From Farm House to the White House - 912 Freedom Library

Farm House to the White House, by William M. Thayer 89
in the vicinity of the French party, two Indian scouts were sent forward, who discovered their camp two miles
distant. It was in the dawn of the morning, and they had traveled all night through the driving storm and
darkness, and, of course, were poorly prepared for battle. But Washington determined upon an attack
immediately. Arranging his own men on the right and the Indians on the left, he advanced rapidly upon the
enemy. The latter were taken unawares, but they sprang to their arms and opened fire on catching sight of the
English. A brief, sharp, bloody encounter ensued, when the French surrendered, having lost ten men killed
and one wounded. Twenty-one were taken prisoners. Washington's loss was one man killed and two or three
wounded.
Among the slain Frenchmen was their popular commander, Captain Jumonville. The twenty-one prisoners
were sent, under a strong guard, to Governor Dinwiddie, with a plea from Washington that they should be
treated with humanity. He withstood Tanacharisson and his redskins, who wanted to slay every one of the
prisoners, and rebuked their revengeful spirit.
"The French army at the forks will avenge the death of Jumonville," said Washington to Gist, "and the whole
force will march against us."
"They will if they are like the rest of mankind," responded Gist, "and that, too, without waiting for ceremony."
"We will be prepared for them," added Washington. "It will never do for an army to be caught napping,
especially a little one like mine."
"But you will fight against great odds," suggested Gist; "the French have every advantage in men and means."
"True, very true, but we must make our fortifications strong at the Meadows, and do the best we can."
This little conquering squad of English rejoined the army at the Meadows, and proceeded at once to make
their fort impregnable. Here Washington soon received additional reinforcements, swelling his army to four
hundred soldiers. Among them was a company of one hundred men from North Carolina, under Captain
Mackey. The latter officer made some trouble for Washington by claiming superiority of rank, because his
commission was from the King of England, while Washington's was from a provincial governor only.
However, this difficulty was soon adjusted through Washington's tact and magnanimity.
The army was short of provisions at this time, supplies not having been sent forward as Washington expected.
His men were very much tried, and many of them were exasperated. Adding hunger and needless suffering to
their pittance of pay was quite enough to demoralize the rank and file. Washington could not blame them
much, in the circumstances, although the discontent added to his trials. He wrote to Governor Dinwiddie in
his troubles, as follows:
"Giving up my commission is quite contrary to my intentions. Nay, I ask it as a greater favor than any
amongst the many I have received from your honor, to confirm it to me. But let me serve voluntarily; then I
will, with the greatest pleasure in life, devote my services to the expedition, without any other reward than the
satisfaction of serving my country; but to be slaving dangerously for the shadow of pay, through woods,
rocks, and mountains, I would rather prefer the great toil of a day laborer, and dig for a maintenance, provided
I were reduced to the necessity, than serve upon such ignoble terms.... I hope what I have said will not be
taken amiss, for I really believe, were it as much in your power as it is in your inclination, we should be
treated as gentlemen and officers, and not have annexed to the most trifling pay that ever was given to English
officers the glorious allowance of soldier's diet, a pound of pork, with bread in proportion, per day. Be the
consequence what it will, I am determined not to leave the regiment, but to be among the last men to quit the
Ohio."
Washington preferred to serve his country without pay rather than have the reputation of being paid when