Washington’s First Battles
It was now clear to the governor that the French were determined to
defend what they called their right to the disputed territory. Therefore
he considered it wise to proceed against them without delay. He believed
that procrastination would only benefit the enemy by giving them time to
strengthen their position. Accordingly he called the Assembly of
Virginia together, laid his plan before it, and urged its speedy
execution. The burgesses, however, met his demands, at first, with great
coldness. It was said that the rights of the mother country, England, to
the Ohio region were in any case of a very doubtful nature. If, however,
the King of England wished to support his claims to it, he should send
over soldiers from England! Finally, however, they agreed to grant ten
thousand pounds for the enlistment of troops.
Washington had shown himself so capable in every respect in carrying out
the mission which had been entrusted to him that the governor did not
hesitate to offer him the chief command of the troops; but he declined
the honor “as the responsibility was too great for his youth and
inexperience.” The governor then appointed the English Colonel, Joshua
Fry, an intelligent and experienced officer, commander-in-chief, and
Washington was persuaded to accept the second command, with the title of
lieutenant-colonel.
They immediately set out on their march, Washington leading the
vanguard, which consisted of only three companies. On the Ohio frontier
he had an opportunity to strike the first blow by attacking a French
scouting party, which had come out to pick him off. Only one Frenchman
saved himself by flight, the rest were either killed or taken prisoners.
Indians took part in this skirmish against the French. A letter which
Washington sent a few days later to the governor shows what an ardent
soldier he was: “Your Honor may depend I will not be surprised, let them
come at what hour they will, and this is as much as I can promise; but
my best endeavors shall not be wanting to effect more. I doubt not you
may hear I am beaten, but you will hear at the same time that we have
done our duty in fighting as long as there is a shadow of hope.”
At this time Fry suddenly died and the governor again invited Washington
to take command of the troops. This time, elated by his recent victory,
he did not refuse the call. The march was resumed under great
difficulties. He was joined by a great many Indian families, who proved
themselves useful as scouts, but they were not to be counted on during
an engagement. It turned out later that some of these savages were sent
into his camp as spies by the French. The march now took him through a
mountainous region. The horses were worn out and there were so few of
them that the men were obliged not only to carry heavy burdens, but also
to take turns in dragging the field pieces. The commander encouraged
officers and men by word and example; he loaded his horse with baggage
and went afoot himself.
After a march of several days they reached an old encampment where some
intrenchments had been thrown up. The men were thoroughly exhausted. It
had been raining incessantly for several days and for a whole week there
had been no bread. Washington resolved, therefore, to rest for a few
days in this spot and await the arrival of expected provisions. Here
they were suddenly attacked by an overwhelming number of the French. It
was at an early hour in the morning when the enemy fired upon them.
Washington, who was prepared, had his troops march out on to the plain.
The French, however, continued firing from ambush, and it was soon
evident that, in spite of their superior numbers, they did not intend to
give up their favorable position, but that their object was rather to
entice their foes into the forest. But Washington avoided this, fell
back into his intrenchments, and ordered his troops to be very careful
of their ammunition and to fire only when there was some chance of
success. The French, who had Indian warriors in their service, were
posted on a thickly wooded height from whence they kept up a sharp fire
all day. It rained without intermission, the trenches filled with water,
and the muskets became more and more useless. Toward evening the French
called out that they wanted to parley. But as Washington believed that
the enemy was only anxious to spy out his camp, he paid no attention to
the demand. After a while another message came from the French, adding
that they did not wish to enter the camp and asking that an officer
should be sent to them, for whose safety they pledged their honor.
Washington consented to this and the result of the conference which now
took place was that Washington agreed to an honorable capitulation. By
his firmness and valiant resistance he had succeeded in concealing his
real situation, which had become desperate, because the provision wagons
had remained so far behind that the troops were entirely without food
and the ammunition was very nearly exhausted. If the French had been
informed of the miserable condition of the intrenchments, for the
restoration of which nothing could be done, they never would have agreed
to such a capitulation; and if the battle had been continued Washington
and his troops would probably have been doomed to destruction. The next
morning he left the intrenchments with military honors and they were at
once occupied by the French. Washington had done the best which could be
done under the circumstances, for which he and his soldiers received the
acknowledgment of the governor and the House of Burgesses.
Washington had had one serious obstacle to contend with during the whole
campaign. The militia was receiving less pay than the British soldiers.
He now took up this subject anew. The continuance of the rule was
evidently equivalent to contempt for the Virginia militia, which had, it
was admitted, fought heroically. As his demands were not acceded to, and
in regard to several other regulations he was not in accord with the
governor, he demanded his dismissal. But his retirement did not last
long. The following year two well-equipped British regiments, under
command of General Braddock, landed, and Washington was persuaded to
join the new commander. He expressed himself with noble candor to a
friend on his reasons for this step: “I do not think I should be blamed
if I believe that I deserve some praise considering that my only object
in taking part in this campaign is the commendable wish to serve my
country; neither ambition nor desire of gain move me to this step. I
hope that this is clearly shown by my going as a volunteer, with no
expectation of pay or any hope of receiving a command, as I am firmly
convinced that General Braddock is not at liberty to give me any post
which I would accept.”
The march to the Ohio was immediately commenced, and there certainly
would have been important results achieved if only the valiant British
general had been more willing to listen to good advice. In haughty
security he moved his battalions forward, led by the music of the
military bands, as though he were on the parade ground. Sending out
scouts seemed to him a measure denoting cowardice and not caution. He
was therefore soon surrounded by swarms of Indian foes and very soon the
enemy knew the strength and destination of the company. It was on the
ninth of June when the British fell into an ambuscade, where a terrific
fire poured in upon them from the French and Indians, who had taken up
sheltered positions. The greater part of the soldiers of the vanguard
fell, among them twenty-six officers. A still greater number were
wounded and General Braddock paid for his foolhardy rashness with his
life. It was almost a miracle that Washington was saved. As long as
Braddock was alive, Washington went dashing to and fro with orders, from
one threatened point to another. When the commander had fallen, he
sought the most dangerous places, trying to save the day, and many of
the enemy recognized him as a dangerous foe who knew how to inspire his
men to renewed ardor by admonition and example. A number of Indians, who
had for some time been directing a well-aimed fire at him, finally
desisted when the fruitlessness of their efforts led them to believe
that the Great Spirit had taken the man under his protection. A
chieftain told this afterward. Washington himself believed that God had
protected him, for he wrote to a friend: “... but, by the all-powerful
dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human
probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat and
two horses shot under me, yet escaped unhurt, though death was levelling
my companions on every side of me!” It was owing to his courage and
coolness that at least a part of the army was saved.
Throughout the country there was but one opinion of Washington’s
ability. A preacher delivered the following eulogy from the pulpit: “As
one who distinguished himself on this occasion, I must mention that
heroic youth, Colonel Washington, whom I cannot but hope Providence has
hitherto preserved in so signal a manner for some important service to
his country.”
Washington retired to Mount Vernon, which he had in the meanwhile
inherited through the death of his brother’s daughter. But he retained
the post of adjutant-general and tried, by appropriate drilling and
ordinances, to prepare the militia under him for efficiency in active
service. The defeat of Braddock had frightened the Virginians out of
their indifference and it was recognized that money and troops must not
be spared if the constantly increasing menace of war was to be
suppressed. Every one wished to entrust Washington with the chief
command. As the reader has already learned, his mother was not one of
those timid natures who shrink from every breath of danger and
extinguish every spark of courage in the breast of their sons. Still the
lively picture of the dangers with which her son had been threatened in
the last battle moved her to beg him with tears to give up military
service forever. He sought tenderly to reassure her, by speaking of God,
who is master of life and death, and he added: “If the command is
pressed upon me by the general voice of the country, and offered upon
such terms as cannot be objected to, it would reflect dishonor on me to
refuse it; and that, I am sure, must, and ought, to give you greater
uneasiness than my going in an honorable command.” But he was
not willing to undertake such an exceedingly difficult post as
that of commander-in-chief without making conditions. With clear
insight into the requirements of the situation he demanded that the
commander-in-chief have a voice in the choice of his officers, punctual
payment of their salaries, and complete revision of the commissary
department according to principles proposed by him. All this was granted
and soon proved advantageous to the war footing of the army. Later he
introduced another law into the House of Burgesses, which gave the
military courts the right to punish murderers and deserters, and by
which even gaming, drinking, cursing, and loose life were to be
appropriately punished. It took a determined man like Washington not
only to have those laws passed, but to enforce them.
One of the principal tasks of his campaign was to drive the French out
of Fort Duquesne in Ohio, and in this he succeeded. Thereby the power of
the French on the Ohio was destroyed and the last and most difficult
part of the task, which had occupied him for several years and so
extraordinarily employed his faculties, was finished. The Indian tribes
that had been on the French side now came over to the victors and made
overtures of peace, which were accepted. When Washington had
accomplished this honorable task, he laid down his command and retired
to private life.