powder, and only -one spark needed to set it off. Meanwhile Mr. Gist set out to survey -the grant of the Ohio Company, on the south side of the Ohio River, all -of which was greatly to concern my life. - -Virginia and Pennsylvania were, at that time, much stirred up by the -hostile threats of France, and efforts began to be made to prepare for -hostilities on the frontier. About this time, but the exact date I fail -to recall, my brother Lawrence abandoned all concern in the military -line of life, and arranged that his place of major in the militia -should be given up to me, and that I should also take his position as -district adjutant. - - - - -XVI - - -During the summer of 1751 I saw with affectionate anxiety a great -change in the health of my brother Lawrence. I remember no event of -my life which caused me more concern. Since our father’s death he had -been both father and friend. Had it not been for him, I should not have -known Mr. Fairfax and his cousin, Lord Fairfax, nor without their help -could I have become employed in a way which brought about my service on -the frontier and all that came after. Thus, in the providence of the -Ruler of the events of this world, one step leads on to another, and we -are always being educated for that which is to come. - -At last, in September, Lawrence, who had been long ill of a phthisical -complaint, asked me to go with him to the Barbados. Therefore, while -Mr. Gist’s surveys on the Ohio went on, and both English and French -were making bids to secure the Indians, we were on the sea. It is far -from my purpose to recall what, after a constant habit, is set down in -my diary. I lost in the Barbados what good looks a clear skin gave me, -because of a mild attack of smallpox, such as a third of the human race -must expect, and I remain slightly pitted to this day. - -What most struck me in the islands was the richness of the soil, and -yet that nearly all the planters were in debt, and estates over-billed -and alienated. They were all spendthrifts, and I remind myself that -I resolved at that time never to be in the grasp of the enemy called -Debt. How persons coming to estates of three hundred or four hundred -acres could want was to me most wonderful. - -Lawrence now declared for Bermuda, and as he seemed better, I felt able -to leave him and return. To be torn by the demands of public duty on -the one hand and by the call of affection on the other, I have many -times been subjected to. Lawrence insisted that matters at home made -urgent my return, and, indeed, through life I have always held that the -public service comes first. - -I reached home in the ship _Industry_, in February, 1752, having had -enough of the sea in a five weeks’ voyage, and very stormy. - -Lawrence was at times better and desired to remain a year in Bermuda, -and for me to fetch his wife. But soon his mind changed, and he wrote -that he was resolved to hurry home, as he said, to his grave. - -In the little time that was between his return and his passing away, -I was much in his company――nor have I ever since been long without -thought of him; for, although I am not disposed to speak much of -sorrow, nor ever was, his great patience under suffering, and how he -would never complain, but comfort his wife and me as if we were those -in pain, and not he, have often been in my mind, and particularly of -late, since the increase of my own infirmities has reminded me that the -end of life cannot be very remote. - -I am of opinion that I must have seemed, when younger, to be a dull, -plodding lad; but, as time went on, Lawrence came to think more of me -than did any, except Lord Fairfax, and in this his last illness gave -me such evidence of his esteem as greatly strengthened my hope that I -should justify his belief in me. - -General Hamilton once asked me whether I did not think that at the -approach of death men seem sometimes to acquire such clearness of -mind as they might be thought to obtain beyond the grave. I had to -reply that such considerations were remote from my usual subjects of -reflection; but what he then said, although I had no suitable reply, -reminded me of certain things Lawrence said to me, and of his certainty -that I should attain honourable distinction. I thought him then more -affectionate than just, for I have never esteemed myself very highly; -but I know that I have never ceased to do what I believed to be my -duty, and as to this my conscience is clear. - -My dear Lawrence died at Mount Vernon, July 12, 1752, aged thirty-five -years, and thus I lost the man who had most befriended me. As his -infant daughter Sarah inherited his estate, and I, although only twenty -years old, was one of his executors, my time was fully occupied by this -and by the increase of public duties, which were made heavy by the want -of good officers and by the insubordination and drunkenness of their -men. Even then I saw what must come of it all if we had a serious war, -for the militia could not by law be used more than five miles outside -of the colony, and we should have to rely upon volunteers for more -extended service. - -The little maid, my niece, at Mount Vernon, did not live long after -her father’s death, and thus, as I have before stated, in 1754 the -estate fell to me under the will of my father. It was charged with a -life-interest in favour of my brother’s wife, who soon married Mr. -George Lee of Westmoreland. I was obligated to pay her fifteen thousand -pounds of tobacco yearly; and as the estate, because of Lawrence’s -illness, had fallen away, I was little the better for the property -until her death in 1761. - - - - -XVII - - -On my brother’s return, although very ill, he interested himself in my -future, and it was, no doubt, in part due to his influence that, before -his death, I was called to Williamsburg, the seat of government, by -Governor Dinwiddie, who told me he was advised to make me one of the -adjutant-generals. To my surprise, he seemed to consider me competent, -and, owing to my brother, and probably also to the advice of the -Fairfaxes, I received this appointment for the Northern Division, one -of the four now newly created, with the rank of major and one hundred -and fifty colonial pounds a year. - -To this day I do not fully understand why I so easily secured this -important appointment. I was only nineteen and knew nothing of war. -As I consider the matter, there were many more experienced men, who, -like Lawrence, had served at sea and on land. The other adjutants were -older than I. One of them said I would have a bitter business, for the -chief use of the militia was to search negro cabins for arms and to -get drunk on training-days. Nevertheless, as I knew well enough, there -was good stuff in the men of Virginia, and no better could be found -than the men of the frontier, who were expert with the rifle and were -more than a match for the Indians. As I learned from Lawrence, the -candidates for these places of adjutant were either too old or were -men of drunken habits; and as to the wandering soldiers of fortune who -had had experience in war, they were not gentlemen of our own class, -and this, I understood, was a question which the governor and council -considered important. - -When I went again to accept and thank the governor for the appointment, -he talked to me at some length, and I learned that he was more largely -interested in the Ohio Company than I had previously known, and that -one reason for my appointment was my familiarity with the frontier -country, where I might have to serve. Without further troubling myself -as to why I, a young man of nineteen, was thus chosen, I set earnestly -about my work. I found it no easy task. I myself had much to learn, -and, by Lawrence’s advice, secured Mr. Muse, formerly adjutant of a -regiment, who had served with my brother in the Spanish war and now -resided near us in Westmoreland. This old soldier lent me books on -tactics, and taught me the manual of the soldier, which was to prove of -small value on the frontier. Van Braam was also put to use, as I wished -now to learn the broadsword. - -Meanwhile, at intervals, I rode through the counties of my district, -and did my best to ascertain how many men could be counted on, and to -stiffen the lax discipline of the county militia. - -I soon discovered that the governor, Robert Dinwiddie, was more intent -on making money than on governing wisely. - -Appointments to office, in my youth, were very often obtained through -family and other influence, and were, like mine, critically considered -by many. Indeed, in this year, not long before Lawrence died, Mr. -George Fairfax mentioned to me that, being at Greenway Court, and Mr. -Meade present, that gentleman inquired of him how it chanced that a -man so young as I should have succeeded to obtain what older men had -failed to get. His lordship replied for his cousin that he was mistaken -as to my age, for all the Washingtons were born old, and he supposed -that I was near about thirty. Mr. Meade said that it was thought my -lord knew best who pulled the strings, but to this, as George Fairfax -said, laughing, his lordship only smoked a reply. - -This Mr. Meade was the father of Richard, who served well as one of my -aides in the great war. David Meade, the second son, was of those who -believed that Colonel Byrd should have been made commander-in-chief by -the Congress. It may be that he was right, or would have been so had -Colonel Byrd been more decided in his opinions. He had both ability and -military experience. - -Mr. Meade was not alone in this opinion, and was said to have himself -entertained the belief that, although I was, as he said, a good -business man and of irreproachable morals, Colonel Byrd of Westover -was my superiour in some respects and in none my inferiour, and of -even greater experience in war. I have had at times to contradict the -statement that there was no opposition to my appointment. I may add -that I made no effort to secure it, and I am sure that no one doubted -my capacity for the command more than I myself; but of this I have -already said enough. - -There were many in and out of the Congress who preferred others. -More than one of the Virginia delegation has been said to have been -cool in the matter, and Mr. Edmund Pendleton was clear and full -against my appointment. I have always taught myself never to resent -opposition founded on honest beliefs or entertained by those of -unblemished character. Colonel Madison once said to me that time is -a great peacemaker, but I have rarely needed it. My breast never -harboured a suspicion that the opposition then made was due to personal -unfriendliness, for no man could have had more reasonable doubt of my -fitness than I myself. Nor have I ever permitted the remembrance to -affect my actions, and I have lived to have unequivocal proofs of the -esteem of some who most opposed me. - - - - -XVIII - - -Like all Virginians, I was disturbed during this time by the news of -the insolence of the French on the frontier, and began to feel that my -brother’s money, put into the Ohio Company, was in peril, for we were -like to be soon cooped up by a line of forts, and our trade in peltries -was already almost at an end, and about to pass into the hands of the -French. We learned with pleasure that the royal governors were ordered -to insist on the retirement of these overbusy French, who claimed all -the land up to the Alleghanies, but I did not dream that I was soon to -take part in the matter. - -About that time, or before, there had been much effort to secure the -Six Nations of Indians as allies. One of their chiefs, Tanacharisson, -known as the Half-King, because of holding a subsidiary rule among the -Indians, advised a fort to be built by us near to the Forks of the -Ohio, on the east bank, and Gist, the trader, set out on this errand. -A Captain Trent was charged to carry our King’s message to the French -outposts; but having arrived at Logstown, one hundred and fifty miles -from his destination, and hearing of the defeat of our allies, the -Miamis, by the French, he lost heart and came back to report. The Ohio -Company at this time complained to the governor of the attacks on their -traders, and this gentleman, being concerned both for his own pocket -and for his Majesty’s property, resolved to send some one of more -spirit to bear the King’s message ordering the French to retire and to -cease to molest our fur traders about the Ohio. - -It was unfortunate that Governor Robert Dinwiddie, who was now eager -to defend his interests in the Ohio Company, had lost the prudent -counsel of its late head, my brother Lawrence. He would have made a -better envoy than I, for at the age of twenty-one a man is too young -to influence the Indians, on account of a certain reverence they have -for age in council. I was ignorant of what was intended when I received -orders to repair to Williamsburg. To my surprise, and I may say to my -pleasure, I learned that I was to go to Logstown. I was there to meet -our allies, the Indians, and secure from them an escort and guides, and -so push on and find the French commander. I was to deliver to him my -summons, and wait an answer during one week, and then to return. I was -also to keep my eyes open as to all matters of military concern. - -Whatever distrust I had in regard to my powers as an envoy, I said -nothing, for in case of an order a soldier has no alternative but to -obey. Had I been in the governor’s place I should have sent an older -man. - -I received my credentials at Williamsburg, and rode away the day after, -October 31, 1753, intending no delay. - -Van Braam was assigned to me as my French interpreter, and I gathered -my outfit of provisions, blankets, and guns at Alexandria, and horses, -tents, and other needed matters at Winchester, and was joined near -Wills Creek――where now is the settlement called Cumberland――by Mr. Gist -and an Indian interpreter, one Davidson. - -The same day, November 13, to my pleasure, Lord Fairfax rode into camp -and spent the night. It was raining and at times snowing, but Gist -soon set up a lean-to, and with our feet to the fire we talked late -into the night, his lordship smoking, as was his habit. - -I have many times desired to be able to make drawings of the greater -trees, but, although I could plot a survey well, beyond this I could -never go. I speak of this because of my remembrance of that night, and -how mighty the trees seemed by the campfire light around the clearing. -It was his lordship who called my attention to the trees. He had a way, -most strange to me, of suddenly dropping the matter in hand before it -was fully considered. He would be silent a space and speak no more, or -turn presently to another matter most remote. All of this I learned to -accept without remonstrance, out of respect for this great gentleman, -as was fitting in one of my years. I never got accustomed to his ways, -for it has been always my desire to deal with the subject in hand fully -and to an end. Nor did I see this wilderness as his lordship saw it; -for, while I made note of trees for what logs they would afford, and -as to the soil and the lay of the land, his lordship I have seen stand -for ten minutes looking at a great tree as though he found much to -consider of it. In like manner I have seen him stop when the hounds -were in full cry, a thing most astonishing, and sit still in the -saddle, looking down at a brook or up at the sunrise. - -As we lay by the fire he remained without speaking for a long while, -until the men, having found some old and dried birch logs, cast them -on the fire, and a great roaring red flame lighted the woods and was -blown about by the cold wind. His lordship said, “See, George, how the -shadows of the trees are dancing”――a thing very wild, that I never -should have much noticed had not he called on me to observe it. After -this he was silent until suddenly he began to ask questions as to my -men and my route, and what I meant to do and say in the French camps. -At last he said, “You are going to stir up a nest of hornets,” and, -finally, that the former messenger, Trent, was a coward. - -When he had again been silent a long while, he said that this time, -at least, he was not responsible for my appointment, and Dinwiddie -was a fool to send a boy on a man’s errand. This was my own opinion, -but I made no reply. At last he filled his pipe again, and called for -a coal, and said, “But by George, George, you never were a boy, not -since I knew you.” I ventured to say that but for his former influence -this office would not have come to me. To this he made no answer, but -bid me distrust every Indian, especially the Half-King, who was not -treacherous but uncertain, and not less every Frenchman, and added that -I was so young that they would think that I could be easily fooled. I -said that might be an advantage, for I meant to see all there was to -see, and had told Van Braam to keep his ears open. - -His lordship laughed, and said I might thank Heaven there were no women -in the business, and with this, bidding me have the fire made up for -the night, we lay down to sleep in the lean-to. - -I find it interesting now in my old age to discover myself thus able to -recall, little by little, what his lordship said. I was pleased at the -notice he took of me, but a lad, and lay long awake under the lean-to, -thinking upon such counsels as his lordship had been pleased to give. - - - - -XIX - - -As I turn over the diary in which I recorded my journey through this -wilderness, I find myself remembering many little incidents which I -never set down. - -It rained or snowed almost daily. The rivers were swollen, so that -we had to swim our horses, an art which soldiers should be taught. -Although Van Braam much enlivened the way by his songs and very -doubtful tales of his wars, I was very tired and my new buckskin -coat in tatters when we arrived at the mouth of Turtle Creek on the -Monongahela. There we found Frazier, a trader whom the French had -driven out of the Indian town of Venango. With two canoes he lent me -I sent our baggage down the Monongahela to the fork, where, with the -Alleghany River, it joins the Ohio, and set out on a bad trail to meet -them. - -We got to the Forks of the Ohio before the canoes. There, I settled in -my mind, was the place for a fort, nor could I better that judgment -to-day. It came afterwards to be chosen by the French engineer Mercier -to be Fort Duquesne. On the rise of ground we made camp, and paid a -visit to Shingiss of the Delawares, who pretended to favour us, but -proved later a savage foe. - -Gist insisted that he could tell from their faces how the Indians felt -towards us, but to me they told nothing, and are in this respect unlike -the faces of white men. - -We got to Logstown, fifteen miles down the Ohio, on November 24. Here -I met the Indian known as the Half-King. He was angry at the French -claims, and I did not too strongly put forward those of the King, which -were not much better founded; but that was for my superiours to decide. -I found him hard to satisfy, but if I spoke of the French he was at -once angered, and eager to help. I watched with interest as he drew -with charcoal on birch bark the plan of their forts at French Creek and -on Lake Erie, while Davidson interpreted his words. - -The nearest way was impassable because of marshy savannas, and I found -I must needs travel north so as to reach the lake, by passing through -Venango. This, the Half-King informed me, was five sleeps distant, and -expressed it by five times drawing up his hands, as a man does when -pulling up his blankets before sleeping. - -It was fortunately arranged that the Half-King, White Thunder, and two -more chiefs should go with me. It was but seventy miles to Venango, but -the weather could not have been worse, and so it was December 4 before -we rode into the clearing the French had made around the big log house -out of which they had driven the trader John Frazier. - -I recall what is not set down in my diary, the anger and shame with -which I saw the flag of France flying over the big cabin. As I came out -of the woods, a lean, dark-faced man came forward with three French -officers, and I learned that he was Captain Joncaire, the worst enemy -we had, for he was a half-breed and had the tongues of the Indians. -He said he had command on the Ohio, but we must push on to see his -general. He was very merry, and laughed every minute or two, but was on -his guard like the others. - -Three days passed before I could get away, with La Force, the guide -they gave me, and three soldiers for escort. Meanwhile Joncaire -entertained us at a supper. I never had better cause to be thankful for -my sobriety, which was a rare virtue at that day, and even later, among -all classes. The big log cabin had a great table set out with game -and French kickshaws, such as were strange to me. None of the French -spoke English nor understood it, and of my people Van Braam alone had -any French. They all dosed themselves freely with wine and brandy, and -pretty soon the French felt it and began to give their tongues license -and to brag and talk loosely. I was never more amused in all my life, -for as Joncaire boasted of what they meant to do, Van Braam, who was -an old soldier with a head used to potations, chattered what seemed to -be a kind of French, which set the drunken fools a-laughing. Amid all -the noise, and the smoke which nearly choked me, Van Braam now and then -spoke to me, telling me what they said, and of their mind to seize and -hold the country. Next day he was still more full as to their talk, -and did me a service, which, in spite of the hurt he innocently did me -later, I never forgot. - -I was glad to get away at last, for when Joncaire found the Half-King, -who was hid away in my camp, which I had made in the woods at a -distance, he got the poor savage drunk with rum and loaded him with -gifts. Four days later, and very tired, I was at French Creek, where -was a great fort, fifteen miles from Lake Erie. Much against my will, -Joncaire had sent with me La Force, as great a lover of mischief -as could be found. This fellow was the leanest man I ever saw, and -saddle-coloured. When he spoke to me he stared constantly, which is as -unpleasant as to avoid entirely to meet a man’s gaze. He made no end of -trouble, and had later his reward, and perhaps more punishment than he -deserved. - -I met at this station many educated French officers, such as I was to -make welcome at another time. I could not avoid to be pleased with the -commandant, by name Legardeur de St. Pierre, a chevalier of St. Louis. -He was an old soldier, very tall and straight, and with much grey hair, -and had lost an eye in battle. This gentleman was most courteous, and -had brisk, pleasing ways, very frank and outspoken. He desired to be -remembered to Lord Fairfax, whom he had known in Paris long ago. - -The chevalier, by good fortune, spoke English enough to make his -company very agreeable, and I became sure, as I spent some days in his -society, that he made no attempt to deceive me; for nothing could have -been more plain than that he meant to hold the country for his king. - -He was pleased to relate his campaigns in Europe, and, although he was -apt, like old soldiers, to be lengthy as to these, I found him to be -instructive. - -He talked lightly of women, but so did his officers, and in a manner we -in Virginia should have considered to be unmannerly or worse. Also he -told me that the French encouraged their soldiers to take wives among -the young squaws, a thing our people never inclined to do. He seemed to -have known many English gentlemen who had been in Paris, and even why -Lord Fairfax had left England, all of which story I could have heard -from him if I had thought proper so to do, which I did not. He did -say, and was very merry about it, that if a woman drove his lordship -to America, another might drive him back, for, after all, we were only -shuttlecocks, and were knocked to and fro by the women――and I might -say so to his lordship with the chevalier’s compliments. - -I remember that when, after this journey, I had returned home, my -sister Betty was agreeably interested to hear what the chevalier had -said of the old lord, who was the only person who could keep Betty -quiet for five minutes. I had to answer that I had not seen fit to -inquire further. Upon this she declared that some day she should ask -his lordship all about it. When I laughed and made no other reply, she -declared that I was as silent as my lord, and that I had lost a fine -opportunity. I contented myself with the chevalier’s compliments to -Lord Fairfax, who said if that was all the old fellow had said he must -have changed, for he was a gossiping old reprobate and fit to corrupt -me. But for my part I liked him and found him a gallant gentleman, and -only of a mind to serve his king, as I was to serve mine. - -There was no unreasonable delay, for the chevalier made clear to me -that nothing could be done until after they had held a council. I -arrived on the 12th, and on the 14th they were able to give me a sealed -reply to the governor’s summons. Meanwhile I had been left free to -inspect the fort and count the canoes made ready for use in the spring. -I must admit that they seemed careless as to what I saw. There were -many Indians and French and half-breeds coming and going. The fort was -square, of logs, with palisadoes, a forge, and a chapel, all very neat -and clean, and much ceremony when we came in and went out. - - - - -XX - - -I was now very eager to go, but notwithstanding the polite ways of the -commandant, I found needless delays as to guides and supplies. This -was to gain time to win the Half-King, who was of our side to-day, and -the next had what the Indians call “two hearts.” I cannot say that -ever in my life I suffered as much anxiety as I did in this affair. -The Half-King, being half drunk, assured me the chevalier was keeping -him. That officer swore that he was ignorant why we did not go, but -this I determined not to do without Tanacharisson. One day a gun was -promised the savage, another day all my sachems were dead drunk. I was -in despair, for to lose the Half-King to the wiles of the French would -be a serious matter, and I was resolved not to fail. But here was I, a -lad of twenty-one, playing a game with old, astute men for the prize of -a drunken Indian! - -Finally Gist succeeded in keeping him sober a day, and yet, as he said, -reasonably intoxicated with promises of great gifts; and so at last, on -December 16, we gladly bade farewell and set out in our birch canoes to -go down French Creek. - -A cannon was fired, and the officers assembled on shore saluted us -politely as we left the fort. The commandant sent one canoe loaded with -strong liquors to be used on the way, and at Venango to overcome the -wits of Tanacharisson. - -Each of us, Gist and Van Braam and Davidson, was seated very -comfortably in the middle of a canoe of birch bark; at the bow and -stern were Indians or half-breeds, and, as the water was very rapid -most of the way, they used poles of ash to hold and guide the canoes. -On the 18th December we were no longer comfortable. The ice was thick, -and we had all of us to wade and, in places, to portage. On the 22d -we came to a strong rapid. Gist advised to land and portage the -provisions. This we did, and, being arrived before the French canoes, -stood to watch them descend, a fine sight. About half-way the man on -the bow of one canoe――that with the liquors――caught his pole between -two rocks. He should have let it go; but as he did not, the boat slued -square to the stream and, filling, turned over, so that all the brandy -was lost, to my satisfaction. The men got out, with no great ease, -swearing oaths, both French and Indian. - -It rained and froze, and when, at fall of night, we came to Venango on -December 22, we were cased in ice like men in armour. I was never more -glad of a fire. - -Here Captain Chabert de Joncaire set to work again to convince my -Half-King with the bottle. But by good luck the sachem was much -disordered in his stomach because of the rum he had of St. Pierre, and -when Gist persuaded him the French had bewitched the liquor, he would -none of it. Here we found our horses, but very lean, and, after a -rest, set out by land from Venango, over a bad trail, this being about -December 25. - -It was a horrible journey, the men getting frozen feet and the -packhorses failing, until, in despair at the delay, on the third day, -against Gist’s advice, I left Van Braam to follow me with the horses -and men, and determined to strike through the woods by compass to the -Forks of the Ohio, and thus be enabled the sooner to report to the -governor. - -For this venture Gist and I put on match-coats, Indian dress, thick -socks, and moccasins. We carried packs, with my papers tied up in -tanned skin, and as much provision as we could manage. With our guns, -and thus cumbered, we left the camp and struck out through the woods, -where to move by compass is no easy matter, because to go straight is -not possible where every tree and bit of swamp must turn a man to this -side or that. But by taking note of some great pine in front of us, -and, on reaching it, of another, we made good progress, and for part of -the way we had an Indian trail. - -On the third day, the snow being deep, we struck up the southeast fork -of Beaver Creek. Here were a few Indians camped, who seemed to expect -us, but how they could have done this I never knew; but there is much -about Indian ways of communication of which I must confess myself -ignorant. - -They were too curious to please Gist; but as we were now in midwinter, -and to pass through a wilderness with no trails, we engaged, for we -could do no better, an Indian as guide and to carry my pack. Gist -mistrusted him, and I soon shared his opinion. - -We left at break of day, and after ten miles were in doubt as to our -route, I with one foot chafed and the most tired I ever was in my life, -on account of plunging through drifts, where, on his snow-shoes, the -Indian was at ease. At this time he would have carried my gun, but I -refused. When we said we would camp and rest, he declared the Ottawas -would see our fire-smoke and surprise us. Upon this we kept on, as he -said, toward his cabin. Once he told Gist he heard whoops, and then a -gun, and kept turning northward, to our discontent. - -Notwithstanding my fatigue, I found the loneliness and silence of -these woods to my taste, being open and free of undergrowth. I was -startled at times by the sharp crack, like a pistol-shot, of huge limbs -breaking, but there was no other sound. - - - - -XXI - - -At last I declared that I must camp at the first brook we met, and so -kept on, stumbling, and ready to fall down with fatigue. At this time, -being come some two miles farther into warm sunlight and an open glade, -all the brighter for the whiteness of the snow, I came to a stand and -said, “Here is our stream; let us camp.” At this time Gist and I were -near together, and the Indian about twenty paces away. Of a sudden he -turned and fired at us. I cried out to Gist if he was shot. He said no, -and we ran in on the fellow before he could load, and seized him and -took his gun. Gist was for killing him at once, but this I would not -allow, and we contented ourselves with taking his gun, and made him -walk on in front. Gist, who was much vexed, said if we did not shoot -him, which was the better way, we must contrive to fool him. At last it -was agreed to pretend we believed his excuses as to the shooting being -an accident, and to let him go to his cabin. He said he knew we would -never trust him further, and was pleased to be told he might go home -and get some jerked venison ready, and that we would camp that night -and follow his tracks in the snow at morning. We returned his gun, but -took all his powder. We gave him a cake of bread, and Gist followed him -until he had gone a mile. After my companion came back to me, we moved -on rapidly for an hour and made a big fire, and, as it was night, took, -by the light of the blaze, a course by compass, and set out, leaving, -to my regret, the great warm flame behind us. - -It was now clear and very cold. All night long we pushed on, now and -then making a light with flint and steel to see the compass, and trying -to observe the stars. We were well assured that we should be pursued, -and on this account never halted the next day, and hardly spoke a word -until, at evening, we came upon the Alleghany River. - -There we made camp, and were up at break of day. - -The ice lay out some sixty feet from the two shores, and between -were masses of ice afloat and a great flow of water. Having only one -hatchet, and that not very good, we were all day contriving to build -a raft. At sundown we pushed it over the shore ice and got afloat. -Midway we got caught in the jam of ice-cakes, and as I pushed with my -setting-pole, the swift current and a block of ice caught it, and I was -cast into the deep water. I caught on to a log of the raft, and Gist -giving me a hand, I crawled on to the raft. I had lost my pole, and -to go to either shore was not possible, and when we drifted on to an -island I was thankful enough, and the raft swept away in the flood. - -Very soon Gist had a great fire burning, and by this I dried myself; -but to keep warm was impossible, for the cold was the greatest I have -ever known, and so intense was it that Gist would not allow me to -sleep, but made me walk about, although I was ready to drop, saying if -we slept and the fire should die, so should we. By good fortune there -was a large jam of drifted wood on the upper end of the island, and -thus we had fuel sufficient. - -What with fatigue and the cold increasing as the night went on, even -Gist, who was of great endurance and hopeful, was concerned lest we -should have been followed, and, as the island afforded small shelter, -be shot from the shore. This troubled me less than to keep warm, for -there was not snow enough to build a hut, than which there is no better -shelter. - -About ten o’clock that night we found that the river was rising, so -that it would take little more to flood us. What I found worst of all -was the delay. I said things could hardly be worse, but that the cold -was such as would freeze the river by daylight. He said that was true, -and we went back to the fire and shared a part of a flask of brandy -St. Pierre gave me. Fortunately we had food enough. Gist kept me and -himself awake with amazing stories of Indians and French, and of great -bears. But, contrive as we could, Gist had his toes froze, and had to -have them rubbed with snow to save them. I was well pleased at last to -see red in the sky to eastward, and when we found the ice-cakes froze -hard together we made haste to cross to the shore. There, being out of -shot and the sun warmer every minute, we built another fire and ate -breakfast, and took, each in turn, an hour’s sleep. - -As we walked away, Gist said there was small fear of Indians either in -the darkness or in great cold, for they liked neither, and he thought -the cold had perhaps saved us from pursuit. - -This was the case at Valley Forge in ’78, when, although my soldiers -suffered greatly, the snows and the cold were such as to keep Sir -William Howe in his lines. - -From the top of a hill, as I looked back on the river, Gist said: “You -will never again, sir, be in a worse business than that, nor ever see -the like again.” But this I did, when, on the night before Christmas, -in 1776, I crossed the Delaware in a boat with General Knox, amid as -great peril of ice, on our way to beat up the Hessian quarters at -Trenton. - -While we were in danger, Gist had been silent; but now that we were -released from anxiety and on a clear trail, he talked all the time, -whether I made answer or not. I remember little of what he said, being -engaged in thinking how soon I should be able to reach Williamsburg. -I recall, however, his surprising me with a question as to whether -I had ever before had a man shoot at me. I said never, and having my -mind thus turned to the matter, felt it to be strange that so great an -escape and such nearness to death had not more impressed me. But, in -fact, I had no time to think before we caught the man, and after that -the great misery of the cold so distressed me that how to keep warm -employed my mind. - - - - -XXII - - -We were now on a good trail, and by nightfall came to the cabin of -Frazier, a trader in furs; and this was where the Turtle Creek falls -into the Monongahela. Here I wrote up my diary. - -As there was hope of packhorses coming hither which might be used -on our return, I waited, pleased to be fed and warmed, but hearing -bad news of massacres by the Ottawas. Near by I visited the Queen -Aliquippa, and made her presents of a match-coat and a bottle of rum I -had of the trader, asking, too, her advice as to the Indians, all of -which pleased her mightily. - -I was surprised to find a woman with rule over Indians, but she was -said to be wise in council. I never heard of a King Aliquippa. The -queen was old and fat and as wrinkled as a frosted persimmon. She -smoked a pipe and had a tomahawk in her belt, and I did not think she -would be a comfortable partner in the marriage state. - -At last, as we failed at this place to get horses after a three -days’ rest, we left on foot, January 1, reaching Gist’s home on the -Monongahela, a sixteen-mile tramp. There I left Gist, and, buying a -horse, pushed on, passing packhorses carrying stores for the new fort -begun at the Forks. - -I had no more appetite for adventure, and was glad to reach Williamsburg -on January 16, 1754, where I delivered my sealed reply, and conveyed to -the governor my views, and remembrance of what I had seen and heard, -with maps I had made and drawings of the forts. - -Looking back from the hilltop, as General Hamilton once said to me, -must often surprise a man with knowledge of mistakes made by the way; -but considering this journey from the summit of years, I seem to have -done as well as so young a man might. - -Van Braam, who came in later, told me that the elder French officers -were rather amused that a boy should be sent on an errand which might -bring about a war. I think it was their imprudent indifference which -left me free to observe all I wished to learn which might bear upon -military action in the future. It appeared to me that they felt so -secure of their own power as to be altogether careless. - -I proposed to myself on starting to be as full of wiles as the Indians, -and to be very careful as to what I said to them and to the French. I -perceive to-day that my disposition to look down on the Indians was a -mistake, and that I had been wiser to have treated the Half-King more -as an equal. My disposition to be what is called diplomatic with the -French in command was needless, for the commander was very frank. I -have learned, as years went by, that in treating with men or nations -the simplest way is the best. - -The answer made to the governor was plain enough. The Frenchmen were -there to obey orders, and meant to hold the lands. They would, of -course, send our summons to Marquis Duquesne. The chevalier said in his -despatch polite words of me, which I still recall with satisfaction, -for I have never been insensible to the approbation of men, and the -words of the courteous French officer were not lost upon me. - -The governor thought, and so did his council, that the answer was -evasive and was meant to gain time. It seemed to me remarkably -straightforward, and I was sure that in the spring they would descend -the Ohio and take possession. I had to prepare my report hastily in -two days, which was printed and distributed through the colonies. It -appears to me, as I read it over, to have been well done for so young -a man, with no time allowed to correct and improve the language. I am -more surprised, as I now read it, that I should have had the good sense -to see, as the French engineers saw later, that where the Monongahela -and Alleghany join was the best place for a fort, and a better than -where the Ohio Company intended. - -It seems strange to me, as I look back on this time, to see what share -I, but a young man, had in the historical events of the day. My report -was not only read throughout the colonies, but in England and even in -France, so that at this time, and again soon after, my name became -known both among ourselves and on the other side of the ocean, although -the matters in which I was engaged were in themselves, to appearance, -of little moment. To be so widely spoken of was not then unpleasant, -and the less so because it was a source of gratification to my friends. - -I had been through the winter wilderness and delivered the hostile -message of the King’s governor. It was seemingly no great matter. But -as I reflect, I perceive that whatever I did then or later gave me such -importance in the eyes of men as led on to my being considered for the -greater tasks of life. Mr. J――――, who much disliked General H――――, once -wrote of him that he was like a pawn in the game of chess, and was -pushed on by mere luck, until he suddenly found himself on the far line -of the board with the powers of royalty. This was said with bitterness -not long ago, when I insisted he should command under me, at the time -we were threatened with a French war. I am not, however, of the opinion -that good fortune alone presides over the destinies either of men or -nations, for often in after days I have had cause to believe that an -intending Providence was concerned in the events of the great war. - -As soon as I had made an end of my business with the governor, I -visited my mother, and thence rode to Mount Vernon. There I found Lord -Fairfax, and was pleased to be rested and to hear his lordship speak -well of my conduct of a difficult affair. When we were alone next day -on horseback, he rode long in silence, as was his way. When he spoke -he said: “George, I have sent for copies of your report to send to my -friends in England. It is well done. I am pleased that you would not -talk much of it last night to Colonel Willis and Mr. Warner. The men -who do not talk about themselves are the most talked about by others. -Silence often insures praise.” Indeed, even thus early and since, I -have been averse to speak of what I had done. I replied that I should -remember his lordship’s advice, upon which he went on to talk of the -chances of war with France. I was not left long idle. - - - - -XXIII - - -The governor was now fully decided to resist the French aggressions, -and convened the House of Burgesses after much delay. I was offered -full command of a force of three hundred men in six companies, forming -a regiment. I consulted his lordship and my half-brother Augustine as -to this, and not feeling secure of my fitness for so great a position, -and they agreeing, I chose rather to serve as second under Colonel -Frye. This being settled, I went about the business of recruiting as -lieutenant-colonel. - -In considering the new duty to which I was called and what it led -me to do, I have asked myself whether I could have done it better, -considering the want of supplies and of sufficiency of men. - -Mr. John Langdon at one time wrote to me, when commenting on the -character of General A――――, that what he had been as a very young -man he continued to be ever after, and that, although education and -opportunity might give a man of strong character the tools for his -purposes, they would not seriously alter his nature; he would only be -more and more that which he had been. - -As I sit in judgment upon the particulars which occasioned the affair -at Great Meadows, and later my disaster at Fort Necessity, I am -inclined to believe that I could have done no better at fifty than I -did at twenty-two. I perceive also that the conditions which at that -time surrounded and embarrassed me were on a lesser scale the same as -those with which I had to struggle in the later and more important -days, which made me old before my time. Such comparisons as these do -not readily occur to me, as I am inclined to dwell most upon the needs -of the present and upon the possibilities which the future may have in -store. - -On one occasion, during the march to Yorktown, when bivouacked at the -head of the Elk, Colonel Scammel and Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Wynne, -both at that time of my military family, led me into expressing myself -as to these earlier events, and one of them, Lieutenant-Colonel -Wynne, I think, remarked that I had then to encounter the same kind -of obstacles as those which had perplexed me at the Valley Forge and -Morristown, and indeed throughout the War of Independency. I did not -encourage such further discussion by these young officers as might -readily lead on to the impropriety of criticisms upon Congress. But -now, recalling what was then said, I am led to see how remarkably alike -were the conditions I had to meet at two periods of my life. Nor can -I fail to observe that what General Hamilton liked very often to call -“the education of events” was valuable in teaching me moderation and -such control of temper as I was to need on a larger field. - -While I went about my military preparations, the governor and the House -wrangled over the ten thousand pounds he asked for the fitting out of -troops. I have observed that men engaged in agriculture as the masters -of slaves acquire a great independence of thought and are hard to move -to a common agreement even when, as at that time, there is an immediate -need for united action. - -There was also much distrust of Governor Dinwiddie, and indeed we -rarely submitted with entire good will to any of the royal governors. -He got his grant at last, but a committee was to confer with him as to -how it was to be used――a measure not altogether unwise, but which made -him swear we were getting to be too republican and, he feared, would be -more and more difficult to be brought to order. - -As to my recruiting, the better men were indisposed to join, and I got -chiefly a vagabond crew of shoeless, half-dressed fellows, but most of -them hunters and good shots. I did better when the governor offered a -bounty in land, which as yet we had not, for it was to be about the -fine bottoms at the Forks of the Ohio, which were in the hands of the -French and the Indians. - -I made Van Braam a captain, and thereafter obtained more men and -better, for the old warrior promised, I fear, an easy time and all -manner of agreeable rewards, with such accounts of the lands they were -to have as much delighted the hard-working farmers’ sons. - -On April 2 I left Alexandria, with orders to secure tools and build -roads, for Colonel Frye to follow me with the artillery and a greater -force. - -In what I was thus set to do I knew I was to have difficulty, and this -it was hard to make Governor Dinwiddie understand, nor do I think he -or our rulers in England could form any idea of the country to be -traversed, even up to the Forks of the Ohio. From our outlying farms -westward to the Mississippi was a great forest land with savannas, -and beyond the Ohio vast meadows where buffalo grazed. Through our -own hills there were old Indian trails, and as far as to the Ohio -were horse-paths used by the traders and their men. There were also -many crossing-trails made by horned game to reach water, and apt -to mislead any but men accustomed to the woods. Very few knew this -mighty wilderness, nor was it easy to make persons unused to the woods -comprehend the obstacles and risks an army would find on traversing -them with waggons and artillery. - -As I have said, I had long ago fixed upon the Forks of the Ohio as an -excellent station for a fort. The French were also of this opinion, -and in their hands it became at last Fort Duquesne, and in 1759 was -lightly given up by them to General Forbes. At this earlier date our -governor, resolving to take my advice, made choice of Captain Trent to -build a fort at the Forks, where we prepared to follow and support him. -Having failed on a former and easier errand, it was foolish to have -expected better things of this man in a more difficult matter. He was -given only fifty men, as it was supposed he would not be attacked. - -While I was on my way to Wills Creek from Winchester, Contrecœur -dropped down-stream from Venango with a great force and took the -half-finished fort, Captain Trent being absent at the time. I was -near to Wills Creek when I learned of this disaster. Colonel Frye and -other detachments were to follow me, but I saw that we were now in a -way to be devoured in bits by the larger French forces. Everything I -needed was lacking. I had been cursed along the border for my taking of -waggons, horses, and food, and when I would have picks, shovels, and -axes, it was worse. - -I heard while here from Mr. Fairfax, desiring me not to neglect having -divine service in the camps for the benefit of the Indians. I did on -one occasion, but as Davidson told me they considered it some form of -incantation, I did not repeat it. I had also a letter from my mother, -meant to have found me earlier. It seemed strange amid anxieties like -mine to be asked to send her a good Dutch servant and, if I remember -correctly, four pounds of good Dutch butter. I had far other business. - -At the Ohio Company’s post at Wills Creek, nothing was ready; only -Captain Trent, full of excuses for the failure of horses and boats, and -much cast down at the news of the loss of the fort. I sent back for -waggons and horses sixty miles to Winchester, and waited as patiently -as I could. - -On April 23 came the men of Trent’s party, released by the French. The -ensign, Mr. Ward, was the only officer with them, and to surrender was -all he could do. He told me of hundreds of Chippewas and Ottawas coming -to join Contrecœur, and of another force descending the Ohio. To add to -my troubles, Trent’s men were disorderly, making my men uneasy by their -stories. - -At this time I was decently housed in a small log hut, and here, -retiring by myself, I fell to thinking of what I had heard and what I -ought to do. The situation demanded serious consideration, but also -speedy action. - - - - -XXIV - - -I had been sent forward to build bridges, to corduroy swamps for the -cannon, and to make roads. I was not to bring on hostilities, but I -was to assert the King’s title and, at need, to resist the French. The -orders were well fitted to get me into trouble, but the capture of -Trent’s fort and men somewhat aided my decision, for this was an act of -open war. While thus occupied, a runner fetched me letters, and among -them one from Lord Fairfax. - -As adjutant of the Northern Division since I was nineteen, I was -prepared for much that his lordship’s letter conveyed, but it went -in some respects beyond what I then knew or was prepared for, and, I -may add also, much beyond the views which his lordship came later to -entertain, when men were obliged to elect as between loyalty to the -King and disloyalty to human rights. - -This letter now before me runs as follows: - - _Greenway Court._ - - MY DEAR GEORGE: Yours received from Alexandria, and thank you - for the attention when you were so busily engaged. I am always - pleased to be acquainted with anything to your advantage, and - was gratified at your being chosen to be of the force. I desire - you, however, to understand that your worst enemies will not be - the French, or the fickle Indians, but those in the rear. - - There is of late years a great desire for freedom in all the - colonies, and men are disposed to dispute the too royal sense - of prerogative on the part of the governors. Whenever, as - now, money is to be voted, the houses in the several colonies - are apt to use the occasion to dispute it, and to bargain for - something else as a reward for their grant of supplies. The - withholding of money has been the chief means of governing - kings by our own Commons. I blame it not. But this present - reluctance is without cause――foolish, and at a wrong season. As - to the difficulty of disciplining our people you know enough, - and will know more; but they will always fight, which may - console for other defects. The want of an organized commissary - you will feel of a surety, but less than with regulars, who do - not know as do our people how to diet their English bellies, - or how to forage at need on wood and river. Prepare, too, for - desertion and drunkenness, which is the curse of the land. - But I must forbear, lest I discourage you, although that I - consider not to be easy. I would that you smoked a pipe. It - confers great equanimity in times of doubt, and the Indians - hold it to be helpful in council; for while a man smokes he - cannot discourse, and thus must needs obtain time for sober - reflection, for which reason it would be well that women took - to the pipe, a custom which would greatly conduce to comfort in - the condition of armed neutrality known as the married state. - Charles Sedley once said in my company that the pipe was the - bachelor’s hearth, and I have found it a good one. Indeed, my - dear George, when I reflect upon the many statues of worthless - kings and the monuments to scoundrels in graveyards where the - dead lie and the living lie about them, I am inclined to set - up a fine memorial at Greenway Court to the unknown Indian who - invented this blessing of the Pipe. He must have been a great - genius. - - Wishing you the best of luck, and that I were young enough to - be with you, I am, - - Yours, - - _Fairfax_. - - P. S. You will at some time have to serve with regulars or with - colonial officers appointed by the crown. Your sense of justice - and of what is due to a gentleman will, I am assured, revolt - at the want of parity in pay and at other claims to outrank - gentlemen of the colonies serving in the militia. As to this I - counsel moderation and endurance. Your first duty must be to - the crown. - - _F._ - -It was raining heavily as I sat that night and considered what I -should do. To fall back I had no mind. I had been set to the slow work -of preparing roads, and had made them up to the west branch of the -Youghiogheny, about four miles a day, and here meant to make a bridge. -As I sat in the log cabin alone, deciding what next to do, came in Van -Braam with a warning from the Half-King, and, just after, a trader who -had been driven out by the French and who told me that a force sent -from Duquesne was at least eight hundred in number. This I was sure -could not be the case, and until I knew more I could not decide what to -do. I asked to be alone, and with a candle and a rude map considered -the situation. I concluded that the French would make no considerable -move forward until they had made secure the excellent position they had -taken from Trent. I was of opinion they would meanwhile send out small -parties to scout. - -After a council with my officers, we resolved to go on to fortify a -post of the Ohio Company at Redstone Creek, near the Monongahela, -and after sending back urgent letters we set out, doing the best -we could as to the road. On May 9, at Little Meadows, we were met -by many traders, driven in by the French, with tales which much -discouraged my men――in all some two hundred; and still I pushed on to -the Youghiogheny, and there kept the men busy with the bridging of it. -Leaving them occupied in this manner, I explored the Youghiogheny for -a better way by water than over the hills, but found it impracticable, -and so came back to do as best I could with the road over the mountains. - -That night I was again called on for a decision. I remember I walked to -and fro, considering how it was but an outpost, with nothing near in -the way of succour, and before me the French and the wilderness. - -Van Braam, whom I had sent out to scout, had before this appeared, -bringing news that, eighteen miles below, the French were crossing -by a ford, their number unknown; also that several of our men had -deserted and that there was much uneasiness in the camp. I was myself -quite uneasy enough. Many times since I have been in as doubtful and -perilous situations, where the fate of an empire was concerned, but -then I have had with me officers of distinction. I was alone, hardly -more than a boy, and surrounded by men who were becoming alarmed. - -I said to Van Braam that we must not be caught here, but that I would -not fall back very far. The old trooper smiled, and I confess to having -been pleased by this sign of approval. My mind was made up not to -return to the settlements except before an overwhelming force. - - - - -XXV - - -On May 23, six more men being gone away, I retreated to Great Meadows, -a wide, open space free of large trees, a charming place for an -encounter, and here I cleared the ground of bushes, began a log fort, -and prepared to remain until I heard further. This I did very soon, -for Gist, the trader, came in on the 25th of May with news of my old -acquaintance, La Force, having been at his camp, at noon the day -before, with some fifty men, and one, De Jumonville, in command. They -were foolish enough not to hold Gist, for he got off and warned me of -their being not five miles from us. They had been sending runners back -to Contrecœur, and what were their intentions Gist did not know. That -night I got news of my doubtful Half-King, who promised help if I would -attack this party. - -Whatever indecision I have had in my life of warfare has been due to a -too great respect for the opinions of other officers, and very often -I had done better to have gone my own way. All day long I had been in -the melancholic state of mind which at times all my life has troubled -me. I remember that the news from Gist of this prowling band so near -as five miles, and the word sent by the Half-King, at once put to rout -my lowness of mind. Usually young officers go into their first battle -under more experienced guidance, and I now wonder at the confidence -with which I set out, for some of my officers were clear against it. - -I felt sure that De Jumonville would attack me if I retreated, or, if I -let him alone, would wait for further help and orders from Contrecœur -before making an end of my little party. That I was to strike openly -the forces of the King of France did not disturb me, after their -seizure of our fort at the Forks. - -When I told Van Braam and Gist what I meant to do, the former approved, -but Gist would have had me retreat to Wills Creek. I said no; we would -surely be ambushed, and the men were deserting. - -Having given my orders, I tied an extra pair of moccasins to my belt, -and taking no gun myself, set out at 10 P.M., leaving behind me a -baggage-guard. I took with me forty men, the best I had, and mostly -good shots. The Half-King and a few warriors in full war-paint met me -at a spring some two miles away. - -His scouts had found the French in a rocky valley, where they had -cleared a space and evidently meant to await orders or reinforcements. - -The rain was pouring down in torrents, the worst that could be, when -we met the Half-King. We halted in the darkness of the forest while my -interpreter let me know the situation of De Jumonville, which seemed to -me to be well chosen as a hiding-place, but ill contrived for defence. -After this we pushed on, the Indian guides being ahead. Several times -they lost their way. We stumbled on in the wet woods, falling against -one another, so dark was the night, and crawling under or over the -rotten trees of a windfall. I was both eager and anxious, and kept on -in front, or at times fell back to silence my men. We were moving so -slowly that my anxiety continually increased, and I had constantly to -warn my men to keep their flint-locks dry. - -At last, toward dawn of day, we came where we could look down on the -camp. The wind being in our faces, we had smelt the smoke of their -fires a quarter of a mile away, and now and then, even at this distant -day, the smell of the smoke from wet wood smouldering in the rain -recalls to my mind this night, a fact which appears to me singular. To -my joy, the camp was silent and there were no sentinels. I halted the -men, and my orders were whispered down the trail for them to scatter -to the right while the Indians moved to the left. After giving time -for this, I moved out alone from the shelter of the rocks and trees. -As I did so, a man came from a hut and gave a great shout. At once -the French were out with their arms and began to fire, but had no -cover. Some of my own men were practised Indian-fighters and kept to -the shelter of the trees, moving from trunk to trunk and firing very -deliberately. I heard the enemy’s bullets whizz around me, and felt at -once and for the first time in war the strange exhilaration of danger. -A man fell at my side, and I called to those near me to keep to the -trees, but did not myself fall back, feeling it well to encourage my -men. - -For a little while the firing was hot. It lasted, however, but fifteen -minutes. Then I saw an officer fall, and they gave up and cried for -quarter as I ran down into their camp to stop the Indians from using -their tomahawks and killing the wounded. - -Van Braam told me afterwards that I exposed myself needlessly, but I -thought this was necessary in order to give spirit and confidence to -men who were many of them new to battle. - -Our loss was small and that of the French great, since De Jumonville, -who was in command, and ten men were killed and twenty-two taken, with -some others hurt. - -I remember to have written my brother Jack of this little fight, that -the whistle of the bullets was pleasing to me; but I was then very -young, and it was, after all, but a way of saying that the sense of -danger, or risk, was agreeable. - -On our way back through the woods I talked to La Force, who was in no -wise cast down and told me that I should pay dear for my success, and -how innocent they were, and a fine string of lies. - -I was very well pleased to have caught this fellow, one of the most -wily and troublesome half-breeds on the frontier, and a fine maker of -mischief, as he had been when I was on my way to the lake. - -After the fight we found, on the person of De Jumonville and in his -hut, papers amply proving his hostile intention, although even without -this evidence his hiding so long in our neighbourhood, and sending out -runners to Fort Duquesne, sufficiently showed what my party had to -expect when the French would be reinforced. - -After the fight it was thought prudent to return as soon as possible, -so, to my regret, I had to leave the dead, both our own and the French, -without decent burial. This I believe they had later at the hand of -De Villiers. Although the fugitives were nearly all taken, one or two -escaped and took the news to Contrecœur, at the Forks of the Ohio. -I sent my prisoners to Williamsburg under a strong guard, having -previously supplied M. Drouillon, a young officer, and La Force with -clothes of my own out of the very little I had. I remember that I was -amused when Drouillon, a pert little fellow, complained that my shirt -was too big for him. Indeed, it came down near to his ankles. - -I asked of the governor in a letter such respect and favour for these -persons as was due to gentlemen placed in their unfortunate condition. -Neither of them seemed to me to have been aware of the character of -their commander’s orders. To my regret, the request I made to Governor -Dinwiddie received small consideration, as I may have to relate. I was -of opinion, however, that La Force should not be set free too soon, -because of his power to influence the Indians. - - - - -XXVI - - -The action with De Jumonville took place on May 28, and the Half-King, -although disappointed as to scalps, went away, promising to return with -many warriors. He told me his friends the English had now at last begun -in earnest, but that it was no good war to keep prisoners. - -As I trusted him more than most of the Indians, I sent thirty men -and some horses to assist in moving the Indian families, for without -them the warriors would never return; and I did not neglect to send -a runner back to hasten Mackay, who was in command of an independent -company from South Carolina. They were indeed quite independent, -having neither good sense nor discipline, as I was soon to discover. -My little skirmish with the French on May 28 added to my perplexities -the knowledge that as soon as the runners who escaped should reach the -fort at the Forks Contrecœur would undertake to avenge the loss of his -officer. - -While I was impatiently waiting supplies from Croghan at Wills Creek, -for now we were six days without flour, came news that Colonel Frye, -my commander, was dead at that post. Colonel Innes of North Carolina, -who was to succeed him in the whole command, lay at Winchester with -four hundred men; but as he continued to lie there, neither he nor his -troops were of any use in the campaign. - -During the period which elapsed between my fight on May 28 and my -being attacked on July 3, being now a colonel, and sure of soon being -reinforced, I made haste to complete the fort at Great Meadows. - -There I had excellent help from Captain Stobo and Mr. Adam Stephen, -whom I made captain, and who, long after, became a general and served -under me in the great war. - -It was only a log work we built, near to breast-high, with no roof, -one hundred feet square, with partitions, and surrounded at some -distance by a too shallow ditch and palisadoes. Captain Stobo gave to -this defence the name of Fort Necessity, and said that the name was -suggested by his empty belly, for indeed we were at this time half -starved. - -Near about this time came three hundred men from Wills Creek, and, to -my satisfaction, my friend Dr. Craik, who was of a merry disposition, -and kept us in good humour, besides what aid he gave us as a physician, -and I never had the service of a better. - -On the 9th of June arrived my old military teacher, Adjutant Muse, with -other men, nine swivels, and a very small supply of ammunition. He -fetched with him a wampum belt and presents and medals for the Indians, -as I had desired of the governor. - -At this time, in order to secure the Indians, who are fickle and must -always be bribed, we had a fine ceremony, and I delivered a speech sent -from the governor. - -Dr. Craik gave me, two years ago, the account he wrote home of this -occasion, and I leave it in this place for the time, since it serves to -record matters of which I have no distinct remembrance, and is better -wrote than it would have been by me. - - MY DEAR ANNE: To-day, before we move on, I send you a letter - by a runner who returns to hasten our supplies. We had a - great ceremony to-day. A space in the meadows near the fort - was cleared, and all our men set around under arms in a great - circle. In the middle stood the Colonel, very tall and, like - all of us, very lean for lack of diet, for we are all shrunk - like persimmons in December. Before him were seated the - Half-King and the son of Aliquippa, the Queen of one of the - tribes. Last year our Colonel gave her a red match-coat and a - bottle of rum, and now she is his great friend and waiting for - more favours, especially rum. - - The warriors were painted to beat even a London lady, and no - bird has more feathers or finer. The pipe of Council was passed - around, and all took a few whiffs. When it came to the turn - of our Colonel, he sneezed and coughed and made a wry face, - but none of the Indians so much as smiled, for they are a very - solemn folk. I could not refrain to laugh, so hid my face in - the last handkerchief I possess. There are holes in it, too. - Then we had the Indian’s speech and that the Governor sent to - be spoken. After this the Colonel hung around the necks of the - Chiefs medals of silver sent from England. One had the British - lion mauling the Gallic cock, and on the other side the King’s - effigy. Then the drums were beat, and the son of Aliquippa was - taken into Council as a sachem, and given, as is the custom, a - new name. I suppose it is a kind of heathen Christening. He was - called Fairfax. I hope his Lordship will look after his Godson, - or devil son, as he is more like to be. The Half-King was made - proud with the name of Dinwiddie, and so we are friends until - to-morrow, and allies――I call them _all lies_. After this the - Colonel read the morning service, which I hope pleased them. - They believed he was making magic. - -This is a good account, and I certainly did make a face with the -tobacco-smoke, for, although at that time I raised the weed, I cannot -endure it. - -Captain Mackay arrived on the 7th of June, but it came about untowardly -that the company which thus joined me was not Virginian, and gave me -more trouble than help. I may be wrong concerning the date of Captain -Mackay’s arrival, but he was with us when, on the 10th of June, I moved -out of our fort to prepare the road for the larger attempt proposed -to take the defences at the Forks of the Ohio. I soon found that I -was to have difficulty with this officer. I found him a good sort of -a gentleman, but, as he had a distinct commission from the King, he -declined to receive my commands, and, I found, would rather impede the -service than forward it. I have made it a rule, however, to do the best -I can in regard to obstacles I cannot control, and so I kept my temper -and was always civil to this gentleman, even when he would not permit -his men, unless paid a shilling a day, to assist in the making of roads. - -As two masters are worse in an army than anywhere else, he agreed -willingly enough to remain at Fort Necessity, while I went on toward -Redstone Creek with my Virginians to better my road. It was a hard -task, and at night the men were so tired that the scouts and sentries -could hardly keep awake. The Indians came in daily, asking presents, -and were mostly spies. - -At Gist’s old camp, thirteen miles from Great Meadows, I learned that -Fort Duquesne had been reinforced and that I was to be attacked by -a large force. I sent back for Mackay, and at once called in all my -hunters and scouting-parties. When Captain Mackay arrived we held a -council and resolved that we had a better chance to defend ourselves -at Fort Necessity. The officers gave up their horses to carry the -ammunition, and we began a retreat with all possible speed. The weather -was of the worst, very hot and raining, and the Carolina men, who -called themselves king’s soldiers, would give no assistance in dragging -the swivels. What with hunger and toil, my rangers were worn out when, -on July 1, we were come back to the fort. I was of half a mind to push -on and secure my retreat to Wills Creek; but the men refused to go on -with the swivels, and the few horses we had were mere bone-bags, and -some of them hardly fit to walk. - -I turned over the matter that night with Captains Mackay and Stephen, -and resolved, for, indeed, I could do no better, to send for help and -abide in the fort. I was well aware that to retreat would turn every -Indian on the frontier against us, and I was in good hope to hold out. - -If, as I wrote the governor, the French behaved with no greater spirit -than they did in the Jumonville affair, I might yet come off well -enough if provisions reached me in time, and I thought with proper -reinforcements we should have no great trouble in driving them to the -devil and Montreal. - -On the evening of July 1 an Indian runner came in. He had been with De -Villiers and a force from Duquesne. He told me that when that officer -reached Gist’s palisado he fired on it, but, finding no one there, -was of a mind to go back, thinking I had returned to the settlements. -Unfortunately, some of our Indians, who were now leaving us in numbers, -told him I meant to make a stand at Fort Necessity. - -Whether I should fall back farther or not was now a matter for little -choice. If I retreated with tired, half-starved men and no rum for -refreshment, De Villiers’s large, well-fed force and quick-footed -Indians would surely overtake us, and we should have to meet superiour -numbers without being intrenched. If Captain Mackay and his men, in my -absence, had done anything to complete my fort, I should have fared -better. Meanwhile we might be aided with men from Winchester, or, at -least, be provisioned. I said nothing to the South Carolina officer of -his neglect, for that would do no good, and I desired when it came to -fighting he should be in a good humour. - -News seemed to fly through the forests as if the birds carried it, -and I was not surprised to learn before I got to the fort that the -Half-King and nearly all his warriors had stolen away. He was out of -humour with the officers I had left in charge and said no one consulted -him. I think he desired to escape a superiour force and to assure the -safety of his squaws and papooses, whom I was not ill pleased to be rid -of, but not of the warriors. - -After my men were fed, Captain Stobo, Adjutant Muse, Captain Stephen, -and I took off our coats and went to work to help with axes, Dr. Craik -very merry and cheering the poor fellows, who were worn out with work. - -We raised the log shelter a log higher, and dug our ditch deeper, and, -had we had more time, had done better to have enlarged the fort, for it -was quite too small for the force. - - - - -XXVII - - -On the evening of July 2, I went over the place with Captain Stobo. We -were in the middle of a grassy meadow about two hundred and fifty yards -wide, and no wood nearer than sixty yards. Stobo would have had us cut -down the nearer trees, but the rangers could work no more. As to men, I -had enough, if I had been supplied with ammunition and food. - -The next day being the 3d, this was tried――I mean the clearing away -of trees; but about half-past ten I heard a shot in the woods on that -side where the ground rises, and at once all the men hurried in, as was -beforehand agreed, and a sentry ran limping out of the woods, wounded. -Next came our scouts in haste to say the French and Indians, a great -force, were a mile away, eight hundred it was thought. At eleven I saw -them in the forest on the nearest rise of ground, well under cover. -I left Captain Mackay in the fort, and set my rangers in the ditch, -fairly covered by the earth cast up in the digging of it, hoping the -enemy would make an assault. But they kept in the woods and fired -incessantly. About 4 P.M. it came on to rain very heavy, with thunder -and lightning. So great was the downfall that the water flowing into -the ditch half filled it, and the pans and primings of the muskets got -wetted, and our fire fell off. Seeing this, I drew the men within the -palisadoes and the log fort, where they were favourably disposed to -resist an attack, for which the enemy seemed to have no stomach. This -was near about 5 P.M., and soon, to my dismay, shots began to fall -among us from the Indians, who climbed the trees and thus had us at an -advantage. - -Many men began to drop, and De Peyronney, a Huguenot captain, was badly -wounded, while our own shooting, because of the torrent of rain, was -much slackened, and at dusk our ammunition nearly all used. Twelve men -were killed and forty-three wounded out of the three hundred rangers, -but how many out of the Independent company I do not know, nor was the -loss of the enemy ever ascertained. - -About 7 P.M., seeing that we had almost ceased to fire, the French -called a parley, which I declined; but at eight, knowing our state and -that we had scarce any provisions left, I answered their second flag -that I would send an officer, and for this errand would have ordered -De Peyronney, who spoke the French tongue, but that he was hurt and in -great pain. I had no one but Van Braam who knew any French. He went, -and returned with demands for a capitulation so dishonourable that I -could not consider them. At last, however, we came to terms, which were -to march out with all the honours of war, Van Braam and Captain Stobo -volunteering to go as hostages for the return of Drouillon and La Force. - -It was eleven o’clock at night and very dark when Van Braam translated -the final terms of capitulation. We were to march away unmolested and -to agree not to build forts or occupy the lands of his Most Christian -Majesty for a year; but to this vague stipulation I did not object. It -was raining furiously, and we heard the terms read by the light of one -candle, which was put out by the rain, over and over, as Van Braam, -with no great ease, let me hear what, he declared, was set down. -Unhappily, he translated the words which twice made me agree to be -taken as the _assassin_ of De Villiers’s brother, Jumonville, so as to -read that the French had come to revenge the _death_ of that gentleman, -and understanding it, with Stephen and Mackay, to mean this and no -more, I signed the paper and thus innocently subjected myself to a foul -calumny. - -At dawn we moved out with one swivel and drums beating and colours -flying. This was on July 4. I was reminded of it when, on July 9, 1776, -I paraded the army to announce that on July 4 the Congress had declared -that we were no longer colonies but free and independent States. Then -I remembered the humiliation of the morning when we filed away before -those who were to become our friends and allies. - -I bade good-by to Van Braam and Stobo, and we began our homeward -march, all on foot, because of our horses having been taken when we -were forced to leave them outside of the fort. We had gone scarce a -mile, carrying our wounded on rude litters, when, against all the -terms agreed upon, the Indians followed and robbed the rear baggage, -misusing many. Upon this, showing a bold front, I drove them off, and -destroying all useless baggage, set out again. - -Some died on our way, others fell out and were no more heard of; and -thus, half starved and weary, we made the seventy miles to Wills Creek. - -Having conducted my command to this point, where was all they required -in the way of clothing and supplies, I rode with Captain Mackay to -Williamsburg. - -I felt for a time and with much sharpness the sense of defeat, and I -heard later that Captain Mackay complained that I was dull company on -the ride, which was no doubt true enough, for I felt that he and his -command were partly to be blamed. - -Indeed, I appeared to myself at this time the most unfortunate of men; -but I have often been led to observe that we forget our calamities more -easily than the pleasures of life, nor on the occasion here described -could I so much reproach myself as those who had failed to supply me -with the ammunition and provisions required for success. - -Although it was near to nine at night when we rode into Williamsburg -and put up at the Raleigh Tavern, I went at once to the house called -the governor’s palace, but much inferiour in size and convenience -to the fine houses of Westover and Brandon. The governor being -gone to supper elsewhere, I gave the sealed package containing the -capitulation, all in French, with the signatures of De Villiers and -myself, to the governor’s aide. - -In the morning I called upon the governor and was cordially received. -He said that we could not go into the details of the capitulation until -the articles of it were fairly Englished. This would require a day. He -made rather too light, I thought, of the surrender and of what seemed -to me serious; for to my mind the French were come to stay. - -While the governor was assuring me that we should easily drive out the -invaders, my kinsman, Colonel Willis of the council, joined us. He -considered the situation on the frontier as very grave, and succeeded -in alarming the governor, a man of confident and very sanguine -disposition. At last Colonel Willis turned to me and said: “George, I -dare venture to engage that this little fire you have left blazing will -set the world aflame.” - -After further talk I left them. I had been before this in the capital -of the colony, but always for a brief visit. Now, having time, I -walked down the broad Duke of Gloucester street, and saw the famous -William and Mary College. There were many fine houses and the handsome -parish church of Bruton, said to have been planned by the great Sir -Christopher Wren. - - - - -XXVIII - - -The next morning about nine came Mr. William Fairfax to the inn and -said: “There is some trouble about the capitulations, but I do not know -what. You are wanted at once by the council.” - -Upon this I made haste to reach the palace, wondering what could be the -matter. - -In the council-chamber were several gentlemen standing, in silence――Mr. -Speaker Robinson, Colonel Cary, and my Lord Fairfax, as I was pleased -to see, he having arrived that morning to be a guest of Governor -Dinwiddie. There were also others, all standing in groups, but who they -were I fail now to remember. All of them appeared to be serious as I -went in, and there was, of a sudden, silence, except that the governor, -a bulky man, very red in the face and of choleric temper, was walking -about cursing in a most unseemly way. Lord Fairfax alone received me -pleasantly, coming forward to greet me, but no one else did more -than bow. The governor came toward me, and holding the capitulations -in one hand, struck them with the other hand and cried out: “Explain, -sir――explain how you, sir, an officer of the King, came to admit over -your signature that you were an assassin, and twice, sir, twice. I -consider you disgraced.” - -Lord Fairfax laid a hand on my arm to stay me and said: - -“Your Excellency, it is not the manner among us to condemn a man -unheard; nor, sir, to address a gentleman as you have permitted -yourself to do.” - -Colonel Cary said: “That, sir, is also my own opinion.” For this I was -grateful, because on a former occasion he had himself been lacking in -civility. - -Then my cousin Willis came across the room and said very low: “Keep -yourself quiet, George.” - -I bowed and asked to be shown the translation. I read it over with -care, while no one spoke. What had been said was correct. For a moment -I was too amazed to speak. As I looked up, utterly confounded, Lord -Fairfax said: “Well, colonel?” - -Upon this I related the facts of the case, and that Captains Mackay and -Stephen had heard Van Braam translate the articles, and that he had -never used the word _assassination_, but, in place of it, _death_; and -that I considered it to have been ignorance on his part, and no worse. - -I saw also that, while I had been given to understand by Van Braam that -for a year we were pledged not to make any forts on the lands of the -King of France, I had really agreed that we were not for that period to -do so beyond the mountains. - -When I had thus fully accounted for my misapprehension, Lord Fairfax -said at once: “Then, gentlemen, this unfortunate mistake and this -unlucky pledge were due to the governor’s council having failed to -provide Colonel Washington with a competent French interpreter.” I -could hardly help smiling at this transfer of the blame to the governor -and his advisers. Colonel Byrd laughed outright, as the governor, with -a great oath, cried out, “Nonsense, my lord,” and to me, “You should be -broke, sir; you are unfit to command.” - -Lord Fairfax said quietly, “Be careful of your words, governor.” This -stayed his speech, but amid entire silence he stood shaking with -anger, so that, although his wig was covered with a net, the powder -fell over his scarlet coat. - -Upon this I threw the capitulations on the table and, with much effort -controlling myself, said: “I have explained myself to the honourable -council and have no more to say.” - -The governor said: “I presume, sir, we must accept your statement.” -I replied at once, looking about me: “If any gentleman here doubts -it, I――” But on this Colonel Cary said: “I do not. I think the matter -cleared, Colonel Washington, and I trust that his Excellency will see -that he has spoken in haste.” - -Lord Fairfax and Mr. Robinson also spoke to like effect, and with -a degree of warmth which set me entirely at ease. The governor, -much vexed to be thus taken to task, said in a surly way that he -was satisfied and that Van Braam was a traitor, which I declined to -believe, also adding that Captain Stephen would be asked to see the -governor and confirm my statement. - -After this, to my surprise, the governor desired my company at dinner, -and seeing Lord Fairfax nod to me, I accepted, but with no very -good will. The matter ended with a vote of thanks from the House of -Burgesses, Van Braam being left out, and also Adjutant Muse, who was -considered to have shown cowardice. I was well done with a sorry -business. - -Indeed, but for the rain, the bad light, and that I had no reason to -disbelieve what Van Braam read to us, I should have looked over the -paper, where the word _assassin_, being as much English as French, must -have caught my eye. What seemed to me most strange was that De Villiers -should so easily have let go a man whom he professed to consider the -murderer of his brother. - -When we surrendered the French officers were very civil, and I saw no -evidence of unusual enmity, but I do not think I met M. de Villiers. - -Van Braam was very much abused and called a traitor, which I neither -then nor later believed him to have been. Some few in Virginia blamed -me, but since then I have lived through many worse calumnies. - -As each nation was casting the blame of warlike action on the other, -much was made in France of the death of De Jumonville and the -surrender of Fort Necessity. - -I was able long afterwards to see the account of this capitulation at -Fort Necessity as it was given by the French commander, M. de Villiers. -It was quite false, but he could not have known all the facts as to -De Jumonville’s conduct nor how the Dutchman Van Braam――as I believe, -without intention――misled me. That he was not bribed to do so is shown -by the fact that, being held as a hostage, he was long kept in jail in -Quebec. - -It is to be remarked as worthy of note that only a month ago I should -have heard news of this old soldier of fortune. A letter came to me at -Mount Vernon in which Van Braam related his wanderings and how at last -he had settled down in France, as it would seem, in a prosperous way. -He was very flattering to his old pupil, and, for my part, I wish him -good luck and a better knowledge of the French tongue than he had when -we starved together at the Great Meadows. - -I am also reminded as I write that Lieutenant-Colonel Wynne asked leave -during the siege of Yorktown to present to me a young French nobleman, -an officer of the regiment Auvergne, whose name now escapes me. This -gentleman’s father had served in Canada under Marquis Montcalm, and -before that on the frontier. The conversation fell upon my early -service on the Ohio. To my great astonishment, the young gentleman -told me that in 1759 a French writer, called, if I remember, Thomas, -published a long piece in verse about this unfortunate De Jumonville in -America, and how his murder was avenged. I never supposed any one would -write poetry concerning me, nor do I believe it will ever happen again. - - - - -XXIX - - -I find my diaries insufficient as to the events which preceded the -battle on the Monongahela, where, in Braddock’s rout, I lost almost all -my papers, with my plans and maps, chiefly copies of those I had given -the general. This I now regret more than I did at the time when my -memory served me better. Finding, as I have noted before, that to write -of events recalls particulars, I shall endeavour thus to revive my -personal remembrances, but not to record at length the entire history -of the defeat of General Braddock. - -I do not suppose that any land was ever worse governed than Virginia -was under Dinwiddie, and as to military affairs worst of all, but not -worse than other colonies. The governors were ignorant of warfare and -expected too much from the half-trained militia and their careless -officers. These conditions may have seemed to justify the King’s order -that all officers holding militia appointments should be outranked by -all royal commissions, and even by the King’s officers on half-pay. -This was bad enough, but there were also Independent companies raised -in time of need; and their officers, being directly commissioned by -the governors acting for the King, insisted on their right to outrank -gentlemen of the militia, and led the men in their commands to disobey -such officers and to consider themselves of a class superiour to the -militia. I had already had so sad an experience of the difficulties -which arose out of these conditions that I was unwilling to submit -to Governor Dinwiddie’s plan of making all the militia Independent -companies and with only captains in command. The object to be attained -by this awkward expedient was to put a stop to the constant disputes -as to precedency and command. As this would reduce me from colonel -to captain, I made it clear to the governor that it was not, in my -opinion, a step to be advised, but I would consider of it, which, -indeed, took me no long time. - -In November I resigned my commission, and before it was accepted went -to Alexandria, where my regiment then lay. I asked the officers -to meet me and explained the cause of my being forced to resign. I -was surprised to find that my resolution, which all admitted to be -reasonable, met with the most flattering opposition. Indeed, I received -soon after a letter from these gentlemen in which, with much more, they -said: - - We, your obedient and affectionate officers, beg leave to - express our great concern at the marked disagreeable news we - have received of your determination to resign the command of - the corps. Your steady adherence to impartial justice, your - quick discernment and invariable regard to merit, enlivened our - natural emulation to excel. - -As this letter lies before me and I think of the emotion it caused me, -I still like to remember that at the close they spoke of me as “one -who taught them to despise danger and to think lightly of toil and -hardships while led by a man they knew and loved.” - -I have been spoken of as wanting in sensibility. If it had been said -I lacked means to show what I feel, that were to put the matter more -correctly. Even now the recollection of the praise thus given moves me -deeply, and recalls the memory of my farewell to those who served with -me in the War of Independency. I was but twenty-three when I left the -colonial service. - -I did so with much reluctance, for my desire was not to leave the -military line, as my inclinations were still strongly bent to arms, and -of this I assured Colonel Fitzhugh very plainly when he would have had -me submit to return to service in the inferiour grade of captain. I -preferred my farm to submitting to this degradation. - -Among the minor matters which, by degrees, discontented even the most -loyal of the upper class of Virginia gentlemen, none was more ill borne -than the impertinence and insults to which this order of the King gave -rise. - -Having thus, with much regret, resigned my commission, I retired -to private life at Mount Vernon and to the care of my neglected -plantations. - -As we had left two hostages, Van Braam and Stobo, in the hands of the -French after my defeat at the Meadows, I was anxious that La Force -and the French officers we held should be treated with decency and -exchanged for my two captains. - -In spite of my earnest remonstrances, Drouillon and two cadets were -alone offered for exchange, and La Force held in prison, which, of -course, the French refused to consider. My wishes were disregarded -in this matter in which I considered my honour was involved, and I -was treated with the indifference the governor so often showed to the -advice of colonial gentlemen of consideration. I was deeply mortified, -and La Force was at least two years in jail, nor do I know what became -of him. In retaliation, Van Braam and Stobo were long detained in -prison by the French at Quebec, but finally got away, I do not know -how. Captain Stobo, a Scotchman, I believe, was a sober, brave, and -sensible man. That he was ingenious and little subject to fear appears -from the fact that, while imprisoned at Fort Duquesne, he contrived a -plan of the fort, and also to send it to the governor by an Indian. Had -he been detected it must have cost his life. - -After the fall of Quebec in 1759, I was informed by an officer that -Captain Stobo made his escape before that event, and had been able to -join his Majesty’s troops, and finally had guided General Wolfe on the -path by which he succeeded to occupy the Plains of Abraham. I do not -know what truth there was in the story. - -While time ran on and I was busy with the innocent pursuits of -agriculture, England and France were preparing for serious warfare, and -as I heard of the efforts to be made to recover the Ohio and the forts -at the North, I became troubled that I was to have no share in the -business. Sir John St. Clair had come out in this year (1755) as deputy -quartermaster-general, and was at once much disgusted at colonial -inefficiency, and expressed himself with such freedom as gave great -offence. Five weeks later, in February, I believe, General Braddock -reached Williamsburg, where I then chanced to be on business concerning -the purchase of bills on London. On this occasion I once more appealed -to the authorities concerning Stobo and Van Braam; but although I spent -some time in efforts to persuade Governor Dinwiddie that to further -hold La Force was to prevent the release of two brave and innocent men, -he persistently refused. Upon this I went away, declining to discuss -other matters on which he would have had my opinion. - -While at Williamsburg, Colonel Peyton invited me to visit Sir John St. -Clair, to whom I was able to express my regret that the conditions of -the King’s late order as to rank must deprive me and other colonial -gentlemen of the pleasure of serving. Sir John said that he was -surprised to encounter so much sensitiveness among us. To this I made -no reply, but Colonel Byrd, who was present, said if Sir John would -in his mind reverse our positions he would find the matter to explain -itself. Sir John said that he could not imagine himself a provincial -captain of border farm-hands. - -Upon this Colonel Byrd rose and said there was also something which -he could not imagine Sir John to be. Seeing a quarrel close at hand, -a thing very undesirable when already we were on edge owing to the -affectation of superiority on the part of some of Sir John’s aides, I -was fortunate enough to say that Colonel Byrd no doubt misunderstood -Sir John, and that I never had been able to put myself in another -man’s place. Sir John, who had spoken hastily, was also of no mind to -provoke a gentleman of Colonel Byrd’s influence, and said at once that -he had no intention to offend, and thus the matter ended. - -It was, however, this kind of thing which made so much bad blood in the -colonies and was so deeply resented by men of all classes. - -In the afternoon I met Colonel Byrd, who said I had spoiled a good -quarrel and that he considered it would be necessary to teach some of -the officers a lesson in manners. I said I hoped that at this crisis it -might be avoided. I had quite forgot this incident, and am agreeably -surprised, now that my memory is failing, at recovering by attention so -many things which seemed lost. - -On the following morning Sir John called upon me and asked would I dine -with him that day, to meet General Braddock, whom, on his arrival, -I had welcomed in a letter expressing my regret at being out of the -service. - -I was glad to meet the new commander, and at Sir John’s request named -several gentlemen who should have the same honour, and who might be -of great use in the campaign. On this occasion there was less heavy -drinking than usual, and I was very agreeably entertained and much -questioned as to the border. I promised to send my maps to the general, -who, upon my taking leave, hoped some way might be found to secure my -services in the coming campaign. - -Indeed, I was more eager than the general, and, as occasion served, -I was still more open with some of the younger members of General -Braddock’s family concerning my continued desire to follow the military -line. - -I rode homeward a day or two later, taking Fredericksburg on the way, -that I might see my mother. I found her in the garden of her house, -engaged in putting some plants in the ground. - -She said she was pleased to see me, but did hardly look up from her -work and went on talking of the family. I was of no mind to stop her, -and, indeed, it was always best to let her have her say; nor did I now -interrupt her, which out of respect I never inclined to do. - -My sister Betty Lewis, having more desire to talk than I ever had, -could never hear my mother out, and this I did not approve, nor did it -do any good. - -While I was listening came a servant with a letter inclosed in a cover -with a flying seal of Captain Orme’s arms. The letter within carried -the royal arms and “On his Majesty’s service with speed,” wrote large. -It appeared that when I had gone, the general’s aide, Captain Orme, -requested Colonel Peyton to forward to me this communication, and -accordingly he had sent it after me as desired. I excused myself and -read it with pleasure. - -My mother, being curious as to small things, and as to large ones too -often indifferent, asked me what it was, and was eager to know why it -bore the King’s arms. I saw no better way than to let her read it. - -She gave it back to me, saying, “I suppose my opinions about this -business of war are never to be regarded,” and more besides than I -desire to recall. I replied that there was only one answer a man of -honour and a loyal subject of the King could make, and that I should at -once accept if time were given me to set in order my affairs; and so, -with this, after much advice on her part that my duty lay at home and -on my plantation, I got away, avoiding to say more, my mind being fully -made up. I find the letter now among my papers, and reading it in my -old age, renew the memory of the satisfaction it gave me when young. - - _Williamsburg, March 2, 1755._ - - SIR: The General, having been informed by friends that you - expressed some desire to make the campaign, but that you - declined it upon some disagreeableness that you thought might - arise from the regulations of command, has ordered me to - acquaint you that he will be very glad of your company in - his family, by which all inconveniences of that kind will be - obviated. - - I shall think myself very happy to form an acquaintance with a - person so universally esteemed, and shall use every opportunity - of assuring you how much I am - - Your obedient servant, - - _Robert Orme_, - - Aide-de-camp. - -I have no doubt that Colonel Peyton was the gentleman who, knowing my -wishes, had suggested my appointment. I was considered by some to have -been imprudent at Fort Necessity, and the governor, because of the -freedom of speech I used with him in the matter of Stobo and La Force, -had for me no great regard, and was very unlikely to have favoured me -with the general. - -Before leaving Williamsburg, Mr. C――――, a cousin of Colonel Peyton, -visited me and said he had been well advised to seek my friendship in -a letter from the colonel, which he thought might please me and which -I was free to read. As to my appearance, wit, and judgment, the letter -spoke in the most agreeable language, and added that I was destined to -make no inconsiderable figure in our country. I confess to having felt, -as I read it, both pleasure and doubt. - - - - -XXX - - -I had thus engaged as a volunteer, much against the wishes of my -mother, who, as she said, saw no good in war and entreated me not -again to expose myself to peril in the wilderness. If the French had -been of her opinion as to war, I might have stayed at home. We had an -unpleasant meeting, or rather parting, for she did little else but -lament; but what was there I could do? I left her in tears. - -I have no intention to record here the full history of this expedition, -but rather to revive for my own interest what I, personally, saw, and -what is nowhere else fully set down. - -My appointment gave satisfaction to many friends, who felt more deeply -than I myself that in the matter of commissions and as to the Villiers -affair――for that was soon noised about――I had been ill treated by the -governor. The favourable sentiments thus expressed could not, under -the circumstances, be other than pleasing to a mind which had always -walked a straight line and endeavoured, as far as human frankness and -strong passions would allow, to discharge the relative duties to his -Maker and to his fellow-countrymen without by indirect means seeking -popularity. - -As I pause here before making the effort to recall some of the -incidents of the disastrous events in which I was to have a share, -I remember with pleasure the friends who felt that my honourable -invitation from a veteran general was a final answer to the censures of -the King’s governor. - -Nor, in looking back over the greater war and my life in office, have -I had reason to complain of want of affection from those whose esteem -I desired to retain. Many times in my life I have, however, had just -cause to complain of things said of me by those who possessed my -regard, but I have in all such cases felt it better not to sacrifice a -friendship on account of ill temper or the indiscretion of the hour, -and am made happy in the belief that I have thus been able to keep -what I would not willingly have lost. Where men have been needed in -the service or in office, I have been still more desirous of forgiving -words or actions which affected me alone, but which did not in the end -destroy their usefulness. Nor have I myself been without need to be -thus considered, for at times I am by nature irritable and short of -temper. Lawrence once said to me that he found it more easy to forgive -his enemies than his friends; but this I did not clearly see, and, -after all, if a man is resolved to keep himself from thinking of what -is said against him, the memory of it soon becomes dulled and there is -less need of forgiveness. - -Among the many evidences of esteem I had before the Braddock affair -was a letter from Captain Peyronney, now recovered of his wound, but -to die bravely on the Monongahela. He must have heard that I had been -ill spoken of by Major Muse and perhaps by others. He wrote very odd -English, but I could hardly find fault with his meaning. - - SIR: I Shan’t make Bold to Describe the proceedings of the - House [of Burgesses], which no doute you have had already Some - hint of. I only will make use of these three expressions: - _furtim venerunt_; _invane Sederunt_; and _perturbate - Redierunt_. - - But all that is matere of indifference to the wirginia Regiment - Collo. Washington will still Remain att the head of it, - and I spect with more esplendor than ever; for (as I hope) - notwithstanding we will Be on the British stabichment, we shall - be augmented to Six houndred and by those means entitle you to - the Name not only of protector of your Contry But to that of - the flower of the wirginians, By the powers you’ll have in your - hands to prove it So. - - Many enquired to me about Muses Braveries; poor Body I h’d pity - him ha’nt he had the weakness to Confes his coardies him self, - and the impudence to taxe all the reste of the oficiers withoud - exception of the same imperfection, for he said to many of the - Consulars and Burgeses that he was Bad But th’ the reste was as - Bad as he:―― - - To speak francly had I been in town at that time I cou’nt - help’d to make use of my horse’s wheap for to vindicate the - injury of that villain. - - he Contrived his Business so that several ask me if it was true - that he had challeng’d you to fight: my answer was no other But - that he should rather chuse to go to hell thand doing of it, - for had he had such thing declar’d: that was his Sure Road―― - - I have made my particular Business to tray if any had some - Bad intention against you here Below: But thank God I meet - allowais with a goad wish for you from evry mouth each one - entertining such Caracter of you as I have the honnour to do my - Self who am the Most humble - - And Obediant of your Servants - - _Le Chevalier de Peyronney_. - -I had much cause to feel grateful for such friends, and I may here add -that, as concerns Van Braam, I had his censure reversed when I myself -became a member of the House of Burgesses. - -As soon as possible after bringing my affairs into order, I set out, -determined to lose no chance to perfect my military education. - -At Fredericktown I met the general, and on May 10 was announced in -general orders as aide, with brevet rank of captain. I rode thence in -advance to Winchester, where I had need to send a servant to borrow -fresh horses from my friend Lord Fairfax, who himself came later from -Greenway Court to meet me and rode with me about one hundred miles -to Wills Creek, near to which was Fort Cumberland, so named for the -captain-general. - -On the last day of our ride, as we rode on over, I do believe, the -most abominable roads in the world, I described to his lordship the -array of well-drilled men, sailors, artillery, etc., I had seen -at Alexandria, landed from Admiral Keppel’s fleet, and said, if I -remember, that it was a great advantage to serve under a gentleman of -General Braddock’s abilities and experience, and that as to any danger -from the enemy, I considered it as trifling, for I believed the French -would be obliged to exert their utmost strength to repel the attacks -about to be made on their forts at Niagara and Crown Point. - - - - -XXXI - - -As I talked, Lord Fairfax, who had seen greater armies, heard me in -silence, and indeed, when I ceased, remained for a time without making -any comment. Then he reined up his horse, and, handing me two letters, -said: “I have kept these for your private reading, George; I have them -through the kindness of one of Admiral Keppel’s officers.” I read them -as we rode on, well in the rear, to avoid the annoyance caused by the -marching of the Forty-eighth Foot, which beat up a great dust. He said: -“Read them again at your leisure.” I did as was desired, and, as they -happened to be left in my buckskin-coat pocket and forgot, they were -the only papers I chanced to save in the battle. They are now before -me, and I read them anew with interest. Not for many years have I seen -them. - - MY DEAR LORD: I take this occasion to write you. London is - very gay, and the clubs and their wits amazing merry over the - appointment of Edward Braddock to command the force sent out to - protect you from the Indians. Ch. S――――y was here for dinner - yesterday. He said General B. was a stranger both to fear and - common sense, and that his best fitness to fight Indians was - that he was providentially bald. Lord C. S. says he saw Anne - Bellamy, the actress, whom the General visited when on the - point of leaving London. She said Mr. Braddock was melancholy, - and declared he was sent with a handful of men to conquer - nations and to cut his way through an unknown wilderness. - - He said: “We are sent like sacrifices to the altar.” That - ancient ram! say I. He told her she would never see him again. - - I wish you luck of your new General. He is touchy, punctilious, - of a stiff mind, and has had forty years in the Guards. I do - not think he was eager to leave Anne Bellamy and the clubs, for - the man is a favourite; but he has little money, and it will be - at least agreeable to spend the king’s guineas. - - If you were a woman I should tell you the new fashions. The - beaux now carry their watches in their muffs, and the women are - taking, more and more, to what Charles S――――y calls undress - uniform, so that soon Madame Eve will be the fashionable maker - of gowns!――but I must not nourish your provincial blushes. Lord - R. tells me that your General is a sad brute, for when his - sister――a pretty thing she was――spent all her money at cards - and hanged herself, the man said: “Poor Fanny, I always thought - she would play till she would be forced to tuck herself up.” - Horace Walpole says, when she meant to die, she wrote with a - diamond on the window-pane this out of Garth’s “Dispensary”: - - “To die is landing on some silent shore, - Where billows never break nor tempests roar.” - - But why should the woman die when she had a diamond left to - gamble with? - - However, the Duke of Cumberland is his patron, and that is - enough. F――――x lost the other night at White’s, they say, £1000 - and―― - -I looked up and said: “The rest does not seem to be of interest or to -say more of the general.” - -“No, but always look at the postscript of a lady’s letter. There is -more about your general.” - -It was true, for I read: - - P. S. I meant not to tell you of Braddock’s affair with Colonel - Gumley, who was his friend, but I may as well, even if you - think it incredible. A letter is a fine way to talk, because - you can never see the blush you may cause, and may fib without - being vexed by contradiction until so long after that you have - forgotten all about it. But what a pother I am making about my - harmless gossip! - - When Braddock quarrelled over cards with his friend, and swords - were drawn, Gumley (you know, Lord Pulteney married his sister) - cried out: “Braddock, you are a penniless dog. If you kill me - you have no money, and you will have to run away.” So with - that he tossed him his purse. Braddock was in such a rage that - Gumley easily disarmed him, but he would not ask his life. - -As we rode on I said it seemed to me to show that our general was -foolishly obstinate, and that I liked the other man better, but neither -very much. - -His lordship said: “Yes, yes; it is a wild and a silly life. The woman -is heartless, but what she says may serve to put you on your guard. -These people think London the only part of the world worth a thought. -The other letter is of more moment. It is from Colonel Conway. I have -inked over these names; they do not matter. He is of another clay.” - - _London._ - - MY DEAR LORD: My nephew, Mr. Henry Wilton, carries this letter - to you, and any kind attention you may feel disposed to pay him - will oblige me. - - I think the choice of Braddock unfortunate. He is a brave, - or rather a reckless, man, overconfident, arrogant, and sure - to despise his enemy, and goes out, as I am assured, with a - bad opinion of the Colonials. Horace Walpole, who knows, as - we all do, the mad life Braddock has led in London, says: “He - is a very Iroquois in disposition, and so, I suppose, fit - to fight his kind.” Horace is making himself merry over the - appointment, and the Colonial helping he is to have. But it is - the fashion here to laugh at Colonials, and not for the world - would Horace be out of the fashion. I wish the General may have - good fortune, but I fear the matching of drill and pipe-clay - against the wiles of the woods; as sensible would it be to set - a fencing-master with a rapier to fight a tiger in a jungle. - When I consider how vast is this increasing number of English - in a country where must be great prospects and a fine sense of - independency, I wonder how little they are regarded here. But - it is our way to despise other nations, and even our own blood - if it has had enterprise to cross the seas. Come back and help - us to learn better. - - Always your Lordship’s - - Ob’d’t hum’le serv’t. - - _Henry Conway._ - -His lordship looked at me as I put away the letters. I said: “That -seems to me good sense; but about the general, I cannot credit it.” - -“You will judge for yourself,” he said, “if this be the man to send -into the wilderness. Keep the letters, but do not lose them; you may -return them later.” Which I should have done, only that the rout on the -Monongahela put it out of my mind. - - - - -XXXII - - -It was about noon when, as I have said, being in the rear of the -Forty-eighth Foot, we heard a noise behind us. We drew up at the side -within the wood to see what was coming. - -Amid a great dust came General Braddock, in a fine red chariot bought -of Governor Sharpe, with an escort of light horse, all in great haste, -and bumping over the worst road possible. Presently they flew by the -troops, who saluted, the drums beating the Grenadier’s March, a tune I -was to hear again. - -“If I were the general,” I said, “I should have preferred a horse to a -coach.” - -“Not if you were he,” said his lordship. - -“But the man is not a fool,” I ventured to say. “He seemed to me not to -want for intelligence.” - -“An intelligent fool, George, is the worst fool. His intelligence feeds -his folly.” - -This, like much else that his lordship said to me, was not so plain as -it would be now, and, accordingly, I made no reply. - -After being silent for a time, his lordship went on to say that I -should do well to talk little, and quietly to observe things for -myself; that he himself knew General Braddock to be a spendthrift, -obstinate as a pig, and very self-confident; and, finally, that I knew -what a lot of drilled regulars would be worth in the woods. He feared -also that the officers were quite unfit for the service. - -As it was the way of his lordship to mock at most things, it did not -affect me as much as what I saw and heard later, for, unfortunately, he -was not alone in his opinion concerning the general. - -By and by, the general having preceded us by an hour, we heard the -salute of seventeen guns, fired as he entered the camp. - -We came in sight of the tents about Wills Creek early in the afternoon, -and were walking our horses, very tired, man and beast, when a -gentleman came towards us. He was mounted on a rather uneasy animal, -and I saw, as he met us and we bowed, that his girth was loose and he -in danger of a fall. I dismounted and, with an apology, set it right. -He thanked me and got off his horse, saying, as was plain to see, that -he was no horseman and would walk, preferring two certain legs to four -uncertain ones. On this his lordship also dismounted, and, our servants -taking the horses, we walked on together. But first his lordship said: -“I am Lord Fairfax, and this is my friend, Colonel George Washington. -May we have the honour to know your name?” - -He replied, “I am Benjamin Franklin,” and asked if this were Colonel -Washington who had been in command in the Jumonville affair. I said I -had had that good fortune, and after this he turned to his lordship, -and, they conversing, I was able to observe the looks and ways of Mr. -Franklin, who was now the Postmaster-General and known throughout the -colonies as a learned man, and in affairs very competent. I was to be -deeply engaged with him in the future. - -He was at this time a vigorous man of forty-nine years, with a great -head and a kindly look, clad very simply in a gray suit. When he began -to talk I envied him the ease and exactness with which he expressed -himself, and the prudence he showed in speech, of which quality his -lordship had little. - -When at last the Postmaster-General learned that I was to serve as a -volunteer aide, he smiled and remarked that that was to manufacture -glory for others and not even to get pay. To this I replied that I -considered my ends were clear enough to me, for that I was, as it were, -an apprentice, and was bent to acquire experience in war under one -who knew the business. He said he hoped I should not be disappointed, -and at this I saw his lordship smile; and so no more of moment passed -between us, for we met Captain Orme and Sir John St. Clair, and were -soon in the camp. - -Here was our most western fort. It lay very well, what there was of it -finished, just where Wills Creek falls into the Potomac. - -I went, with Captain Orme guiding me, to headquarters at the fort to -report, passing a few Indians and squads of ill-clad Virginians whom -an officer, one Ensign Allen, was cursing and trying to drill into -regulars. - -Everybody was out of temper for one reason or another. Sir John could -get neither waggons nor flour, and the Indian squaws were making -mischief because of the unchecked license of the younger officers. - -Having reported, I was received very agreeably by the general and his -aides, and he would have me to dine with him that day. At four in the -afternoon――for the general kept very fashionable hours――we sat down in -a great room in the fort, and as he told us his cooks could make a good -ragout out of old boots, we were served with a great variety of dishes, -and in fine state. - -The general had Lord Fairfax on his right and Mr. Franklin on his left, -and I was fortunate to find myself beside a very courteous gentleman -just come to the fort, Mr. Richard Peters, secretary of Governor -Morris of Pennsylvania. I engaged this gentleman in talk concerning -the proprietary government and the Quakers, and their unwillingness to -be taxed for defence, until, the wine being freely used and then punch -more than enough, men’s tongues were loosed. There were toasts to the -King and the governor, and at last I heard the general’s voice raised. - -He said: “Your health, Mr. Peters, and when do you set out to cut that -road for my troops? You are long about it.” Mr. Peters said quietly: -“When, sir, I get guards against the Indians for the wood-cutters; -until then it will not be possible.” - -The general damned Pennsylvania and the Quakers, and said: “That colony -must find guards for their own wood-cutters, and as to the Indians, his -Majesty’s regulars laugh at the idea of danger from them.” Upon which, -several officers, not very sober, cried out, “Hear, hear!” - -Mr. Peters, who had taken very little wine, replied that they were not -to be despised, meaning the savages, but that every step of the march -would be at risk of ambuscades. - -Then, to my amazement, General Braddock cried out that he despised such -counsels and that the colonials were like old women. - -On this Mr. Peters rose, and one or two other gentlemen, and I saw Mr. -Franklin glance at him. As he hesitated, I said so that he alone could -hear: “Pardon me, Mr. Peters, the man is drunk, and you are entirely -right.” Then I saw that his lordship spoke quickly to the general, -who cried out: “My apologies, Mr. Peters, and a glass with you. We -have had too many vinous counsellors. You shall have your guards”――as -indeed he did, but not until my lord had been very urgent, and also Mr. -Franklin. Mr. Peters, very grave, bowed and sat down. When shortly his -lordship went away, I made my own excuses and followed him. - -The next day I happened to be in his lordship’s quarters and Mr. -Franklin present, when General Braddock called to pay his respects to -Lord Fairfax. We rose to go out, but his lordship detained us. The -general was in high spirits. He said to Mr. Franklin: “Only let the -colonies keep their promise and all will be well.” - -I confess I was unprepared for the confidence with which he assured -Mr. Franklin that he would take Duquesne and go on to Niagara and -Frontenac, and that the fort would be an affair of a day or two. - -“But, sir,” said Mr. Franklin, “you must march through a narrow road in -pathless, dense forests, and your line will be some four miles long. -You will, I hope, take Duquesne, but you will be, I fear, in constant -danger of being cut in two, for the French and Indians are dexterous -in ambuscades, and to send back relief quickly, if attacked, will be -nigh to impossible with woods all about you. As to the waggons we -talked of, I will get you all the waggons you want out of Pennsylvania, -and shall set out for Lancaster at once.” - -The general thanked him, but said he must remind Mr. Franklin that -he talked as a civilian, and that, although these savages might be -formidable to raw American militia, they would make no impression on -disciplined troops, and much more to like effect. - -Mr. Franklin replied quietly: “I am conscious, sir, of the impropriety -of arguing such matters with a military man, but I should like to ask -Colonel Washington his opinion. He has had some experience in the -irregular warfare of our woods.” - -His lordship, desirous, as I learned later, that I should not -contradict my superiour, said: “I beg to answer for Mr. Washington that -I am sure General Braddock will, as time serves, consult such colonial -officers as have seen service on the frontier.” - -After other talk the general rose, and said he should be sure to take -his lordship’s advice. - - - - -XXXIII - - -When alone with us the Postmaster-General talked with even greater -seriousness, saying that in Philadelphia, so secure were they of the -success of the campaign, that a gentleman, a Dr. Bond I think it was, -proposed to raise money for an illumination to be ready when the news -of victory came. Mr. Franklin told us that he had begged him to take -warning from a verse in the Old Testament as to before battle and -after, and this much pleased his lordship, who laughed and said, “Well -put, sir”; but when I asked what the verse was, they both laughed and -bade me read my Bible, and, indeed, I am none the wiser up to this day. - -It was not alone the general who was discontented. On arriving at -Wills Creek I found this letter from George Croghan, one of the -most important traders on the frontier, and with a commission from -Pennsylvania to make roads and secure waggons and Indian allies. - - DEAR COLONEL: If the rest are like Sir John St. Clair, I shall - be glad to be shut of the business. He swore at us for delay - and said “no soldier should handle an axe, but by fire and - sword he would force the inhabitants to do the work; we should - be treated as traitors, and that when the General came he would - give us ten bad words for one that he had given.” You, Sir, - know well how hard it is to stir up our border folks and what - a task to get from farmers in the spring their waggons and - horses. We are doing our best. I have secured Captain Jack――a - guide hard to beat. - -There was more of it, and enough to afford serious thought. - -During our stay I heard nothing but complaints of our want of -efficiency, and no one seemed to see that it was silly to expect to -find everything at hand in a land as new as ours. Captain Orme and -Ensign Allen complained on one occasion to Dr. Mercer and me that our -men were languid, spiritless, and unsoldier-like. Dr. Mercer, who was -a hot-headed Scotchman, said he had seen undisciplined Highlanders put -to rout regulars at Prestonpans and Falkirk, and that in the woods -our men would beat the best grenadiers in the King’s army. Orme grew -angry and said Mercer was a damned rebel; but I succeeded in quieting -them, although I insisted that Captain Orme would in time change his -opinion, as indeed happened. Mercer was in a constant rage and told -me over and over that the officers were insolent and that the general -was ill with the disease called damned foolishness. I thought him -imprudent and begged him to be careful; but as he had served in ’45 -with the Pretender, and come over here after his flight, he was, on -that account, in bad odour with the regular officers, and, I feared, -also with the general, who had been with the Duke of Cumberland upon -the final bloody defeat of the rebels at Culloden. Dr. Mercer had just -cause to complain, but I thought him unwise to talk so freely. He -was, nevertheless, a gallant gentleman, and died a general, falling -gloriously at Princeton when rallying his men. - -I saw Mr. Franklin again but once before he went away. He was clearly -not a man altogether to the liking of Lord Fairfax, but why, I never -came to know. He seemed to me at that time a conscientious and -intelligent person, very able to get along with all manner of people. -I must admit that he conducted matters of gravity as if they amused -him and were not serious, a method which never altogether pleased me. -When I justified the general’s groaning over his many difficulties as -to roads and transport and food, he said that his difficulties were of -British making, and that had the force landed in Philadelphia, horses, -waggons, and supplies would have been found in abundance. To this I -agreed, for I thought the plan of the march ill chosen. After this the -doctor amused himself with the astonishment the Indians would have when -they got hold of the wigs of the officers――a jest which did not seem -to me agreeable. He spoke also with much freedom of the general, and -said to argue with him was useless and was like striking a pillow or -reasoning with a wild animal, who had only its own thoughts and could -not comprehend yours. I made no reply, and he fell to most ingenious -talk about the temperature of springs and the ways of swimming. -Notwithstanding his doubts, the great array of war kept me somewhat -confident and cheerful until I heard that nine hundred men of the -French had passed Sandusky on their way to reinforce the French on the -Ohio, so that I had to write Mr. Speaker Robinson that I feared we -should have more to do than merely to march up and down the hills, as -the general had said would be all. - -It was May 19 when the general arrived at Fort Cumberland, and June 10 -before he set out to cross the mountains, and after, as the general -said, more expenditure of oaths in a month than he had needed in his -whole Scotch campaign with the duke, of whom the general liked to speak. - -I spent much of my time while we lay at this post in learning the -methods of drill and discipline, and in aiding to satisfy the Virginia -recruits that it was necessary to imitate the methods of the regulars, -although if it came to wood fighting I believed the English officers -and men would more need to learn the ways of the rangers. Yet some who -judged our people by their dislike of strict drill were of opinion that -the lowness and ignorance of their officers gave little hope of their -future behaviour under fire. My task of helping to train the men was -given up when the general ordered me to go to Williamsburg and fetch -back four thousand pounds, an errand not much to my liking. - -Unfortunately, the detail was made without my having the opportunity of -choice, and proved very unfit, giving me much concern and anxiety. I do -not know why there was delay in assembling this detail, but eight days -passed after I got my order before I was given the men. I believe they -would not have been eight seconds in dispersing if we had been attacked. - -Captain Horatio Gates, of a New York Independent company, advised not -to take regulars, who would obey only their own officers; but I had no -choice, and so set out and was gone a fortnight. On my return I slept -every night in the waggon, with my precious money about me and pistols -loaded. The men were drunken and disobedient until I promised strappado -on our reaching camp, and indeed I was glad to be rid of the money and -the guard. - -I saw during this ride and later that, as Orme had told me, the men of -the Forty-fourth and Forty-eighth regiments were drunken, mutinous, and -disorderly, so that it was not alone our own failures to provide which -made difficult the task of our unfortunate commander. - -I found the general much disgusted at the delays in supplying him, and, -as I thought, most unwise, and only increased his trouble by abuse of -the colonies, for the more men deserve abuse the less they like it, and -get sullen and less than ever inclined to help. - -Just before we set out from Fort Cumberland, the general being now in -the saddle, Lord Fairfax presented me with a handsome pair of pistols, -and said: “I should have been pleased to have had a son like you; -but for that I must have had a wife, which is a calamity I have been -spared. If occasion serves, I shall be glad to hear from you.” - -Lord Fairfax had informed me that General Braddock would ask my opinion -and advice as to the use to be made of Indians and our rangers. He did -consult me, but only, I believed, because his lordship had desired him -to do so. - -I never succeeded to make much impression upon him, and it was as the -wise Mr. Franklin had said. Many Indians joined us on the way with -their squaws, but the chiefs were too little considered or consulted. -Their women were insulted or worse, and those that came to-day, -receiving no gifts, were gone to-morrow. - -On June 6, Sir John St. Clair was sent on in advance with some six -hundred choppers to widen and better my old road. After him came Sir -Peter Halket’s force. On June 10, if I remember aright, the general -followed with his staff and the rest of the army. As soon as the march -began, the lack of discipline became plain, and the officers were worse -than the men and altogether too much drunkenness. - -Captain Croghan said to me: “I should like to give these fellows a -wood drill and upset half the rum-kegs.” This was as we led our horses -over the second mountain. “Why, sir,” he said, “here are hundreds of -waggons and enough gimcracks and nonsense to fit out a town, and all -the officers of foot on horseback.” - -I said that I had represented to the general and Colonel Dunbar -the risk of this long train, and urged that we use our horses for -packhorses and to carry only what we really needed. “That would be,” -Captain Croghan said, “for the men, blankets, an axe, a rifle, a -knife, and ammunition.” - -He went on to tell us that he had urged this to be done again and -again――that was, to Captains Orme and Shirley, the military secretary -of the commander, for he had been told plainly enough that he was -himself too small a person to converse with the general, and a d――d -trader he had been called. He was sure the general would listen to no -advice except from the King’s officers. I had to admit that he listened -to me at times, and had always said in a civil way that he would -consider of what I advised, but got no further. - - - - -XXXIV - - -Croghan came to me the day after at my hut (I am not sure of this -date), and with him was Mr. Gist and a tall man in buckskins, leggins, -and moccasins. He carried a long rifle and a scalping-knife. - -Captain Croghan said: “This, colonel, is my friend, Captain Jack, of -whom I wrote. He has come with fifty Pennsylvania men to offer as -scouts.” - -I had heard often of this man and was pleased that we were to have -his services. I made him welcome, bade him be seated, and offered him -rum, which he refused to take, saying he drank no spirits. He was -very silent and made brief answers to my questions concerning the -Indians and their inclinations. When I would have gone further, he -rose and said his men were waiting to camp. He must see the general, -and asked me to go with him. As we walked through the shelters the -rangers had set up, I saw many look at him with curiosity, which was -not surprising, for he was not less than six feet three, but a gaunt, -thin man, of melancholic aspect. He never spoke a word, but presently -we met a certain Major Moore, a rough, hard-drinking officer of the -grenadiers. As he stopped us, I saw that he was under liquor, as was -too common. He said, “Whom have you got there? Make a fine grenadier.” -I said, “This is Captain Jack, a famous Pennsylvania scout,” and so -would have passed on, when the major said rudely to Captain Jack, “Who -the deuce made you a captain?” The scout tapped his rifle and said, -“That,” and walked on, without saying more than his gesture seemed to -imply. I could not avoid remarking, “You are well answered, major,” for -I have always had a liking for men who do not talk much. I contented -myself with saying to the scout that, as usual, the major was in liquor. - -I sent in my name to General Braddock, and we were desired to enter his -tent. Here I introduced Captain Jack as an experienced ranger and said -he had fifty good scouts. The general asked me to be seated, but as he -did not invite the scout to sit down, I remained standing. As for the -captain, he said not so much as a word, but waited, looking steadily -at the general, who asked me a question concerning the roads, and then -said to me, “Let the man wait; I will see about him in a day or two.” -Then he asked what pay they wanted, to which Captain Jack said, “No -pay, nothing.” - -I tried to make the general understand the great service we might -expect in the woods from such men, but he replied impatiently that -these men could not be drilled, and that he had experienced troopers on -whom he could rely for any service he might require. He was going on to -give orders as to where the men should camp, when Captain Jack turned -and went out without further words. The general damned him roundly for -an ill-bred cur, and I made after him in haste. When I had overtaken -him, he said very quietly: “Good-by, Colonel Washington; when you have -a separate command send for me.” I made a vain effort to induce him to -remain. In half an hour he called his men together, and they went away -into the woods Indian fashion, one after the other, and we saw him no -more. Captain Croghan told me that this man had had his whole family -massacred by the Indians, and had spent years in revenging himself, -sometimes alone, and sometimes with a party, for he was both esteemed -and trusted on the border-lands of Pennsylvania. Both Croghan and I -were much disappointed. - -Amid the difficulties caused by European need of useless luxuries -and by the absence in officers and men of what Mr. Franklin called -“pliability in the hands of new circumstances,” I was getting useful -lessons and was made to see that when a commander cannot get what he -wants he must make the most of what little he has. Indeed, the delay in -getting waggons he could have done without was, in the end, a calamity -to the general. - -The army, over two thousand strong, followed routes over and through -the Alleghanies which I had used in 1754, and which could easily have -been bettered by free use of trained scouts and our own axe-men sent on -ahead. - -There was much sickness, and the regulars suffered in many ways by -reason of ignorance and want of knowing how better to take care of -themselves. They complained bitterly of the mosquitos, black flies, -and midges, and took so kindly to smudges that Orme said the smoke -was like that the Israelites had, with less or no trouble. There was, -indeed, some reasonable cause for complaint by men unused to the woods. -We had twice the worst thunder and lightning I ever saw. Trees were -struck, but no man, nor ever is in the woods. Three men died of the -bite of rattlesnakes, but few escaped the little forest bugs called -ticks, which bore into the skin and leave sores and great itch for -weeks. Our rangers undressed every night and picked off these pests. -The soldiers were too lazy or did not know enough, and many were lamed -or ulcered for want of such care. - -Even before we reached Little Meadows certain officers saw the danger -of our thin line; more than four miles of it stretched out across -streams and marshes in deep woods. Had the French been in force we -had certainly been sooner ambushed. Even the men became uneasy as we -entered the white-pine woods beyond Great Savage Mountain. Here the -deep of the forest was like twilight, and the trees of great bigness. -When the rangers told the soldiers that these dark woods were called -the “Shades of Death,”――but why I do not know,――they were more alarmed, -and were glad about the 18th to be out of the forest and descending the -shaggy slopes of the Meadow Mountain to Little Meadows, where was more -light and room to camp. - -It was a wonder to us frugal woodsmen how all this host, cumbered as it -was, did at last get over the hills and reach the Little Meadows, this -being about June 18. - -On the evening of our arrival the general desired me to remain after -the other aides had received orders and gone away. He then opened his -mind to me with great freedom about the tardiness of the march and his -desire to know what was my opinion concerning the matter in hand. When -he had made an end of speaking, I said that he had more men than were -needed, but that to push on in haste was desirable and to take only the -light division, leaving the heavy troops and most of the baggage. - -I begged leave to add that Duquesne was as yet weakly garrisoned, and -the long dry weather would keep the rivers low, and hard to navigate by -reinforcements from Venango and the lake, so that if we could dismount -officers, take to packhorses, and push on without encumbrance, we could -be sure of an easy victory. - -A council of all the field-officers was called soon after I left the -tent; but my rank not entitling me to be present, I was pleased to hear -from Captain Orme that the general had stated my views and that a more -rapid march was decided. I was much disappointed to learn that we were -still to be overburdened with artillery and waggons. I gave up one of -my horses for a packhorse and saw it no more. Out of two hundred and -twelve horses allowed to officers, only twelve were thus offered. Why -the general did not order them taken I do not know. - -The force selected was in all about twelve hundred men and their -artillery; but in place of pushing on with vigour, they must needs -stop to bridge every brook and level every mole-hill. In four days we -marched only twelve miles. - -St. Clair and Colonel Gage were sent on ahead to clear the way with -four hundred men, and the general followed with eight hundred. We still -moved so slowly that we were constantly halted because of overtaking -our pioneers. It was up hill and down, where cannon and waggons had to -be lowered by ropes. There were deep morasses and constant scares from -outlying parties of Indians. - - - - -XXXV - - -On the 21st we entered the colony of Penn, and on the 30th June dropped -down from the hills to Stewart’s Crossing on the Youghiogheny. Here St. -Clair, sent on in advance, had cleared the ground for a camp. - -We had been all of ten days in marching twenty-four miles. Day after -day, as Croghan and I uneasily hung about the flanks and the rear, -we saw the long line of red-coated, cumbered men, sweating in heavy -uniforms, with waggons and cannon, slowly moving through the silent -woods, so full, to our minds, of peril. - -I had been ill for some days, but at the Youghiogheny River I fell -worse of a sudden with a fever and pain in the head. The general was -most kind and at last ordered me to remain, leaving me a guard and my -dear Dr. Craik. Colonel Dunbar’s division had been left behind, to his -great indignation, and was to follow slowly with the baggage-train. I -was in the utmost gloom at my detention, being in a way responsible for -the new movement. The chance to be, by ill luck, laid up while a battle -might take place much disturbed me. I wrote my brother Jack I would not -miss it for five hundred pounds. - -While I lay in bed most impatient, the detachment went on, and soon -after I had this letter from Christopher Gist, who was acting as guide: - - RESPECTED SIR: We are moving along as solemn as a box-turtle, - one day two miles, which any smart turtle might compass. The - pickets are doubled, and men sleep with their arms, for, good - Lord! if a branch cracks they give an alarm, and if a poor - devil strays there is a scalp gone, for every step of our march - is watched. Still I am sure there are no big parties out, for - I have been off in advance and been within half a mile of - the fort, and came nigh to losing my hair, but with decent - good fortune we have the place. I should be easier with a few - hundred of our own people in the advance and on our skirts, but - they are kept in the rear, the Lord knows why. - -Captain Orme also wrote to me of frequent night alarms, and of the -general’s confidence at being now but thirty miles from the fort. Here -two days’ halt was made to await fresh supplies from Dunbar. - -On July 4, being stronger, I started in the rear of a party of one -hundred men just come up from Colonel Dunbar with provisions. I was set -upon going with them, but was too weak to ride a horse and must needs -use a waggon. As the road was much cut up, my bones were almost jolted -through the small cover left on them. On the 8th I reached the camp, -now but thirteen miles from Duquesne. - -My journey took me through the Great Meadows, near where was my little -fight, and past the ruined palisadoes of Fort Necessity. I saw them -with great interest, and felt some sense of gratification that now I -might pay up my score against those who had both humbled and insulted -my King and myself. - -Once, as my waggon approached the rear-guard, we came upon a dozen or -more stragglers. Some had fallen out tired, and some were loitering -to gather berries. I cried out to warn them of the danger they were -in, and, in fact, about a quarter of an hour later they ran after us, -crying, “Indians!” They may have had cause, but all the strange noises -of the woods alarmed them, and this time the rangers said it was a -wildcat. - -The sound of distant martial music from the camps which we were come -near to seemed to revive my mind, and I was able to cast off the -feeling of gloom and converse with Captain Shirley, the military -secretary, who had ridden back with an order. He said to me that we had -been a month in marching less than a hundred miles. Captain Morris, who -was with him, said it was true, but all was well that ended well, and -we had the fort at our mercy and would attack next day. I advised my -friends, as I had before done, that it would be well if the officers -could be dressed in wood colours, like our scouts; but Captain Shirley -replied that the general would never allow of it, and, indeed, when -next day I got rid of my fire-red coat and put on a fringed buckskin -shirt, I was no little jeered at, and Colonel Gage made some comments, -which, I trust, he came later to regret. I am of opinion that the -absence of a gaudy red coat saved me from many balls and enabled me -to be of use when the other aides were wounded. I was much of Mr. -Franklin’s opinion that if fine feathers make fine birds, they also -make them an easier prey for the fowler. - -Indeed, the learned Postmaster-General made himself very merry over the -queues and the stiff stocks and the bright scarlet uniforms. He thought -the officers only needed corsets, which I was told they did often use -at home. - -When, in the afternoon, very tired and weak, I reached the tent made -ready for me by the kindness of my brother aides, I lay down to rest, -and, as Captain Morris was now on duty, I asked him to tell me what was -to be our mode of approach to the fort. I was able easily to recall the -general features of the country, for the camp was now set about twelve -miles from Frazier’s former trading-station, where I stopped on my -return from my mission to the French. We lay some ten miles to the east -of the Monongahela River, and, as was said, thirteen from Duquesne as -the crow flies. - -As I rested and we talked, came also Captain Shirley and Captain Gates -of the Twenty-eighth Regiment, with Stephens, Hamilton, and Stewart of -the Virginians. Of all of them I was the only man not killed or wounded -in the next day’s battle. I may well entertain my brother August’s -belief that the conspicuous hand of Providence was over me, and he must -be worse than an infidel who lacks faith in it. - -No thought of to-morrow troubled our council of war, and we discussed -with spirit what our superiours meant to do. I drew on a piece of birch -bark a rude sketch of the country. The fort lay on a high bluff in the -angle made by the Ohio and Monongahela rivers. We were, as I said, some -ten miles to the east of the latter stream and on the same side as the -fort. Between us and it lay the deep, rugged ravines of Turtle Creek -and the brooks which run into it. The country beyond it was densely -wooded and without any road. To cross the creek and cut a road to the -fort would be the most direct way; otherwise we must march to and cross -the Monongahela, a fordable river, and afterwards move along bluffs -three or four hundred feet high, and follow the stream for five miles. -We should then descend to the water and arrive at a second ford; having -crossed it, we should be again on the same side as the fort. Then there -would be before us a slope, and, some two miles distant, hid in the -woods, the bastions of Duquesne. Having made clear to my fellow aides -the localities, we considered the two routes, with some differences of -opinion in regard to which was the better, until they were called away, -and I was left alone. - -Soon after came Sir John St. Clair, sent by the general with a kind -message. I then learned that some effort had been made to cross Turtle -Creek, but that it had been found impossible to get the artillery -over and that the engineers pronounced it impracticable. Upon this -the general had given orders to change the route, so that we should -follow the traders’ horse-trail, on which we had made our road, and -should march to the river. There we were to ford the stream as I have -said, move on the farther bank some miles, and recross by the second -ford to the east side again, where the lay of the land allowed, as was -supposed, of an easy approach to the fort. - -I was still weak, but although I could have desired more rest, I -walked at dusk through the great clearing made for the camp, to report -myself at once to the general’s headquarters. I had been sorry for -his obstinacy and the rudeness he showed in laughing at our way of -fighting, but I had been told by Sir Peter Halket that he had said -that Mr. Franklin and Colonel Washington were the only trustworthy -people he had met in the colonies. I thought this foolish as showing -poor judgment; but he had been most kind to me, and now, in spite of -all his blunders and our own failures to supply him promptly, which -were with some justice to be complained of, we were, as it seemed, on -the point of success. - -When I presented myself, the general asked most pleasantly concerning -my health, and if I was well enough to serve as aide. I assured him I -was, but I was really at the time feeble enough. When I ventured to -make him my compliments on the near prospect of success before him, -he laughed and asked where had been the need for our rangers and the -tribes of Indians, and then made me a very fine speech, which I must -admit to having been pleased at. I ventured to ask leave to go on -in the advance with the Virginia wood-rangers, so as to secure the -pioneers and road-makers from an ambuscade. He replied shortly: “Oh, -damn your half-drilled rangers! I shall keep them as a rear-guard.” -I rose and apologized, feeling that I had been too forward and had -better have held my tongue. Indeed, I excused myself as well as I -could, and upon this his face cleared, and he said: “Colonel Gage is -to have the advance, and what would he say to the best regiment of the -King being protected by a mob of squatters and border farmers. No, sir; -I desire you as my aide.” I said no more, and returned to my tent. - -I have never found that the coming of decisive events kept me awake -when I was myself the person who had the duty of decision; but this -night, whether from great fatigue or not, for that does keep a man from -sleep, or that I was still fevered, I lay awake long, unable to free my -mind from anxious thoughts. - -I regretted that I had not asked Mr. Franklin why at night we heard so -many sounds in the woods which are not heard by day. No doubt he would -have found an explanation. Long after the camp was at rest I remained -sleepless, hearing the quick waters of the creek and the noises of the -wood, with the hoot-owl’s cry and the chipmunks gamboling over the -canvas of my tent, and such stir of the camp as never quite ceased. -The way we were to march troubled me and others, especially Sir Peter -Halket, who had forebodings, concerning which Dr. Mercer had some -superstitious ideas, such as my mother often had, but which I never -entertained, or if as to any, it is in the way of dreams. - -I had reason for my fears, for the two fords we were to cross could -be easily disputed by a small party. I concluded that to leave all -baggage and artillery to come later by the fords, and to make a quick -and direct march over the creek and along a ridge leading to the fort, -would be the better way. - -Having settled my mind as to what I would have done had I been in -command, I disposed myself for sleep, but with no good result until so -late that I heard no reveille sounded, and was waked by my orderly. - - - - -XXXVI - - -I do not pretend, even now, to be acquainted with all the reasons which -influenced the general; but having made up his mind, we broke camp on -the 8th and marched southwest along a little stream the scouts called -Long Run, and so about eight miles towards the river Monongahela, being -thus at last two miles from the ford he meant to cross the next day. - -When, in the afternoon about six o’clock, I was released from duty, -I walked through the camps with Sir Peter Halket. The men were -cleaning their guns and brushing their clothes and soaping queues and -pipe-claying, all as if for parade and very needless. - -Sir Peter, a man of excellent parts and a good soldier, had expressed -himself in the council as averse to the plan of march. When he asked -after my health and if I had again regained my strength, I replied that -I was fit for duty, but had been better if I had been able to sleep. He -said with gravity that many would sleep soundly to-morrow and that he -was sure he himself would be killed. This seemed strange to me, and I -could only reply that I did not think I should be killed, but that we -might both be wrong; and yet both of us were right, for these matters -are in the hands of the great Disposer of Events, and have never -troubled me on going into battle. One of my aides in the Revolutionary -War, Colonel Scammel, to whom I was much attached, did always believe -he would be killed, as indeed happened, at last, to my sorrow, at -Yorktown. - -Dr. Craik was with me that evening and found me chilled and full of -aches; but notwithstanding a potion he gave me, I slept ill again, and -was aroused in the morning by my good doctor. He advised a glass of -rum, for which I felt the better, and when I had eaten and was in the -saddle I repaired to where was General Braddock, a short distance from -the shore. He was in a gay humour and very kind, asking if I felt well -and would drink with him to the King that evening in the French fort. I -could do no more than reply that to do so would give me great pleasure. -I was presently sent down to the shore with a message, and there saw -Colonel Gage crossing the shallow ford to some open meadow-lands on -the farther side. He was to secure the two fords by which the whole -force following him was to cross and then recross, so as to be again -on the same side of the river as Fort Duquesne. After him, about four -o’clock, came Sir John St. Clair, with carpenters――or, as we should -say, axemen――and engineers, some three hundred in all. - -I lingered a few moments and saw the last of the advance, as they -marched up from the farther bank of the river and their red coats -disappeared into the forest beyond the ford, which was, I thought, well -chosen and shallow. - -Before I went back, Gist, the trader, and Captain Croghan came to speak -to me. I remarked that we had done well to come so far without more -trouble from the Indians. Gist laughed and said: “They have never left -us since we dropped you at the Youghiogheny.” Then Croghan cried out, -“There they are,” and there was a sound of musketry beyond the river. -It proved to be a small body of savages, easily dispersed by Gage. It -being then about six o’clock A.M., the signal to fall in, which we -call the “general,” was beat, and the main body fell in with fresh -cartridges. - -The officers were in full uniform, and so, with fixed bayonets and -colours flying and the drums beating the Grenadier’s March, they waded -the stream. - -I sat in the saddle with the two aides, Captains Orme and Morris, and -with the interest of a young soldier watched this fine body of men fall -in with perfect discipline on the further side and disappear in their -turn. This being the main body, the staff followed with the general, -and I was sent back to hasten up the rangers, who had the rear. I -found them about two hundred and thirty strong, moving slowly, most in -hunting-shirts and fur caps and moccasins. A part were thrown out far -to right and left in the woods. Ensign Allen and an officer whose name -I forget appeared to be in command, and were vainly endeavouring to -keep up some of the military order they had been teaching. I thought -them wanting in sense and wished I had the rangers at the front. I gave -my message and left them. Then I made haste to ride back to the ford, -which was still held by a small guard. Here I waited, as I was ordered -to do, to see the rear well over and into the woods. After crossing the -ford I found that a rough road had been cleared by the French along the -shore, and hurried through the woods beside the moving column to report. - -It was noon before we got to the second ford, above where Turtle Creek -empties into the river; and, after much delay with the artillery, we -got over, I think a little after one o’clock, as fine a sight as ever -I saw. Here, before us, were some open meadows about a quarter-mile -wide, and, twenty feet above the ford, a fair road leading upward over -a little stream called Frazier’s Run, and into the woods. Very quickly, -the aides carrying messages at need, the men were got into marching -orders. For a full quarter of a mile there were bottom-lands in two -easy rises, and beyond these the ground rose amid long grass, very dry, -and thick bushes, great rocks, and trunks of fallen trees, which the -garrison must have felled for fuel. - -Long afterwards I rode over this field and saw better the trap into -which we fell. On both sides of the road, which was broad and much -used, the ground rose, and here, where the wood was more dense, amid -thick underwood, were ravines, some very deep and others only five or -six feet. These gullies lay among great trees, pines and gum, and a -tangle of grape-vines, brambles, and Indian plums. One long and deeper -ravine was the bed of a little creek, and on the right of the road the -ground rose quite steep. Further on, as I saw at the time, for the -advance was slow, I observed that the woods seemed to show a series of -low hills, and beyond them no greater rise of land to the fort, which -was hid some seven miles away, at the junction of the rivers; nor did -we ever have sight of it. - -Meanwhile we of the main body, halting now and then, marched slowly up -from the ford towards the deeper woods, losing sight of the advance -as it entered the forest, and quite ignorant of the ravines, or of an -enemy, so hid were they in the underbrush. - -The main body halted in the mid-space, where the battle was later -engaged, so that we lay for the time just on the second bottom. By -this time Colonel Gage was far in front with guides and engineers, -engaging in the woods, and Sir John St. Clair, with his working-party -of pioneers, axemen, and grenadiers, followed. All was very orderly, -with flanking-parties thrown out on both sides, but not, to my mind, -far enough. Orme wrote me afterwards, when he had learned better, “It -was all as if for a fine review in St. James’s Park.” - - - - -XXXVII - - -At this time, as I said, I was with General Braddock on the upper -bottom. I considered that between the place where the three hundred -men of the advance were entering the thicker woods, and the ford, -might have been about six hundred perches. I took out my watch and saw -that it was ten minutes to two, the rear being yet crossing or in the -river. As I turned to look forward, heavy firing broke out far away in -the woods and among the rocks and bushes. I knew too well the Indian -yells. Very soon I could see men falling and others dropping back. Orme -rode forward to get some account for the general. In a few minutes he -returned, badly wounded in the left arm. Sir John still advancing, the -general ordered Colonel Burton, of the main van, forward with eight -hundred men. There was now thick smoke about the advance on the edge of -the deeper wood, and amid yells and cries the whole of what was left of -the pioneers and their guard fell back out of the woods, at first a -few, and then many, and down the upper slope, somewhat disordering Sir -John’s supporting party. - -Sir Peter Halket was told to remain with four hundred men as a -baggage-guard, and the general rode forward himself with Colonel -Burton’s eight hundred men, ordering a bayonet charge of a party up the -hill on our right, whence came so hot a fire from unseen enemies that -the officers were at once killed, and the men fell back at a run. - -For some time Sir John’s force behaved with great courage and let the -broken pioneers pass through their lines, but could never be got to -go farther, and stood stupidly firing into the wood. At last, as the -officers fell, the advance became more broken and began to retreat -slowly, but at last running, until they were mixed up with Colonel -Burton’s reinforcement. - -I never saw in my later warfare worse confusion nor a hotter fire, nor -men better hid, for the savages and French lay in the ravines among the -brush and picked off the mounted officers, or fired into the masses of -men with no need to take accurate aim. - -More and more the rear was forced forward to support the retreating -troops; but as none of them could see any enemy and were falling -every moment from the fire, a general panic took place among the men, -from which no exertion on the part of the officers could recover -them. In the early part of the action some of the irregulars, as they -were called, without directions, advanced to the right, in loose -order, to attack; but this, unhappily, from the unusual appearance of -the movement, being mistaken for cowardice and a running away, was -discountenanced. - -It is my opinion that even then if the general had remained on the -cleared ground below and there rallied the men, where was open space -and on the sides little cover, the day might have been saved, as the -small French and Indian force would never have left the woods. He, -however, pushed on in person, urging an advance, and sent Captain -Morris to order up Sir Peter Halket and the rear-guard. We were now -caught on both sides among ravines, great rocks, and trees, where on -our front and on both flanks the enemy spread out in the woods. The -more of our force came up from the rear, the easier was the slaughter. -At this time, when it was not yet too late, amid the confusion which -became more and more general, I made an offer to head the provincials -and engage the enemy in their own way; but the general would not listen -or perhaps did not hear, for the noise was great. At all events, the -propriety of it was not seen until it was too late for execution. -Whether he heard me or not, I cannot say. What with our regulars -shooting at random, the replies from the ravines and woods, the orders -of officers, the yells of the Indians, and the cries of the wounded, -there was a confusedness fit to turn any man’s head. When the soldiers -tried to take wood shelter, as was proper and reasonable, the general -and their officers cursed them for cowards and struck them with the -flat of their swords. The poor dogs tried to obey their leaders, -and again and again formed into platoons, facing to left or right, -thus making them only the easier to kill. I saw Captain Orme of the -artillery fall dead as they rode up with the cannon, and the engineer, -Captain Henry Gordon, dropped wounded, but got up and did, I believe, -succeed to reach the ford. - -The men with the swivels stood to it well in giving some shots, and -then gave way, most of them tumbling almost in heaps. Seeing this, I -dismounted with two other officers, and made a man hold my horse, and -aided to fire into the ravine on the right; but the few men left who -should have helped to serve the piece soon dropped, hurt or dead, and -seeing I could no further assist, I mounted again and turned out of -the broken ranks to encourage the Virginia rangers, who were running -up without orders and spreading out to right and left, taking shelter -wherever was a tree or rock, all most gallant and well done. Although -the turmoil was such as I cannot describe, there were many brave -efforts to rally and to carry the high ground above our right. All this -lasted fully an hour or more, for at times, discipline prevailing, -orders were given to storm the flanking slopes, and constantly failed -to be effectual, for, as the officers were picked off, the men ran back -to the main body. - -The smoke was by this time so thick as somewhat to obscure all things -at a distance, but a sudden wind, arising, cleared it away, and I saw -that we were giving way more and more, the whole body of the force -moving slowly down the slope. As I looked about me in despair, my -horse fell and rolled over dead. By good fortune I had learned in -fox-hunting how to fall clear. In a moment I was up, and saw that -the troops were scattered in detachments and firing at random, or -vainly trying in groups to follow their officers, who were shot down -mercilessly. I saw Captain Shirley, the general’s secretary, fall dead. -He was quite close to me, and amidst all this tumult his horse stood -still, and, to my amazement, began to eat the grass. I caught the beast -and mounted. I hardly knew what to do. The Virginians were being shot -by the regulars, who knew no more than to fire wherever they saw smoke -from behind a tree or bush. As to orders, there were at this time none, -and, indeed, until just above the river, no sufficient space to move in -without taking to the woods. - -I tried to help the general and the few left of the officers in their -efforts to effect an orderly retreat. I have heard that five horses -were shot under him. This I was told by Captain Morris, and it is -no doubt true, for the horse is a large object and easy to hit. Few -officers were left alive, and those who were unhurt could not get the -regulars to obey a command. What was left of twelve hundred men were -huddled together in groups in and out of the woods, as I have seen -sheep in a storm. - -The general showed great courage, and made many efforts in person to -rally the men or get them to retreat in an orderly way. He was carried -down the slope with the rout, but remained as obstinate as ever as to -the way of fighting, insisting on the men re-forming. Sir Peter Halket, -Morris, and I vainly entreated him to order the soldiers to take -shelter as the rangers did. As Sir Peter spoke, he dropped dead. His -son, the captain, dismounted to help him, and fell dead on his father’s -body. - -I have never seen a man who could describe what took place in the midst -of a battle, nor can I pretend to greater accuracy. I remember that -after two hours or more I became suddenly sure that all was lost. The -whole disordered mass now broke and ran as sheep before hounds, leaving -artillery, provisions, baggage, and the wounded and dying――in short, -everything. When finally a dozen gallant officers threw themselves -in front, they were knocked down and trampled on. We had as little -success as if we had attempted to stop the wild bears of the mountains, -or torrents, with our feet. It was quite useless. - -At this time General Braddock was under a great oak near to where we -left the waggons. I was beside him and heard him cry out, “They have -got me.” Captain Stewart, of the Virginia light guard, caught him as -he reeled in the saddle, shot through the right arm and lung. The men -ran past us, refusing to help; but another officer aiding, we somehow -got him on to a small covered cart, and he was carried along in what -was now a mad flight to get to the ford. I heard him cry out: “Let me -alone. Let me die here.” - -The waggoners in our rear near the ford cut loose the traces and -mounted their horses and fled. In spite of the great courage shown by -the officers, who in camp were drunken or seemed to be effeminate or -lazy, all who were of mind to resist were swept away by a mere mob of -panic-struck men. Men caught on to my stirrups, and even the horse’s -mane, but somehow I got free and out again to one side. Instantly my -second horse staggered and went down. I saw Dr. Craik, near by, with -the utmost devotion, although himself wounded, helping a disabled -officer to walk away. I was now afoot, and, as I saw how complete was -the rout, I began to fear that our brave Virginians would none of them -escape. They held the fringe of the woods with wonderful courage, using -their rifles, and keeping back the French and Indians. Nothing else -saved the troops of his Majesty from complete massacre. - -As I stood still a moment I heard Croghan call loudly to me to take to -cover. I took his advice, and God alone knows how I escaped death. I -had four balls through my clothes. - -The leaders of the rangers now saw how great was their peril. The -regulars were by this time near the ford, in the river, or across and -far beyond it. A few brave men in groups were retreating slowly, firing -useless shots. The enemy, yelling in triumph, were crawling or leaping -nearer from time to time. Now and then a painted savage ran out from -cover and fled back, shaking a bloody scalp. - -The rangers had lost heavily, but those who were left slipped from one -shelter to another, and at last, when there was little cover left, ran -down to the river, and I with them. Few would have got away except for -the desire of the Indians to plunder the dead and the baggage and to -collect scalps, and that the French were too few in number to venture -on pursuit. - -I got over the ford in haste, and standing still on the rise of ground -beyond the river, looked at my watch. I could hardly believe it to -be, as I saw, five o’clock. Most of those who were unhurt were now -safe, and with Captain Croghan I began to gather the wreck of our poor -rangers. One company was almost all gone; another lost every officer -and many men. As to the regulars, seven hundred, nearly half of the -force, were dead or wounded. A part of what was left of this fine army -was soon scattered beyond the two fords, and later was starved in the -woods or got at last into the camps. - -About a hundred men were gathered by the officers a quarter of a mile -beyond our first ford. Lieutenant-Colonel Burton rallied some hundreds -of men, and later about eighty, under Colonel Gage, joined them. To my -relief, and greatly to my surprise, there was no pursuit. We pushed on -with the wounded general, and at last, as night fell, camped in much -discomfort. - - - - -XXXVIII - - -That night the parties and sentinels thrown out deserted in an hour. -Although very weak, I sat up beside the general all night. Dr. Craik, -who had cared for his wound in the lung, assured me that he would -certainly die before dawn; but he lived longer than was expected. I -never remember having been more disturbed in mind than during that -night. - -We all sat up, armed, in or about the rude shelter which held General -Braddock, and talked in whispers sadly of the battle. Captain Montresor -and also Captain Gordon of the engineers, who gave the first alarm, -and who was severely wounded, declared to me that so complete were the -shelters that he never saw so much as a half-dozen of the enemy. We -could only lament the fate of the wounded left on the field, for the -French made later no return of prisoners. Every moment I expected to -hear the yells of the Indians. - -At break of day we rigged a kind of litter and got away, being soon -joined, to my relief, by Colonel Gage, who was severely contused, and -his eighty men. I caught here a stray waggon-horse and rode him, with a -rope bridle and no saddle but a blanket. - -As we pushed on through the woods, Colonel Gage talked with me at -length of the disaster. He made many excuses for the soldiers, as that -they had been worn out by labour on the way, had no rum, and were -disheartened by the tales our rangers had told them of the Indians. - -Indeed, I fear it was true that the Virginians amused themselves with -talk about legions of rattlesnakes, bears, and scalping. Croghan said -the regulars were babes in the woods and quite as helpless. I made -answer to the colonel that but for our rangers few of his Majesty’s men -would have seen their homes, and that the soldiers had behaved like -poltroons. He said that was true, and after this we walked our horses -on through the woods in silence, the rangers ahead. - -I met this officer again in 1773, when, being a general, he was -entertained at dinner by the citizens of New York. At this time the -freedom of the city of New York was presented to him in a gold box -having on it the arms of that city, and below, those of the King.[2] -Our final intercourse was by letter, when he was besieged in Boston and -I felt it needful to remonstrate upon his treatment of prisoners. - - [2] Now in the possession of Lord Rosebery. - -So many officers were wounded that, early on the day after the battle, -although very weak, it fell to me, having at last been better horsed, -to carry orders to the force we had left forty miles in our rear. - -With a half-dozen horse I rode on all night in a drizzle of rain, and -so all the next day, very melancholy and ready to drop with fatigue. -Indeed, I fell down as I dismounted when I rode in to Colonel Dunbar’s -camp, and was only revived by a little spirits and a good meal. - -The whole force which we had left here were more scared, I believe, -than those who had been in the battle; for the runaway waggoners told -terrible stories, and it was with great difficulty that this division -of the army was kept from flying. - -The shocking scenes which presented themselves in this march to -Dunbar’s camp are not to be described: the dead, the dying, the -groans, the lamentations and cries for help of the wounded along the -road (for those who were hurt endeavoured, from the first commencement -of the action, or rather the confusion, to escape to the second -division), were enough to pierce a heart of adamant. Our trouble was -not a little increased by the impervious darkness occasioned by the -thick woods, which rendered it almost impossible for the guides to -know when they were in or out of the track except by groping on the -ground with their hands to find the way. It was happy for the wreck of -the foremost division that they left such a quantity of valuable and -enticing baggage on the field as to occasion a scramble and contention -in the seizure and distribution of it among the enemy; for if a pursuit -had taken place by passing directly across the deep defiles of Turtle -Creek, which General Braddock had avoided, they would have got into -our rear, and then the whole, except a few woodsmen, would have fallen -victims to the merciless savages. - -The provisions and waggon needed for the general were made ready during -the night, and at break of day, with two companies of grenadiers, I -rode back again, hardly knowing if I should drop on the road. I met the -general at Gist’s cabin, some thirteen miles away. On our return we -halted half a day at Dunbar’s camp, and then hurried on with his force -to Great Meadows, where we camped on the 13th of July. There were, as -some of us believed, still men enough, if fitly handled, to return -and surprise the French; but, as Gist said, these men were already -defeated, and no one of those in command meant to try it again. Indeed, -Dunbar intended for Philadelphia and to wait there for reinforcements. -Even Governor Dinwiddie would have had him make a new campaign; but -they had all of them had, as Dr. Craik said, a big dose of Indian -medicine, and a council decided with the colonel. The governor was much -troubled when he heard of this decision, and, as he told me later, -wrote to Lord Halifax that he would have now not only to guard the -border, but to protect the counties from combinations of negro slaves, -who had become, Governor Dinwiddie declared, audacious since General -Braddock’s defeat, because the poor creatures believed the French -would give them their freedom. My wounded general’s proud spirit gave -way when he heard of Colonel Dunbar’s intention. He lived four days -after the battle, having been brought in much pain, and still more -distress of mind, to the camp at Great Meadows. - -For the most part he was silent and only now and then let a groan. -Dr. Craik told me that he cried out over and over: “Who would have -believed it possible?” Once he said to Captain Stewart: “We shall know -better next time; but what will the duke say? [That was his Grace of -Cumberland.] What will he say?” On the morning of the 13th Dr. Craik -said the general had made his will and desired to see me. When he was -aware of my coming into his hut, he put out his left hand, saying, -“That is the only hand which is left,” for the ball had gone through -his right arm. He was said to be a great wit, but that a man about -to die should have spirit to use his dying breath in a jest much -astonished me. - -He said: “I want you to take my horse and my man, Bishop. I have told -St. Clair.” Then he said: “I should have taken your advice. Too late; -too late.” After this he closed his eyes, and again, after a little, -opened them and said feebly: “If I lived I should never wish to see -a red coat again. My compliments to the governor.” He spoke no more, -only, “How they will curse me!” and I went out. In fact, I was too weak -to endure the deadly sorrow with which this brave man’s miserable end -afflicted me, to whom he had been so kind a friend. - -I endeavoured to distract my mind by examining the remains of the fort -I had here made. To my amazement, I saw, as I moved about, that there -was little discipline, and I observed that where there is too much -drill and mechanical order a defeat does away with it entirely. The -colonials it was hard to instruct; but as every man was used to rely on -himself at any minute, and not to look all the time for orders, they -suffered less during disaster, and on a retreat knew how to care for -themselves. Now the few that were left looked on with wonder at the -stupid destruction of waggons, provisions, and even artillery. Many of -the officers were disgusted, and protested against these disgraceful -proceedings. - -But Colonel Dunbar meant to move on to Philadelphia, as he said, for -winter quarters, and yet now it was only July, and he had men enough -left to guard the frontier or to return and take the fort. - -I felt sick and worn out, and soon went to my shelter among the -Virginians. I threw myself down and fell into a deep sleep, and indeed -never stirred until Captain Walter Stewart had to shake me to wake me -up. I must have dreamed, for he told me I had called out “Indians” -twice. - -When I was well awakened, he said: “We are to move at once. Every frog -that croaks and every screech-owl is an Indian for these whipped curs. -The general died at twelve o’clock. He is to be buried in the roadway, -so that the red devils may not dig up his scalp. Colonel Dunbar asks -that you will read the service.” - -I thought the request strange until he reminded me, as indeed I knew, -that the chaplain, Mr. Hamilton, who had behaved with good sense and -courage in the action, was badly wounded, and that the colonel, who was -the proper person for this sad business, was occupied in arranging for -the march and in destroying what had been gathered at such great cost. - -It was just before break of day I went out after Stewart, feeling a -kind of satisfaction that the coward in command was not to commit to -the grave my poor general, whom, being dead, every one would abuse. - - - - -XXXIX - - -If I had the pen of a good writer I should incline to describe what -I saw. There were great fires burning, and all manner of baggage -and stores thrown on them. The regulars were chopping up the -artillery-waggons and casting ammunition into a creek. - -About a hundred yards away from my hut, in the middle of the road, a -deep grave was dug. A few officers and men were gathered about it, -and on the ground lay the general’s body, wrapt in a cloak, but no -coffin. I looked about me, not knowing how to conduct the matter. Then -an orderly handed me the chaplain’s prayer-book, with a marker at the -funeral service. - -As I was about to begin, Lieutenant-Colonel Burton came forward with -a flag and laid it decently over the dead man. Then he placed on it -his sword, and fell back, and all uncovered. After this I read slowly, -for the light was yet dim, the service of the church. This being -over, the men lowered the body into the grave and filled it up with -earth, and cast stones and bushes over it. No guard was ordered, and no -volley fired, lest, as was said, it might be heard by the enemy, which -appeared to me foolish, for there was noise enough, and at any minute -one hundred men in the woods would have routed the whole camp. - -Thus died a man whose good and bad qualities were intimately blended. -He was brave even to a fault and in regular service would have done -honour to the army. His attachments were warm, his enmities were -strong, and, having no disguise about him, both appeared in full force. -He was generous and disinterested, but plain and blunt in his manner, -even to rudeness. - -Dunbar made haste to get away, and I was not less pleased to be out of -an ill-contrived business. - -This affair was a serious blow to the belief in the colonies as to the -high value of the King’s soldiers. It became like a proverb in Virginia -to say a man “ran like a regular.” - -Mr. Franklin said to me long afterwards that this disaster gave us -the first suspicion that our exalted ideas of the powers of British -regular troops had not been well founded, and indeed I am assured that -when Lord Percy’s and Colonel Pitcairn’s force was put to flight at -Lexington the older farmers on our own frontiers, when they knew what -had been done, were less amazed than the minute-men of Massachusetts. - -We reached Wills Creek on the 18th, as Morris said, the worst-beaten -army that had not been in battle. Colonel Dunbar did not require my -aid, and my general being dead, my service as a volunteer was at an end. - -The march to the settlements was most disgraceful――all in cowardly -haste to get out of the wilderness. I am satisfied that no troops -are so given to pillage as a retreating army, and certainly none was -ever worse conducted by the officers or more disorderly than Colonel -Dunbar’s force. The settlers and outlying farms near Fort Cumberland -suffered much; men and women were misused, and chickens and cattle -stolen. I heard afterwards that in their march through Pennsylvania -Dunbar’s men plundered and insulted the farmers still worse, and were -quite enough, Mr. Franklin said, to put us out of all patience with -such defenders. - -I bade good-by to the aides of the general, and would have had Orme and -Morris go home with me to be cared for by Dr. Craik, but they preferred -to go on to Philadelphia. They were much dispirited, but had only warm -praise for my Virginia rangers. I was in no better humour, and felt, as -I rode away, that we were on the edge of an awful crisis for the border -counties. The favourable sentiments Sir John St. Clair and Colonel -Burton were pleased to express respecting me could not but be pleasing; -but the situation of our affairs was, to my mind, so serious as to put -me into one of my melancholic moods and to make me feel, as I often -did in the greater war, that, what with want of patriotism and lack of -spirit, only that Providence in which I have always trusted could carry -us through a great peril. As usual, a brisk ride jolted me into a more -hopeful state of mind. - -I lay for a day at Winchester in a poor tavern, cared for by the -general’s man, Bishop. There, to my comfort, came Lord Fairfax, who had -the kindness to bring with him a good horse, which I was the better -pleased to have because what became of the horse the general would have -had me have I was never able to hear. His lordship insisted that I -rest at Greenway Court until I was more fit to travel. I had here many -letters; one said that I was given up for killed, and there was come a -long story about my dying speech. My mother was in a sad worry about -me, and when she received my letter contradicting my death, and that I -had never composed any dying speech, she declared I was always making -her anxious and had no right to distress her by doing things that gave -her occasion to think I was dead. His lordship overcame my objections, -and I remained with him at the court several days, well pleased to be -at rest. - -When alone with Lord Fairfax, he showed me the affection and concern -which, like myself, he was averse to displaying in company. After I -had been made to give him a full account of the march and the battle, -he said: “You will be wise to write and to say little of what took -place, and to let others say what they will. The men who, having done -something worthy of praise, do not incline to speak of it, are sure to -be enough spoken of by others.” - -This was much as in any case I inclined to do, so that until now I have -nowhere related this matter at length, and, as to the diary kept on our -march, the French had it, and I saved only two or three letters. - -What his lordship wrote of this disastrous business and of me to his -friends in London, I do not know, but I was soon aware that both in -England and in the colonies I was more praised than I deserved to be. - -In 1758, a second British force, under Colonel Grant, was defeated in -like manner as Braddock had been, but this was at the outworks of Fort -Duquesne. In November of that same year I served under General Forbes -and saw once more this disastrous neighbourhood. The hillside where we -suffered such disgraceful and needless defeat was a miserable sight, -for there were here scattered bits of red uniform and the bones of men -and horses bleached in the sun. - -At this time the garrison had fled, after succeeding in part to burn -the fort, but no great damage done. I myself raised the flag of his -Majesty over the ruins which had cost the lives of so many brave men. - -I lingered longer at Greenway Court than was needful to repair my -broken health, for what his lordship had to say of men and of passing -events I found instructive, and the counsels he gave to agree with my -own disposition. - -I received here a letter from my mother, entreating me not to engage -further in the military line, but giving no good reasons, so that I had -to reply that she should more consider my honour and what duty I owed -to my country than to grieve over what might not result in misfortune, -or if it did, was to be accepted as better for me than to have failed -to be worthy of the esteem of just men. When I spoke of this letter to -Lord Fairfax, he said I had answered with entire propriety. - -I reached Mount Vernon, as my diary shows, on July 26, at 4 P.M., a -poorer man for my campaigning, and, I feared, with a good constitution -much impaired. - -Soon after I returned I received several letters congratulating me on -my escape unhurt, and expressing a general satisfaction that amidst so -much cowardice and ill management the rangers behaved with spirit and -courage. - -Among these communications one which afforded me more than ordinary -pleasure was from Mr. Benjamin Franklin. Besides what he found fit to -say of me, were certain reflections which, at this distant day, seem to -nourish my inclination to look forward now, as he did then, desirous, -as all must be, to discern from the present what the future alone can -surely disclose. - -Indeed, as I have descended the vale of life I have had increasing -need to consider what the years would bring about, for to endeavour to -forecast the future is one of the duties of a statesman. - -Mr. Franklin, when in his last illness, said to General Knox, who spoke -of it to Mrs. Washington, that I possessed the capacity to look forward -in a way which, he said, was one of the forms of imagination, but that -I had not the gift of fancy. I am not assured even now that I fully -understand what he desired to convey by this statement. - -The letter which gave rise in my mind to these reflections contains -one of those light statements which I have never found myself able to -employ, and which do not assist me to understand the affair in hand, -or to comprehend any better what is desired to be conveyed. - - _Philadelphia._ - - To Colonel George Washington. - - RESPECTED SIR: I am the richer for having had the opportunity - of making your acquaintance, and I ought not to conceal from - you the pleasure I have had in learning of late that your - conduct in the humiliating defeat of General Braddock was such - as to be a matter of just pride to the colonies. - - Affairs with us, and indeed with all the colonies, are in a - condition greatly to be deplored. We are, as it appears to me, - much in the same state as a man I knew who, having married four - times, had as a consequence four mothers-in-law, all of whom - were of opinion that they had the right to meddle in his family - affairs. These are, for us, the King, the Parliament, the Lords - of Trade, and the Governors. For all of them we are a family of - bad little boys. We, on the other hand, entertain the belief - that we are grown-up Englishmen, who believe that we inherit - certain rights. Soon or late mischief will come of it. The eggs - of trouble are slow to hatch, but they do surely hatch soon or - late and are never addled. - - It would be worse than folly to conceal from you my fears - as to the future. There are limitations to what men like our - colonists, accustomed to a large measure of individual freedom, - will endure. We seem to me to have gone back a century and to - be at the commencement of just such a struggle with the crown - as then occurred. - - I was interested in what you said of the great coldness of a - spring at Mount Vernon. I will, when opportunity serves, send - you a good thermometer, when I think you will find that your - wells have near about what is the average heat of the air for - the entire year. - - I hope to hear from you at your convenience, and, believe me, I - shall feel myself honoured by any such mark of your attention, - and that I am, with respect, - - Your ob’d’t humble servant, - - _Benjamin Franklin_. - - P. S. I venture to enclose one of my almanacs. - - _B. F._ - -I gave this almanac and the letter to be read to my Lord Fairfax. He -returned them, saying that what was said of the way of governing the -colonies was true, but that Mr. Franklin overstated what was to be -feared in the future; and as to the almanac, damn the man’s little -maxims! They smelt of New England. - - - - -XL - - -This account of my youth I have for the present put aside to be -considered later, whether to destroy it or not. - -I discover in writing these remembrances that I have found pleasure in -recalling many small circumstances which I had forgot. I also observe -that, as I have written very little but letters in my life, the habit -of writing as if for another’s eyes than my own has prevailed, without -intention on my part; but this can do no harm, seeing that all this has -been set down only in order that I may for my own satisfaction consider -as an old man what judgment I should pass on my acts as a young one. - -As I shall retain for a season what I have written, I desire that, -in case of accident to me, these pages should not for a long time be -allowed to come to the general eye. The letters left among these leaves -I intend to restore to their proper files. - - - - -DIARY――DECEMBER 7, 1799 - - -Rainy morning; mercury at 37. Afternoon clear and pleasant. Dined with -Lord Fairfax at Belvoir. - -In the evening felt somewhat a lowness of mind, and am reminded, as I -write, that I have never had the inclination to set down in my diary -other than practical matters. To distract my thoughts, I began to -run over what was wrote last year and to consider of what has passed -since I wrote, and of what must be done with what was written. My -late brother Charles dying in September, I am the only male left of -the second marriage. We are no long-lived people, and when I shall be -called to follow them is known only to the Giver of Life. When the -summons comes, I shall endeavour to obey it with a good grace. - -I have had much anxiety during the past two years concerning my -country, and especially as to the indignities inflicted on us by the -French, and a certain relief not to be again called, at my age, into -the field. I may have been too anxious, but a bystander sees more of -the game than they who are playing, and I believe I have had cause to -feel uneasy. But the Ship of State is afloat, or very nearly so, and, -considering myself as a passenger only, I shall trust to Heaven and the -mariners, whose duty it is to steer us into a safe port of peace and -prosperity. - - -[The general died on December fourteenth of this year, seventeen -hundred and ninety-nine.] - - - * * * * * - - - Transcriber’s Notes: - - ――Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). - - ――Archaic and variable spelling, and misspellings in correspondence, - have been preserved. - - ――Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUTH OF WASHINGTON *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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