him go. To avoid the pursuit, which they presumed would be commenced in the morning, they travelled all night. On reaching the Monongahela, they had a hard day's work to make a raft with a hatchet. In attempting to cross the river to reach a trader's house, they were enclosed by masses of ice. In order to stop the raft, Major Washington put down his setting pole; but the ice came with such force against it, as to jerk him into the water. He saved himself by seizing one of the raft logs. With difficulty they landed on an island, where they passed the night. The cold was so severe, that the pilot's hands and feet were frozen. The next day they crossed the river upon the ice. Washington arrived at Williamsburg January 16, 1754. His journal, which evinced the solidity of his judgment and his fortitude, was published.

As the French seemed disposed to remain on the Ohio, it was determined to raise a regiment of three hundred men to maintain the claims of the British crown. The command was given to Mr. Fry, and Major Washington, who was appointed lieutenant-colonel, marched with two companies early in April, 1754, in advance of the other troops. A few miles west of the Great Meadows he surprised a French encampment in a dark, rainy night, and only one man escaped. Before the arrival of the two remaining companions Mr. Fry died, and the command devolved on Colonel Washington. Being joined by two other companies of regular troops from South Carolina and New-York, after erecting a small stockade at the Great Meadows, he proceeded towards Fort du Quesne, which had been built but a short time, with the intention of dislodging the French. He had marched only thirteen miles to the westernmost foot of the Laurel Hill, before he received information of the approach of the enemy with superior numbers, and was induced to return to his stockade. He began a ditch around it, and called it Fort Necessity; but the next day, July third, he was attacked by fifteen hundred men. His own troops were only about four hundred in number. The action commenced at ten in the morning and lasted until dark. A part of the Americans fought within the fort, and a part in the ditch filled with mud and water. Colonel Washington was himself on the outside of the fort during the whole day. The enemy fought under cover of the trees and high grass. the course of the night articles of capitulation were agreed upon.

In

The garrison were allowed to retain their arms and

baggage, and to march unmolested to the inhabited parts of Virginia. The loss of the Americans in killed and wounded was supposed to be about a hundred, and that of the enemy about two hundred. In a few months afterwards orders were received for settling the rank of the officers, and those, who were commissioned by the king, being directed to take the rank of the provincial officers, Col. Washington indignantly resigned his commission. He now retired to Mount Vernon, that estate by the death of his brother having devolved upon him. But in the spring of 1755, he accepted an invitation from Gen. Braddock to enter his family as a volunteer aid-decamp, in his expedition to the Ohio. He proceeded with him to Wills' Creek, afterwards called Fort Cumberland, in April. After the troops had marched a few miles from this place, he was seized with a raging fever; but refusing to remain behind he was conveyed in a covered waggon. By his advice twelve hundred men were detached, in order, by a rapid movement, to reach Fort du Quesne before an expected re-inforcement should be received at that place. These disencumbered troops were commanded by Braddock himself, and Col. Washington, though still extremely ill, insisted upon proceeding with them. After they arrived upon the Monongahela, he advised the general to employ the ranging companies of Virginia, to scour the woods and to prevent ambuscades; but his advice was not followed. On the ninth of July, when the army was within seven miles of Fort du Quesne, the enemy commenced a sudden and furious attack, being concealed by the wood and high grass. In a short time Col. Washington was the only aid, that was unwounded, and on him devolved the whole duty of carrying the orders of the commander in chief. He was cool and fearless. Though he had two horses killed under him, and four balls through his coat, he escaped unhurt, while every other officer on horseback was either killed or wounded. Doctor Craik, the physician, who attended him in his last sickness, was present in this battle, and says, "I expected every moment to see him fall. Nothing but the superintending care of Providence could have saved him from the fate of all around him." After an action of three hours the troops gave way in all directions, and Colonel Washington and two others brought off Braddock, who had been mortally wounded. He attempted to rally the retreating troops; but, as he says himself, it was like endeavoring "to stop the wild bears of the mountains." The conduct of the re

gular troops was most cowardly. The enemy were few in numbers and had no expectation of victory.

In a sermon, occasioned by this expedition, the Rev. Dr. Davies, of Hanover county, thus prophetically expressed himself; as a remarkable instance of patriotism, I may point out to the public that heroic youth, Col. Washington, whom I cannot but hope Providence has hitherto preserved in so signal a manner for some important service to his country." For this purpose he was indeed preserved, and at the end of twenty years he began to render to his country more important services, than the minister of Jesus could have anticipated. From 1755 to 1758 he commanded a regiment, which was raised for the protection of the frontiers, and during this period he was incessantly occupied in efforts to shield the exposed settlements from the incursions of the savages. His exertions were in a great degree ineffectual, in consequence of the errors and the pride of government, and of the impossibility of guarding, with a few troops, an extended territory from an enemy, which was averse to open warfare. He, in the most earnest manner, recommended offensive measures as the only method of giving complete protection to the scattered settlements.

In the year 1758, to his great joy, it was determined to undertake another expedition against Fort du Quesne, and he engaged in it with zeal. Early in July the troops were assembled at Fort Cumberland; and here, against all the remonstrances and arguments of Col. Washington, Gen. Forbes resolved to open a new road to the Ohio, instead of taking the old route. Such was the predicted delay, occasioned by this measure, that in November it was resolved not to proceed further during that campaign. But intelligence of the weakness of the garrison induced an alteration of the plan of passing the winter in the wilderness. By slow marches the army was enabled, on the twenty-fifth of November, to reach Fort du Quesne, of which peaceable possession was taken, as the enemy, on the preceding night, after setting it on fire. had abandoned it, and proceeded down the Ohio. The works in this place were repaired, and its name was changed to that of Fort Pitt. The success of the expedition was to be attributed to the British fleet, which intercepted reinforcements, destined for Canada, and to events in the northern colonies. The great object, which he had been anxious to effect, being now accomplished, and his health being enfee

bled, Col. Washington resigned his commission as commander in chief of all the troops raised in Virginia.

Soon after his resignation he was married to the widow of Mr. Custis, a young lady, to whom he had for some time been strongly attached, and who, to a large fortune and a fine person, added those amiable accomplishments, which fill with silent felicity the scenes of domestic life. His attention for several years was principally directed to the management of his estate, which had now become considerable. He had nine thousand acres under his own management. So great a part was cultivated, that in one year he raised seven thousand bushels of wheat, and ten thousand of Indian corn. His slaves and other persons employed by him, amounted to near a thousand; and the woollen and linen cloth necessary for their use was chiefly manufactured on the estate. He was at this period a respectable member of the legislature of Virginia, in which he took a decided part in opposition to the principle of taxation, asserted by the British Parliament. He also acted as a judge of a county court. In 1774 he was elected a member of the first congress, and was placed on all those committees, whose duty it was to make arrangements for defence. In the following year, after the battle of Lexington, when it was determined by congress to resort to arms, Colonel Washington was unanimously elected commander in chief of the army of the united colonies. All were satisfied as to his qualifications, and the delegates from NewEngland were particularly pleased with his election, as it would tend to unite the southern colonies cordially in the war. He accepted the appointment with diffidence, and expressed his intention of receiving no compensation for his services, and only a mere discharge of his expenses. He immediately repaired to Cambridge, in the neighborhood of Boston, where he arrived on the second of July. He formed the army into three divisions, in order the most effectually to enclose the enemy, entrusting the division at Roxbury to Gen. Ward, the division on Prospect and Winter Hills to Gen. Lee, and commanding himself the centre at Cambridge. Here he had to struggle with great difficulties, with the want of ammunition, clothing, and magazines, defect of arms and discipline, and the evils of short enlistments; but instead of yielding to despondence he bent the whole force of his mind to overcome them. He soon made the alarming discovery, that there was only sufficient pow

der on hand to furnish the army with nine cartridges for each man. With the greatest caution to keep this fact a secret, the utmost exertions were employed to procure a supply. A vessel, which was despatched to Africa, obtained in exchange for New-England rum all the gun-powder in the British factories; and in the beginning of winter captain Manly captured an ordnance brig, which furnished the American army with the precise articles, of which it was in the greatest want. In September, General Washington despatched Arnold on an expedition against Quebec. In February, 1776, he proposed to a council of his officers to cross the ice and attack the enemy in Boston, but they unanimously disapproved of the daring measure. It was however soon resolved to take possession of the heights of Dorchester. This was done without discovery on the night of the fourth of March, and on the seventeenth the enemy found it necessary to evacuate the town. The recovery of Boston induced congress to pass a vote of thanks to Gen. Washington and his brave army.

In the belief, that the efforts of the British would be directed towards the Hudson, he hastened the army to NewYork, where he himself arrived on the fourteenth of April. He made every exertion to fortify the city, and attention was paid to the forts in the Highlands. While he met the most embarrassing difficulties, a plan was formed to assist the enemy in seizing his person, and some of his own guards engaged in the conspiracy; but it was discovered, and some, who were concerned in it, were executed.

In the beginning of July, Gen. Howe landed his troops at Staten Island. His brother, Lord Howe, who commanded the fleet, soon arrived; and as both were commissioners for restoring peace to the colonies, the latter addressed a letter upon the subject to " George Washington, Esq." but the general refused to receive it, as it did not acknowledge the public character, with which he was invested by congress, in which character only he could have any intercourse with his lordship. Another letter was sent to " George Washington, &c. &c. &c." This for the same reason was rejected.

After the disastrous battle of Brooklyn, on the twentyseventh of August, in which Stirling and Sullivan were taken prisoners, and of which he was only a spectator, he withdrew the troops from Long-Island, and in a few days he resolved to withdraw from New-York. At Kipp's Bay, about three miles from the city, some works had been thrown up