an

the validity of regular troops, and too mean | flank: the officers being on horseback, were one of both Americans and Indians. more easily distinguished, picked out as George Croghan, our Indian interpreter, join- marks, and fell very fast; and the soldiers ed him on his march with one hundred of were crowded together in a huddle, having those people, who might have been of great or hearing no orders, and standing to be shot use to his army as guides, scouts, &c., if he at till two thirds of them were killed; and had treated them kindly: but he slighted and then being seized with a panic the remainder neglected them, and they gradually left him. fled with precipitation. The wagoners took In conversation with him one day, he was each a horse out of his team and scampered; giving me some account of his intended pro- their example was immediately followed by gress. "After taking fort Duquesne," said others; so that all the wagons, provisions, he, "I am to proceed to Niagara; and having artillery, and stores were left to the enemy. taken that, to Frontenac, if the season will The general being wounded was brought off allow time, and I suppose it will; for Du- with difficulty; his secretary, Mr. Shirley, quesne can hardly detain me above three or was killed by his side, and out of eighty-six four days; and then I see nothing that can officers sixty-three were killed or wounded; obstruct my march to Niagara." Having be- and seven hundred and fourteen men killed fore revolved in my mind the long line his of eleven hundred. These eleven hundred army must make in their march by a very had been picked men from the whole army; narrow road, to be cut for them through the the rest had been left behind with colonel woods and bushes; and also what I had read Dunbar, who was to follow with the heavier of a former defeat of fifteen hundred French, part of the stores, provisions, and baggage. who invaded the Illinois country, I had con- The flyers not being pursued arrived at Dunceived some doubts and some fears for the bar's camp, and the panic they brought with event of the campaign. But I ventured only them instantly seized him and all his people. to say, "to be sure, sir, if you arrive well be- And though he had now above one thousand fore Duquesne, with the fine troops, so well men, and the enemy who had beaten Bradprovided with artillery, the fort, though com- dock, did not at most exceed four hundred pletely fortified, and assisted with a very Indians and French together, instead of prostrong garrison, can probably make but a short ceeding and endeavouring to recover some resistance. The only danger I apprehend of of the lost honour, he ordered all the stores, obstruction to your march, is from the am- ammunition, &c., to be destroyed, that he buscades of the Indians, who by constant might have more horses to assist his flight practice, are dextrous in laying and execut- towards the settlements, and less lumber to ing them and the slender line, near four remove. He was there met with requests miles long, which your army must make, may from the governor of Virginia, Maryland, and expose it to be attacked by surprise in its Pennsylvania, that he would post his troops flanks, and to be cut like a thread into several on the frontiers, so as to afford some protecpieces, which from their distance cannot come tion to the inhabitants; but he continued his up in time to support each other." He smiled hasty march through all the country, not at my ignorance, and replied, "These sa- thinking himself safe till he arrived at Philavages may indeed be a formidable enemy to delphia, where the inhabitants could protect your raw American militia; but upon the him. This whole transaction gave us Ameriking's regular and disciplined troops, sir, it is cans the first suspicion that our exalted ideas impossible they should make any impression." of the prowess of British regular troops had I was conscious of an impropriety in my dis- not been well founded. puting with a military man in matters of his In their first march too, from their landing profession, and said no more. The enemy, till they got beyond the settlements, they had however, did not take the advantage of his plundered and stripped the inhabitants, totally army which I apprehend its long line of march ruining some poor families, besides insulting, exposed it to, but let it advance without in-abusing, and confining the people if they reterruption till within nine miles of the place; monstrated. This was enough to put us out and then when more in a body, (for it had of conceit of such defenders, if we had really just passed a river, where the front had halt-wanted any. How different was the conduct ed till all were come over) and in a more of our French friends in 1781, who during a open part of the woods than any it had passed, attacked its advanced guard by a heavy fire from behind trees and bushes; which was the first intelligence the general had of an enemy's being near him. This guard being disordered, the general hurried the troops up to their assistance, which was done in great confusion, through wagons, baggage, and cattle; and presently the fire came upon their

VOL. I....

H

march through the most inhabited part of our country, from Rhode Island to Virginia, near seven hundred miles, occasioned not the smallest complaint, for the loss of a pig, a chicken, or even an apple!

Captain Orme, who was one of the general's aids-de-camp and being grievously wounded, was brought off with him, and continued with him to his death, which happened in a

few days, told me he was totally silent all the first day, and at night only said, "Who would have thought it?" That he was silent again the following day, saying only at last, "We shall better know how to deal with them another time;" and died in a few minutes after.

twenty thousand pounds, which to pay would have ruined me.

Before we had the news of this defeat, the two doctors Bond came to me with a subscription paper for raising money to defray the expense of a grand fire-work, which it was intended to exhibit at a rejoicing on receiving the news of our taking fort Duquesne. looked grave, and said, "It would, I thought, be time enough to prepare the rejoicing when we knew we should have occasion to rejoice." They seemed surprised that I did not immediately comply with their proposal. "Why the d-1," said one of them, "you surely don't suppose that the fort will not be taken ?" "I don't know that it will not be taken; but I know that the events of war are subject to great uncertainty." I gave them the reasons of my doubting: the subscription was dropped, and the projectors thereby missed the mortification they would have undergone if the firework had been prepared. Dr. Bond, on some other occasion afterwards, said that he did not like Franklin's forebodings.

The secretary's papers, with all the general's orders, instructions, and correspondence falling into the enemy's hands, they selected and translated into French a number of the articles, which they printed to prove the hostile intentions of the British court before the declaration of war. Among these I saw some letters of the general to the ministry, speaking highly of the great service I had rendered the army, and recommending me to their notice. David Hume, who was some years after secretary to lord Hertford, when minister in France, and afterwards to general Conway, when secretary of state, told me he had seen among the papers in that office, letters from Braddock, highly recommending me. But the expedition having been unfortunate, my service, it seems, was not thought of much Governor Morris, who had continually value, for those recommendations were never worried the assembly with message after of any use to me. As to rewards from him- message before the defeat of Braddock, to self, I asked only one, which was, that he beat them into the making of acts to raise would give orders to his officers, not to enlist money for the defence of the province, withany more of our bought servants, and that he out taxing among others the proprietary would discharge such as had been already estates, and had rejected all their bills for not enlisted. This he readily granted, and seve- having such an exempting clause, now reral were accordingly returned to their mas- doubled his attacks with more hope of sucters, on my application. Dunbar, when the cess, the danger and necessity being greater. command devolved on him, was not so gen- The assembly however continued firm, beerous. He being at Philadelphia, on his re- lieving they had justice on their side; and treat, or rather flight, I applied to him for the that it would be giving up an essential right, discharge of the servants of three poor far- if they suffered the governor to amend their mers of Lancaster county, that he had enlist-money bills. In one of the last, indeed, which ed, reminding him of the late general's orders on that head. He promised me that if the masters would come to him at Trenton, where he should be in a few days on his march to New York, he would there deliver their men to them. They accordingly were at the expense and trouble of going to Trenton, and there he refused to perform his promise, to their great loss and disappointment.

As soon as the loss of the wagons and horses was generally known, all the owners came upon me for the valuation which I had given bond to pay. Their demands gave me a great deal of trouble: I acquainted them that the money was ready in the paymaster's hands, but the order for paying it must first be obtained from general Shirley, and that I had applied for it; but he being at a distance, an answer could not soon be received, and they must have patience. All this however was not sufficient to satisfy, and some began to sue me: general Shirley, at length relieved me from this terrible situation, by appointing commissioners to examine the claims, and ordering payment. They amounted to near

was for granting fifty thousand pounds, his proposed amendment was only of a single word: the bill expressed, "that all estates real and personal were to be taxed; those of the proprietaries not excepted." His amendment was; for not, read only. A small, but very material alteration! However, when the news of the disaster reached England, our friends there, whom we had taken care to furnish with all the assembly's answers to the governor's messages, raised a clamour against the proprietaries for their meanness and injustice in giving their governor such instructions; some going so far as to say, that by obstructing the defence of their province, they forfeited their right to it. They were intimidated by this, sent orders to their receivergeneral to add five thousand pounds of their money to whatever sum might be given by the assembly for such purpose. This being testified to the house, was accepted in lieu of their share of a general tax, and a new bill was formed with an exempting clause, which passed accordingly. By this act I was appointed one of the commissioners for disposing

of the money; sixty thousand pounds. I had It was the beginning of January when we been active in modelling the bill, and procur- set out upon this business of building forts; I ing its passage; and had at the same time sent one detachment towards the Minisink, drawn one for establishing and disciplining a with instructions to erect one for the security voluntary militia; which I carried through of that upper part of the country; and another the house without much difficulty, as care to the lower part with similar instructions: was taken in it to leave the quakers at liberty. and I concluded to go myself with the rest of To promote the association necessary to form my force to Gnadenhutten, where a fort was the militia, I wrote a dialogue stating and thought more immediately necessary. The answering all the objections I could think of Moravians procured me five wagons for our to such a militia; which was printed, and tools, stores, baggage, &c. Just before we had, as I thought, great effect. While the left Bethlehem, eleven farmers, who had been several companies in the city and country driven from their plantations by the Indians, were forming, and learning their exercise, came to me requesting a supply of fire-arms, the governor prevailed with me to take charge that they might go back and bring off their of our north-western frontier, which was in-cattle. I gave them each a gun with suitable fested by the enemy, and provide for the de- ammunition. We had not marched many fence of the inhabitants by raising troops, and miles before it began to rain, and it continued building a line of forts. I undertook this raining all day; there were no habitations on military business, though I did not conceive the road to shelter us, till we arrived near myself well qualified for it. He gave me a night at the house of a German, where, and commission with full powers, and a parcel of in his barn, we were all huddled together as blank commissions for officers, to be given to wet as water could make us. It was well we whom I thought fit. I had but little difficulty were not attacked in our march, for our arms in raising men, having soon five hundred and were of the most ordinary sort, and our men sixty under my command. My son, who had could not keep the locks of their guns dry. in the preceding war been an officer in the The Indians are dextrous in contrivances for army raised against Canada, was my aid-de- that purpose, which we had not. They met camp, and of great use to me. The Indians that day the eleven poor farmers abovemenhad burned Gnadenhutten, a village settled tioned, and killed ten of them; the one that by the Moravians, and massacred the inhabi- escaped, informed us, that his, and his comtants; but the place was thought a good situa- panions' guns would not go off, the priming tion for one of the forts. In order to march being wet with the rain. The next day bethither, I assembled the companies at Bethle- ing fair we continued our march, and arrived hem, the chief establishment of those people; at the desolate Gnadenhutten; there was a I was surprised to find it in so good a posture mill near, round which were left several pine of defence: the destruction of Gnadenhutten boards, with which we soon hutted ourselves; had made them apprehend danger. The an operation the more necessary at that incleprincipal buildings were defended by a stock- ment season, as we had no tents. Our first ade; they had purchased a quantity of arms work was to bury more effectually the dead and ammunition from New York, and had we found there, who had been half interred even placed quantities of small paving stones by the country people; the next morning our between the windows of their high stone fort was planned and marked out, the circumhouses, for their women to throw them down ference measuring four hundred and fifty-five upon the heads of any Indians that should at- feet, which would require as many palisades tempt to force into them. The armed bre- to be made, one with another of a foot diamethren too kept watch, and relieved each other ter each. Our axes, of which we had seventy, on guard as methodically as in any garrison were immediately set to work, to cut down town. In conversation with the bishop, trees; and our men being dextrous in the use Spangenberg, I mentioned my surprise; for of them, great despatch was made. Seeing knowing they had obtained an act of parlia- the trees fall so fast, I had the curiosity to ment exempting them from military duties look at my watch when two men began to in the colonies, I had supposed they were cut at a pine: in six minutes they had it upon conscientiously scrupulous of bearing arms. the ground, and I found it of fourteen inches He answered me, "That it was not one of diameter: each pine made three palisades of their established principles; but that at the eighteen feet long, pointed at one end. While time of their obtaining that act it was thought these were preparing, our other men dug a to be a principle with many of their people. trench all round of three feet deep, in which On this occasion, however, they to their sur- the palisades were to be planted; and the boprise, found it adopted by but a few." It dies being taken off our wagons, and the fore seems they were either deceived in them- and hind wheels separated by taking out the selves, or deceived the parliament: but com- pin which united the two parts of the perch, mon sense aided by present danger will some- we had ten carriages with two horses each, times be too strong for whimsical opinions. to bring the palisades from the woods to the

spot. When they were set up, our carpen- | punctually served out to them, half in the ters built a platform of boards all round with- morning, and half in the evening; and I obin, about six feet high, for the men to stand on when to fire through the loop-holes. We had one swivel gun, which we mounted on one of the angles, and fired it as soon as fixed, to let the Indians know if any were within hearing, that we had such pieces; and thus our fort (if that name may be given to so miserable a stockade) was finished in a week, though it rained so hard every other day that the men could not well work.

This gave me occasion to observe, that when men are employed they are best contented; for on the days they worked they were good-natured and cheerful: and with the consciousness of having done a good day's work, they spent the evening jollily; but on our idle days, they were mutinous and quarrelsome, finding fault with the pork, the bread, &c., and were continually in bad humour; which put me in mind of a sea captain, whose rule it was to keep his men constantly at work; and when his mate once told him that they had done every thing, and there was nothing farther to employ them about; "O," said he, "make them scour the anchor."

served they were punctual in attending to receive it: upon which I said to Mr. Beatty, "it is, perhaps, below the dignity of your profession to act as steward of the rum; but if you were to distribute it out only just after prayers, you would have them all about you." He liked the thought, undertook the task, and with the help of a few hands to measure out the liquor, executed it to satisfaction; and never were prayers more generally and more punctually attended. So that I think this method preferable to the punishment inflicted by some military laws for non-attendance on divine service.

I had hardly finished this business, and got my fort well stored with provisions, when I received a letter from the governor, acquainting me that he had called the assembly, and wished my attendance there, if the posture of affairs on the frontiers was such that my remaining there was no longer necessary. My friends too of the assembly pressing me by their letters to be, if possible, at the meeting; and my three intended forts being now completed, and the inhabitants contented to remain on their farms under that protection, I resolved to return; the more willingly, as a New England officer, colonel Clapham, experienced in Indian war, being on a visit to our establishment, consented to accept the command. I gave him a commission, and parading the garrison, had it read before them; and introduced him to them as an officer, who from his skill in military affairs, was much more fit to command them than myself; and giving them a little exhortation, took my leave. I was escorted as far as Bethlehem, where I rested a few days to recover from the fatigue I had undergone. The first night lying in a good bed, I could hardly sleep, it was so different from my hard lodging on the floor of a hut at Gnadenhutten, with only a blanket or two. While at Bethlehem, I inquired a little into the practices of the Moravians; some of them had accompanied me, and all were very kind to me. I found they worked for a common stock, eat at common tables, and slept in common dormitories, great numbers together. In the dormitories I observed loop-holes at certain distances all along just under the ceiling, which I thought judiciously placed for change of air. I went to their church, where I was entertained with good music, the organ being accompanied with violins, hautboys, flutes, clarinets, &c. I understood their sermons were not usually preached to mixed congregations of men, woWe had for our chaplain a zealous Presby-men, and children, as is our common practice; terian minister, Mr. Beatty, who complained to me that the men did not generally attend his prayers and exhortations. When they enlisted, they were promised, besides pay and provisions, a gill of rum a day, which was

This kind of fort, however contemptible, is a sufficient defence against Indians who had no cannon. Finding ourselves now posted securely, and having a place to retreat to on occasion, we ventured out in parties to scour the adjacent country. We met with no Indians, but we found the places on the neighbouring hills where they had lain to watch our proceedings. There was an art in their contrivance of those places, that seems worth mentioning. It being winter, a fire was necessary for them: but a common fire on the surface of the ground, would, by its light, have discovered their position at a distance: they had therefore dug holes in the ground about three feet diameter, and somewhat deeper; we found where they had with their hatchets cut off the charcoal from the sides of burnt logs lying in the woods. With these coals they had made small fires in the bottom of the holes, and we observed among the weeds and grass the prints of their bodies, made by their lying all round with their legs hanging down in the holes to keep their feet warm; which, with them, is an essential point. This kind of fire, so managed, could not discover them either by its light, flame, sparks, or even smoke: it appeared that the number was not great, and it seems they saw we were too many to be attacked by them with prospect of advantage.

but that they assembled sometimes the married men, at other times their wives, then the young men, the young women, and the little children; each division by itself. The sermon I heard was to the latter, who came in

and were placed in rows on benches, the boys under the conduct of a young man their tutor; and the girls conducted by a young woman. The discourse seemed well adapted to their capacities, and was delivered in a pleasing, familiar manner, coaxing them as it were to be good. They behaved very orderly, but looked pale and unhealthy, which made me suspect they were kept too much within doors, or not allowed sufficient exercise. I inquired concerning the Moravian marriages, whether the report was true that they were by lot; I was told that lots were used only in particular cases: that generally, when a young man found himself disposed to marry, he informed the elders of his class, who consulted the elder ladies that governed the young women. As these elders of the different sexes were well acquainted with the tempers and dispositions of their respective pupils, they could best judge what matches were suitable, and their judgments were generally acquiesced in. But if, for example, it should happen that two or three young women were found to be equally proper for the young man, the lot was then recurred to. I objected, if the matches are not made by the mutual choice of the parties, some of them may chance to be very unhappy. "And so they may," answered my informer, "if you let the parties choose for themselves." Which indeed I could not deny.

being about to set out on a journey to Virginia, the officers of my regiment, took it into their heads that it would be proper for them to escort me out of town, as far as the Lowerferry; just as I was getting on horseback they came to my door, between thirty and forty, mounted, and all in their uniforms. I had not been previously acquainted with their project, or I should have prevented it, being naturally averse to the assuming of state on any occasion; and I was a good deal chagrined at their appearance, as I could not avoid their accompanying me. What made it worse was, that as soon as we began to move, they drew their swords and rode with them naked all the way. Somebody wrote an account of this to the proprietor, and it gave him great offence. No such honour had been paid him, when in the province; nor to any of his governors; and he said it was only proper to princes of the blood royal; which may be true for aught I know, who was, and still am ignorant of the etiquette in such cases. This silly affair, however, greatly increased his rancour against me, which was before considerable on account of my conduct in the assembly, respecting the exemption of his estate from taxation, which I had always opposed very warmly; and not without severe reflections on the meanness and injustice in contending for it. He accused me to the ministry, as being the great obstacle to the king's service: preventing by my influence in the house, the proper form of the bills for raising money; and he instanced the parade with my officers, as a proof of my having an intention to take the government of the province out of his hands by force. He also applied to sir Everard Faukener, the post-master-general, to deprive me of my office; but it had no other effect than to procure from sir Everard a gentle admonition.

Being returned to Philadelphia, I found the association went on with great success, the nhabitants that were not quakers, having pretty generally come into it, formed themselves into companies, and chose their captains, lieutenants, and ensigns, according to the new law. Dr. Bond visited me and gave me an account of the pains he had taken to spread a general good liking to the law, and ascribed much to those endeavours. I had the vanity to ascribe all to my dialogue; how- Notwithstanding the continual wrangle ever, not knowing but that he might be in between the governor and the house, in which the right, I let him enjoy his opinion; which I as a member had so large a share, there still I take to be generally the best way in such subsisted a civil intercourse between that cases. The officers meeting, chose me to be gentleman and myself, and we never had any colonel of the regiment; which I this time personal difference. I have sometimes since accepted. I forget how many companies we thought, that his little or no resentment had, but we paraded about twelve hundred against me for the answers it was known I well-looking men, with a company of artille- drew up to his messages, might be the effect ry, who had been furnished with six brass of professional habit, and that being bred a field-pieces, which they had become so expert lawyer, he might consider us both as merely in the use of, as to fire twelve times in a advocates for contending clients in a suit; he minute. The first time I reviewed my regi- for the proprietaries, and I for the assembly: ment, they accompanied me to my house, and he would therefore sometimes call in a friendwould salute me with some rounds fired be-ly way to advise with me on difficult points; fore my door, which shook down and broke and sometimes, though not often, take my several glasses of my electrical apparatus. advice. We acted in concert to supply BradAnd my new honour proved not much less dock's army with provisions, and when the brittle; for all our commissions were soon shocking news arrived of his defeat, the after broken, by a repeal of the law in Eng-governor sent in haste for me, to consult with him on measures for preventing the desertion During this short time of my colonelship, of the back counties. I forget now the advice

land.