BRADDOCK’S DEFEAT AND FALL
With the coming of spring it was felt by many that a swift and decided
movement should be made against the French and their Indian allies.
Word came in through backwoodsmen and hunters that the French fort was
but slimly garrisoned and that the enemy was also suffering for the
want of army stores and ammunition.
“Could I strike a blow at once I might be successful,” said Washington,
but he now had but a handful of soldiers and more it was next to
impossible to obtain.
There was serious trouble regarding the English army and more troubles
were to follow. Each officer was jealous of the others, and Governor
Dinwiddie made matters worse by announcing that each company should be
independent of the others and that nobody should hold a rank higher
than that of captain. On top of this came a proclamation from England
that any officer holding a commission from the king should be the
superior of any provincial officer with whom he happened to be acting!
Many Americans, though still loyal to the mother country, would not
stand this, and among those to resign their commissions was Washington,
who went back to his mother and to his brother’s family at Mount Vernon.
But the trouble in America was now a matter of hot discussion in
England and France and soon England decided to strike at France’s
colonies in Nova Scotia, New York, and throughout the Ohio valley. For
this purpose England sent Major-General Edward Braddock to Virginia at
the head of two regiments of picked soldiers.
The coming of Braddock with the trained soldiers of the king was hailed
far and wide with delight, for all felt that the French would now
suffer a quick and complete defeat. The soldiers arrived in February
and went into camp at Alexandria, to which place the colonists from
miles around flocked to see them. It was soon found that the English
soldiers were indeed the pick of the army. They were drilled to
perfection and everything in the camp went “like clock-work,” as the
common saying goes. It was found that General Braddock was a stern
veteran and disciplinarian, and one who never took advice from anybody.
How dear this last trait was to cost him will soon be seen.
At Alexandria General Braddock met Washington, and the pair often came
together later, when the Englishmen and the governors of the colonies
held a consultation at Annapolis. It would seem that Braddock took to
Washington, for soon after he offered the latter a position on his
staff, with rank as colonel. Washington accepted at once, after being
assured that he would be under orders from nobody but the general
himself. At first some of the English officers grumbled at this, but
before the army moved into the wilderness Washington was on a friendly
footing with all.
It was well that Braddock took Washington on his staff. The English
general knew nothing of American ways, nothing of the country to be
covered, and nothing of the Indian method of warfare. He led the
colonists to believe that he and he alone would fight and conquer the
French and Indians, and when it came time for them to join him in the
expedition they held back, not caring to “play second fiddle,” as some
of the backwoodsmen said.
It was Washington who spoke to those who had fought under him before,
and spoke to other of the colonists, and at last he persuaded the
Virginia Rangers and a few other colonial troops to join the army under
Braddock. But all this took time, and it was not until the middle of
May, 1755, that the army reached Will’s Creek, and then the French,
and their Indian allies, were on the alert and watching for their
further march westward.
“The army has come!” shouted Dave one day, on returning from a visit to
Will’s Creek. “General Braddock is there with over a thousand soldiers,
and so is Colonel Washington with the Virginian troops. Oh, but don’t
the regulars look grand! Their uniforms and rifles shine, I can tell
you!”
“Here at last, eh?” returned Joseph Morris. “Well, it has taken them a
good while to march from Alexandria, seems to me.”
“I saw Colonel Washington,” went on Dave. “And I’m going along, as soon
as they move.”
“Wall, I’m with ye, Dave--told ye so right along,” put in Barringford,
who had heard the talk. “I know he’ll take me quick enough,” and the
old hunter grinned suggestively.
Dave looked doubtful for a moment. “I hope so, Sam,” he said. “I didn’t
have much of a chance to talk about it. You see, the coming of General
Braddock has made a big difference in the army. He’s as stiff and stern
as can be, and none of the soldiers under him dare so much as wink
without his permission. I heard from one of our old soldiers that even
Washington can’t give him any advice. He says he knows just what he is
doing.”
“Hope he does then,” was Barringford’s dry comment. “But he ain’t fit
Injuns afore, has he?”
“I fancy not.”
“Then he’d better be jest a leetle careful. Ain’t I right, Mr. Morris?”
“You are, Barringford. Indians do not fight like European armies, and
the French that know the wilderness won’t fight that way either,”
answered Dave’s uncle.
A few days later Dave and Sam Barringford set off for the Creek
settlement. Henry was now almost as well as ever and anxious to go with
them, but his mother urged him to remain at home, at least for a little
while longer.
All was bustle and excitement at Will’s Creek. Braddock wished
to move forward without delay but found it next to impossible to
get the necessary horses and wagons. Washington by his personal
efforts obtained a few and then Benjamin Franklin, coming down from
Philadelphia, obtained some more, by giving his personal security for
them.
Franklin, wise and far-seeing, advised Braddock to be cautious during
his march into the wilderness, stating that the Indians were sly and
would ambuscade them were it possible to do so. To this Braddock
answered that the Indians might do so with colonial troops but not
with soldiers of the King’s army, moving in a solid body against them.
As the little army went forward, Braddock insisted upon making a
first-class roadway and the result was that it was the middle of June
before Little Meadows was reached. The army now consisted of the two
English regiments, two colonial companies of pioneers, a company of
guides, a company of Virginia light-horse, two small companies of New
York militia, and a detachment of sailors, about two thousand men in
all. There were also about half a hundred Indians, under Groghan,
the pioneer, who was made a captain over them. Braddock treated the
Indians with great ceremony but in secret he held the same contempt for
their fighting qualities as he held for the fighting qualities of the
colonists.
Little Meadows reached, the general was in perplexity and for once
listened to Washington. He was furious over the continued delays and
angry because the colonists did not do more to help him.
“I would advise that the main portion of our army go forward in light
marching order,” said Washington. “A fair portion can remain behind to
bring up the heavy baggage.”
Braddock thought it over and finally ordered the main body of the army
to proceed. But each man was heavily equipped, with full knapsack,
army blanket, and rifle, and the progress was not much better than
before.
“At this rate, we’ll never get to Fort Duquesne,” said Dave, one day,
when they had come to a halt at the ford over the Youghiogheny. “I
wonder why General Braddock doesn’t push ahead and let the baggage come
up when it can?”
“Because he’s a drill-room soldier,” growled Barringford. “He don’t
know any more about fighting in the wilderness than I do of dancing at
a royal ball. Fust thing you know we’ll be surrounded and then--wall,
we’ll see what we will see, thet’s all.”
“Colonel Washington is down with a fever,” put in a soldier standing
near. “I just heard that the general ordered him to stay here until he
was better.”
“That’s too bad,” said Dave. “I wish he was in command. I’d feel safer
than I do.”
“Don’t worry, we’re safe enough just yet,” answered Barringford.
“General Braddock won’t let our troops go ahead. He wants his own
regiments to lead the way.”
“He ought to throw out a good body of scouts,” put in another soldier,
who knew the backwoods thoroughly. “For all we know the French and
Indians may be all around us this minute.”
So the talk ran on, but no one dared to tell the general of what was
passing in the minds of the pioneers. The army moved on, making for the
Monongahela, and here a few days later Washington rejoined it, still
weak but resolved to be at the front when the fighting took place. So
anxious was he to be on the field that he wrote to a friend he would
rather lose five hundred pounds than miss the coming battle.
The soldiers, as they crossed the river, with glittering swords and
bayonets, made an imposing sight. The royal troops moved forward in
solid platoons, with only a small vanguard of guides and skirmishers.
As Washington saw the movement he could not resist speaking to Braddock
again of the folly of sending soldiers into the wilderness in that
form. He begged to be allowed to send the Virginia Rangers in advance.
“It will not be necessary,” was Braddock’s haughty answer. “The royal
troops are capable of taking care of themselves.” And the march forward
was resumed. To awe the enemy the general had had all uniforms and
equipments cleaned the day before, so that everything shone as bright
as a new silver dollar--making the better marks for the Indians siding
with the French!
By two o’clock in the afternoon the main body of the army had reached a
position seven or eight miles from Fort Duquesne. They had just left a
plain about half a mile from the river bank and were ascending a rise
through the forest. The royal troops were in advance, in two sections,
the Virginia Rangers somewhat to the rear. A few guides were out, but
not many, and the pioneers were kept at work opening up the road for
the artillery.
On a sudden came a sharp firing from the front, at first a few
scattered shots, and then several rattling volleys. Several of the
vanguard were cut down instantly and the others came to a halt in
dismay.
“The French and the Indians!” was the cry. “They are on us a thousand
strong!” The firing continued, and the vanguard was driven back. In the
meantime General Braddock ordered the main body of troops forward and
went with them himself. The troops advanced in a solid body until the
remnant of the vanguard was met and then came to a halt.
The enemy was in front and upon either side, but could scarcely be
seen. From behind rocks and trees, and from the shelter of a nearby
ravine, they poured a hot and murderous fire into the English, laying
the grenadiers low with marvelous rapidity. Both the Indians and the
French tried to pick off the officers and in this way succeeded, for
of the number sixty-two out of eighty-six were killed or wounded.
At last Braddock’s eyes were opened to the blunder he had made, and
riding around quickly he tried to form his men into separate companies
and send them into the woods. But they were now panic-stricken and
huddled together not knowing what to do or what to expect. Braddock
raved at them and pleaded with them, but it was all in vain. His horses
were shot from under him until five were gone, and then he tried to get
his men into order for a retreat. Just at that moment a bullet passed
through his right arm and lodged in his lungs. He pitched forward and
was caught by a captain of the Virginia guard, and soon after carried
to the rear, begging those who supported him to let him die where he
had fallen.