attachment. It seemed difficult to tell, whether Washington or liberty was the dearest name.

After seeing the independence of his country established, the heroic chief resigned to congress the high office entrusted to his hands; and after an affectionate parting from his companions in arms, he retired to the peaceful walks of private life. He was not, however, allowed long repose. He became, in the year 1787, a member of the convention which formed our constitution, and of that august body he was elected president. In the year 1789 he was unanimously elected the first President of the United States. After serving his country in that exalted station during eight years, or two terms of office, he resolved on retiring from public life. His valedictory address was published in September 1796, and on the 14th December 1799 he closed a life of nearly sixtyeight years.

CHAPTER IX.

A FEW weeks after the return of the troops from the Great Meadows, some companies that had been expected from the adjacent colonies of Maryland and North Carolina having arrived, governor Dinwiddie, without giving the regiment time to recover from their shattered condition, ordered them to repass the mountains for the purpose of dispossessing the French. As the assembly, however, rose without providing the necessary means for carrying on the war, it was abandoned for the present, and the Virginia regiment was reduced to independent companies.

In the year 1754 orders were received for settling the rank of officers in the colonies, and directing that those commissioned by the king should take rank of those commissioned by the colonial governors. In of this in

consequence

vidious distinction, colonel Washington retired

in disgust from public service. In the following year, however (1755), general Braddock, who had lately arrived from Ireland with two regiments, and had taken the command of the forces in Virginia, prevailed upon him to accompany the army in the capacity of aid-de-camp.

The army set off in the month of April, and proceeded to Will's Creek, afterwards called Fort Cumberland, where they were detained waiting for their baggage until the month of June. Owing to the badness of the roads, the transportation of their baggage presented one of the greatest difficulties they had to encounter. Washington, apprized of this circumstance, had recommended the use of pack horses instead of wagons, and his advice was, after much delay, in part adopted.

Soon after the army left Fort Cumberland, colonel Washington was attacked with a violent fever, from which he did not recover until his arrival at the river Monongahela. It was determined at a council, held at the Little Meadows, that a body of twelve hundred men, under the command of Braddock in person,

should advance without delay against Fort Du Quesne, and that the remainder of the troops, with the heavy baggage, should be left under the command of colonel Dunbar and major Chapman. Even when freed from the most cumbrous part of their baggage, the progress of the army, owing to the nature of the country through which they passed, was extremely slow. They were four days marching from the Little Meadows to the Great Crossings of Yohoghany, a distance of only about nineteen miles. On the 9th of July 1755, the army reached the Monongahela, on the opposite side of which, at the distance of six miles, stood Fort Du Quesne, the place of destination. Unfortunately for the fate of this expedition, the commander felt too secure in his own strength and in the discipline of British regulars. He was equally unacquainted with the country, and with the proper mode of fighting its savage inhabitants. Although sufficiently brave himself, his courage was likely to be of little avail against the enemy with whom he had to contend.

1

Early in the morning preparations were made for crossing the Monongahela. A select body of three hundred infantry, under the command of colonel Gage, was ordered to cross the river, as an advance guard, for the purpose of covering the passage of the main body. This detachment was followed by another of two hundred, designed to act as a reserve to the other. The main body followed the detachments, maintaining the order of battle. They had advanced but a short distance from the bank of the river, when they were alarmed by a brisk fire, apparently in front and flank of the advance parties. These immediately fell back, and communicated to the main body a panic, from which they could not be recovered. The firing soon became general, and the confusion amongst the British regulars presented to the enemy the prospect of an easy victory.

The French had drawn themselves up in the form of a half circle, in the skirt of a thick wood, which served as a cover for their centre, while the wings were supported by parties of