CHAPTER XXXI.

CAMPAIGNS OF WASHINGTON AND BRADDOCK.

WASHINGTON, with his little army of Virginians, was commissioned to build a fort at the source of the Ohio, and to repel all who interrupted the English settlements in that country. In April the young commander left Will's Creek, but the march was toilsome. The men were obliged to drag their cannons. The roads were miserable; rivers were bridgeless; provisions insufficient.

2. On the 26th of May, the English reached the Great Meadows. Here Washington was informed that the French were on the march to attack him. A stockade was immediately erected, and named Fort Necessity. Washington, after conference with the Mingo chiefs, determined to strike the first blow. Two Indians followed the trail of the enemy, and discovered their hiding place. The French were on the alert, and flew to arms. "Fire!" was the command of Washington; and the first volley of a great war went flying through the forest. The engagement was brief and decisive. Jumonville, the leader of the French, and ten of his party were killed, and twenty-one were made prisoners. 3. Washington returned to Fort Necessity and waited for reïnforcements. Only one company of volunteers arrived. Washington spent the time in cutting a road for twenty miles in the direction of Fort du Quesne. The Indians who had been expected to join him from the Muskingum and the Miami did not arrive. His whole force scarcely numbered four hundred. Learning that the French general De Villiers was approaching, Washington deemed it prudent to fall back to Fort Necessity.

4. Scarcely were Washington's forces safe within the stockade, when, on the 3d of July, the regiment of De Villiers came in sight, and surrounded the fort. The French stationed themselves

on the eminence, and fired down upon the English with fatal effect. The Indians climbed into the tree-tops. For nine hours the assailants poured a shower of balls upon Washington's men. At length, seeing that it would be impossible to hold out, he accepted the terms which were offered by the French general. On the 4th of July, the English garrison marched out of the fort, and withdrew from the country.

5. Meanwhile, a congress of the American colonies had assembled at Albany. The first object had in view was to renew the treaty with the Iroquois. The convention next took up the work of uniting the colonies in a common government. On the 10th of July, Benjamin Franklin presented the draft of a constitution, which was finally adopted. Philadelphia was to be the capital. The chief executive was to be a governor appointed by the king. Each colony should be represented in congress by not less than two or more than seven representatives.

own.

6. Copies of this constitution were transmitted to the several colonies; but the new scheme of government was everywhere received with disfavor. The English ministers also rejected it, saying that the Americans were trying to make a government of their Meanwhile, the French were constantly preparing for war. 7. Early in 1755, General Braddock arrived in America, and on the 14th of April, met the governors of the colonies at Alexandria. The plans of four campaigns were agreed on. Lawrence, the governor of Nova Scotia, was to complete the conquest of that province. Governor Johnson, of New York, was to capture Crown Point. Shirley, of Massachusetts, was to take Fort Niagara. Braddock himself was to lead the main army against Fort du Quesne.

8. In the latter part of April, the British general set out with two thousand veterans, from Alexandria to Fort Cumberland. A few provincial troops joined the expedition. Washington became an aid-de-camp of Braddock, and frequently gave him honest counsel, which the British general rejected.

9. Braddock marched with the main body. On the 19th of June, he put himself at the head of twelve hundred chosen troops and pressed forward towards Fort du Quesne. Colonel Dunbar was left behind with the rest of the army. On the 9th of July, when the

English were only twelve miles from Fort du Quesne, they were suddenly attacked by the French and Indians hidden among the rocks and ravines.

10. The battle began with a panic. The men fired constantly, but could see no enemy. Brad

dock rushed to the front and rallied his men; but it was all in vain. They stood huddled together like sheep. The forest was strewn with the dead. Out of eighty-two officers, twenty-six were killed. Only Washington remained to distribute orders. Of the privates seven hundred and fourteen had fallen. A retreat began at once, and Washington, with the Virginians, covered the flight of the army.

11. On the next day the Indians returned to Fort du Quesne,

Alle

French
English.

MILES 2

Fort
du Quesne

Mono

Route.

6

8

10

12

14

SCENE OF BRADDOCK'S DEFEAT, 1755.

The dying Braddock On the evening of the

clad in the laced coats of the British officers. was borne in the train of the fugitives. fourth day he died. When the fugitives reached Dunbar's camp, the confusion was greater than ever. The artillery, baggage, and public stores were destroyed. Then followed a hasty retreat to Fort Cumberland, and finally to Philadelphia.

RECAPITULATION.

Washington marches to Great Meadows.-Builds Fort Necessity.-Attacks the French.-Extends the road toward Du Quesne.-De Villiers approaches.-Attacks Fort Necessity.--And compels a surrender.-An American congress assembles at Albany.-Franklin plans a union.-The colonies reject the constitution.-France sends soldiers to America.-Braddock is sent by England.-He confers with the governors. Plans four campaigns.-Marches his army to Fort Cumberland.Proceeds against Du Quesne.-Approaches the fort.-Meets the French and Indians. And is defeated.-Washington saves the remnant of the army.-Death of Braddock.-Dunbar retires to Philadelphia.

CHAPTER XXXII.

RUIN OF ACADIA.

Y the treaty of Utrecht, made in 1713, Acadia, or Nova Scotia, was ceded by France to England. The great majority of the people in that province were French, and the English government was only a military occupation. At the outbreak of the French and Indian War the population amounted to more than sixteen thousand. The enterprise of reducing these people to submission was entrusted to Governor Lawrence, who was to be aided by a British fleet. On the 20th of May, 1755, the squadron, with three thousand troops, sailed from Boston for the Bay of Fundy.

2. The French had one fortress, named Beau-Sejour, situated near the head of Chignecto Bay, and another fort called Gaspereau, on the north side of the isthmus, at Bay Verte. But there was no preparation for defence at either place. On the 16th of June,

4. The country about the isthmus was now laid waste, and the peasants driven into the larger towns. Wherever a sufficient number could be gotten together they were compelled to go on shipboard. At the village of Grand Pré more than nineteen hun

dred people were driven into the boats at the point of the bayonet. Wives and children, old men and mothers, the sick and the infirm, all shared the common fate. More than three thousand of the Acadians were carried away by the British squadron, and scattered, helpless and half starved, among the English colonies.

RECAPITULATION.

Nova Scotia under English rule.-Lawrence is authorized to subdue the French inhabitants.-The English fleet leaves Boston.-The French forts on the Bay of Fundy. The fleet arrives at Beau-Sejour.-The place surrenders.-The other forts capitulate.-The British officers determine to exile the inhabitants.--The country is laid waste.-And the people carried into banishment.

*Longfellow's Evangeline is founded on this incident.