t the road to which his men were
accustomed, and which had been worked by Braddock's troops in his
campaign, was not to be taken in the present expedition, but a new one
opened through the heart of Pennsylvania, from Raystown to Fort
Duquesne, on the track generally taken by the northern traders. He
instantly commenced long and repeated remonstrances on the subject;
but the officers of the regular service had received a fearful idea of
Braddock's road from his own despatches, wherein he had described it
as lying "across mountains and rocks of an excessive height, vastly
steep, and divided by torrents and rivers," whereas the Pennsylvania
traders, who were anxious for the opening of the new road through
their province, described the country through which it would pass as
less difficult; above all, it was a direct line, and fifty miles
nearer. This route, therefore, to the great regret of Washington, was
definitely adopted, and sixteen hundred men were immediately thrown in
the advance from Raystown to work upon it.

The first of September found Washington still encamped at Fort
Cumberland, his troops sickly and dispirited, and the brilliant
expedition which he had anticipated, dwindling down into a tedious
operation of road-making. At length, in the month of September, he
received orders from General Forbes to join him with his troops at
Raystown, where he had just arrived, having been detained by severe
illness. He was received by the general with the highest marks of
respect. On all occasions, both in private and at councils of war,
that commander treated his opinions with the greatest deference. He,
moreover, adopted a plan drawn out by Washington for the march of the
army, and an order of battle which still exists, furnishing a proof of
his skill in frontier warfare.

It was now the middle of September; yet the great body of men engaged
in opening the new military road, after incredible toil, had not
advanced above forty-five miles, to a place called Loyal Hannan, a
little beyond Laurel Hill. Colonel Bouquet, who commanded the division
of nearly two thousand men sent forward to open this road, had halted
at Loyal Hannan to establish a military post and deposit. He was
upwards of fifty miles from Fort Duquesne, and was tempted to adopt
the measure, so strongly discountenanced by Washington, of sending a
party on a foray into the enemy's country. He accordingly detached
Major Grant with eight hundred picked men, some