of the cartographers: but in estimating the value of maps one must, of
course, consider whether the author's first-hand knowledge, as well
as his borrowed data, be trustworthy or not, and must also take into
account the purpose for which the map was made. Professor Channing
has pointed out among other things that, while "a lie in print is
a persistent thing," one on a map is even less eradicable, and for
three reasons: (1) because the historical evidence on maps is liable
to error, and an error once made is copied by other cartographers,
with the result that a false impression frequently continues
through centuries; (2) because the topography is often wholly
wrong, especially on the earlier maps, a fact that is too commonly
overlooked by historians; (3) because, as our own national history has
abundantly proved, boundaries are frequently delineated imperfectly,
inaccurately, and without basis in fact. In a word, Professor Channing
thinks that maps are often taken too seriously, that the historical
information given by them is liable to error, and that they simply
raise a presumption.
It is certainly true that, judged by the exceedingly accurate and
reliable journal of Orme, the map accompanying Sargent's _History of
an Expedition against Fort Du Quesne_ (op. 282) is in almost every
instance wholly inaccurate in regard to the location of Braddock's
camps, which it represents as scattered promiscuously along the route.
In scarcely a single respect, indeed, whether as to route or as to
location of camps, mountains, rivers, or anything else, can it be
depended upon. To cite a single instance, it puts Camp 6 (Bear Camp)
on the Youghiogheny, when this, as we have seen, is the location of
Squaw's Fort (see p. 23). No clue to the authorship of this map or to
any authority for it can be discovered. Similar fallacies occur in the
work of one of our latest historians, E. M. Avery, who in his _History
of the United States and its People_ (Cleveland, 1904, IV. 67) also
prints a beautifully-colored but inaccurate map. Judge Veech, too (in
his _Monongahela of Old_, 61), recognizes an apparent inconsistency in
Orme's journal at this point; but, like the others, he only adds more
fuel to the flame of confusion.
[66] Veech, _The Monongahela of Old_, 61. Only a small part of the
foundation of this mill is now to be seen.
[67] Jacob's Swamp. This is not to be confused with the swampy land
along Jacob's Creek.
[68] It is only fair to say, however, that there is much difference
of opinion in regard to the location of this camp. On July 3 Orme
records, "The swamp being repaired, we marched about six miles to the
Salt Lick Creek." Many of the later maps and later accounts of the
period identify Jacob's Creek with Salt Lick Creek (see Sargent's
_History_, 346; Veech's _Monongahela of Old_, 61; Scull's map, 1770,
etc.); but there is no real authority for holding that the Salt Lick
Creek mentioned by Orme is Jacob's Creek. A small tributary of the
Youghiogheny, now known as Indian Creek, was, it is true, formerly
called Salt Lick Creek, whence came the name of Salt Lick township;
but the well-known salt licks and Painter's Salt Works were located
along the banks of Sewickley Creek near Hunkers. Here salt wells used
to be drilled to a depth of about five hundred feet; and to these
wells stock was driven from miles around, and people came from far and
near to boil down the salt water in order to secure salt for domestic
use. In the absence, therefore, of any authoritative evidence that the
Salt Lick Creek mentioned by Orme is Jacob's Creek, it seems to the
writer that the most probable location of Salt Lick Camp is on the
Edward Stoner farm, about two miles east from the fording of Sewickley
Creek. Among other indications that point to this farm as a favorable
place for encampment one notes the fact that a short distance west
of the Stoner house, under a large oak tree, there was formerly an
excellent spring (now filled up), and that there is also a run near
by. Mr. Stoner showed me a one-pound cannon ball which he found in a
stump less than a quarter of a mile from the road, and said that other
bullets had been picked up on the farm.
[69] Eugene Warden, Esq., of Mount Pleasant, Pa., has aided the writer
very materially in the location of the road through Westmoreland
County by calling his attention to the following document, which
establishes definitely the fording of Jacob's Creek and the course of
the road to Sewickley Creek.
"The Commissioner of Westmoreland County, pursuant to the directions
of an Act of Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, entitled
'An Act for laying out competent Districts for the appointment of
Justices of the Peace, passed April 4, 1803,' laid out the said county
into the following districts, to wit:...."
"Huntingdon South:--Beginning at the mouth of Big Sewickley; thence
up the river Youghiogheny to the mouth of Jacob's Creek; thence up
said creek to Braddock's Fording; thence along Braddock's Road to
Mt. Pleasant District line to a corner of Hempfield District; thence
along said line to Big Sewickley; thence down said creek to the place
of beginning." (Court of Common Pleas of Westmoreland County, Pa.,
_Continuance Docket_ No. 5, p. 443.)
[70] This fording was called Goudy (or Gowdy) Ford.
[71] See _Orme Journal_, 346.
[72] On July 4 Orme writes, "We marched about six miles to Thicketty
Run." This day they would cross Sewickley Creek a short distance west
of Hunkers, and their most likely place of encampment would be on the
D. F. Knappenberger farm, about two miles south of the fording, on
Little Sewickley Greek or Thicketty Run. This solution, which makes
Salt Lick Creek the Sewickley Creek and Thicketty Run the Little
Sewickley Creek, is no mere whim of the writer, but has been reached
from a knowledge of the country supplemented by the topographic sheets
and by a reasonable interpretation of Orme's journal. If he is correct
in his reasoning, there is no inconsistency in Orme's account.
[73] Now owned by a coal company.
[74] According to the distance travelled from the preceding camp, the
seventeenth encampment, or Monacatuca Camp, would be on this farm;
but, according to local tradition it was on the William B. Howell
farm, a mile away. This is the one camp as to the location of which
the writer has been unable to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion.
Considering the lay of the land, however, he sees no good reason why
the army should not have made the distance mentioned by Orme.
[75] Judge Veech is in error when he says that the road "crossed the
present tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad and turnpike west of
Greensburg" (Veech, _The Monongahela of Old_, 62). The railroad is
beyond this precipice. On this point see _Orme Journal_, 351.
[76] Only a millstone is left to mark the location of the old mill.
[77] The spring is situated on a lot owned by Mrs. Elizabeth Bennett,
a short distance from the corner of Bennett Avenue and Braddock
Street. Washington, who had been left at Bear Camp, joined Braddock
here.
[78] _Orme Journal_, 352. Mr. Wall of Harrisburg communicated to me a
copy of a draft of a survey made July 29, 1828, on "Application No.
2169," showing the location of the road down Crooked Run (Braddock
Run) to the Monongahela and across it to a point a short distance
beyond. This fording of the river is often designated Braddock's Upper
Ford.
[79] On file in the Department of Interior Affairs is a "Map and
Profile for a slackwater navigation along the Monongahela River from
the Virginia Line to Pittsburg as examined in 1828 by Edward F. Gay,
Engineer," which shows Braddock's Upper Riffle at the mouth of Crooked
Run, and Braddock's Lower Riffle at the mouth of Turtle Creek.
[80] G. E. F. Gray, chief clerk of the Edgar Thomson Steel Works at
Braddock, Pa., wrote to me under date of December 9, 1908, that their
chief engineer, Sydney Dillon, had already done some preliminary
work toward locating the original banks of Turtle Creek and of the
Monongahela River, and toward fixing the place of Frazer's Cabin and
of the road through Braddock. The steel works are located on a part of
the battlefield, along the river.
On February 11, 1909, Mr. Dillon communicated to me the results of
his labors based on a study of the ground in connection with the two
maps made by Patrick Mackellar, Braddock's chief engineer (Parkman,
_Montcalm and Wolfe_, 1905, I. op. 214-215), supplemented by the
plan in Winsor's _Narrative and Critical History of America_, V.
449, and by the Carnegie McCandless Company's property map of 1873.
This is by far the most able and careful study of the battlefield
that has been made in modern times. Mr. Dillon's plans enable one to
follow the course of the road through the battlefield, and to form
an idea of the action with a distinctness that has not been possible
heretofore. In order to comprehend the nature of the fight, however,
and to understand the conditions that made Braddock's defeat almost
inevitable, one must see the field for himself.
[81] On the two plans of the battlefield drawn by Patrick Mackellar,
see Parkman, _Montcalm and Wolfe_ (1905), I. 229, n. 1.
[82] See maps, _ibid._, op. 214-215, and in Sargent's _Expedition
against Fort Du Quesne_, op. 219.
[83] Hyacinth Mary LiƩnard de Beaujeu.
[84] If the course of the road as thus indicated be correct, then
the thickest of the fight would have been east of the Pennsylvania
Railroad between Thirteenth and Sixth Streets, the location of
the Hollow Way and of Frazer's Run respectively. The writer was
told that when the Pennsylvania Railroad built its roadbed through
the battlefield it unearthed a great number of human skeletons, a
circumstance which, if true, would seem to confirm his conclusion as
to the ground on which the principal fighting took place. Mr. Dillon
seems to think that the Hollow Way was between Ann and Verona Streets,
and that the farthest point reached by Braddock's party was across the
ravine near Corey Avenue. Another view is that the course of the road
never extended above or east of the Pennsylvania Railroad, but stopped
a few rods short of it in the Robinson burying-ground.
* * * * *
Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber:
Gwynn's Six Mile Houe=> Gwynn's Six Mile House {pg 8 n.}
National turnpke=> National turnpike {pg 18 n.}
Crooked run=> Crooked Run {pg 35 n.}