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tents in a retired valley. A detachment under captain Waggoner was immediately ordered to make a circuit and appear on the opposite side. Both divisions fired on the enemy at the same time. Jumonville, the commander of the party, was killed, and the detachment, with the exception of one man who escaped, were made prisoners.

At length the main body of the troops arrived at the Great Meadows, and being reinforced by two companies of regulars from South Carolina and New York, they proceeded towards fort Du Quesne under the direction of Washington, whose detachment had formed a junction with the main body, and who had succeeded to the command, in consequence of the death of colonel Fry.

Before their departure from the Great Meadows, they erected a stockade for the security of their horses and baggage. They had advanced only to the foot of Laurel Hill, about fourteen miles from the stockade, when they were informed by a party of Indians of the arrival of a reinforcement at fort Du Quesne. A

dislodgement of the French was therefore considered as impracticable, and the party were compelled to return to the stockade, since known by the name of Fort Necessity. They had scarcely put that place in a posture of defence, when they were attacked by a body of about fifteen hundred French and Indians, commanded by Monsieur De Villiers. The attack, which began about ten o'clock in the morning, continued without intermission till night. It was on this occasion, that the illustrious leader of the American armies first showed that cool and determined courage which has marked his military career. His soldiers seemed anxious to imitate his example, and so bold a resistance was made, that the French commandant thought proper to offer terms of capitulation. A flag of truce was sent to Washington, and terms proposed which, however, were deemed dishonourable, and were without hesitation rejected. The firmness of Washington induced the French officer to recede from the rigour of his terms, which were soon after returned to Washington, so modified as to obtain his acceptance.

The provincial troops were allowed to march off with their baggage unmolested. Their loss on this occasion has been stated at about a hundred killed and wounded. The loss of the enemy was supposed to be much greater. The troops were harassed in their retreat by parties of Indians, as well as oppressed by hunger and fatigue. At length they arrived at Winchester, having surmounted incredible difficulties, and undergone unspeakable hardships. Their services were rewarded by the house of burgesses with a vote of thanks, accompanied by what was much more necessary, a donation for the relief of their immediate wants.

The expedition of Washington, although not attended with success, served as a guide to future attempts; and while it showed the difficulty of the enterprise, pointed out the man most fit to achieve it.

We will conclude this chapter with a sketch of the life of this illustrious man, who needs

no higher eulogium than a detail of his splendid actions.

GEORGE WASHINGTON was born at Bridges creek, in the county of Westmoreland, Virginia, February 22d, 1732. At the age of ten years he lost his father, Augustine Washington, whose estate, according to the English law, descended to his eldest son, Laurence Washington. At the age of fifteen, George was on the point of entering the British navy as a midshipman. The entreaties of an affectionate mother prevailed on him to abandon the idea. His talents were reserved for a fairer field of glory. Although he early showed a disposition for action rather than speculation, he was not inattentive to the improvement of his mind. He received from a private instructor the general principles of English literature, but the boundaries of his education were much enlarged by his own genius and industry.

Those sciences that are purely speculative occupied but little of his attention, which was more attracted by objects of utility than amusement. Much of his time was devoted to the study of the mathematics, and his knowledge of the art of surveying contributed to the in

crease of his fortune. In the exercise of his professional duties, as a surveyor, he became acquainted with the value of lands, and gained such information respecting the country which he traversed, as enabled him to make important additions to his landed property.

The estimation in which he was held in Virginia, at the early age of nineteen, is shown by his being appointed an adjutant general at that age, with the rank of major. But the duties of this office lasted only a short time.

His expedition to the Ohio, which followed soon after, has already been noticed. He commenced this arduous expedition on the 31st of October 1753, the day on which he received his commission. Having obtained guides on the frontiers to conduct him through the wilderness, he crossed the Alleghany mountains, and directed his march for the Monongahela. On his arrival at a fort on French creek, he found the commanding officer, to whom a letter of Dinwiddie was addressed. During his return he encountered difficulties, which to a less enterprising mind would have been deemed

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