Chapter 16

General Abercrombie surprised Washington, however, by issuing an order to organize a strong expedition against Duquesne. The newly appointed commander-in-chief appeared to comprehend the situation as his predecessors had not, and Washington was overjoyed. The cloud that had enveloped his spirit was lifted, and he saw a brighter future.

The northern troops, also, were meeting with successes, and news of their victories gladdened all hearts. The expeditions against Louisburg, Ticonderoga, and Crown Point proved fortunate, and the people became more and more hopeful as their advances were known.

"There is hope now for our cause," remarked Washington to Mr. Fairfax at Williamsburg, very much elated by the prospect before him. "I can see the end now. It looks as if General Abercrombie was the right man in the right place."

"I hope so," responded Mr. Fairfax. "He appears to think that two or three times as many troops as you have had before will be none too many to march against Duquesne."

"There is my hope," continued Washington. "An army large enough to strike an effective blow will save both money and men for the government. Half enough is cruelly exposing all to defeat and butchery."

"So it has proved," remarked Fairfax.

"To the discouragement and fear of the people throughout this part of the country," replied Washington. "But if troops are furnished according to the order now, I have no fear about the result. Three thousand from Pennsylvania, twelve hundred from North Carolina, two thousand from Virginia, with seven hundred Indians, and as many regulars, will make an army of about eight thousand."

"How large a force do you imagine the French have at Duquesne?" inquired Fairfax.

"Not over one-third of our number. Perhaps not more than one-quarter as many. If the Assembly will be as liberal in supplying the Virginia soldiers with clothing, rations, arms, blankets, etc., as General Abercrombie has been, it will be a wise economy, as well as commendable patriotism."

Washington was in Williamsburg at the time, for the purpose of laying before a committee of the Legislature the wants of his little army, and securing liberal supplies. On his way thither an incident occurred which should be narrated here.

Passing through the county of New Kent, on his way to Williamsburg, Washington approached the baronial estate of Mr. Chamberlain. The proprietor was near his front gate, and, recognizing Washington, who was accompanied by his servant, saluted him, saying:

"Colonel Washington, let it never be said that you passed the house of your father's friend without dismounting. I must insist upon the honor of detaining you as my guest."

"I thank you with all my heart, my dear sir, but my business at Williamsburg demands haste, and you must excuse me to-day," was Washington's reply.

"Business relating to the expedition against Fort Duquesne, I suppose?"

"Yes; and its importance admits of no delay."

"Nevertheless, I must press my invitation," continued Mr. Chamberlain, "for surely you must dine somewhere, and it will detain you no longer here than elsewhere. We will not detain you a moment after you have swallowed your dinner. I am too much interested in the capture of Duquesne to delay your business."

"Your patriotism is equal to your hospitality," replied Washington, "and I am quite disposed to accept both, in the circumstances."

"In that case you will accept my hearty thanks, also," added Mr. Chamberlain.

"Do I understand that I may be excused immediately after dinner?" said Washington, still hesitating.

"Immediately, with all the promptness of military discipline."

"Then, sir, I accept your generous hospitality;" and Washington alighted from his horse immediately, saying to his servant Bishop, "Be sure and have the horses at the door by the time we rise from the dinner-table."

"Is this the charger and this the servant presented to you by General Braddock?" Mr. Chamberlain inquired as they turned towards the house.

"The same, sir."

"You honor me, Colonel Washington, by accepting my invitation to dinner," continued Mr. Chamberlain. "I rejoice all the more in the opportunity to have you for my guest because I have other friends to dine with me to-day, who will regard it a real pleasure to meet our young and gallant soldier."

Washington bowed his acknowledgments for the honest compliment, and they passed into the mansion, where he was soon introduced to the other guests, and brought face to face with them in the dining-hall.

Among the guests was Mrs. Martha Custis, a young widow, accomplished, beautiful, and wealthy, about six months younger than Washington. Her charming appearance captivated the young hero's heart. He beheld in her such a partner as would make his future life happy.

After dinner, instead of discoursing upon the importance of his mission to Williamsburg, and rushing for his horse, he entered into familiar conversation with Mrs. Custis. The longer he talked the more he admired the intelligence, grace, and character of the lady.

His faithful servant Bishop was at the gate, with the horses, when the party rose from dinner. He waited and waited, wondering and wondering what could delay his master, who was always punctual as the clock. The favorite charger champed his bits and pawed the ground, as if he, too, wondered what had become of his rider's usual promptness. So the moments, and even hours, sped, trying the patience of Bishop and the horses.

All this while Washington was engaged in pleasant conversation with Mrs. Custis and other guests, the former being the attraction which caused him to modify his views respecting his business at Williamsburg. She might not have been a "widow bewitched," but she certainly cast a spell over the hero of Monongahela, which he did not throw off; and, after a time of unusual social delight, he accepted an invitation to stop over night. Bishop was ordered to put the horses into the stable, and thoughts of war appear to have been banished.

The next morning he hurried away to Williamsburg, and travelled at such a breakneck speed that Bishop was more puzzled than ever over the conduct of his master. He had sacrificed his well-earned reputation for promptitude on the day before, and now he seemed to be no longer merciful to his beast; quite enough to perplex the servant beyond measure. However, Washington expedited his business at Williamsburg, secured the supplies for his army that he asked, and returned by the way of the "White House" on the Pamunkey River, where Mrs. Custis lived in English style. How long he stopped there we have no means of learning; but long enough to consummate a treaty of love, in which it was stipulated that she should become his bride when the expedition against Duquesne had been brought to a close.

In this affair Washington proved himself to be a true son of Adam and brother in our common humanity. He who is too great to be insensible to womanly charms and virtues, and too cold in his nature to love, cannot have an important mission to perform in this world.

On his return to Winchester he found that the English officers were discussing the practicability of making a new road to Duquesne, or, at least, from Raystown to Duquesne by the way of Laurel Hill.

"Better march thither by the old road which General Braddock constructed," suggested Washington.

"His road did not lead him to victory," answered one of the officers naively.

"Neither will a new road, if that is all you have to depend upon," remarked Washington. "The difficulties of making a new road through this rough country are so great that such an enterprise should not be undertaken unless it is absolutely necessary."

"We came to this country for such business whenever it is necessary," said General Forbes, commander of the expedition.

"Exactly; but a new road is not necessary to make this expedition against Duquesne a success."

"How is that?"

"Because it will consume so much time that winter will be upon us before we can reach the fort. An early movement on the old roads is far more desirable, in my judgment, than a late one on a new road."

"But you do not consider that the king's regulars are experienced in such work, and they will not require the time which the provincial troops do to complete such a piece of work."

"Perhaps so," replied Washington in a doubtful tone, as if he recalled the old boast of the English generals about the might of their regulars. He had seen enough of these boasted heroes in the former expedition against Duquesne to cause him to decidedly prefer provincial troops.

"Besides," continued General Forbes, "the report of General Braddock to his government describes the old road as fearful, in consequence of dense forests, huge rocks, deep morasses, and plunging torrents."

"None of these things caused his defeat," remarked Washington in rather a sarcastic vein.

"As I understand it," added General Forbes, "there are not so thick woods and huge rocks, nor so perilous swamps and rivers by the proposed new route as there are by the old. Besides, the new road is fifty miles nearer."

"The shortest way may prove longer than the longest way if you have the short way to build," was Washington's significant reply.

The English officers were bound to have their own way, and they decided to make the new road, in view of which Washington wrote to the Speaker of the Assembly: "If this conduct of our leaders does not flow from superior orders, it must flow from a weakness too gross for me to name. Nothing now but a miracle can bring this campaign to a happy issue."

A few days later he wrote:

"I believe that all is lost. Our enterprise is ruined, and we shall be stopped this winter at the Laurel Hills."

As the sequel will show, Washington proved himself to be a prophet.

While these warlike preparations were going forward, Washington was elected to a seat in the House of Burgesses. It was not expected, however, that he would take his seat until the contemplated action against the French at Duquesne was consummated.

It was in the month of May, 1758, that Washington went to Williamsburg and found his future wife, when passing through Kent County. It was the 21st of September before the army was ready to strike their tents and take up the march from Raystown, where the whole army had assembled. Much of this time was fooled away by the English officers, who seemed to think that both French and Indians would take to their heels when they saw them coming.

Washington was greatly annoyed by this unnecessary delay. To him it was ominous of evil. He was impatient to plant the English flag on the walls of Duquesne, and to make the beautiful Mrs. Custis his bride. The sooner the army accomplished the former, the sooner he would realize the latter.

To add to his annoyance, General Forbes proposed to repeat General Braddock's folly, and send his regulars forward as a party of observation.

"Such an arrangement was the cause of General Braddock's defeat," he said to General Forbes.

"How so?"

"His regulars knew nothing about Indian warfare. They never saw savages on the field of battle, and so they undertook to fight Indians as they did French."

"Plenty of artillery, with a shower of bullets, whether by regulars or provincials, will do the business," remarked General Forbes, showing that he was as ignorant of the way savages fight as Braddock was.

"I hope I can say, without vanity," continued Washington, "that, from long intimacy with these woods, and frequent scouting in them, my men are at least as well acquainted with all the passes and difficulties as any troops that will be employed. I will volunteer to scour the country in advance of the army."

"You are brave and unselfish, certainly," answered Forbes; "but the regulars would hardly thank me for sending inexperienced troops forward instead of them."

"If General Braddock's regulars, who were shot down in their tracks, could come to life, they would thank you for doing this very thing," said Washington.

"Then you have no faith in the English army to fight Indians."

"None at all. Braddock's regulars were more terrified by the _yell_ of the savages than they were by the cannon of the French."

"Well, then, colonel, I think we must redeem the credit of the British regulars by sending them forward at this time," answered General Forbes. "If Braddock's regulars disgraced their country and cause, as you affirm they did, it is time that Forbes's regulars should wipe out the dishonor. And that can be done only by detailing them for the work proposed."

"As you please, general," answered Washington, seeing that Forbes was determined to employ his regulars as a scouting party. "You have my opinion, and you will have my obedience as heartily. Nothing that I can do to make this expedition successful shall be withholden."

Therefore the regulars scoured the country in advance, eight hundred in number. Washington wrote again concerning the prospects under these unwise arrangements:

"The golden opportunity has been lost, perhaps never more to return. Between building a new road and sending forward regulars to meet the Indians, our hope of success is small indeed. Small parties of Indians will effectually demoralize the English by keeping them under continual alarms, and attacking them in ambuscade."

The advance party was under the command of Major Grant, a conceited, overbearing officer, who was as ignorant of Indian tactics as a baby. Besides, his extreme self-confidence made him boastful and reckless, as he subsequently found to his sorrow and shame. One of Washington's biographers says of Grant:

"He was instructed to find out all he could about the enemy, without suffering the enemy to find out more than he could help about himself, and by all possible means to avoid a battle. But instead of conducting the expedition with silence and circumspection, he marched along in so open and boisterous a manner as made it appear he meant to give the enemy timely notice of his coming, and bully him into an attack even while yet on the way. The French, keeping themselves well-informed by their spies of his every movement, suffered him to approach almost to their very gates without molestation. When he got in the neighborhood of the fort, he posted himself on a hill overlooking it, and began throwing up intrenchments in full view of the garrison. As if all this were not imprudence enough, and as if bent on provoking the enemy to come out and give him battle on the instant, whether or no, he sent down a party of observation to spy out yet more narrowly the inside plan and defences of the fort, who were suffered not only to do this, but even to burn a house just outside the walls, and then return to their intrenchments without a hostile sign betokening the unseen foe so silent, yet watchful, within.

"Early the next morning, as if to give the enemy warning of the threatened danger, the drums of the regulars beat the _réveille_, and the bag-pipes of the Highlanders woke the forest-echoes far and wide with their wild and shrilly din."

During all this time there was silence in the fort, and no sign of the enemy anywhere around.

"No enemy is here; they have fled before us," said Major Grant to General Forbes. "The English regulars have frightened them out of their wits, and they have taken leg-bail."

"An illustration of the old adage, 'discretion is the better part of valor,'" answered Forbes.

"And these are the heroic French and terrible savages of which that young American colonel tells so much!" continued Major Grant in a derisive manner. "All I regret is, that they did not stay to fight."

"It is too serious a joke to fit out this expedition and march through this wilderness for nothing," added General Forbes. "We ought to have one chance at the foe, if nothing more."

"Well, I am not disappointed in the least," responded Grant. "All this talk about the bravery of the French and the savagery of Indians is buncomb, and that is all. I will raise the English flag over the fort without a drop of blood being shed. Let me advance with the regulars; and Captain Lewis, with his Americans, remain behind with the baggage. We will show you how a fort can be taken."

"Your order shall be obeyed," replied Captain Lewis, although he looked with contempt upon the braggart whom he addressed.

General Braddock's blunder was repeated on that day. The regulars moved forward, and marched directly into an Indian ambuscade.

With unearthly yells the savages sprang from their hiding places, and poured a terrific fire into the faces of the regulars. At the same time the French rushed out of their fort, sending volley after volley of leaden death into their ranks. The English stood their ground for a moment, then broke and retreated in confusion. The savages, emboldened by their success, rushed on to more fearful slaughter, and between musket and tomahawk, butchery reigned supreme.

Major Lewis, who was left behind with the baggage, leaving fifty men under the charge of Captain Bullit to guard it, rushed forward with his Virginia force to the relief of the regulars. His timely aid checked the advance of the foe; but, in a hand to hand fight with an Indian warrior, he was taken prisoner, though not until the warrior lay dead at his feet.

Major Grant was taken prisoner, and would have been tomahawked on the spot but for the interposition of a French officer.

The retreat became a complete rout, the savages pursuing with their accustomed yells. Captain Bullit determined to resist the pursuit of the enemy by piling the baggage across the road for a barricade. Behind this, with his fifty men, he poured a deadly fire into the foe as they approached, volley after volley, checking their advance by striking terror to their hearts for a moment. Perceiving that he could not long hold out, he resorted to a strategy that would have been regarded barbarous if adopted by Indians. Irving speaks of it as follows:

"They were checked for a time, but were again pressing forward in greater numbers, when Bullit and his men held out the signal of capitulation, and advanced, as if to surrender. When within eight yards of the enemy, they suddenly leveled their arms, poured a most effectual volley, and then charged with the bayonet. The Indians fled in dismay, and Bullit took advantage of this check to retreat, with all speed, collecting the wounded and scattered fugitives as he advanced."

The whole of the straggling army did not reach Fort Loyal Harman at Laurel Hills until the fifth day of November. Many of the soldiers, especially the wounded, suffered terribly on the retreat.

Washington was at Raystown when the attack was made upon the advance. Why and for what he was there, except by order of the commander, General Forbes, we know not. But he joined the beaten and demoralized army at Fort Loyal Harman.

"Braddock's folly repeated must end in Braddock's defeat and shame," he remarked, on hearing of the disaster. "The result is no worse than I feared."

"Your Virginians fought bravely," remarked General Forbes to Washington, evidently thinking that he had underrated their valor and efficiency.

"I am not surprised to hear it," replied Washington. "I knew that they would prove themselves equal to the occasion."

"Braver fellows never met a foe on the battlefield," continued General Forbes. "Our defeat would have been more bloody and shameful but for them."

"And if they had formed the advance, they would not have been caught in an Indian ambuscade," remarked Washington suggestively.

In this unfortunate battle the British lost twenty-one officers and two hundred and seventy-three privates in killed and wounded, more than one-third of the advance under Grant.

"Well," continued General Forbes, "this snow and freezing weather will compel us to go into winter quarters here. After this defeat we are not in a condition to attack the fort immediately."

"Our prospects are not very flattering, it must be confessed," remarked Washington, without expressing his opinion of the unnecessary and foolish blunder that had brought them into this plight. Had he led his Virginia rangers in advance, such a disgraceful record would not have been made.

Washington prophesied that, between building a new road and sending regulars in advance, defeat was inevitable, and now General Forbes proposed to fulfil his prophecy.

"What is your advice, Colonel Washington, under the circumstances?" inquired General Forbes, evidently designing to atone somewhat for his previous shabby treatment of the young Virginia hero. "Is it wise to march against the fort at this late season and in this rough weather?"

Washington was not at all disposed to give advice after all his previous counsels had been treated with contempt; therefore he prolonged the conversation without gratifying the commanding general with an explicit statement of his opinions. In the midst of their interview two or three prisoners were brought in, and they gave such an account of the weakness and destitution of the French garrison that Washington advised an immediate advance upon the fort.

"Is it possible?" said General Forbes, doubting the statement.

"It is _possible_," answered Washington. "It is an easy matter to find out, however."

"We are not exactly prepared for such a movement now," replied the general.

"I am at your service, general, with my rangers," answered Washington, in a tone which showed that he coveted the business. We strongly suspect that Washington was thinking of his promised bride, and desired to close the campaign against Duquesne that he might claim her. To go into winter quarters, and leave the fort to be captured another season, would put off his wedding-day far beyond his wishes. The understanding was, that he would not be married until after the fall of Duquesne.

"Your brave and generous offer is accepted, without conditions," General Forbes immediately replied, only too glad now to impose the labor and risk upon provincial troops.

"I will be ready to move to-morrow," added Washington with his usual promptness.

"As soon as you please, and in what manner you please. The whole thing is in your hands."

"Very well, sir; we march to-morrow," added Washington as he hurried away.

On the next day he took up the line of march towards Duquesne, proceeding with extreme caution as he approached the vicinity of the fort. The locality of the recent battle was marked by the dead bodies of their fallen brothers, a sickening spectacle to behold. Around them, too, were scattered the bones of comrades who fell in the first battle, three years before, a melancholy reminder of the defeat and death which followed the blundering of conceited officers.

No sign of the enemy appeared. Silence reigned supreme. Scouts reported no trace of the foe. Still the "rangers" moved forward with the utmost caution. Indians could not surprise them now.

Coming in sight of the fort, they saw that it was deserted. No flag floated over its walls. On the double-quick, Washington led his troops into it, and not a Frenchman or Indian was found. The wooden buildings were burned to ashes, together with such baggage and other material as the occupants could not carry away in boats. Not a cannon, gun, or cartridge remained. Washington planted the English flag upon the walls of the fort with his own hand, on the twenty-fifth day of November, 1758.

It was learned, subsequently, that on account of the signal victories of the British army in Canada, no reinforcements or provisions were received at Duquesne. As the French garrison was in urgent need of both, the commander concluded, on the approach of Washington's command, that the better part of valor would be to abandon it; hence its evacuation.