laid dead
at his feet; but, soon overpowered by numbers, he was forced to
surrender himself to a French officer, who received his sword. The
blustering Grant, more lucky than the headstrong Braddock, saved his
life by yielding himself up in like manner.

And now the rout became general, and the slaughter dreadful. Seeing
the unlooked-for turn affairs had taken, Capt. Bullitt, whom Major
Lewis had left to guard the baggage, gathered a few of his brave
Virginians about him, and prepared to make a desperate stand. Sending
back the strongest horses with the baggage, he blocked up the road
with the wagons, and, behind the barricade thus formed, posted his
men, to whom he gave a few brief orders how to act. These scanty
preparations were hardly made, when the Indians, having finished the
work of plunder, had sprung into swift pursuit, and were now close
upon them, the wild woods ringing with their terrible whoops and
yells. When they had come within short rifle-range, Capt. Bullitt and
his men met them with a well-aimed volley of musketry from behind the
shelter of their wagons; which, however, checked the savages but for a
moment. Rallying on the instant, they were pressing forward in still
greater numbers; when Capt. Bullitt held out a signal of surrender,
and came out from behind the barricade at the head of his men, as if
to lay down their arms: but no sooner were they within eight yards of
the enemy, and near enough to see the fierce light that shone in their
eyes, than they suddenly levelled their pieces, and poured a murderous
fire into the thickest of them; then, charging bayonets, scattered
them in every direction, and sent them yelling with astonishment and
dismay. Before they could rally again, and renew the pursuit, Capt.
Bullitt, having picked up many more of the fugitives, began a rapid
but orderly retreat.

For several days thereafter, the fugitives, singly or in squads, came
straggling into camp at Loyal Hannon. Of the eight hundred picked men
who had been sent out with such good promise of success, twenty
officers and two hundred and seventy-three privates had been left
behind, either killed or taken prisoners. The whole force of the
enemy, French and Indians, did not exceed that of the English: their
loss in the battle is not known; but, as the Highlanders fought well
and the Virginians fought well, it must have been heavy. The disaster
foreboded by Washington had thus in reality fallen upon them. He was