The Madisonian., April 29, 1913, Image 8

About The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914

Image provided by: University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

                
IEfliI
BY THE PRESIDENT VsJZ
(CONTINUED.)
BufTd Fort Duquesne.
As the spring advanced, the French
force upon the river grew from 500
to 1.400 men, and work was pushed
rapldJy forward upon fortifications
such as the little band of Englishmen
they had ousted had not thought of
attempting a veritable fort, albeit of
a rude frontier pattern, which its
builders called Duquesne, In honor of
their governor.
Washington could hit upon no wa
ter course that would afford him
quick transport; 'twould have been
folly, besides, to take his handful of
ragged provincials into the presence
of an Intrenched army. He was fain
to go into camp at Grand Meadows,
just across the ridge of the mountains,
and there await his colonel with sup
plies and an additional handful of
men.
Becomes Comander-in-Chief.
It was "a charming field for an en
counter, the young commander
thought, but it was to be hoped the
enemy would not find their way to
it in too great numbers. An "In
dependent Company" of provincials in
the king's pay joined him out of South
Carolina, whence, they had been sent
forward by express orders from Eng
land and the rest of the Virginia vol
unteers at last came up to join their
comrades at the Meadows without
good Colonel Fry, the doughty mathe
matician, who had sickened and died
on the way so that there were pres
ently more than 300 men at the camp,
and Washington was now their com
mander. The officers of the Independent com
pany from South Carolina, holding
their commissions from the king,
vould not, indeed, take their orders
from Washington, with his colonial
commission merely; and, what was
worse, their men would not work;
but there was no doubt they would
fight with proper dignity aDd spirit for
his majesty, their royal master. The
first blood had already been drawn, on
the 28th of May, before reinforce
ments had arrived, when Washington
had but just come to camp.
Washington's First Fight
Upon the morning of that day Wash
ington, with 40 men, guided by friend
ly Indians, had come upon a party of
. some 30 Frenchmen where they lurk
ed deep within the thickets of the
dripping forest, and with thrust of
bayonet when the wet guns failed, had
brought them to a surrender within
15 minutes of the first surprise.
No one in the Virginia camp doubt
ed that there was war already, or
dreamed of awaiting the action of
diplomats and cabinets over the pea.
The French had driven an English
garrison from the forks of the Ohio
witn tlireats of force, which would
certainly have been executed had
there been need. These men hidden In
the thickets at Great Meadows would
have it, when the fight was over,
that they had come as messengers
merely to bear a peaceful summons;
but did it need 30 odd armed men to
bear a message?
Why had they lurked for five days
so stealthily in the forest; and why
had they sent runners back post haste
to Fort Duquesne to obtain support
for their diplomacy? Washington
might regret that young M. Jumon
ville, their commander, had lost his
life in the encounter, but he had
no doubt he had done right to order
his men to fire when he saw the
French spring for their arms at the
first surprise,
Now, at any rate, war was unques
tionably begun. That sudden volley
. fired in the wet woods at the heart of
the lonely Alleghanles had set the
final struggle ablaze. It was now eith
er French or English in America; it
could no longer be both. Jumonville,
with his 30 Frenchmen, was followed
ere many weeks were out by Coulon
de Villiers with 700 some of them
came all the way from Montreal at
news of what had happened ' to
France's lurking ambassadors in the
far-away mountains of Virginia
On the 3d of July they closed to
an. -encounter at "Fort Necessity,"
Washington's rude intrenchments un
der the Great Meadows. There were
three hundred and fifty English
men with him able to fight, spite
of sickness and short rations; and
as the enemy began to show
themselves at the edges of the
neighboring woods through the damp
mists of that dreary morning, Wash
ington drew his little force up outside
their works upon the open meadow.
He "thought the. French, would
come up to him in open field, laugh-
yed a wily Indian, who gave him coun-
sel freely, but no aid in the fight; but
Villiers had no mind to meet the gal
lant young Virginian in that manly
fashion. Once, indeed, they rushed to
his trenches, but, finding hot recep
tion there, kept their distance after
wards. Villiers brought them after
that only "as near as possible without
uselessly exposing the lives of the
king's subjects," and poured his fire
in from the cover of the woods. "
1 For nine hours the unequal fight
dragged on, the French and their In
dians hardly showing themselves out
side the shelter of the forest, the
English crouching knee-deep In wa
ter In their rude trenches, while the
rain poured incessantly, reducing their
breastworks to a xaasg jof ..slimx mud,
and filling all the air with a chill and
pallid mist.
The French Ask a Parley.
Day insensibly darkened into night
in such an air, and it was eight
o'clock when the firing ceased and the
French asked . a parley. . Their men
were tired of the dreary fight, their
Indian allies threatened to leave them
when morning should come, and they
were willing the English should with
draw, if they would, without further
hurt or molestation. .
The terms they offered seemed very
acceptable to Washington's officers as
the interpreter read them out. stand
ing there in the drenching downpour
ana tne DiacK mgnt. "it rained so
hard we could hardly keep the candle
lighted to read them by," said an of
ficer; but there was really no choice
what to do. More than fifty men lay
dead or wounded In the flooded camp;
the ammunition "was all but spent;
the French strength had hardly been
touched In the fight, and might at
any moment be increased. Capitula
tion was Inevitable, and Washington
did not hesitate.
' A Sorry Return Home.
The next morning saw his wretched
force making their way back again
along the rude road they had cut
through the forests They had neith
er horses nor wagons to carry their
baggage. What they could they burn
ed; and then set out. sore stricken in
heart and body, their wounded com
rades and their scant store of food
slung upon their backs, and dragged
themselves very wearily all the fifty
miles to the settlements at home.
Two of the king's independent com
panies from New York ought to have
joined them long ago. but had gotten
no further than Alexandria when the
fatal day came at the Great Meadows.
North Carolina had dispatched three
hundred and fifty of her militiamen,
under an experienced officer, to aid
mem, dui mey aiso came too late,
m n f Pec!ed h dryland j mitted. and his pride and sense of per
would raise two hundred and flftv . oi ? F
men. ana .Pennsylvania had at last
voted money, to be spent instead of
blood, for she would levy no men:
but no succor had come from any
quarter when It should. The English
were driven in, and all their plans
were worse than undone.
Bitter Medicine for Washington.
It was a bitter trial for the voune
Virginian commander to hava Ms i
nrst campaign end so disastrouslv
to be worsted in a petty fight, and
JJ x 1 . ,
driven back hopelessly outdone.
IS.O one he cared for in Virginia !
blamed him.
His ragged troops had ;
m - . a
Dome inemseives like men in the
fight; his own gallantry no man could
doubt. The house of burgesses thank
ed him and voted money to his men.
But it had been a rough aoDrentfop.
ship, and Washington felt to the
quick the lessons it had taught him.
The discouraging work of recruit
ing at Alexandria, the ragged idlers
to be" governed there, the fruitless
drilling of listless and Insolent men,
the two months' work with axe and
spade cutting a way through the for
ests, the whole disheartening work of
making ready- for tbe fight, of seeking
'Tie oreniy. and of choosing a fielo -?
encounter, he had borne as a stalwart
young man can while his digestion
holds good.
He had at least himself done every
thing that was possible, and it had
been no small relief to him. to write
plain-spoken letters to the men who
were supposed to be helping him in
Williamsburg, telling them exactly
how things were going and who was
to blame letters which showed both
how efficient and how proud he was.'
Enjoyed the Bullets.
He had even shown a sort of boy- j
ish zest in the affair when it came to
actual Qghting with Jumonville and
his scouts hidden in the forest. He
had pressed to the 'thick of, that hot
and sudden skirmish, and had taken
the French volleys with a lad's relish
of the danger. "I heard the bullets
whistle," he wrote his brother, "and
believe me there is something charm
ing in the sound."
But after he had stood a day In the
flooded trenches of his wretched
"fort" at Great Meadows, and fought
till evening in the open with an en
emy he could not see, he knew that
he had been taught a lesson; that he
was very young at this terrible busi
ness of fighting; and that something
more must be learned than could be
read In, the books at Mount Vernon:
He kept a cheerful front in the dreary
retreat, heartening his men bravely
by word and example of steadfast
ness; but it was a sore blow to his
pride and his hopes, and he must only
have winced without protest could he
have heard how Horace Walpole call
ed him a "brave braggart" for his
rodomontade about the music of dead
ly missiles. ,
He had no thought, however, of
quitting his duty because -his 'first
campaign had miscarried. . ; '
When he had made his report nt
Williamsburg he rejoined his demor
alized regiment at Alexandria, where
it lay but an hour's ride from Mount
Vernon, and .set about executing his
orders to recruit once more, an if the
business were only just begun.
Build Fort Cumberland.
Captain' Innes. who, had. brought
three hundred and fifty men . from
North Carolina too late to be of. as
sistance at the Meadows, and who had
had the chagrin of seeing them tak
themselves off borne again because
there, was no money forthcoming to
pay them what had been promised
remained at Will's Creek, amidst the
back settlements, to command the
king's provincials from South Caro
lina who had been with Washington
at the Meadows, and the two indepen
dent companies from New York, who
had lingered so long on the way; and
to build there a rough fortification
to be named Fort Cumberland, in
honor of the far-away Duke who was
commander-in-chief In England
Dinwiddle, having such hot Scots
blood in him as could brook no de
lays, and having been bred no soldier
or frontiersman, but a merchant and
a. man of business, would have had
Washington's recruiting despatched
at once, like a bill of goods, and
new force sent hot-foot to the Ohio
again to catch the French while they
were at ease over their victory and
slackly upon their guard at Duquesne
Dinwiddle Blunders Again.
When he was flatly told it was im
possible, he turned to other plans
ryuauy m consiaerea, mcugn no
.....11 . in .
doubt equally well meant. By Octo
ber he had obtained of the assembly
twenty thousand pounds, and from
the government at home ten thousand
more in good specie, such as was
scarce In the colony for the sharp
stir of actual fighting had had Its ef
fect alike upon king and burgesses
and had ordered the formation and
equipment of ten full companies for
the frontier.
But the new orders contained a sad
civilian blunder. The ten companies
should all be independent companies:
there should be no officer higher than
a captain amongst them. This, the
good Scotsman thought, would accom
modate all disputes about rank and
iiret-euence, sucn as aaa come near
to making trouble between Washing
ton and Captain ' Mackay, of the inde
penaent company fVom South Caro
lina, while they waited for the French
at Great Meadows.
Washington at once resigned, In
dignant to be so dealt , with. Not
only would he be reduced to a
captaincy under such an arrangement,
but every petty officer would outrank
him who could show the king's com
mission. -,
It was no tradition of his class to
submit to degradation of rank thus
hv JnrfJH
- , o j t nao DU UUUK.
were as high-strung as any man's
in
Virginia.
He had shown his quality In such
matters already, six months ago,
while he lay in camp In the wilder
ness on his way towards the Ohio.
The burgesses had appointed a com
mittee of their own to snend th
mrmpv thov ho t
widdio hnnM thv v.
him tha .noi
"-""'"O mat LUCY uau
relented in the setter of the fees-
and these eenrlpmpn It, thai
parsimony, had cut the officers of th
already straitened little force down to
such pay and food as Washington
deemed unworthy of a gentleman's ac
ceptlnce. A Volunteer Wltheut Pay.
He would not resign his commis
sion there at the head of his men
upon the march, but he asked to be
considered a volunteer without pay.
that he might be quit of the humilia
tion of being stinted like a beggar.
Now that it was autumn, however,
and wars stood still, he could resign
without, reproach, and he did so very
promnrlv. in Fite of protests and
iearnest solicitations from many quar
ters. "I am concerned to find Colonel
Washington's conduct so imprudent,'
wrote Thomas Penn. But the high-
1 1 t n. .
Bpiruea youug omcer aeemea It no
imprudence to insist upon a Just con
sideration of his rank and services,
and quietly withdrew to Mount Ver
non, to go thence to his mother at
the "ferry farm" upon the Rappahan
nock, and 6ee again all the fields and
friends he loved so well. v ' :
A Brief Respite.
It was a very brief respite.
He had been scarcely five months
but of harness when he found himself
again in camp, his plans and hopes
once more turned towards the far
wilderness where the French lay.
He had set a great war, ablaze
that day he led his' forty men
into, the . thicket and bade them
fire upon M.- Jumonville and his
scouts lurking there; . and he
could not, loving the deep business
as he did, keep himself aloof from It
when he saw how it was to be fin
ished, j
Horace Walpole might laugh lightly
at the affair, but French and English
statesmen alike even Newcastle,
England's prime minister, as busy
about nothing as an old woman, and
as thoroughly ignorant of affairs ' as
a young man knew' that something
must be done, politics 'hanging at so
doubtful a balance between them, now
that Frederick of Prussia had driven
France, Austria .and Russia into
league against him. The French min
ister in London and the British minis
ter in Paris vowed their governments
still loved and trusted one another,
and there wea bo declaration of war.
But in the spring of 1755 eighteen
French ships of war" put to sea from
Brest and Rochefort, carrying six bat
talions and a new governor to Canada,
and as many Ships got away under
press of safl from English porta to in- j
tercept and destroy them.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Back numbers of this Story can be obtain
ed at this office.
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iSTYour name on our list will be duly
appreciated. -
GOOD RESULTS
FflOi.lUEBD LAW
Anti-Saloon League Members
of Kentucky to See That
It Is Enforced
DRY TERRITORY TO BE DRY
Efforts To Be Made To Have Enacted
. In All States Laws Similar To the
Kentucky Statute, Which Prohibits
Express Companies From Carrying
Liquor From Wet To Dry Territory.
t
Special. The triumphant exultation
of the leaders of the Anti-Saloon
league over the enactment of the
Webb law is ' manifest in many direc
tions. An active worker and prominent
Kentucky member of the league, when
recently asked concerning the effect of
the law, made the folio wing statement:
"We hope for great and good re
sults from theWebb law, and we in
tend to see that it is enforced.
"It is not so much the bootlegger and
blind-tiger peddler that we were after
when ,we asked congress to pass the
Webb law. The' local state authori
ties can always get after them, but
what we want is some means of step
ping shipments for personal use.
"What is the use of our going to
the effort and expense of voting a
county or a state dry if every man in
such territory can order and get liq
uor shipped to him forhis own use
and the use of his friend3 and family?
It is this practice which we intend to
break up.
"Where a territory is voted dry, we
intend that it shall be really dry.
"We demanded of congress and se
cured the passage of the Webb law
after years of effort, and we have no
intention of letting a stream of whisky
flow into dry territory protected by
the excuse of a right to get the stuff
for personal use.
"It is this very personal use traffic
which we intend to stop.
"If the country is to be taught tem
perance by our efforts, this shipping of
iquor to the homes must be stopped
This is the logical attitude of the Anti-
Saloon league. " v
"Having, as we claim, the right to
secure the regulation of the people in
their personal habits, so far as the use
of liquor is concerned not only in
public, but In their homes we will
seek to use the strong arm of the law
n enforcing our plans.
"To this end efforts are being made
to have enacted in all the states laws
similar to the Kentucky statute which
proniDiis -express ana ranroaa com
panies "from carrying liquor from a
wet county to a 'dry county for, per
sonal use.
"There will be real prohibition when
man can not get a quart of liquor
shipped to him for his household use.
but it is surely coming, and the people
of Kentucky and the rest of the coun
try may as well prepare to welcome
the day."
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Remember when you come to town and
want seed that Covington, Thorpe & Co.
handle the best that can be bought and
will sell them worth the money. Come
and see us at 232 West Main street. 11-tf
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Many Thanks.
A gentleman from Lancaster
tells the Messenger that prospects
for holding a stock Fair in that
city are quite slim. We must
believe, however, that all will
work out right and a fair be held.
The people of good old Garrard
have a wide and enviable reputa
tion on their Fairs, and we'll
wager a ginger cake that one is
held, and it' will be a good one,
too Messenger.
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We keep on hand always the best gro
ceries that money can buy and sell them
as cheap as the cheapest Phone 72 and
144. Covington, Thorpe & Co 11-tf
On Thursday night a baby boy arrived
at the home of Mr. and Mrs.- B. E. Belue.
At the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Douglas a little daughter has arrived and
has been named Marion Elizabeth.
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If your grocer has not told you about
Zarings Anniversary, on May 10th, ask
him to tell you. .
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We are looking for new business and
want you to try us, when in need of good
goods. Covington, Thorpe & Co. 11-tf
-op-
JBSr We are not running any
contest for prizes. You pay your
money and you will get a premium
of a handsome picture, not some
one else a prize bought with your
money. . -
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JgsT'Your name on our subscription list
will help us very much. . If you approve
our policies, help us.
;: Dirtns :: . ..
Federal Court
Federal Court for the Eastern
District of Kentucky convened
Monday at 2 o'clock P. M. with
Judge A, M. Cochran on the
bench. District Attorney Ed. Mor
row and Assistant Attorney Law
yer Smith were on hand. Mar
shall A. B. Patrick and his force
of Deputies were in their accus
tomed places. .
The grand jury was empaneled
with one' of Madison County's
best citizens, Mr. Jno. C. Hen-
dren, as foreman.
Estill county was well represen
ted on the jury by Jno. D. Winn,
T. B. Nealr G. W. Congleton and
Mr. A. Hamilton.
Our friends C. W. Rice and C.
D. Mansfield of Stanton, were on
the grand jury.
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Miss Taylor Wins
Miss Laura Taylor, daughter of
T. P. Taylor, of the city, won the
Five Hundred Dollar piano offer
ed by the Climax Printing Co.
She led the contest by several
hundred votes.
Miss Etta Turner, stood second
in the contest and Miss Georgia
Walton was.a close third.
Miss Taylor also won two out
of three cash prizes given away
by the company. She is a very
popular young lady.
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Correct Styles Prices Right
On All Millinery, Suits, Dresses, Skirts,
Shirtwaists, Underwear, , Hosiery and
Fancy Notions At B. E. BELUE & CO.
MAIN & COLLINS STS., RICHMOND,
KY. 17-tf
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Doors, Sash and Interior Trim. Blanton
Lumber Co. Phone 425. 16-tf
To Fully Enjoy Pumps and
Oxfords Get Well Fitted
Many a woman has been poorly fitted
in PUMPS and OXFORDS and there
fore did not enjoy the wear. We Have
the Makes That Fit.
, We are showing many "styles in
Low Shoes and Pumps, and many fabrics 'and leathers. OuJ
stock for men, women, misses
plete as now. We will greatly appre
ciate having an opportunity to show
you. SEND US THE CHILDREN.
RiCE & ARNOLD
"The One Price House" -
M. M. HAMILTON
Successor to Vaugh & VanDeveer
Staple and Fancy Groceries
Fresh and Cured Meats
WE PAY CASH FOR COUNTRY PRODUCE
Phone 614
FOR BEST
Seed
SEE
L,
Telehone 85
PAY CASH AND
11-lyr
Announces For Constable
Mr. W. F. Ferrell, familiarly
known as Fount Ferrell, announc
es for Constable for District No 1
in the city of Richmond, Ky.
Mr. Ferrell is well known in
this city, where he has resided for
many years. He is one of the
efficient clerks for W. D. Oldham
& Co., in which position he has
formed a large acquaintance with
the people.
His Democracy is unquestioned
and he seeks the nomination at
the hands of the democracy. He
is well qualified for the position.
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Summer Capital
President Woodrow Wilson
has taken the beautiful home of
Mr. and Mrs. Winston Churchill,
near Cornise, N. H., and will
make it the summer Capital,
according to Mrs. Churchill, who
is in Santa Barbara, Cal. She
has directed E. F. Roberts, man
ager of the Churchill estate of
serveral hundred acres, to prepare
the house for the occupancy next
summeri of the President and
his house.
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Notice
Persons having Subscribed for
Stock in the Madison County
Building and Loan Association
are hereby notified to meet at the
Madison National Bank, May 1,
1913, at 4 P. M. for the purpose
of electing officers.
J. B. Knight and
T. G. Wilds.
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Our aim is to please everybody and we
will be delighted if you will call on us when
in need of anything in our line. Coving
ton, Thorpe & Co. 11-tf
and children was never so com
1 -
J li
''V
i HI
ill;!
Cor.lMain and Collins Sts.
0
k4
oats
Blanton
Corner Main and B Streets
SAVE MONEY
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