he is a Person whose active Spirit, leads him into all parlys, and brought him acquainted with all parts, add to this a perfect use of the Indian Tongue, and g't influence with the Indians. He Ingenuously enough confess'd, that as soon as he saw the Commission and Instructions that he believ'd and then said he expected some such tendency, tho' he pretends to say he does not believe the Commander had any other but a good design."

In this Engagement we had only one Man kill'd, and two or three wounded, among which was Lieutt. Waggener slightly,a most miraculous escape, as Our Right Wing was much expos'd to their Fire and receiv'd it all.

The Half King receiv'd your Honour's speech very kind, but desird me to inform you that he could not leave his People at this time, thinking them in great Danger. He is now gone to the xing for their Familys to bring to our camp and he desird I wd send some Men and Horses to assist them up; which I have accordingly done; sent 30 men and upwards of 20 Horses. He says if your Honr. has any thing to say you may communicate by me, &ca.; and that if you have a present for them it may be kept to another occasion, after sending up some things for their imediate use. He has declar'd to send these Frenchmen's Scalps with a Hatchet to all the Nations of Indian's in union with them, and did that very day give a Hatchet and a large Belt of Wampum to a Delaware Man to carry to Shingiss: he promis'd me to send down the River for all the Minsgo's and Shawnesse to our Camp, where I expect him to morrow with 30 or 40 men with their Wives and Children, to confirm what he has said here, he has sent your Honour a string of Wampum.

'This skirmish and the subsequent assassination acknowledgment in the capitulation at Fort Necessity created so great a stir at the time and has been productive of such discussion since that a comparison of this letter with the account published by the French in Mémoires Contenant le Précis des Faits, is illuminative of the method used by the French in coloring Washington's narrative to suit their purposes.

As these Runners went off to the Fort on Sunday last, I shall expect every hour to be attack'd, and by unequal numbers, which I must withstand if there are 5 to 1 or else I fear the Consequence will be we shall loose the Indians if we suffer ourselves to be drove Back, I despatch'd an express imediately to Colo. Fry with this Intelligence desiring him to send me Reinforcements with all imaginable dispatch.

Your Honour may depend I will not be surprized let them come what hour they will; and this is as much as I can promise, but my best endeavour's shall not be wanting to deserve more, I doubt not if you hear I am beaten, but you will at the same [time,] hear that we have done our duty in fighting as long [as] there was a possibility of hope.

I have sent Lieut't. West,28 accompanied with Mr. Sprilldorph and a guard of 20 Men, to conduct the Prisoners in, and I believe the Officer's have acquainted him what answer to return y'r Honour.

Monsieur La Force, and Monsieur Druillong beg to be recommend to your Honour's notice, and I have promis'd they shall meet with all the favour thats due to Imprison'd officer's: I have shew'd all the respect I co'd to them here, and have given some necessary cloathing, by which I have disfurnish'd myself, for having brought no more than two or three Shirts from Will's C'k that we might be light I was ill provided to furnish them. I am, &c.

N. B. I have neither seen nor heard any particular acc't of the Twigtwees since I came on these water's, we have already begun a Palisado'd Fort and hope to have it up tomorrow. I must beg leave to acq't. your honr. that Captn. Vanbraam and Monsr Peyrorny has behav'd extremely well since they came out, and I hope will meet w'h your Hon'r's fav'r.

"Lieut. John West, jr.

[V.H.S.]

*To ROBERT DINWIDDIE

Camp at the Great Meadows, May 29, 1754.

Sir: The bearer hereof, Monsieur Drouillong with Monsieur La-Force and two Cadets, I beg leave to recommend to your Honour's particular Notice, as Prisoners of War, and Officers whom I had the Honour of taking.

I have assur'd them, that they will meet with all the Respect and favour due to their Charact'r and Personal merit; and I hope they will do me the justice to acquaint your Honour that I neglected no means that was in my power to render their confinement easy here.

Lieut. West is preferred to conduct these Gentlemen, with 16 Private Prisoners, to your Honour at Winchester, who will acq't you with the profound respect with which I am etc.29

To ROBERT DINWIDDIE 30

[V.H.S.]

[May 29, 1754.]

Honble. Sir: Since writing the other, [letter] I have still stronger presumption, indeed almost confirmation, that they" were sent as Spyes, and were order'd to wait near us till they were truly informd of our Intentions, situation, strength &ca.

"To Washington's mortification Dinwiddie refused to abide by the articles of capitulation of Fort Necessity in regard to these French prisoners on the ground that the French after that capitulation captured eight English, offered them for sale, and afterwards sent them to Canada. "On hearing of this, I detained the seventeen prisoners, the officer, and two cadets, as I am of opinion, after they were in my custody, Washington could not engage for their being returned. I have ordered a flag of truce to be sent to the French, offering the return of their officer and the two cadets for the two hostages they have of ours." The two hostages were Van Braam and Robert Stobo, who were finally sent to England by the Governor of Canada. Drouillon, La Force, and the cadets were kept in Virginia for a long time.

30 From the original, in private hands. Dinwiddie's secretary has indorsed the date as May 29.

Jumonville's party.

and were to have acquainted the Commander therewith, and laid lurking hear for Reinforcements before they served the Summons, if it at all.

82

I doubt not but they will endeavour to amuse your Honour with many smooth Stories, as they did me but were confuted in them all and by circumstances too plain to be denied almost made ashamed of their assertions. I dare say your Honour will treat them with respect which is due to all unfortunate Persons in their Condition. But I hope you will give no Ear to what they will have an oppertunity for displaying to the best advantage, having none by to contradict their reports.

I have heard, since they went away, that they should say they call'd to us not to Fire; but that I know to be False, for I was the first Man that approached them, and the first whom they saw, and immediately upon it ran to their Arms, and fir'd briskly till they were defeated.

We have heard of another being killed by the Indians, that made his Escape from us; so that we are certain of 33 that are kill'd and taken." I thought it expedient to acquaint your Honor with the above, as I fancy they will have the assurance of asking the Priviledges due to an Embassy, when in strict justice they ought to be hang'd as Spyes of the worst sort, being authorizd by their Commander, at the expense of a Character, which shd be Sacred to all Nations, and never trifled with or used in an Equivocal way. I am, &c.

"Messrs. Drouillon and La Force.

Contrecœur's orders in Mémoires Contenant le Précis des Faits put the strength of Jumonville's party at 35. Two of them had been sent back by Jumonville the day before the fight. Their tracks were seen by Half King and reported to Washington. Washington's justification of his surprise attack insists too much upon the embassy character afterwards claimed by the French. The situation plainly resolves itself into that of two armed forces, each convinced that the other is an active enemy, scouting for each other in the woods. At the time and under the circumstances, it was humanly impossible to prevent firing the moment contact was established.

To JOHN AUGUSTINE WASHINGTON

Camp At Great Meadow, May 31, 1754.

Since my last arrived at this place, where three days ago we had an engagement with the French, that is, a party of our men with one of theirs. Most of our men were out upon other detachments, so that I had scarcely 40 men remaining under my command, and about 10 or 12 Indians; nevertheless we obtained a most signal victory. The battle lasted about 10 or 15 minutes, with sharp firing on both sides, till the French gave ground and ran, but to no great purpose. There were 12 killed of the French, among whom was Mons. de Jumonville, their commander, and 21 taken prisoners, among whom are Mess. La Force and Drouillon, together with two cadets. I have sent them to his honour the Governor, at Winchester, under a guard of 20 men, conducted by Lieutenant West. We had but one man killed, and two or three wounded. Among the wounded on our side was Lieutenant Waggener, but no danger, it is hoped, will ensue. We expect every hour to be attacked by superior force, but, if they forbear one day longer, we shall be prepared for them. We have already got entrenchments, are about a pallisado which I hope will be finished to-day. The Mingoes have struck the French and I hope will give a good blow before they have done. I expect 40 odd of them here tonight, which, with out fort and some reinforcements from Col. Fry, will enable us to exert our noble courage with spirit.

P.S. I fortunately escaped without any wound, for the right wing, where I stood, was exposed to and received all the enemy's fire, and it was the part where the man was killed, and the rest wounded. I heard the bullets whistle, and, believe me, there is something charming in the sound."

34

From the London Magazine (August, 1754). Horace Walpole's Memoirs of George the Second relates that the King, on hearing that Washington described the sound of whistling bullets as "charming," said: "He would not say so, if he had