From Farm House to the White House Part 27

As soon as possible after the arrival of General Braddock, Governor Dinwiddie called a conference of the governors of five Colonies to discuss war measures. The result of the conference was the plan of undertaking three expeditions. "The first of these was to be conducted by Braddock, with the British troops, against Fort Duquesne; the second, under the command of Governor Shirley of Maryland, now honored with the commission of general from the king, was intended for the reduction of the French fort of Niagara, and was composed of American regulars and Indians; the third was an expedition against Crown Point, to be undertaken by a regiment of militia."

As soon as Washington's mother learned that her son had decided to join Braddock's army, she hastened to Mount Vernon in great distress.

"I hoped you had quit war forever, George," she said, "and would be content to look after your farm and mother, without exposing yourself to death any more."

"A man must be loyal to his country, mother," replied Washington. "He is not much of a man if he is not willing to risk his life for his country."

"I will not dispute you, George, on that point," continued his mother; "but somehow I had got it into my mind that you were through with war, and I was glad of it. I suppose that a mother's love had more to do with it than patriotism."

"But you believe in patriotism?" added Washington.

"Of course I do."

"But do not want your son to be patriotic," he quickly added, knowing exactly what course to pursue in order to secure his mother's approval.

"Not so, George," Mrs. Washington answered. "I honor patriotism, and if it is _necessary_ for you to join the army again, I am willing. As I said, a mother's love got the better of me for the moment."

"It does seem necessary for me to go, mother, in the circ.u.mstances,"

added Washington. "As I am situated the refusal might be easily construed into a lack of patriotism. This is a critical time for the Colonies, when loyalty and patriotism alone can sustain their cause."

"You are right, my son, and I will heartily withdraw my objections,"

responded Mrs. Washington, touched by her son's devotion to his country.

"My prayers are all that I can give to my country, and these it shall have. That G.o.d may protect you through all the dangers and hardships of war, and return you in safety, will be my constant prayer. With His blessing you can be a useful man in war, as in peace, and without it you can expect nothing."

Thus, as before, Washington entered upon the campaign with his mother's pious benediction. On the 9th of June he left Alexandria with Braddock's army, recruited to nearly three thousand men. Virginia raised three companies of her best marksmen, who joined the British troops. When the march began, and Washington took in the grand military display, every soldier well clad and equipped, instead of being ragged and poorly armed, he said, "This is the grandest spectacle I ever beheld."

As another has said, "Not the shabby, discouraging, inglorious war of men without hats and shoes, kettles and bayonets, but the military array of a young officer's brightest dreams: a host in gallant uniforms, with nodding plumes, the clang of inspiring music, and the dazzling splendor of banners flaunting in the sun. Victory was a thing of course. The want of proper equipment had occasioned defeat and mortification. The presence of everything that a soldier's heart could wish or his fancy devise was sure to bring triumph that would extinguish all memory of former failure."

General Braddock was an experienced officer, but he knew nothing of Indian warfare. Evidently he regarded the French as his chief antagonists, and supposed that an easy victory could be won. His conversation with Benjamin Franklin, who visited him, as postmaster-general, to make arrangements for the transmission of the mails to and from the army, reveals much of the general's character.

"Not a long campaign, I think," he remarked to Franklin.

"Nevertheless a hard one," answered Franklin. "In such a country as this, campaigning is attended with serious difficulties."

"But difficulties lessen before experienced officers and soldiers,"

responded Braddock.

"Can you give me any idea of your intended progress?" inquired Franklin, for the purpose of drawing him out, and learning what were his real ideas of the country.

"After taking Fort Duquesne," Braddock replied, "I am to proceed to Niagara; and, having taken that, to Frontenac, if the season will allow, and I suppose it will, for Duquesne can hardly detain me above three or four days; and then I can see nothing to obstruct my march to Niagara."

"I supposed that it would require a longer time than that to reduce Fort Duquesne," said Washington. "The French have had ample time to strengthen their fortification."

"That may be, but I do not apprehend much difficulty in accomplishing my object there," was the general's confident reply.

"To be sure, sir," continued Franklin, "if you arrive well before Duquesne with these fine troops, so well provided with artillery, the fort, though completely fortified and a.s.sisted with a very strong garrison, can probably make but a short resistance. The only danger I apprehend of obstruction to your march is from the ambuscades of the Indians, who, by constant practice, are dexterous in laying and executing them; and your slender line of troops, nearly four miles long, which your army must make, may expose it to be attacked by surprise on its flanks, and to be cut like thread into several pieces, which, from their distance, cannot come up in time to support one another."

General Braddock smiled at what he thought was Franklin's ignorance, and answered in a self-a.s.suring manner:

"These savages may, indeed, be a formidable enemy to raw American militia; but upon the king's regular and disciplined troops, sir, it is impossible they should make an impression."

In describing this interview afterwards, Franklin said sarcastically:

"I was conscious of an impropriety in my disputing with a military man in matters of his profession and said no more."

Washington was so ill after the army reached the great crossings of the Youghiogeny, that Dr. Craik advised him to stop until he rallied. He had been feverish for several days, and for that reason had ridden in a covered wagon.

"Death is almost inevitable if you continue," said Dr. Craik. "Stop here until the violence of your fever abates, and then you can come up with Dunbar's rear division."

"I think you are unnecessarily alarmed, doctor," answered Washington.

"In a few days I shall be all right. It will be a great trial to me to stop here and not advance with the army."

"It may prove a greater trial for you to advance," suggested Dr. Craik.

"Rest and quiet may restore you speedily now, but it may be too late three days hence."

General Braddock also appealed to him.

"You are altogether too unwell to proceed, Colonel Washington," he said, "and you must not attempt it."

"But I would not miss being with you at the attack upon Fort Duquesne for five hundred pounds," replied Washington.

"And you will not if you stop here until you are better; but if you go on, you may be dead and buried by that time, or too sick to partic.i.p.ate in the battle," was the general's wise answer.

"I will stop here if you will promise that I shall rejoin the army before an engagement," added Washington.

"I pledge you my word of honor, in the most solemn manner, that it shall be effected."

Washington remained, soon rallied, and rejoined the army when it was encamped about two miles from the Monongahela River.

Washington had feared disaster, as Franklin did, from Braddock's ignorance of Indian warfare.

"Let me reconnoitre in advance with the three companies of Virginia marksmen," he proposed. "We understand the tactics of the savages, and can fight them in their own way."

"Allow me to suggest, young man, that the savages will be of little account before my regulars," was Braddock's haughty answer, evidently thinking that his youthful aid-de-camp was too officious.

"The best disciplined troops are not competent to fight Indians in the Indian way if they have had no experience with savages," persisted Washington. "The order of battle and the usual rules and tactics of war are of no account here."

"That may be your opinion and experience," replied the general, "but you have not had the king's efficient troops here before. That makes all the difference in the world."

"Nevertheless," added Washington, "defeat awaits us unless we are prepared to meet Indians with their own tactics."

Before the army took up its line of march from Alexandria, Washington advised General Braddock not to wait for any wagons to be provided.

Braddock had been disappointed in getting a supply of these; and when Dr. Franklin visited him, he bargained with him to purchase in Pennsylvania, and forward at once, a sufficient number of them, with four horses to each wagon.

"Army wagons will be a burden to us instead of a help, much of the way,"

said Washington. "The road is narrow and rough, and pack-horses will prove better than wagons."

But these suggestions were unheeded by the haughty British officer, who insisted that his army should be provided for and move in the wilds of America as in the cultivated countries of Europe. He had too much official pride to allow himself to be instructed by a stripling in Virginia.