From Farm House to the White House - 912 Freedom Library
From Farm House to the White House - 912 Freedom Library
From Farm House to the White House - 912 Freedom Library
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<strong>Farm</strong> <strong>House</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>White</strong> <strong>House</strong>, by William M. Thayer 100<br />
during <strong>the</strong> engagement. The unearthly yells of <strong>the</strong> savages, which <strong>the</strong>y had never heard before, seemed <strong>to</strong><br />
terrify <strong>the</strong>m even more than <strong>the</strong> whistling of bullets. They lost self-control, disregarded <strong>the</strong> orders of <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
officers, and ran hi<strong>the</strong>r and thi<strong>the</strong>r like frightened sheep. Sixty-three of <strong>the</strong> eighty-five English officers were<br />
killed or wounded, a fact that shows how bravely <strong>the</strong>y fought.<br />
General Braddock proved himself a brave and faithful commander. He did all that mortal man could do <strong>to</strong><br />
save his army, exposing himself <strong>to</strong> death from first <strong>to</strong> last. After three hours of hard fighting, during which<br />
time four horses were shot under him, he fell, pierced by several bullets, and was borne from <strong>the</strong> field.<br />
Now <strong>the</strong> whole command depended upon Washing<strong>to</strong>n, who had taken special pains <strong>to</strong> have <strong>the</strong> Virginia<br />
marksmen fight <strong>the</strong> Indians after <strong>the</strong>ir own fashion. Their effective tactics had saved <strong>the</strong> English army from<br />
complete destruction. And now Washing<strong>to</strong>n rallied <strong>the</strong>m afresh, <strong>to</strong> cover <strong>the</strong> army in its retreat, bearing <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
wounded commander as <strong>the</strong>y went.<br />
Mr. Meek's description of <strong>the</strong> final contest is so particular and graphic that we quote it here:<br />
"Happily, on <strong>the</strong> left, where lay <strong>the</strong> heaviest fire, Washing<strong>to</strong>n's rangers were posted, but not exposed like <strong>the</strong><br />
British. For, on hearing <strong>the</strong> savage yells aforesaid, in a moment <strong>the</strong>y flew each <strong>to</strong> his tree, like <strong>the</strong> Indians;<br />
and, like <strong>the</strong>m, each leveled his rifle, and with as deadly aim. This, through a kind Providence, saved<br />
Braddock's army; for, exulting in <strong>the</strong>ir confusion, <strong>the</strong> savages, grimly painted, and yelling like furies, leaped<br />
from <strong>the</strong>ir coverts, eager <strong>to</strong> glut <strong>the</strong>ir hellish rage with a <strong>to</strong>tal massacre of <strong>the</strong> British. But, faithful <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
friends, Washing<strong>to</strong>n's rangers stepped forth with joy <strong>to</strong> met <strong>the</strong> assailants. Then rose a scene sufficient <strong>to</strong> fill<br />
<strong>the</strong> s<strong>to</strong>utest heart with horror. Here falls <strong>the</strong> brave Virginia blue, under <strong>the</strong> stroke of his nimbler foe; and<br />
<strong>the</strong>re, man on man, <strong>the</strong> Indians perish beneath <strong>the</strong> furious s<strong>to</strong>rm of lead. But who can tell <strong>the</strong> joy of<br />
Washing<strong>to</strong>n, when he saw this handful of his despised countrymen thus gallantly defending <strong>the</strong>ir British<br />
friends, and, by dint of mortal steel, driving back <strong>the</strong>ir blood-thirsty assailants? Happy check! for by this time,<br />
covered with wounds, Braddock had fallen; his aids and officers, <strong>to</strong> a man, killed or wounded; and his troops,<br />
in hopeless, helpless despair, flying backwards and forwards from <strong>the</strong> fire of <strong>the</strong> Indians, like flocks of<br />
crowded sheep from <strong>the</strong> presence of <strong>the</strong>ir butchers. Washing<strong>to</strong>n alone remained unhurt. Two horses had been<br />
killed under him. Showers of bullets had lifted his locks or pierced his regimentals. But still protected by<br />
heaven, still supported by a strength not his own, he had continued <strong>to</strong> fly from quarter <strong>to</strong> quarter, where his<br />
presence was most needed, sometimes animating his rangers, sometimes striving, but in vain, <strong>to</strong> rally <strong>the</strong><br />
regulars. 'Twas his lot <strong>to</strong> be close <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> brave but imprudent Braddock when he fell, and assisted <strong>to</strong> place him<br />
in a tumbril, or little cart. As he was laid down, pale and near spent with loss of blood, he faintly said <strong>to</strong><br />
Washing<strong>to</strong>n:<br />
"Well, colonel, what's <strong>to</strong> be done now?"<br />
"Retreat, retreat by all means," answered Washing<strong>to</strong>n. "The regulars won't fight and <strong>the</strong> rangers are nearly all<br />
killed."<br />
"Poor fellows! poor fellows!" weakly replied <strong>the</strong> dying general. "Do as you will, colonel, <strong>the</strong> command is on<br />
you."<br />
"More than half of <strong>the</strong> army are dead and wounded," continued Washing<strong>to</strong>n, "and retreat is all that is left us.<br />
The surviving rangers can cover <strong>the</strong> retreat of <strong>the</strong> remnant."<br />
"Pardon me, colonel for rejecting your counsel, which I now deeply regret," <strong>the</strong> general frankly confessed. "I<br />
see it now, but it is all over."<br />
The command of <strong>the</strong> army reverted <strong>to</strong> Colonel Dunbar after <strong>the</strong> fall of Braddock; but he was several miles<br />
away, on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r side of <strong>the</strong> Monongahela, when <strong>the</strong> disaster occurred, in charge of <strong>the</strong> rear division and