attempt to build any more establishments at that place, or beyond the mountains for the space of a year.

66

Early the next morning Colonel Washington began to march from the fort in good order, but he had proceeded only a short distance, when a body of one hundred Indians, being a reinforcement to the French, came upon him, and could hardly be restrained from attacking his men. They pilfered the baggage and did other mischief. He marched forward, however, with as much speed as possible, in the weakened and encumbered condition of his army, there being no other mode of conveying the wounded men and the baggage, than on the soldiers' backs. As the provisions were nearly exhausted, no time was to be lost; and, leaving much of the baggage behind, he hastened to Will's Creek, where all the necessary supplies were in store. Thence Colonel Washington and Captain Mackay proceeded to Williamsburg, and communicated. in person to the governor the events of the campaign." *

The exact number of men engaged in the action cannot be ascertained. According to a return made out by Colonel Washington himself, the Virginia regiment consisted of three hundred and five, including officers, of whom twelve were killed and fortythree wounded. Captain Mackay's company was supposed to contain about one hundred, but the number of killed and wounded is not known.

The conduct of the commander and of the troops was highly approved by the governor and Council, and received merited applause from the public. As soon as the House of Burgesses assembled, they passed a vote of thanks to Colonel Washington and his officers

* See Washington's Writings, Vol. II. p. 456, Appendix.

VOL. I.

"for their bravery and gallant defence of their country." A pistole was granted from the public treasury to each of the soldiers.

Thus commenced the military career of Washington, and thus ended his first campaign. Although as yet a youth, with small experience, unskilled in war, and relying on his own resources, he had behaved with the prudence, address, courage, and firmness of a veteran commander. Rigid in discipline, but sharing the hardships and solicitous for the welfare of his soldiers, he had secured their obedience and won their esteem amidst privations, sufferings, and perils, that have seldom been surpassed.

Notwithstanding the late discomfiture, Governor Dinwiddie's ardor did not abate. It was indeed a foible with him, that his zeal outstripped his knowledge and discretion. Wholly ignorant of military affairs, he undertook to organize the army, prescribe rules, issue orders, form plans of operation, and manage the details. Hence frequent blunders and confusion. Colonel Washington rejoined his regiment, which had marched by way of Winchester to Alexandria. He there received orders to fill up the companies by enlistments, and lead them without delay to Will's Creek, where Colonel Innes was employed in building Fort Cumberland, with the remnant of the North Carolina. troops, and the three independent companies, that had come to Virginia from South Carolina and New York. It was the governor's project, that the united forces should immediately cross the Alleganies, and drive the French from Fort Duquesne, or build another fort beyond the mountains.

Astonished that such a scheme should be contemplated, at a season of the year when the mountains. would be rendered impassable by the snows and rigor

4

of the climate, and with an army destitute of supplies, feeble in numbers, and worn down by fatigue, Colonel Washington wrote a letter of strong remonstrance to a member of the governor's Council, representing the absurdity and even impossibility of such an enterprise. His regiment was reduced by death, wounds, and sickness. He was ordered to obtain recruits, but not a farthing of money had been provided. He was ordered to march, but his men had neither arms, tents, ammunition, clothing, nor provisions, sufficient to enable them to take the field, and no means existed for procuring them. It is enough to say, that the scheme was abandoned.

The governor was destined to struggle with difficulties, and to have his hopes defeated. The Assembly were so perverse, as not to yield to all his demands, and he never ceased to complain of their "republican way of thinking," and to deplore their want of respect for the authority of his office and the prerogative of the crown. He had lately prorogued them, as a punishment for their obstinacy, and written to the ministry, that the representatives of the people seemed to him infatuated, and that he was satisfied "the progress of the French would never be effectually opposed, but by means of an act of Parliament to compel the colonies to contribute to the common cause independently of assemblies." When the burgesses came together again, however, he was consoled by their good nature in granting twenty thousand pounds for the public service; and he soon received ten thousand pounds in specie from the government in England for the same object.

Thus encouraged he formed new plans, and as the gift of ten thousand pounds was under his control, he could appropriate it as he pleased. He enlarged the