The History of England - a Study in Political Evolution

ooth but clear, that he would not leave the banks of the O-hi-o; so the Eng-lish felt

e a fort was built, and the rest of

a charge too great for one so young. So Josh-u-a Fry was made Col-

farms and good homes did not care to leave them. Those who had a mind to go were for the

r backs, and not a few were with-out coat or wa

k to find those who would serve as chiefs, and Wash-ing-ton found him-s

how to use the sword, was with him, and gave

march was slow, and it was not till A-pril 20 that they reached Will's Creek. Here they were met by a small force, in charge of Cap-tain Ad

m to plead with the French, and to beg them to wait till the Cap-tain came back, and the two went at once to the French camp. But the French would not wait, or make terms of peace. They had come as foes, and told En-sign Ward that if he did not leave the fort at once, with all his men, they would put him out b

raw troops right in the midst of foes, red and white, who would soon hem them in and use them ill if they found out where they were. Yet

d Ma-ry-land know of his plight, and urged th

as they went on, and try to reach the mouth of Red-stone Creek, where they would build a fort. By this means the men woul

, swamps to be filled up, and streams to be bridged. While in the midst of these toils, the bread gave out, and the lack of food made the men too weak to work. In spite

h-ing-ton was told that it was not worth while for him to try to go b

e of these men was a red-skin guide. When they had gone ten miles, the guide said that that was as far as he would go. Wash-ing-ton s

rench know this, and are wise. If you want the red-men to be your guides, you mu

put an end to the "strike" for that time. They kept on in the small boat for a score of miles, till they came to a place where there was a fa

ing to be on his guard, as the French were close at hand. They had been on

of his chiefs would be with Wash-i

The troops sprang to arms, and kept on the march till day-break. In the mean-time, at nine o'clock at night, word came from Half-

d to grope their way by foot-paths through the woods. The night was dark and there had been quite a fall of rain, so that they sli

e had seen. Then Half-King called up two of his braves, showed them the tracks, and told them what to do. They took the scent, and went off

men on the left. They made not a sound. Wash-ing-ton was the first on the ground, and as he came out

and two or three met with wounds. None of the red-men were hurt, as the French did not aim their guns at them at all. In less than half an hour the Frenc

till the truth was made known. He was thought to have been too rash, and too bold, and in more haste to make war than to seek for peace. These

nds that were held by the crown of France. But Wash-ing-ton was sure they were spies; and Half-King sai

n haste to move on and brave the worst. He wrote home: "The Min-goes have s

s not hurt though he stood in the midst of the fierce fire. The balls w

. who said, in a dry sort of a way, "He

if he had made such a speech. "If I did," said he, "it

e of the earth-work, and to fence it in so that it might be more of a strong-hold. Then he gave to it the name of Fort Ne-ces-si-ty, for it had been thrown up in great h

charge of the whole force. Fry's troops-300 in all-came up from Will's Creek, and Half-King

On Sundays, when in camp, he read to them from the word of God, and by all his

not of much use in the field, and they, and some men fr

fe place. The white men from South Car-o-li-na, who had come out to serve their king, were too pro

ese straits Wash-ing-t

, and full of toil, and at the end of two weeks they had gone but 13 miles. Here at Gist's home, where they stopped to rest, word came to Wash-ing-ton

xt day all our troops were in that place, where it

to make haste back to the fort, where they might at

the men weak and worn out. There were but few steeds, and these

rse and went on foot, and the r

haul the big field guns, while the King's troops, from South Car-o-li-na

h were but four miles off, and in great force. Wash-ing-ton at once dr

ite near the fort and the s

ire till the foe came in sight. But as the French did not show them-selves, though they still kept up thei

e men in the fort were half drowned, a

at night, when the French sent word th

call. The French sent two or three times, and at last brought the terms for Wash-ing-ton to read. They were in Fre

n such sheets that it was hard work to keep up the flame. Van Bra-am mixed up Dutch, French, and Eng-lish in a sad

to their homes. The drums might beat and the flags fly, and they could take with them all the goods and stores, and all that was in the fort-but the large guns. T

nd Wash-ing-ton and his men laid down

d men but Van Bra-am, who was thought to have read the ter

and that it was the fault of his head and not his heart, for it was a har