could scarcely carry the necessary baggage.

Washington

gave up his to assist the other horses, and walked with his men. Every day matters grew worse, and Washington took the resolution thus described in his own words:-'As I was uneasy to get back to make report of my proceedings to his honour the governor, I determined to prosecute my journey the nearest way through the woods on foot. Accordingly I left Mr. Van Braam in charge of our baggage, with money and directions to provide necessaries from place to place for themselves and horses, and to make the most convenient despatch in travelling. I took my necessary papers, pulled off my clothes, and tied myself up in a watchcoat. Then, with gun in hand, and pack on my back, in which were my papers and provisions, I set out with Mr. Gist, fitted in the same manner, on Wednesday the 26th. The following day, just after we had passed a place called Murdering Town (where we intended to quit the path and steer across the country for Shannopin's Town), we fell in with a party of French Indians, who had lain in wait for us. One of them fired at Mr. Gist or me, not fifteen steps off, but fortunately missed. We took this fellow into custody, and kept him till about nine o'clock at night, then let him go, and walked all the remaining part of the night without making any stop, that we might get the start so far as to be out of the reach. of their pursuit the next day, since we were well assured they would follow our track as soon as it was light. The next day we continued travelling until quite dark, and got to the river about two miles above Shannopin's. We expected to have found the river frozen, but it was not, only about fifty yards from each shore. The ice, I suppose, had broken up above, for it was driving in vast quantities. There was no

way for getting over but on a raft, which we set about, with but one poor hatchet, and finished just after sun-setting. This was a whole day's work. We next got it launched, then went on board of it and set off; but, before we were half way over, we were jammed in the ice in such a manner that we expected every moment our raft to sink, and ourselves to perish. I put out my setting-pole to try to stop the raft, that the ice might pass by, when the rapidity of the stream threw it with so much violence against the pole, that it jerked me out into ten feet water; but I fortunately saved myself by catching hold of one of the raft logs. Notwithstanding all our efforts, we could not get to either shore, but were obliged, as we were near an island, to quit our raft and make to it. The cold was so extremely severe that Mr. Gist had all his fingers and some of his toes frozen; and the water was shut up so hard that we found no difficulty in getting off the island on the ice in the morning, and went to Mr. Frazier's.' Washington's diary of this tour was published and circulated both in England and America, and while it clearly revealed that the designs of the French were hostile, it marked out its author as one whose modesty, skill, hardihood, prudence, and energy would be most valuable in future service.

The Assembly of Virginia was with difficulty induced to grant a supply of £10,000; and a force of 300 men was raised and placed under the command of Colonel Fry, with Washington as second in command, with the rank of lieutenantcolonel. They were directed to march by the Ohio valley, to support the English in raising a fort on the south-eastern branch of the river Ohio; but when the advance under Washington arrived at Will's Creek, they were met by a party of English soldiers, who had been expelled from the

fort by a powerful and well-equipped force of French. Washington resolved to proceed to the Redstone Creek, and erect a fort at its mouth. While on the march there, intelligence was brought to him of a small party of French who were dogging his footsteps. He determined to attack them by surprise, and accordingly fell upon them with some Indian allies. The young commander himself was the first man to see and be seen by the enemy, and for fifteen minutes a brisk musketry fire was kept up. Jumonville, the young French leader, was shot through the head, one Canadian escaped, and the rest, twenty-one in all, were taken prisoners. In a postscript to the despatch to Governor Dinwiddie, describing this affair, Washington wrote: 'I heard the bullets whistle, and, believe me, there is something charming in the sound.' When George II. heard of this remark, he said, 'He would not say so if he had been used to hear many.' This was Washington's own later opinion, for, many years afterwards, on being asked whether he had so expressed himself, he quietly replied, 'If I said so, it was when I was young.' The death of Jumonville made a good deal of sensation at home, which was increased by the anomalous relation in which France and England stood to each other, halting betwixt war and peace. But Washington's military spirit rose after his first battle; and the death of Colonel Fry soon placed him in the chief command. The French had been reinforced, and, though Washington's own troops had been increased, he soon found it impossible to advance, and accordingly fell back upon a former camping-ground, at Fort Necessity in the Great Meadows. Here a superior force of French came upon them, surrounded the camp, and, after a day's fighting, compelled the garrison to capitulate. Washington's ignorance of foreign.

languages proved on this occasion a serious want; for the only officer in his camp who understood French, a Dutchman named Van Braam, either through ignorance of the effect of the words in English, or through treachery, so softened and altered in translation the articles of capitulation offered by the French, as to induce. Washington and his officers to sign a humiliating document, in which the death of Jumonville was referred to as an assassination. Notwithstanding the unsuccessful issue of the campaign, the Virginia House of Burgesses was satisfied with Washington's behaviour, and awarded him and his officers a vote of thanks, and distributed a donative to the soldiers. Washington's indignation on learning that he had been duped in the matter of the capitulation was intense. Van Braam, who had remained as a hostage in the hands of the French, was excepted from the vote of thanks, as a traitor. It is a great and convincing testimony to Washington's consistent character that the only charge maintained against him, apart from those that were born and died in the heat of an actual struggle, is one based upon this capitulation. He has been accused by French writers of treachery and unmilitary conduct, and, of course, all the defects of character that would accompany such conduct; and the sole argument upon which the accusation rests is the assertion that he had himself admitted having assassinated Jumonville in his camp.

In August 1754, Washington received orders to join his regiment at Alexandria on the Potomac ; but a few months later, on learning that Governor Dinwiddie had resolved to organize the Virginian troops in companies, so that no colonial officer could rank higher than captain, he resigned his commission. The proposal to retain his nominal rank

of colonel presented no alternative to him. Washington's conduct was dictated, not only by his personal sense of dignity, but also by a patriotic sensitiveness on the vexed question of rank between royal and colonial officers. The latter had uniformly been placed under the former, irrespective of length of service or experience; and Washington, justly conscious at least of his own worth, resented the attempt to degrade his military rank. He resigned to obey the call of honour and the advice of his friends, not to gratify any desire he had to leave the military line. 'My feelings,' he writes, are strongly bent to arms.' He retired to Mount Vernon, and devoted himself to the domestic and agricultural duties of a landed proprietor.

But he was too valuable to be allowed to enjoy long repose. The Ministry at home had awakened to the importance of colonial affairs, and to the gravity of affairs in America. The French were steadily advancing their forces from Canada, fortifying their advancing lines, and securing a firm footing in the disputed lands; and in 1755 a campaign was organized against them. General Braddock, a brave officer, but obstinately devoted to professional etiquette and precedent, commanded. He arrived in Virginia, with two regiments of regular troops, on February 20, 1755; and prepared for an expedition against Fort Duquesne, which stood on the site of the present Pittsburg in Pennsylvania. One of Braddock's first inquiries on landing was for Colonel Washington; and the latter gladly accepted an unpaid post on the commander's staff; and in May 1755 he was officially proclaimed one of General Braddock's aides-de-camp. The highly disciplined and well-equipped armament was not more novel to Washington, than the conditions and difficulties of