vein.

"As I understand it," added General Forbes, "there are not so thick
woods and huge rocks, nor so perilous swamps and rivers by the proposed
new route as there are by the old. Besides, the new road is fifty miles
nearer."

"The shortest way may prove longer than the longest way if you have the
short way to build," was Washington's significant reply.

The English officers were bound to have their own way, and they decided
to make the new road, in view of which Washington wrote to the Speaker
of the Assembly: "If this conduct of our leaders does not flow from
superior orders, it must flow from a weakness too gross for me to name.
Nothing now but a miracle can bring this campaign to a happy issue."

A few days later he wrote:

"I believe that all is lost. Our enterprise is ruined, and we shall be
stopped this winter at the Laurel Hills."

As the sequel will show, Washington proved himself to be a prophet.

While these warlike preparations were going forward, Washington was
elected to a seat in the House of Burgesses. It was not expected,
however, that he would take his seat until the contemplated action
against the French at Duquesne was consummated.

It was in the month of May, 1758, that Washington went to Williamsburg
and found his future wife, when passing through Kent County. It was the
21st of September before the army was ready to strike their tents and
take up the march from Raystown, where the whole army had assembled.
Much of this time was fooled away by the English officers, who seemed to
think that both French and Indians would take to their heels when they
saw them coming.

Washington was greatly annoyed by this unnecessary delay. To him it was
ominous of evil. He was impatient to plant the English flag on the walls
of Duquesne, and to make the beautiful Mrs. Custis his bride. The sooner
the army accomplished the former, the sooner he would realize the
latter.

To add to his annoyance, General Forbes proposed to repeat General
Braddock's folly, and send his regulars forward as a party of
observation.

"Such an arrangement was the cause of General Braddock's defeat," he
said to General Forbes.

"How so?"

"His regulars knew nothing about Indian warfare. They never saw savages
on the field of battle, and so they undertook to fight Indians as they
did French."

"Plenty of artillery, with a shower of bullets, whether by regulars or
provincials, will do the business," remarked General Forb