s of the British force. The last news heard was that the army
had advanced considerably beyond the ground of Mr. Washington's
discomfiture in the previous year, and two days after must be within a
day's march of the French fort. About taking it no fears were
entertained; the amount of the French reinforcements from Montreal was
known. Mr. Braddock, with his two veteran regiments from Britain, and
their allies of Virginia and Pennsylvania, was more than a match for any
troops that could be collected under the white flag.

Such continued to be the talk, in the sparse towns of our Virginian
province, at the gentry's houses, and the rough road-side taverns, where
people met and canvassed the war. The few messengers sent back by the
General reported well of the main force. It was thought the enemy would
not stand or defend himself at all. Had he intended to attack, he might
have seized a dozen occasions for assaulting our troops at passes through
which they had been allowed to go entirely free. So George had given up
his favourite mare, like a hero as he was, and was marching a-foot with
the line. Madame Esmond vowed that he should have the best horse in
Virginia or Carolina in place of Roxana. There were horses enough to be
had in the provinces, and for money. It was only for the King's service
that they were not forthcoming.

Although at their family meetings and repasts the inmates of Castlewood
always talked cheerfully, never anticipating any but a triumphant issue
to the campaign, or acknowledging any feeling of disquiet, yet it must be
owned they were mighty uneasy when at home, quitting it ceaselessly, and
forever on the trot from one neighbour's house to another in quest of
news. It was prodigious how quickly reports ran and spread. For three
weeks after the army's departure, the reports regarding it were cheerful;
and when our Castlewood friends met at their supper their tone was
confident and their news pleasant.

But on the 10th of July a vast and sudden gloom spread over the province.
A look of terror and doubt seemed to fall upon every face. Affrighted
negroes wistfully eyed their masters and retired, to hum and whisper with
one another. The fiddles ceased in the quarters; the song and laugh of
those cheery black folk were hushed. Right and left everybody's servants
were on the gallop for news. The country taverns were thronged with
horsemen, who drank and cursed and brawled at the bars, each bringing his
gloo