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 99<br />
Scarooyadi reported <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> governor and Council of Pennsylvania, after Braddock's defeat: "It was owing <strong>to</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> pride and arrogance of that great general who came from England. He is now dead, but he was a bad man<br />
when he was alive. He looked upon us as dogs, and would never hear anything that was said <strong>to</strong> him. We often<br />
endeavored <strong>to</strong> advise him, and tell him of <strong>the</strong> danger he was in with his soldiers; but he never appeared<br />
pleased with us, and that was <strong>the</strong> reason a great many of our warriors left him." He proposed <strong>to</strong> take up <strong>the</strong><br />
hatchet again with <strong>the</strong> English, and said:<br />
"Let us unite our strength; you are numerous, and all <strong>the</strong> English governors along your seashore can raise men<br />
enough; but don't let those that come from over <strong>the</strong> great seas be concerned any more. They are unfit <strong>to</strong> fight<br />
in <strong>the</strong> woods. Let us go ourselves, we that came out of this ground."<br />
Three or four o'clock on that ninth day of July, as <strong>the</strong> advance of <strong>the</strong> army was ascending a rise of ground, a<br />
volley of musketry suddenly arrested <strong>the</strong>ir progress. <strong>From</strong> a ravine, concealed by dense foliage, a deadly fire<br />
was poured in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir faces. Before <strong>the</strong>y had recovered from <strong>the</strong>ir surprise, ano<strong>the</strong>r volley was fired in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>m<br />
from <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r side. These volleys mowed <strong>the</strong>m down like grass. Yet <strong>the</strong> enemy could not be seen. The<br />
English directed <strong>the</strong>ir fire <strong>to</strong>wards <strong>the</strong> smoke of battle, though but for a moment. For <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>rrent of lead, shot<br />
in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir faces, forced <strong>the</strong> advance back upon <strong>the</strong> main column, and confusion followed. General Braddock<br />
bravely sought <strong>to</strong> rally <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>to</strong> move forward in orderly columns, as on European battlefields, but his efforts<br />
were abortive; for six hundred Indians, painted and armed for battle and thirsting for blood, burst from <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
ambuscade, followed by three hundred French and Canadians, sure of vic<strong>to</strong>ry; and <strong>the</strong> work of carnage grew<br />
terrific.<br />
Early in <strong>the</strong> conflict two of Braddock's aides-de-camp, Captains Orme and Morris, fell, and Washing<strong>to</strong>n alone<br />
remained <strong>to</strong> carry <strong>the</strong> general's orders here and <strong>the</strong>re. Without <strong>the</strong> least regard <strong>to</strong> personal safety, he galloped<br />
over <strong>the</strong> field, his tall, noble form presenting a rare target for <strong>the</strong> Indian sharpshooters, who <strong>to</strong>ok special pains<br />
<strong>to</strong> bring him down. Two horses were shot under him, and four balls pierced his clo<strong>the</strong>s; still he was<br />
conspicuous everywhere that he could be of service, and for three hours distributed his commander's orders,<br />
with <strong>the</strong> deadly missiles flying around him like hails<strong>to</strong>nes. Dr. Craik said:<br />
"I expected <strong>to</strong> see him fall every moment. He dashed over <strong>the</strong> field, reckless of death, when <strong>the</strong> bullets<br />
whistled about him on every side. Why he was not killed I cannot divine, unless a watchful Providence was<br />
preserving him for more important work."<br />
One of <strong>the</strong> principal Indian warriors fired at him again and again; and, at his bidding, a score of young braves<br />
did <strong>the</strong> same, without so much as grazing his skin, keeping up <strong>the</strong>ir fire until convinced that <strong>the</strong> Great Spirit<br />
had given <strong>to</strong> him a charmed life that he might not be shot in battle.<br />
Mr. Paulding gives <strong>the</strong> description of an eye-witness thus:<br />
"I saw him take hold of a brass field-piece as if it had been a stick. He looked like a fury; he <strong>to</strong>re <strong>the</strong><br />
sheet-lead from <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>uch-hole, he placed one hand on <strong>the</strong> muzzle, <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r on <strong>the</strong> breach; he pulled with this<br />
and he pushed with that, and wheeled it round as if it had been nothing. It <strong>to</strong>re <strong>the</strong> ground like a plough. The<br />
powder monkey rushed up with <strong>the</strong> fire, and <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> cannon began <strong>to</strong> bark, I tell you. They fought and <strong>the</strong>y<br />
fought, and <strong>the</strong> Indians yelled when <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> brass cannon made <strong>the</strong> bark of <strong>the</strong> trees fly, and <strong>the</strong> Indians<br />
came down. That place <strong>the</strong>y call Rock Hill, and <strong>the</strong>re <strong>the</strong>y left five hundred men dead on <strong>the</strong> ground."<br />
A bullet struck Washing<strong>to</strong>n's gold watch-seal, and knocked it from his chain. Eighty years after <strong>the</strong> battle that<br />
seal was found by a visi<strong>to</strong>r <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> battle ground, and it is now preserved among <strong>the</strong> relics of <strong>the</strong> Washing<strong>to</strong>n<br />
family.<br />
The English officers behaved heroically, and won Washing<strong>to</strong>n's admiration by <strong>the</strong>ir bravery; but <strong>the</strong> English<br />
soldiers acted like cowards. Panic-stricken in <strong>the</strong> first place, <strong>the</strong>y did not recover from <strong>the</strong>ir consternation