of which its disastrous issue
showed the justice. 'Of course,' says he, 'your Excellency's troops once
before Fort Duquesne, such a weak little place will never be able to
resist such a general, such an army, such artillery, as will there be
found attacking it. But do you calculate, sir, on the difficulty of
reaching the place? Your Excellency's march will be through woods almost
untrodden, over roads which you will have to make yourself, and your
line will be some four miles long. This slender line, having to make its
way through the forest, will be subject to endless attacks in front, in
rear, in flank, by enemies whom you will never see, and whose constant
practice in war is the dexterous laying of ambuscades.'--'Psha, sir!'
says the General, 'the savages may frighten your raw American militia'
(Thank your Excellency for the compliment, Mr. Washington seems to
say, who is sitting at the table), 'but the Indians will never make
any impression on his Majesty's regular troops.'--'I heartily hope not,
sir,' says Mr. Franklin, with a sigh; and of course the gentlemen of the
General's family sneered at the postmaster, as at a pert civilian who
had no call to be giving his opinion on matters entirely beyond his
comprehension.

"We despised the Indians on our own side, and our commander made light
of them and their service. Our officers disgusted the chiefs who were
with us by outrageous behaviour to their women. There were not above
seven or eight who remained with our force. Had we had a couple of
hundred in our front on that fatal 9th of July, the event of the day
must have been very different. They would have flung off the attack of
the French Indians; they would have prevented the surprise and panic
which ensued. 'Tis known now that the French had even got ready to give
up their fort, never dreaming of the possibility of a defence, and
that the French Indians themselves remonstrated against the audacity of
attacking such an overwhelming force as ours.

"I was with our General with the main body of the troops when the
firing began in front of us, and one aide-de-camp after another was sent
forwards. At first the enemy's attack was answered briskly by our own
advanced people, and our men huzzaed and cheered with good heart. But
very soon our fire grew slacker, whilst from behind every tree and bush
round about us came single shots, which laid man after man low. We were
marching in orderly line, the skirmishers in front,