From Farm House to the White House - 912 Freedom Library

Farm House to the White House, by William M. Thayer 113
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