and wrung a heart like Washington's. But what could he do? His
whole force did not exceed one thousand fighting men; with which he
had to man more than twenty forts, and guard a frontier of nearly four
hundred miles' extent. In addition to this, his men had been so
scattered all the while at these different points, as to have placed
it altogether beyond his power to give that attention to their
military training which he had had so near at heart when he first
entered upon his command. It naturally followed, then, that there was
among the greater number an almost total want of order and discipline.
They came and went when and where it suited their humor best; were
impatient of control; wasted their ammunition, of which there was a
great scarcity, in target-shooting; were far more ready to trouble
their officers with good advice than aid them by prompt obedience to
orders; and, if their sagacious counsels went unheeded, they would,
without more ado, shoulder their rifles in high dudgeon, and tramp
home. And, withal, so tender were they of what they were pleased to
call their _honor_, that they would take it as quite an insult to be
put on soldiers' rations; and were too proud or lazy--which with them
was the same thing--to carry their own provisions while on the march;
choosing, rather, to risk what chance might bring them, in the shape
of bullocks, sheep, or pigs, which they would knock down, without a
"By your leave" to the owner, and, after eating as much as satisfied
their present hunger, would throw the rest away. Thus, between their
wasteful defenders and their wasting invaders, the poor distressed
inhabitants were brought to the verge of starvation.

The forts were too far apart to prevent the Indians from passing
between; and the garrisons were too weak to lend each other aid when
any of them chanced to be in hard, besetting need. This plan of giving
defence to the border had been strongly opposed by Washington, who
foresaw the disadvantages just hinted at, and had urged the exact
contrary. This was, instead of having so many small forts, with but a
handful of men in each, to fortify Winchester in the completest manner
possible, with a view of making it the only stronghold and
rallying-point of all the border, and to be manned by the main body of
the troops, who were to give support to the smaller parties in their
excursions against the enemy. Long before the war was ended, it was
clearly to be seen, that, had thi