_Congress at Albany. Plan for a Union of the Colonies. Arrival of
General Braddock. Franklin sent to him by the Assembly. Want of
Wagons. Franklin undertakes to procure them. His Advertisement.
Anecdote of Braddock. Battle with the Indians. Retreat._
1. In 1754, there was again a prospect of war with France. A congress
of commissioners from the different colonies was ordered to be
assembled at Albany, to confer with the chiefs of the Six Nations of
Indians, in respect to the defence of the country. The governor of
Pennsylvania communicated this order to the assembly, and nominated
Franklin, with Mr. Norris, Mr. Penn, and Mr. Peters, to act as
commissioners. Presents were provided for the Indians, and they all
met at Albany about the middle of June.
2. On his way thither, Franklin projected and drew up a plan for the
union of all the colonies under one government, so far as might be
necessary for defence and other important services. This plan was
shown to two or three of his friends, and, having met with their
approbation, was submitted to congress. It then appeared that several
of the commissioners had formed projects of the same kind. A committee
was appointed to consider the several plans, and report. That proposed
by Franklin was finally adopted with a few alterations: copies of it
were sent to the British government and to the assemblies of the
several provinces.
3. The British government were unwilling to permit the union proposed
at Albany, from a fear that the colonies would become too military and
feel their own strength. They accordingly sent over General Braddock,
with two regiments of regular English troops, for the purpose of
protecting them. This officer, with his forces, landed at Alexandria,
and marched thence to Fredericktown in Maryland, where he halted for
carriages. Franklin was sent by the assembly to wait upon him at this
place, in order to arrange some matters which had occurred to excite
serious misunderstanding.
4. His son accompanied him upon this journey. They found the general
at Fredericktown, waiting, impatiently, for the return of those whom
he had sent through the back parts of Maryland and Virginia to collect
wagons. Franklin staid with him several days, dined with him daily,
and had full opportunity of removing his prejudices. When he was about
to depart, it had been ascertained that only twenty-five wagons could
be procured, and not all of them fit for use.
5. The general and all the officers were very much surprised, and
declared that the expedition was entirely at an end. They exclaimed
bitterly against their government for sending them into a country
destitute of the means of carrying their stores and baggage, for which
no less than one hundred and fifty wagons were necessary. Franklin
remarked that it was a pity they had not been landed in Pennsylvania,
as in that country almost every farmer had his wagon. The general
caught at his words, and eagerly said--"Then you, sir, who are a man
of interest there, can possibly procure them for us; and I beg you
will undertake it."
6. Franklin asked what terms were to be offered to the owners of the
wagons; and he was desired to put on paper the terms that appeared to
him necessary. This he did; and they were accepted. He soon after
published an advertisement, offering to contract for certain wagons
and horses, on specified terms; and to this added an address to the
inhabitants of the counties of York, Lancaster and Cumberland. The
address was in the following words:
7. "_Friends and Countrymen_,--Being occasionally at the camp at
Frederick, a few days since, I found the general and officers
exceedingly exasperated on account of their not being supplied with
horses and carriages, which had been expected from this province, as
most able to furnish them; but, through the dissensions between our
governor and assembly, money had not been provided, nor any steps
taken for that purpose.
8. "It was proposed to send an armed force immediately into these
counties, to seize as many of the best carriages and horses as should
be wanted, and compel as many persons into the service, as would be
necessary to drive and take care of them.
* * * * *
9. "If you are really, as I believe you are, good and loyal subjects
to his majesty, you may now do a most acceptable service, and make it
easy to yourselves; for three or four of such as cannot separately
spare, from the business of their plantations, a wagon and four horses
and a driver, may do it together; one furnishing the wagon, another
one or two horses, and another the driver, and divide the pay
proportionably between you.
10. "But if you do not this service to your king and country
voluntarily, when such good pay and reasonable terms are offered to
you, your loyalty will be strongly suspected. The king's business must
be done. So many brave troops, come so far for your defence, must not
stand idle through your backwardness to do what may be reasonably
expected from you. Wagons and horses must be had; violent measures
will probably be used; and you will be left to seek for recompense
where you can find it, and your case, perhaps, be little pitied or
regarded.
11. "I have no particular interest in this affair, as (except the
satisfaction of endeavoring to do good) I shall have only my labor for
my pains. If this method of obtaining the wagons and horses is not
likely to succeed, I am obliged to send word to the general in
fourteen days; and I suppose Sir John St. Clair, the hussar, with a
body of soldiers, will immediately enter the province for the purpose;
which I shall be very sorry to hear, because I am, very sincerely and
truly,
"Your friend and well-wisher,
"B. FRANKLIN."
* * * * *
12. Eight hundred pounds were furnished by the general, to be paid out
as advance money to the owners of the wagons and horses. This sum not
being large enough, Franklin advanced upwards of two hundred pounds
more. In two weeks, the one hundred and fifty wagons, with two hundred
and fifty-nine carrying horses, were on their way to the camp. The
advertisement promised payment in case any wagons or horses should be
lost; and as the owners knew nothing about the dependence to be placed
on General Braddock, they insisted on Franklin's bond for the
performance. This he accordingly gave them.
13. General Braddock was a brave man, but had too much
self-confidence, too high an opinion of the power of regular troops,
and too mean an idea of both Americans and Indians. About one hundred
Indians joined him on his march, who might have been of great use to
him as guides and scouts, if he had treated them kindly. He neglected
and slighted them, however, and they gradually left him.
14. In conversation one day with Franklin, he gave an account of his
intended progress. "After taking Fort Duquesne," said he, "I am to
proceed to Niagara; and, having taken that, to Frontenac, if the
season will allow time, and I suppose it will; for Duquesne can hardly
detain me above three or four days; and then I see nothing that can
obstruct my march to Niagara."
15. Franklin knew something about marches through the woods, and the
tricks of the Indians, and entertained serious doubts in respect to
the success of the campaign. He only ventured, however, to say--"To be
sure, sir, if you arrive well before Duquesne with the fine troops, so
well provided with artillery, the fort, though completely fortified,
and assisted with a very strong garrison, can probably make but a
short resistance. The only danger I apprehend of obstruction to your
march, is from the ambuscades of the Indians, who, by constant
practice, are dexterous in laying and executing them; and the slender
line, near four miles long, which your army must make, may expose it
to be attacked by surprise in its flanks, and to be cut like a thread
into several pieces, which, from their distance, cannot come up in
time to support each other."
16. Braddock smiled at his ignorance, and replied--"These savages may,
indeed, be a formidable enemy to your raw American militia; but upon
the king's regular and disciplined troops, sir, it is impossible they
should make any impression."
17. The enemy did not take that advantage of the army under Braddock
which Franklin anticipated. They suffered it to approach without
interruption till within nine miles of Fort Duquesne. The troops had
just crossed a river, were in a more open part of the woods than any
they passed, and moving forward in a compact form. Their advanced
guard was suddenly attacked by a heavy fire from behind trees and
bushes. This was the first intelligence which the general had of the
approach of an enemy.
18. The guard being disordered, the general hurried the troops up to
their assistance. This was done in great confusion, through wagons,
baggage, and cattle. They were now attacked also from behind. The
officers were on horseback, and easily distinguished and picked out as
marks by the enemy. The soldiers were thrown together in great
disorder, having or hearing no orders, and standing to be shot at,
till two thirds of them were killed; then, being seized with a panic,
the remainder fled in precipitation.
19. The wagoners took each a horse out of his team, and scampered.
Their example was immediately followed by others, so that all the
wagons, provisions, artillery and stores were left to the enemy. The
general, being wounded, was brought off with difficulty; out of
eighty-six officers, sixty-three were killed or wounded; and seven
hundred and fourteen men killed, of eleven hundred.
20. These men had been picked from the whole army; the rest had been
left behind with Colonel Dunbar, who was to follow with the heavier
parts of the baggage. The fugitives arrived at Dunbar's camp, and
communicated their own panic to him and all his people. Though he had
now above a thousand men, he determined not to meddle with the enemy,
but to make the best of his way to the settlements. Notwithstanding
requests from the governor of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania,
that he would post his troops on the frontiers to protect the
inhabitants, he continued his hasty and disgraceful march till he had
arrived at snug quarters in Philadelphia.
* * * * *
1. Why were commissioners from the colonies ordered to assemble at
Albany? Who were sent from Pennsylvania?
2. What plan did Franklin draw up?
3. Why did the British government disapprove of the proposed union?
What course did they pursue? Why was Franklin sent to Fredericktown?
5. What impeded the progress of the expedition? How did General
Braddock obviate this difficulty?
6. What step did Franklin take to procure the wagons?
12. How much was furnished by the British general to be paid in
advance to the owners of the wagons and horses? How much did Franklin
furnish?
13. What was the character of General Braddock? How did he treat the
Indians who joined him on his march?
14. What were the general's plans?
15. What did Franklin tell him?
16. What was Braddock's reply?
17. Where were the British troops first attacked?
18. What was the progress of the battle?
19. What became of the wagons and artillery?
20. Where did the fugitives resort? What was Colonel Dunbar's conduct?