ovisions were
received at Duquesne. As the French garrison was in urgent need of both,
the commander concluded, on the approach of Washington's command, that
the better part of valor would be to abandon it; hence its evacuation.

Washington adopted immediate and vigorous measures to rebuild the fort,
to which he gave the name of Fort Pitt, in honor of the great English
statesman, through whose influence the British Government finally
ordered the capture of the fort. Leaving a sufficient number of troops
to garrison it, he returned to Laurel Hill, whence he wrote to the
Governor of Virginia, in behalf of his needy soldiers at Duquesne, as
follows:

"Considering their present circumstances," he writes: "I would by no
means have consented to leave any part of them there, had not the
general given me express orders.... By their present nakedness, the
advanced season, and the inconceivable fatigues of an uncommonly long
and laborious campaign, they are rendered totally incapable of any sort
of service; and sickness, death, and desertion must, if they are not
speedily supplied, greatly reduce their numbers. To replace them with
equally good men will, perhaps, be found impossible."

Irving says, "One of the first offices of the army, after taking
possession of the fort, was to collect and bury, in one common tomb, the
bones of their fellow-soldiers who had fallen in the battles of Braddock
and Grant. In this pious duty it is said every one joined, from the
general down to the private soldier; and some veterans assisted, with
heavy hearts and frequent ejaculations of poignant feeling, who had been
present in the scenes of defeat and carnage."

The fall of Duquesne brought to an end the domination of the French on
the Ohio, as Washington predicted, restoring peace to the frontier.
Hostile Indians hastened to cast in their allegiance to the English, who
had become conquerors, thus laying aside both tomahawk and
scalping-knife, at least for a season.

Washington resolved to abandon military life and retire to his estate at
Mount Vernon, exchanging the hardships of war for the blessings of
peace. He sent in his resignation, whereupon the officers of his command
presented him with a flattering testimonial, from which we make the
following extracts:

"Sir, we, your most obedient and affectionate officers, beg leave to
express our great concern at the disagreeable news we have received of
your determination to resign the comman