With George Washington into the wilderness

by Edwin L. Sabin

[WASHINGTON WAS HERE, THERE, EVERYWHERE]

The grenadier soldiers were being forced back. They stood in groups—officers snatched flags and bore them forward and waved the men on, but the men could not follow. They seemed to see nothing at which to aim—their red faces were sweaty, their eyes were wild, and they fired their muskets into the air. But they were brave; they stood, to be shot down.

More soldiers arrived, to crowd the road; and more Virginians, to take to the trees. Suddenly Washington seized the lines from the Hunter’s hands and leaped into the saddle (the pillow had tumbled off) and tore through the red masses. General Braddock was here; and he, too, was galloping right and left, shouting and swinging his sword and urging the men to the colors. Some of the soldiers had taken to the trees, like the Long Knives. But General Braddock was driving them out, with his sword, into the road again. “Cowards,” he roared—he was a furious bear. “Cowards! Out, or I kill ye!”

The Hunter heard some of this, for he had followed Washington. He intended to stick by Washington. And Washington was correcting the General and pointing to the Virginians among the trees. But General Braddock would have none of that.

Down fell the General’s horse. He seized another. Down fell Washington’s horse. He seized another; there were holes through his clothing, made by bullets. Thomas Waggener, who had been at the Jumonville fight and at Fort Necessity, came at double-quick with almost a hundred Virginia “Blues” in buckskin, their guns at a trail; and they dropped behind a huge log, at one side of the road; then their guns belched smoke and ball into the Indians; then a company of the grenadiers saw the smoke and all fired into it; and the Long Knives had to run out or be shot in the back.

It was curious how many things one sees when one is excited! And that was the way with Robert, lost in the noise and the jostling, and turning now this way, now that, to keep track of Washington.

Washington was upon a third horse! Braddock was being helped upon another, also. Washington appeared to be the only officer left near him. The Indians were screeching ever more gladly; and as fast as the soldiers were blown backward by the blasts of bullets, the screeches and shots clung to them on either side.

Now everybody was upon a piece of bottom-land, down toward the river. The English were still firing without aim from the narrow road; the Virginians were keeping to the trees; Washington was following the General, as if begging him to let the red-coats join the Long Knives and fight as they fought. A gray-haired old English officer (whose name was Halket) hurried to argue also with the General; but they all were being carried backward still by the soldiers.

Then down fell the gray-haired officer; then a young officer, his son, jumped to lift him, and down fell the son. Then the soldiers moved faster and faster, and they began to run, throwing away their guns, with Washington and the General and several other officers spreading their arms and beating with their swords to stop them.