and told him what I know about the country which he has to
cross. He treated me most civilly, despite some whisperings which went on
behind my back, and shortly after sent me a courteous invitation to serve
on his staff. Of course I accepted,--you know how it irked me to remain
at home,--but I gave him at the same time a statement of my reason for
quitting the Virginia service,--that I could not consent to be outranked
by every subaltern who held a commission from the king."

I nodded, for the question was not new to me, and had already caused me
much heart-burning. It was not until long afterwards that I saw the
general's letter among Mrs. Washington's treasures at Mount Vernon, but
it seems to me worthy of reproduction here. Thus it ran:--

WILLIAMSBURG, 2 March, 1755.

Sir,--The General having been informed that you expressed some desire to
make the campaign, but that you declined it upon some disagreeableness
that you thought might arise from the regulations of command, has ordered
me to acquaint you that he will be very glad of your company in his
family, by which all inconveniences of that kind will be obviated.

I shall think myself very happy to form an acquaintance with a person so
universally esteemed, and shall use every opportunity of assuring you how
much I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,

ROBERT ORME, Aide-de-Camp.

Had Braddock heeded the advice of the man whom he asked to join his
family, the event might have been different. But I must not anticipate,
and I find my hardest task in writing what is before me is to escape the
shadow of the disaster which was to come. At that time, and, indeed,
until the storm burst, few of us had penetration to discern the cloud on
the horizon,--Colonel Washington, Mr. Franklin, and a few others,
perhaps, but certainly not I. It is easy to detect mistakes after the
event, and to conduct a campaign on paper, yet few who saw that martial
array of troops, with its flying banners and bright uniforms, would have
ordered the advance differently.

But to return.

"It was not until three days ago," continued Washington, "that I was able
to rejoin the general, and he intrusted me with a message to Colonel
Halket, which I delivered this evening. I must start back to Mount Vernon
to-morrow and place my affairs in order, and will then join the army at
Cumberland, whence the start is to be made."

"And what make of man is the general?" I asked.

A cloud settled on Was