Historic Highways of America Volume IV Part 3

May 8^{th}: Ferried over the River into _Maryland_; and March'd to M^r.

Jacksons, 8 Miles from M^r. c.o.xs's where we found a Maryland Company encamp'd in a fine Situation on the Banks of the _Potomack_; with clear'd ground about it; there lives Colonel Cressop, a Rattle Snake, Colonel, and a D--d Rascal; calls himself a Frontierman, being nearest the _Ohio_; he had a Summons some time since from the French to retire from his Settlement, which they claim'd as their property, but he refused it like a man of Spirit;[30] This place is the Track of Indian Warriours, when going to War, either to the N^{o}ward, or S^{o}ward He hath built a little Fort round his House, and is resolved to keep his Ground. We got plenty of Provisions &c^a. The General arrived with Captains Orme and Morris, with Secretary s.h.i.+rley and a Company of light Horse for his Guard, under the Command of Cap^t. Stewart, the General lay at the Colonels.

May 9^{th}: Halted and made another Race to amuse the General

D^o. 10^{th}: March'd to _Will's Creek_; and Encamp'd on a Hill to the E^{t}ward of the Fort, when the General past the Troops; Colonel Dunbar informed them, that there were a number of Indians at _Will's Creek_, that were Friends to the English therefore it was the Generals positive Orders, that they should not be Molested upon any account, upon the Generals Arrival at the Fort, He was Saluted with 17. Guns, and we found 100 Indian Men, Women & Children with 6 Companies of S^r Peter Halkets Regiment, 9 Virginian Companies and a Maryland Company.

May 11^{th}: _Fort c.u.mberland_, is Situated within 200 Yards of _Wills Creek_ on a Hill 400 Yards from the _Potomack_, it's greatest length from East to West is 200 Yards, and breadth 40 it is built with Loggs drove into the Ground: and 12 feet above it Embrazures are cut for 12 Guns which are 4. Pounders, though 10 are only Mounted with loopholes for small Arms; The Indians were greatly surprised at the regular way of our Soldiers Marching and our Numbers.

I would willingly say something of the customs & manners of them, but they are hardly to be described. The Men are tall, well made and Active, but not strong; The Women not so tall yet well proportion'd & have many Children; they paint themselves in different Manners; Red, Yellow & Black intermixt, the Men have the outer Rim of their Ears cut; and hanging by a little bit at Top and bottom: they have also a Tuft of Hair left at Top of their Heads, dress'd with Feathers.... Their Match Coat which is their chief Cloathing, is a thick Blanket thrown round them; and instead of Shoes wear Mekosins, which laces round the foot and Ankle ... their manner of carrying Children are by lacing them on a Board, and tying them with a broad Bandage with a place to rest their feet, and Boards over their Heads to keep the Sun off and this is Slung to the Womens backs. These people have no Idea of a Superior Being or of Religion and I take them to be the most ignorant, as to the Knowledge of the World and things, of any Creatures living. When it becomes dark they Return to their Camp, which is [nigh] Woods, and Dance for some Time with making the most hidious Noise.

May 12^{th}: Orders for a Council of War at the Head Quarters when the Indians came, and were received by the Guard with Rested Arms, an Interpreter was directed to tell them that their Brothers, the English, who were their friends were come to a.s.sist them, that every misunderstanding in past times, should now be buried under that great Mountain (which was close by) and Accordingly the Ceremony was perform'd in giving them a string of Wampum or Beads; and the following speech was made, to a.s.sure them that this string or Belt of Wampum was a suriety of our Friends.h.i.+p; and likewise a Declaration, that every one, who were Enemies to them, were consequently so to us. The Interpretor likewise a.s.sured them, the we had a Considerable Number of Men to the N^{o}Ward, under the Commands of our great War Captains Generals, s.h.i.+rley, Pepperel & Johnson that were making preparations for War to settle them happily in their Countries, and make the French both ashamed & hungry, however, should any Indians absent themselves they would be deem'd our Enimies & treated as such; The Generals moreover told them, he should have presents for them soon, and would then make them another Speech, after which he parted with giving a Dram round.

May 13^{th}: The Indian Camp were 1/4 Miles from the Fort which I went to visit their Houses are composed of 2 Stakes, drove into the Ground, with a Ridge Pole & Bark of Trees laid down the sides of it, w^{ch}. is all they have to Shelter them from the Weather.... The Americans & Seamen Exercising.

May 14^{th}: Inactive in our Camp. I went to the Indian to see them Dance which they do once or twice a Year round a Fire, first the Women dance, whilst the Men are Sitting, and then every Women takes out her Man; dances with him; lays with him for a Week, and then Returns to her proper Husband, & lives with him.[31]

May 15^{th}: 22 Casks of Beef were Surveyed and condemn'd[32]

D^o. 16^{th}: Arrived L^t. Col^o. Gage with 2 Companies, and the last Division of the Train, consisting of 8 Field Pieces; 4 Howitzers and a Number of Cohorns, with 42 Store Waggons Cap^t. Bromley of S^r P.

Halkets Regim^t. died May 17^{th}: Orders for the Funeral.

May 18^{th}: Cap^t. Bromley was interred with great Solemnity[33]--19^{th}: the Indians came to the Generals Tent when he made them a speech to this Effect; that they would send away immediately their Wives & Children to Pensilvania, and take up the Hatchet against the French, that the great King of England their Father had sent their Wives & Children such & such presents, and he had Ordered Arms, Ammunition &c^a. to be delivered to their Warriors, and expressd a Concern for their 1/2 King killed last year--the presents consisted of Shrouds; Rings, Beads, Linnen, Knives, Wire & paint, they seem'd pleased, received their presents with 3 Belts & String of Wampum, and promised an Answer the next day in the Evening they Danced and made a most terrible Noise to shew were mightily pleased.

May 20^{th}: Cap^t. Gates March'd into Camp with his New York Comp^y.

The Indians met at the Generals Tent, and told him they were highly Obliged to the Great King their Father, for sending such Numbers of Men to fight for them, and they moreover promise to Join them, and do what was in their power by reconnoitring the Country, & bringing Intelligence, they were likewise oblidged to the General for expressing his Concern for the loss of their 1/2 King his Brother, and for the Presents he had made their Families. Their Chiefs Names were as follows

1^{st}: Monicatoha their Mentor, 2^d Belt of Wampum, or white Thunder, who always keep the Wampum, and has a Daughter call'd bright Lightning 3^d: The great Tree and Silver Heels, Jimy Smith and Charles all belonging to the 6 Nations, The General a.s.sured them of his Friends.h.i.+p and gave his Honour, that he never would deceive them, after which they sung their Song of War, put themselves into odd postures, w^{th} Shouting and making an uncommon Noise, declaring the French to be their pepetual Enemies, which they never had done before, then the General took the Indians to the Park of Artillery, Ordered 3 Howtz^{rs}. 3:12 pounders to be Fired, the Drums beating & Fifes playing the point of War, which astonish^t but pleased the Indians greatly. They afterwards Retired to their own Camp to eat a Bullock and Dance in their usual manner, with shewing how they fight and Scalp, and expressing in their Dance, the exploits & Warlike Actions of their Ancestors and themselves--Arrived 80 Waggons from Pensylvania with Stores; and 11 likewise from Philidelpha with Liquors, Tea, Sugar, Coffe &c. to the Amount of 400 With 20 Horses, as presents to the Officers of the 2 Regiments--An Indian came in 6 days from the French Fort, and a.s.sured us they have only 50 Men in the Fort, however they expected 900 more soon, yet they purpose blowing it up whenever the Army Appears--as this Indian was one of the Delawars, who never were our Friends he was suspected to be a Rogue--100 Carpenters were Employed in making a Float, building a Magazine & squaring Timber to make a Bridge over _Wills Creek_, The Smiths were making Miners Tools, The Bakers were baking Biscuit, and every thing was getting ready for a March.

May 21^{st}: A Troop of light Horse & 2 Companies of S^r P. Halkets Regim^t. under the Command of Major Chapman came in from Winchester

May 22^d: The Indians had Arms & Cloaths delivered to them

D^o. 23^d: The 2 Regiments were Exercised & went through their Formings

D^o. 24^{th}: Employed in Transporting the large Timber to the Fort, The Army consists of 2 Regiments, Each 700 Men; 2 _New York_, 1 Independent _Carolina_ Companies of 100 Men, 9 _Virginia_ 1 _Maryland_ Companies of 50 Men; 1 Comp^y. of Artillery of 60 & 30 Seamen

May 25^{th}: Preparations for Marching: 2 Men of S^r P. Halkets were Drum'd out, and received 1000 lashes Each for Theft.

May 27^{th}: The Companies employed in loading 100 Waggons w^{th}.

Provisions, A Captains Guard March'd for _Winchester_ to Escort Provisions to Camp--several _Delawar_ Indians came into Camp.

May 28^{th}: The _Delawar_ Indians a.s.sembled at the Generals Tent and told him they were come to a.s.sist him, but desired to know his Intention the General thank'd them, and said that he should March in a few days for Fort Dec Quisne, The Indians then replyed, they would return home, Collect their Warriors and meet them on his March.

May 29^{th}: Major Chapman with a Detachment of 600 Soldiers March'd with 2 Field Pieces and 50 Waggons full of Provisions when S^r John S^t Clair, 2 Engineers, Lieut. Spendelow & 6 Seamen with some Indians were Order'd to clean the Roads for them.

May 30^{th}: March'd in, Cap^t. Dobbs with a _North Carolina_ Company

June 1^{st}: The Detachment got 15 Miles though the Roads were very bad; Lieu^t. Spendelow returned with his 6 Seamen.

June 2^d: Colonel Burton, Cap^t. Orme, M^r. Engineer Gordon[34] & Lieu^t. Spendelow were order'd to reconnoitre the Roads, the latter reported that he had found a tolerable Road, which might avoid the bad Mountain that they would otherwise be obliged to pa.s.s; and accordingly it was determined to March the Army that way, it being only 2 Miles about.

June 3^d: Engineer Gordon[35] with 100 Pioneers began to break Ground on the new Road, when Lieu^t. Spendelow, 1 Mids.h.i.+pman[36] & 10 Men were sent to the Place that leads into the Old Road, cleard away and compleated 1 Mile,

June 4^{th}: 1 Mids.h.i.+pman & 20 Men cleard 3/4 of a Mile

5^{th}: continued working on the Roads

6^{th}: Compleated the new Road & Return'd to Camp.

7^{th}: S^r P. Halkets Brigade March'd with 2 Field Pieces and some Waggons with Provisions 1 Mids.h.i.+pman & 12 Seamen were Orderd to a.s.sist the Train June 9^{th}. Inactive June 10^{th}: The General March'd w^{th}. the remaining part of the Army.

25^{th}: it was reported that a party of Indians had Surprized Kill'd, and Scalp'd 2 families to the Number of 12 within 4 Miles of y^e Fort

June 26^{th}: Accounts of another family's Scalp'd within 3 Miles of us.

The Governor detach'd a party to bury the Dead, and to look for the Indians, they found a Child standing in the Water scalp'd, which had 2 holes in its Skull, they brought it to the Doctor, who dressed it but Died in a Week.[37]

June 10^{th}: the last Division of His Majesty's Forces March'd from _Wills Creek_ with General Braddock, when the General Arrived at the little Meadows 22 Miles from the _Creek_, and having all his Forces w^{th}. him, found that the Carriages, Pack horses &c^a. he had with him, r.e.t.a.r.did his Marches greatly, insomuch that in all probability, the French would be renforced, before he could possibly get there, provided he kept the whole Army together--he therefore selected 1200 of the Choicest Men besides Artillery & Seamen with the most Necessary Stores that might be wanted, which compleated 51 Carriages, and left the heavy Baggage Provisions &c^a. with Col^o. Dunbar and the rest of the Forces w^{th}. Orders to follow as fast as possible: then March'd & continued untill 8^{th}. July without Interruption save 8 or 9 Scalps on the March a Number much inferior to the Expectations, he Encamp'd within 8 Miles of _Fort Dec Quisne_ where he held a Councill of War, when it was unaimously agreed that they should pa.s.s the _Monongohela_ River in the Morning twice and that the advanced Party should March at 2 o'Clock in the Morning to secure that pa.s.s (the River being very broad and easily defended as the Fort was very near they thought it advisable to take that oppertunity, that the Enemy might not have a View of them, Therefore the General order'd that the Army should March over with fixt Bayonets to make a show.

On the 9^{th}. July the advanced party of 400 Men March'd about 7. o'Clock some Indians Rush'd out of the Bushes, but did no Execution, the Party went on & secured both pa.s.ses of the River, and at 11 the Main Body began to cross with Colours flying, Drums beating, & Fifes playing the Granadier's March, and soon formed, when they thought that the French would not Attack them, as they might have done it w^{th}. such advantages in crossing the _Monogohela_, The advanced party was 1/4 Mile before the Main Body, the Rear of which was just over the River, when the Front was attacked The 2. Granadier Comp^{ys}. formed the Flank The Piquets with the rest of the Men were Sustaining the Carpenters while they were cutting the Roads. The first Fire the Enemy gave was in Front, & they likewise gaul'd the Piquets in Flank, so that in few Minutes the Granadiers were nearly cut to pieces and drove into the greatest Confusion as was Cap^t. Polsons Comp^y. of Carpent^{rs}. As soon as the Main Body heard that the Front was Attack'd they instantly advanced to secure them but found them retreating Upon which, the General Orderd the Artillery to draw up, & the Battalion to form, by this time the Enemy had Attacked the Main Body, which faced to the Right & left and engaged them, but could not see whom they Fired at, it was in an open Road, that the Main Body were drawn up, but the Trees were excessive thick round them, And the Enemy had possession of a Hill to the Right, which consequently was a great advantage to them, Many Officers declare, that they never saw above 5 of the Enemy at one time during the whole Action Our Soldiers were Encouraged to make many Attempts by the Officers (who behaved Gloriously) to take the Hill, but they had been so intimidated before by seeing their Comrades Scalp'd in their sight and such Numbers falling, that as they advanced up towards the Hill and there Officer's being pict off which was generally the Case; they turn'd to their R^t.

About & retired down the Hill. When the General perceived & was convinced that the Soldiers would not fight in a regular Manner without Officers, he devided them into small parties, and endeavour'd to surround the Enemy, but by this time the Major part of the Officers were either Kill'd or Wounded, and in short the Soldiers were totally deaf to the Commands & persuasions of the few Officers that were left unhurt.

The General had 4 Horses shot under him before he was wounded, which was towards the latter part of the Action, when he was put into a Waggon with great dificulty as he was very Sollicitious for being left in the Field. The Retreat now became general, and it was the opinion of many people that had we greater Numbers, it would have been just the same thing, as our advanc'd party never regained the Ground they were first Attacked upon, it was extreamly lucky they pursued no farther than the first Crossing the River but they kill'd & Scalp'd every one they met with, The Army March'd all Night & Join'd Colonel Dunbar the next Day, 50 Miles distance from the Field of Battle, when the General order'd Col^o. Dunbar to prepare for a Retreat in Order for which, they were Obliged to destroy great quant.i.ties of Stores and Provisions, to furnish the Wounded Officers & Soldiers with Waggons The Generals Pains encreased hourly, and on the 12^{th} of July he Died greatly lamented by the whole Army, was decently though privately buried the next Morning.

The Numbers kill'd; Wounded & left in the Field as appeared by the Returns of the different Companies were 896 besides Officers The 2 Companies of the Grenadiers and Carpenters sufferd most Col^o. Dunbars Grenadiers were 79 Compleat out of which 9 Returned untouch'd. S^r P.

Halkets, were 69 & only 13 came out of y^e Field Every Grenadier Officer was either kill'd or Wounded The Seamen had 11 Kill'd & wounded out of 33 it was impossible to tell the exact Nunbers of the Enemy but it was premised by the continual smart Fire the kept during the whole Action, that they must have at least Man for Man M^r. Engineer Gordon[38] was the first Man that saw the Enemy, being in the Front of the Carpenters, making & Picketing the Roads for them, and he declared where he first descover'd them, that they were on the Run, which plainly shews they were just come from _Fort Dec Quesne_ and that their princ.i.p.al Intention was to secure the pa.s.s of _Monnongohela River_ but the Officer who was their leader, dressed like an Indian, w^{th}. a Gorgeton, waved his Hatt, by way of Signal to disperse to y^e Right and left forming a half Moon Col^o. Dunbar continued his Retreat and Arrived with the Remains of the Army at _Fort c.u.mberland_ the 20^{th}. July, and the 21^{st}. the Wounded Officers & Soldiers were brought in.... 30^{th}. July Orders were given for the Army to March the 2^{nd}. August 1^{st}. August Col^o. Dunbar received a Letter from Commodore Kepple to send the Seamen to _Hampton_ and accordingly the 2^d. they March'd with the Army & on the 3^d. August left them August 5^{th}. Arrived at _Winchester_ August 11^{th}. March'd into _Fredericksburgh_ and hired a Vessel to carry the Seamen to _Hampton_ where they embarked on board his Majesty's s.h.i.+p Guarland the 18^{th}. August 1755.

4:6 pounders. 2. 12 pounders, 3 Howitzers, 8 Cohorns, 51 Carriages of Provisions Ammunition Hospital Stores, The Generals private Chest which had about 1000 in it with 200 Horses loaded with Officers Baggage.[39]

CHAPTER V

THE BATTLE OF THE MONONGAHELA

Sir Peter Halket moved out from Fort c.u.mberland on June 7 with a brigade comprising the 44th Regiment, two Independent Companies of New York, two companies of Virginia Rangers, one of Maryland Rangers, a total of nine hundred and eighty-four men, six hundred woodchoppers under Sir John St.

Clair having been sent forward to widen and improve Was.h.i.+ngton's road.

The next day but one Colonel Thomas Dunbar marched away with another brigade comprising the 48th Regiment, a company of carpenters, three companies of Virginia Rangers, and one from South and North Carolina each, a total of nine hundred and ninety-three men. On the tenth, Braddock and his aides and the rest of the army which was approximately two thousand two hundred strong--a force powerful enough to have razed Duquesne, Venango, La Boeuf, Presque Isle, and Niagara to the ground--if it could have reached them.

This Franklin who secured Braddock horses and wagons was a prophet. And once he predicted that this "slender line" of an army would be greatly in danger of Indian ambuscade "and be cut, like a thread, into several pieces, which, from their distance, cannot come up in time to support each other." Braddock laughed at the prophecy, but his army had not been swallowed up in the gloom of the forests two days before its line was thinner and longer than Braddock could ever have believed. When encamped at night, the line of wagons compactly drawn together was half a mile long; in marching order by day the army was often spread out to a length of four miles. And even in this fas.h.i.+on it could only creep along.

Halket with the first division made only five miles in three days. In ten days Braddock had only covered the twenty-four miles to Little Crossings. The road makers followed implicitly the Indian path where it was possible; when on the high ground the road was so rugged that many wagons were entirely demolished and more temporarily disabled; when off this track in the ravines they were buried axle deep in the bogs.

To haul the wagons and cannon over this worst road ever trod Braddock had the poorest horses available. All the weak, spavined, wind-broken, and crippled beasts in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia were palmed off on Braddock by unscrupulous contractors. And horses, dead or dying, were always left with the demolished wagons. "There has been vile management in regard to horses," wrote Was.h.i.+ngton; before the army had covered one third of its journey there were not enough to draw all the wagons, the strongest being sent back each day to bring up the wagons left behind the morning before. The continuous diet of salt meat brought an epidemic of b.l.o.o.d.y flux on the army; some died, many were sick.

Was.h.i.+ngton's strong system was in the grasp of a fever before Little Crossings was reached.

The situation now was desperate and would have appalled a less stubborn man than Edward Braddock. Acting on Was.h.i.+ngton's advice he here divided his army, preparing to push on to Fort Duquesne with a flying column of fourteen hundred men. Was.h.i.+ngton found the first western river almost dry and reasoned that Riviere aux Boeufs would be too dry to transport southward the reinforcements that were hurrying from Canada.

On the nineteenth, Braddock advanced with Colonel Halket and Lieutenant Colonels Burton and Gage and Major Sparks, leaving Colonel Dunbar and Major Chapman--to their disgust--to hobble on with the sick and dying men and horses, the sorry line of wagons creaking under their heavy loads. The young Virginian Colonel was left at the very first camp in a raging fever. Though unable to push on further with the column that would capture Duquesne, yet Braddock considerately satisfied the ambition of Was.h.i.+ngton by promising that he should be brought up before the attack was made. Was.h.i.+ngton wrote home that he would not miss the capture of Duquesne "for five hundred pounds!"