From Farm House to the White House - 912 Freedom Library

Farm House to the White House, by William M. Thayer 112
"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