toiled on, crossing the
Allegheny Mountains, range after range; now plunging down into a
ravine, now ascending a ridge, but always in the deep shadow of the
forest. A few of the enemy hovered round them, occasionally killing a
straggler who fell behind.

On the 18th of June, the army reached a place called the Little
Meadows. So weak were the horses, from want of forage, that the last
marches had been but three miles a day, and, upon Washington's advice,
Braddock determined to leave the heavy baggage here, with the sick men
and a strong guard under Colonel Dunbar; while he advanced with 1200
men, besides officers and drivers.

But the progress was still no more than three miles a day, and it was
not until the 7th of July that they arrived within eight miles of the
French fort. Between them lay, however, an extremely difficult country
with a narrow defile, and Braddock determined to ford the Monongahela,
and then cross it again lower down.

The garrison of Fort Duquesne consisted of a few companies of regular
troops, some hundreds of Canadians, and 800 Indian warriors. They were
kept informed, by the scouts, of the progress of the English, and, when
the latter approached the Monongahela, a party under Captain Beaujeu
set out to meet them. His force consisted of 637 Indians, 100 French
officers and soldiers, and 146 Canadians, in all about 900 men.

At one o'clock in the day, Braddock crossed the Monongahela for the
second time. The troops had, all the day, been expecting the attack and
had prepared for it. At the second ford the army marched in martial
order, with music playing and flags flying. Once across the river they
halted for a short time, and then again continued their advance.

Braddock made every disposition for preventing a surprise. Several
guides, with six Virginian light horsemen, led the way. Then came the
advanced column, consisting of 300 soldiers under Gage, and a large
body of axemen, under Sir John Sinclair, with two cannon. The main body
followed close behind. The artillery and waggons moved along the road,
the troops marched through the woods on either hand, numerous flanking
parties were thrown out a hundred yards or more right and left, and, in
the space between them and the line of troops, the pack horses and
cattle made their way, as they best could, among the trees.

Beaujeu had intended to place his men in ambuscade at the ford, but,
owing to various delays caused by the Indians, he was